In An Angels Foot Steps Ch. 02

Walking, unobserved through the hospital. He stepped, around the side of the building into the shadows. Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he chuckled. It was one thing to conceal something when moving around unseen but it was another matter to attempt to use a solid animate object while doing so.

Leaning against the building he listened to the ringing.

"Campbell here," the voice on the other end of the line said.

"Is your evil twin anywhere around?" Gabe asked knowing how much Campbell hated being associated with Rutledge, his partner.

"Dirk was right," Campbell laughed. "He told me you'd be calling. I just didn't think it'd be this soon. As for Rutledge he stepped out to grab a bite. You know how he is when Dirk shows up," he chuckled. Hearing the heavy foot steps coming up the stairs, he knew his partner was back.

"Hang on I hear the amazon's foot steps now," he told Gabe. "Hey Rut, grab line three, we've got a call."

"Rutledge, what can I do for you?" The deep gravely voice said when he answered the phone.

Gabe could only imagine how human's reacted to just the sound of Rutledge's voice let alone when they saw the massive hard edged man himself.

"Well twinkle toes, I've got a few things I wanted to ask you and your better half," Gabe laughed hearing the moan and growl as if in stereo.

"Actually I wanted to ask the two of you about a case you might've worked or know who did," he explained, getting directly to the issue. "About three or four nights ago a woman was attacked at an art studio on the east side. Rebekkah Sparten's her name."

"We didn't work the case but we've got the option to pick it up," Campbell said as he glanced on his desk at the folder his supervisor had tossed there earlier. "We were making a bust the night this went down and the squad was thin so they sent some flat foots to do what they could gathering evidence and information."

Rutledge sat down, kicking back in his chair listening, his feet coming to rest on the edge of his desk. "What's got you interested Gabe?" He asked already suspecting after the sudden visit from the guide flunky as he liked to call Dirk.

Closing his eyes, he rubbed his brow, knowing dealing with Rutledge could be as annoying as poison ivy.

"She asked me if I'd check out the studio and see what type of damage if any had been done," he said with a sigh.

Glancing at his partner, Rutledge grinned; flashing pearly white teeth against the dark tan he sported. "I hate to tell you Mr. Concerned citizen, but that's not possible. The victim, from our records has slipped into a coma and hasn't been able to give a statement so there's no way in hell," he laughed, "that she 'asked' you for anything."

"One of these days when you go back to hell to visit 'daddy' Rut, he's gonna decide to keep you since you've become the biggest demon asshole around," Gabe said through clenched teeth. "Swing by and pick me up at the hospital, I'd like to ride over and check the place out so I can tell her something that might help her decide life's not so bad."

"What do you think this is a taxi service, angel boy?" Rut said with a chuckle hanging up the phone, grabbing the file from Campbell's desk.

"Be along the side street and we'll be there in ten," Campbell said, shaking his head, his 'partner' sauntering from the squad room whistling. How he'd got stuck with a demon as his partner he'd never understand. God must have thought it was a joke when he chose earth like Gabe had.

Pushing away from the building unseen, he stepped into the unmarked car that stopped briefly along the curb.

"Next time you need a ride why don't you sprout wings and fly or call a cab like everyone else in the city does," Rutledge laughed loudly glancing back at the large man now sitting in the cars back seat.

"How hard do you have to work to be an asshole Rut, or does it just come easy for you?" Gabe smiled, nodding to Campbell who looked in the rearview mirror. "It's good to see they don't give you the keys to a car and turn you lose on the innocent pedestrians," he said smacking Rut on the back of the bald head.

"You think she's gonna pull through?" Campbell asked turning toward the east side, heading to the studio.

"Right now I don't think I'd be able to call it one way or the other," Gabe said with a sigh. "She's just becoming conscious of things going on around her," he explained. "I don't know how she was when she was taken in. I was taking Ursula home yesterday evening when I heard a voice calling for help."

"I figured when 'guide boy' showed up he was gonna be all pissed off, you're interfering with him," Rut said as they neared the neighborhood where the studio was. "I was wrong though, he kinda seemed to think it was funny that you'd gotten involved."

