By Kellyanne Lynch

* Please e-mail ScullySloan@juno.com with questions, comments, theories, complaints, or words of wisdom.

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Chapter 11:
Thursday, 8:35 P.M.


"So I finally thought to check the pocket of the guy that Jesse knocked over," Steve told his story.

"That explains why I heard the phone ringing in the kitchen!" Mark concluded. "You had it!"

Steve nodded and held up the cell phone. He sat down next to his father, who was already situated beside Jesse's hospital bed. Amanda stood at his feet.

"And that must be the man in my lab," Amanda chimed in. "But Steve, you couldn't identify him earlier."

"He was face-down in the mud, for crying out loud!" Steve exclaimed giving her a playful grin.

Amanda smiled back. "Some detective you are!"

A nurse stood in the doorway, holding a tray of food. "Is Dr. Travis awake yet?" she asked.

Mark shook his head. Grimacing, he said, "I'm afraid not. But I can take that for you."

"Mark," the nurse smirked, "now don't go gobbling up the patient's meal!"

He laughed. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that!" Mark accepted the tray from the nurse, and she left.

"Jess?" Steve leaned toward his friend. Glancing back at the others, he said, "I just saw him stir."

The three gathered around the young doctor. Jesse's eyelids fluttered open, and he stared up at his friends.

"Steve!" he exclaimed with a smile.

Steve grinned back. "You already said that," he retorted. "This time, you sound a lot stronger. How are you feeling?"

"Pumped!" he replied, and everyone laughed. Shaking his head, Jesse said, "No, it's not too bad. It could have been a lot worse." His eyes widened and shined with tears. "But, Steve, you saved my life!"

Steve stared back at Jesse for a moment before tousling the boy's hair. "Don't be getting all mushy on me, Jess!" He drew in a breath before saying, "Actually, while we're on this topic. Jess, you saved my life. That was brave of you to tackle that man. It was like David and Goliath out there!"

"Except this David is tough!" Jesse flexed his muscles.

Mark set down the tray of food on the table beside Jesse. "The nurse came by and left you some food, just before you woke up."

Scrunching his nose, Jesse said, "Uh! I should have stayed asleep!" He pushed it aside and turned to Steve. "So, are the kidnappers in custody yet?"

Amanda lowered her gaze. Looking Jesse in the eye, she said, "Well, one of them is dead. I haven't finished the autopsy. But, from the preliminary exam, it's apparent that he has a fractured skull."

Jesse's face fell. "Oh," he replied. Wincing, he asked, "That wouldn't be the one I knocked over, would it?"

Amanda glanced from Mark to Steve before returning her focus to Jesse. "I'm afraid so, Jess."

Jesse hung his head.

"Don't blame yourself," Mark counseled him. “That embankment was full of stones. You had nothing to do with that."

Gazing up at Mark, Jesse asked, "So what was this all about? What did the kidnappers want?"

Mark sighed. "The one who died was a henchman. But the second one." Trailing off, he swallowed hard. "The second one wanted revenge." He turned to Steve. "Mainly, he wanted it against you, son."

"Why?" Steve asked.

"Steve, do you remember a girl by the name of Beth?"

Steve closed his eyes as silence filled the room.

"Beth Capstone?" He looked at his father. "Yeah! I met her when I was buying books for night school! We went for coffee, and we went out a couple times after that. Why?"

Putting a hand on Steve's right shoulder, Mark said, "She took her life recently."

Steve closed his eyes and inhaled.

"I'm sorry, son."

Waving his hand, Steve said, "Please, continue."

"Her father is the one who kidnapped you," Mark spoke. "He told me that Beth wrote a note. In the note." He gulped. "It said, tell Steve Sloan that I love him."

Burying his face in his hand, Steve shook his head. "I never knew," he mumbled into his palms.

Mark put an arm around his son. "It's not your fault that she died. We may never know why she did it. There are usually many factors involved in a suicide, and there's no reason to believe that you were one of them. But we do know that she loved you. And she wanted you to know."

Mark patted his son's back. Wincing, Steve hissed in pain.

"What's wrong?" Mark furrowed his eyebrows, and Amanda glared at him.

"Steve!" she exclaimed. "Have you still not had that shoulder looked at?"

Widening his eyes, Steve protested, "But I couldn't! I had to go bust my kidnapper!"

"Steve, that's no excuse!"

Mark shrugged. "What? What happened to your." Mark gasped. "Is that where you got shot?"

The lieutenant sighed. "It's fine! The bullet just grazed the surface!"

Amanda, Mark, and Jesse glared at him. "Steve!"

"Okay, I'm going!"

Amanda grabbed his right elbow. "This time," she announced as she pulled him out of the chair, "I'm escorting you!"

She dragged him out of the room.

"See you later, guys!" Steve called behind his shoulder.

"Man!" Jesse exclaimed after a moment. "So much happens to Steve! How does he deal with it all?"

Holding his eyes steadily on the door, Mark replied, "In his own way, Jess."