SEEING INTO THE LIGHT
by Angel
Rain pelted down onto the hood of the blue Toyota Corolla that Detective Peter Caine was driving on the road just outside of town. It wasn't his stealth, his pride and joy that he was used to. No, that was left back in the body shop to get yet another window fixed after a shoot out earlier that day took out his front windshield. But boy did he wish he had his car as he fought wildly for control of the clutch. He hadn't taken the time to learn how to use a clutch. How bad could it be? he had asked himself. But now he knew the answer as he tried every shift to make the car from lurching so crazy.
He was driving on a mountain road an the way to Annie's, his foster mom's house for dinner. She had insisted that him, his father and some of his precinct gang come to dinner that was supposed to be to celebrate his 30th birthday and Peter had planned at being there on time for once for his mother, but one check at the glowing numbers of the radio clock on the dashboard told him otherwise. All ready 30 minutes late. But it wasn't his fault. First he had to fill out a tone of paperwork on the kid who thought he was John Wane and who already was costing him a new windshield and then actually find a rental shop open at 7 p.m. in the evening. After all that was done, here he was stuck with a piece of metal that he was just having luck getting it past each turn.
Peter could see Annie in his mind right about now. She would be standing out on the porch waiting for him to drive up. And every moment that he didn't each one of her nerves would be shot. It had nothing with her trusting Peter, but she was a mother, maybe not his biological but that didn't matter to Peter. She had always been there no matter what he did and was always there even when he thought he didn't need her. When Peter was little he used to think she was physic, because she could always tell what you were thinking or new how to fix whatever was. And then there was the matter of her being blind since she was born. Peter always wished that somehow she could get her sight back for one day so he could show her what a sundown looked like or even take her back to see the temple. But somehow Peter thought she knew even though she had never actually seen them.
In his mind Peter could also see Paul Blaisdell, his foster father and police captain walking up to her on the porch and laying a hand on her shoulder. He'd tell her that Peter will be there soon, and remind her of why he was probably late again. She would sigh and put a hand on his hand and pat it with an "I know, but sometimes I really worry about him.. "Then Paul would rub his eyes as if he had a headache and then he would wrap her up in his arms to keep her from getting cold. And Annie would put on her best smile, even though she was scared on the inside hiding her true emotions so not to worry anyone else. But that was what mother's did best, Peter chuckled at himself as he once again changed the car into another gear hoping to make it stop the gunning sound it had started.
He stole a glance in the review mirror as he noticed for the first time a set of headlights that was behind him. There was something about the lights that nagged at Peter, and he didn't know why until a minute later when the car suddenly sped up beside him and lurched at him.
He's trying to run me off the road! Peter thought panicky as his car was rammed from the side and pushed him into the metal guardrail that was on his other side. Spark flew up at his passenger window as the car door scraped into the rail.
Oh, the rental company is going to love that, he thought as he pushed his foot down on the accelerator to try to speed up past the idiot who was trying to kill him. Bad idea. The car lurched forward snapping his neck and he tried to change the gear into fourth gear as the rental guy explained to him. But between trying to keep on the road and keeping track of the other car, he accidentally shifted it into second instead which only slowed the car down instead of giving him the extra speed he needed. In response the car's engine revved and screamed and made a high pitch punching sound which to Peter sounded like bullets hitting their target.
And it's when his back windshield was shoot out and fell to pieces onto the back seat that he realized that it was bullets and he was their target. He cursed loudly as he struggled to speed back up but lost his breath when he heard what he knew was another bullet, but this one stuck the back rear tire sending his car into a rapid spin. Peter grabbed the wheel as best as he could as the car spun and he got a quick look at the car and noticed something odd in the windshield of it. But he had to put that on hold as his car spun back in the direction he was heading in the first place and he saw it's destination. Up ahead the road made a sharp curve and he had no way of making his out of control car follow the road.
He knew what was coming as he threw his arms up in front of him as the now piece of torn up metal ran head onto the rail and his head swam as the car flipped over the rail. The impact of the hit threw him into the windshield making him strike his head on the glass. His last conscious thought before darkness overtook him, was how long Annie was going to be standing on that porch.
The car landed with a thump at the bottom of the hill after rolling a few times. The other car came to a screeching halt at the spot where Peter's car ran into the railing. A man stepped out of it and into a puddle splashing water everywhere which didn't seem to mind to him. He walked over to the edge, well, not really. He sort of walked with a bad limp and a cane to steady himself. He stood looking over what was left of the Toyota. The blue car that was now a wrecked piece of crap that held the target of his run. He puffed on the rest of his cigarette and threw it in a puddle as he limped back to the car and got in. Spinning its tires on the wet pavement the car swung around and disappeared with a squeal as quickly as it had come.