"Speaking of Ursula, did she tell you I had to threaten to arrest her little ass about two weeks ago, for beating some boy who tried to snatch her tip box and radio?" He laughed, "The little hellion was beatin' that boy down 'til I stopped her. I took her home; Sister Katherine grabbed her by the ear and took her inside. I almost felt sorry for her."

"I wondered why she'd only been going to the plaza maybe once a week," Gabe laughed. "Hey that's it, isn't it?" He pointed to a large sign in front of a long dark building.

Pulling in the dark parking lot, they immediately noticed the security lights around the building had been knocked out, glass lying under them.

"I'll be surprised if there's anything left in that building other than the damn walls," Rutledge said, reaching to unsnap the large caliber gun he wore on his side.

Breaking through the crime scene tape across the door, Campbell used the keys provided with the file to unlock the front doors. Stepping inside, he reached along side the door, flipping the light switches on one by one.

Gabe could see the destruction before the lights were on. Chairs were thrown around the room, some having shattered the large mirror that covered one entire wall. Trash cans turned upside down, their contents scattered everywhere.

"The file lists this as a simple gang smash and grab where the occupant was assaulted during the course of the crime," Campbell said with a frown. "It doesn't say much of anything about the condition she was in, other than a phone call was made to the hospital requesting a call back when and if she regained consciousness."

Rutledge picked a chair up covered in finger print dust. "Since when did gangs start randomly start spray painting rainbows and not tagging their work?" he said pointing to the abstract art work that covered most of the walls. "And if it was a smash and grab what the hell did they grab? The TV's busted all to hell and that looks like a video camera or something thrown against the wall," he said pointing to the fragmented pieces of electronics.

"Leave it to a fucking flat foot to sign off on anything to get outta the paperwork," Rutledge said with a snarl before walking to investigate the back room.

"What all does it say in the report?" Gabe said stepping around a twisted chair.

Campbell opened the folder, reading briefly. "All it says was apparently she'd been inside when someone broke in through one of the doors. She was assaulted and transported by ambulance. No finger prints were found other than hers and the list of people they managed to contact who'd been taking classes or involved with the studio," he said glancing at Gabe.

"How bad was she hurt?" Campbell asked slowly, knowing beforehand it wasn't going to be as little as the report made it out to be.

"I've only been there once when the doctor was there and he was busy assuring her supposed boyfriend, they had a well qualified nursing staff so he wasn't required to stay with her around the clock," he said with disgust.

"What I've gathered from what little I've heard and what I've physically seen. She's got a broken wrist and leg. Her face was beaten badly and cut in the process. Her face has quite a few bandages and I've noticed small intricate stitches indicating lacerations," he explained, stopping to take a deep breath. "The worse of it seems to be she was sexually assaulted during the attack also."

"She was raped?" Rutledge snapped as he walked back in the room. "There's not a damn word about a rape in that file," he snarled. "There should've been a crew out here immediately with a fine toothed comb looking for evidence, but since they never mentioned that, it was written off as your average daily crime."

"Rebekkah told me the only thing she does remember, was that she'd already locked up and was waiting for some of the last students to leave before heading to her car," Gabe said looking at the two men. "She wanted me to come down and check on the studio and make sure it was undamaged. She doesn't remember anything after the start of the attack, even the rape from her reaction to hearing the doctor telling the boyfriend."

"The guy's girl has just been beaten and raped and he's worried about having to stay in the hospital with her?" Rut said spitting the words out with disgust. "Can you get his name for us so we can check him out and see if maybe this started with a lover's quarrel he decided to make sure he won?"

Gabe nodded, "I do know his first name is Royce, but I'll see if I can find out his last name next time she's awake or when he visits," he said softly, his mind spinning.

"These doors don't look like they were forced open, the glass would've cracked or something," Campbell said inspecting the door frames around the front doors. "But the report says her keys were found clutched in her hand," he said his voice trailing off.

"I don't think this was a random attack," Gabe said, taking a deep breath. "Someone wanting to break in, wouldn't grab her keys use them, then put them back in her hand."

"Where you need us to drop you Gabe?" Rutledge asked heading for the door. "We've got some flat foots to question as soon as we get back to the squad room," he growled, walking out to get in the car, slamming the door in anger.

***************

"She's awake," Gabe said as they neared the hospital where he'd asked them to drop him off.

"Okay not enough for you to get a legal statement, but she'd aware, and agitated for some reason," he said reaching to open the door as soon as the car slowed, pulling into the hospital parking lot.

"I think we need to go in and personally check on her condition and talk to the doctor," Campbell said as Rutledge nodded. "We'll see you in the room," he said as Gabe moved quickly to the front door, disappearing to the human eyes before entering the light.

Gabe slipped into the room unnoticed as a nurse was carrying in fresh IV fluids. Stepping toward the corner, he watched silently.

Grace, Rebekkah's sister moved her wheel chair as close to the bed as possible, blocking Royce from being able to stand beside the bed. Even with her back turned the stiffness of her posture spoke volumes of her opinion of him.

"Gracie I'm so glad you're here," Rebekkah said, her voice ragged with emotion. "I've been hoping you'd come. Please don't you and Royce fight, not now."

"This is the reason why I didn't want you to come down here," Royce said as he shoved his hands through his hair. "Bekka wouldn't have wanted you to be upset anymore than I do," he said pacing along the side of the room.

Gabe almost laughed when he saw the petite woman in the wheel chair spin around as if she'd been struck.

"You self righteous asshole," she snapped, ignoring the slight snort from the nurse who was refitting IV bags. "Do you honestly think that 'I' need protecting while my sister's lying in a hospital bed in a damn coma? Have you lost what few shreds of intelligence you've ever possibly had?"

"Royce why can't you learn to keep your mouth shut when it comes to Gracie?" she muttered to herself, making Gabe grin softly. "Gracie will you please look at me, hear me, please I'm here, I'm awake honest," she said her voice trembling as a tear slipped from her eye.

"I guess it was kind of you to finally call me, before either the police showed up to question us about any of Bekka's friends. Or we had to hear about it on the news. And why haven't the police found anything out yet?" she said with a sigh, turning back to grab Rebekkah's hand gently.

"You can hear me can't you?" she said seeing him standing silently in the corner of the room. "Would you please explain to me why you can hear me but they can't?" she said softly, her breath catching as she fought the emotions overwhelming her.

"Rebekkah if you can please stay calm. Just enjoy your visit with your sister. I'll try to explain things when they leave," he said softly, his voice a whisper that drifted across her mind, soothing her.

"Grace, do you want me to call Brian so he can drive in and pick you up? I don't think you need to be traveling when you're this upset," he said pulling his cell phone from his pocket.

Spinning her wheel chair around abruptly, pinning him with a stare. "If you'd been here the way you should've been when we got here. You'd know that Brian and I came in together," she said sarcastically. "He's on the phone right now trying to find out why the police don't have someone outside her door. Also why there haven't been any updates on the investigation," she said turning her back on him with a loud huff.

Royce sat down in the hard backed chair near the window. "Do you honestly think I don't want to be here with her twenty four hours a day?" he asked her, not really expecting an answer. "I'm doing everything I can to split my time so I can keep my business going, which isn't an easy thing to do with this economy. Then the rest of the time I'm right here waiting for her to wake up."

Campbell and Rutledge glanced around, seeing the nurses' station they headed toward it, hoping to find Rebekkah's doctor.

Rutledge stayed back, allowing Campbell to do the talking, he'd long since gotten use to the open mouthed stares when women in particular saw him. His six foot six frame, along with the fact that his shoulders were so broad he filled every door frame he walked through caused the initial reaction. But once they made their way up to his hard chiseled face, a scar running from the corner of his right eye down to his jaw line, they'd all but lost the ability to speak coherent sentences.

Leaning against the wall he watched the small man dressed in a business suit, pacing at the other side of the nurses' desk.

"I understand your policy of not being able to give out their number, but is there anyway you can simply patch me through to them?" Brian asked rubbing his hand over his face in exasperation. "Yes I'll hold, and thank you for your help."

Campbell nodded to Rutledge as the nurse he'd spoken to walked away from the desk, in search of Dr. Smithson. Following Rutledge's gaze he noticed the man standing around the corner.