And back down at the bottom of the ravine lay that rolled up car that looked like it belonged in a junk yard. Smoke poured out from underneath the hood indicating that it could explode at any minute. But the driver didn't move. He just laid there slumped in the seat with a blood running down his face.
A flash of lighting off in the distance and a roll of thunder indicated to Annie Blaisdell that the storm was moving away from her house now. She could feel the wind blowing rapidly on her skin and tossing her hair from her position on the porch. She could taste the sweet rain pouring outside as the storm raged on. And she could feel the fear in her heart. Peter was due there an hour ago. She shook her head and tried to convince herself that the next sound she would hear would be his tires on the pavement as it rolled in. But it wasn't. Instead it was the sound of the front screen door opening and footsteps approaching.
"No word yet, Paul?" she asked the figure behind her. She needn't see him to know it was him. Being blind meant being able to identify people by certain things such as their step.
Paul came up behind her and laid a hand onto her shoulder. "No, not yet. But he'll be here soon." He could tell she was worried. But reminded himself that they were probably just overacting. Peter was always late, and when he did get there Paul would give him the usual chewing out for making his mother worry to death.
"He is probably late because he had to put his car in the shop and get a rental before he came here," Paul said as she laid her own hand on his trying to believe what he was saying.
She sighed as she once again craned to hear above the roaring wind. Hoping that maybe the nagging feeling in their stomach was a sign of losing too much sleep over the excitement of having her son over to celebrate his birthday. He hadn't wanted to, but after Paul told him that everyone from the precinct was already invited including his father, how could Peter say no? He hadn't and even told Annie over the phone that maybe he would try to be on time for once. For her.
"He'll be OK... I hope," Paul commented as he could feel the fear also growing in his heart. It was probably the thing about being a father, after a while your nerves go to hell and every little thing could make you jump to the moon and back.
"I know..." Annie begun, "But sometimes I worry about him. And this time I really do. Call me crazy if you want, but I know something just isn't right." She smiled as she heard Paul grunt and knew he was doing his trade mark of rubbing his eyes. Being a father and a captain really put a strain on him. She snuggled close as he wrapped his arms around her and tried his best to keep her warm.
Annie heard the front door open again. "Hi, Skalany," she said to the presence standing beside her taking in the view of the storm.
Skalany shook her head in amazement. "You have got to teach me how to do that. Do you know how much easier it would be if I could tell who was always sneaking up on me?" she replied.
Annie chuckled as did her husband. Then she felt him tense as he ask, "Where is Caine? I thought you would be hanging around him tonight?"
Skalany cocked a smile and shook her head. "He is inside with Blake trying to teach him self control. If Peter doesn't come soon, there will be none of that beautiful cake left!"
They laughed together and Skalany felt the tension in the air loosen. She had lied of coarse of Caine's whereabouts. Not to worry Annie anymore. In fact, at this very moment his was in Peter's old bedroom trying to get a feel for his son. He had scared her a few minutes ago when he excused himself to "explore the house". She had asked him what was really wrong since the last time he was there Peter had given him the grand tour to even include the garage itself.
She had grabbed his arm in the hallway and questioned him. He looked down at the floor and said something about Peter's sudden lack of calmness worried him so. He told her that he wished it to be that he was late for a 'swell party' and was probably driving too fast on the roads. And then he disappeared into the bedroom without saying anything else.
That was a few minutes ago. With each passing one that went by she too felt an over sense of panic. Great Peter, now you got me worrying over you too, Skalany thought. It had grown quite within the group, but a quick clap of thunder quickly deafened the silence. She suddenly felt a presence behind her and turned and gasped at Caine who was standing right behind her.
"Caine?" asked Annie who turned toward Caine. "What's wrong?" She didn't know how or why, but she knew that he did not bring good news.
Paul saw fear in his foster son's father's eyes. Something not much get a chance to see. He saw Caine's eyes shift downward and then up again to met his straight on. He spoke again and what he said pierced through Paul's heart and soul and left him almost losing his balance.
"Our son is in trouble.....," Caine said. Those words sent a shiver up Skalany's spine even though she wasn't even that cold.
"What do you mean, Caine? Where?" Paul inquired. Caine shrug his shoulder and was about to answer when the front door opened again and Kermit stepped out.
"Paul, we just got a phone call from the hospital...." Kermit begun not really wanting to say what he was about to say. "Peter's been in a car accident."
To Be Continued...