Brian closed his eyes, listening to the ringing, waiting for the investigator to answer. Straightening he realized he was hearing another phone ringing near by that was in perfect sequence.

Campbell pulled his phone from his belt, hearing it ring. "Campbell here," he said, smiling when the business man spun around quickly.

"It might be easier if we talked without these," he said, closing his phone, waiting for Brian to walk around the corner to him.

Brian held out his hand as he approached the large man at the counter, the badge at his belt assured him he was the officer he was looking for.

"Officer, I'm Brian Nelson, Ms. Sparten's brother-in-law," he introduced himself.

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Nelson, circumstances aside that is," Campbell said smoothly. "I'm Campbell and this is my partner Officer Rutledge," Campbell said motioning to Rutledge who stepped away from the wall he'd been leaning against.

"It's obvious you were looking for us Mr. Nelson," Rutledge said shaking the small man's hand.

Brian hesitated, still taking in the massive bulk that made up the second officer. "Yes I was, and please call me Brian. My wife and I came in to see Rebekkah earlier and when Mr. Slade finally decided to show up, I realized no one had been here to ask any questions or give any details of the investigation."

Campbell turned as the nurse approached, seeing the doctor following, he glanced at Rutledge.

"Why don't we step this way for a minute Brian while the doctor gives Campbell some information," he said steering the smaller man toward a small sitting room across from the nurses' station.

"First let me tell you, Campbell and I were just handed the file for this case today, that's why we haven't already been here. Secondly and most important I want to let you know we're going to do our best to find who did this and make sure they are brought in," Rutledge said, as Brian sat down in one of the chairs.

Brian nodded his thanks, "I don't understand why the initial officers hadn't already done anything."

Rutledge shook his head, frowning. "That's a question we've been asking also. I can tell you, the night of the attack the city seemed to be over run with various issues that had us all, working double time. Due to that two, flat foots from the neighborhood beats were called to the scene," he explained, his expression of disgust obvious.

"We're going in to see Ms. Sparten," Campbell said from the door.

Gabe leaned back, taking a deep breath when he saw the door open. The doctor walked in, followed closely by a short man dressed in a business suit, he assumed was Grace's husband. Glancing at the bed he waited for Rebekkah's reaction when Campbell and Rutledge walked in behind the two.

Rebekkah stared at the first officer as Brian introduced him to Grace, ignoring Royce who introduced himself. Glancing at the corner where she saw Gabe in the shadows, she noticed the huge man, standing just inside the door.

"My god they hired Conan the barbarian to be an investigator?" she said with a gasp as Rutledge came into the light surrounding her bed.

"Mrs. Nelson, let me assure you," Campbell was saying when Rebekkah made the comment. Coughing loudly, he struggled to cover the laughter that almost escaped him.

Rutledge pounded on Campbell's back with a smile, knowing any human man would've been on his knees as hard as he'd hit Campbell. "You really need to have someone see about that cough you've got," Rutledge said causally, stepping back, while Campbell composed himself.

"Great one's a slow thinking Neanderthal man, and the other's sickly," she sighed, closing her eyes. "I'm lying here losing my mind, talking to myself and to some hunk of a man I've dreamed up and no one else can hear me."

"Gracie, Royce, someone hell even Mister Muscle bound, can any of you hear me?" she yelled, struggling to lift her heavy arms to wave. Taking a deep breath she held it when she felt her arm move slightly. "Hey look would you, I moved. Not much but damn it I moved and none of you saw it. Gabe if you want to be a help like you said you'd be. Could you try smacking one of them and see if they'll notice?" she said looking toward him, he'd covered his eyes, shaking his head.

"Okay now even my imaginary man thinks I've lost it, so it has to be true. I've lost what few marbles I had. They're gone," she sighed dramatically.

"The contusions will heal nicely, I have no doubt on that matter," Dr. Smithson said, glancing at her chart he gave the officers and Rebekkah's family an update. "I spoke with the Orthopedist earlier this evening, he said he saw no issues with her wrist and ankle both being one hundred percent with in a few weeks."

Grace rolled closer to the bed, slipping her hand under Rebekkah's. "Why's she in a coma then?" she asked, her voice breaking as she thought of what Rebekkah and Jake had told her of their father.