Chapter 7

 

     Chris had been watching all day for an opportunity to hand Todd the note he’d written.  But as was normal for Todd lately, when he and Chris weren’t in a class together, Todd was with Matt Moran.  Todd had even stopped sitting with Chris and the other members of the basketball team during lunch period, to instead sit in an isolated corner of the cafeteria with Matt and his gang.

    

     The school day was set to end in twenty minutes.  Chris was in Mrs. Banner’s English class, seated in the last desk of the fourth row.  Todd was sitting across from him.  Chris’s eyes darted to the heavy-set buxom teacher as she slowly paced the front of the room while reading a passage from Romeo and Juliet.  His eyes traveled to Todd next.  The boy was slumped on his desk, his head buried in his arms.

 

     “Todd,” Chris whispered through clenched teeth. “Todd, wake up.”

 

     When Todd didn’t respond Chris glanced at Mrs. Banner again.  As she turned to walk the length of the room once more, Chris slowly reached out a hand.  He jostled Todd’s elbow.

 

     “Todd. Todd, wake up.”

 

     “Huh? What?”

 

     “Shhh.”

 

     “Come on, Chris, lay off.  I was—“

 

     “Be quiet,” Chris urged in a stage whisper.

 

     Mrs. Banner closed the book and turned.  She took her reading glasses off and pinned Chris with a penetrating stare.

 

     “Mr. DeSoto, is there a reason why you feel the need to disturb my classroom this afternoon?”

 

     “Um. . .no.  No, Mrs. Banner.”

 

     “You don’t like my reading perhaps?  Or maybe Mr. Shakespeare doesn’t meet your approval?”

 

     “No.  I mean yes.  I mean—“

 

     As his fellow students laughed at Chris’s obvious discomfort and red face, Todd dropped his head back to his arms with disinterest.

 

     “Detention in this classroom after school, Christopher.”

 

     “But I have basketball practice after school.”

 

     “You should have thought of that before you decided to cause trouble.”

 

     “But I wasn’t—“

 

     “Yes you were, Mr. DeSoto.  And I shall see you in this room promptly at three forty-five, or you’ll be serving detention for me tomorrow as well.  Understood?”

 

     Chris’s eyes fell to his desk.  He’d never been given a detention before, nor was he accustomed to getting in trouble with a teacher.

 

     “Christopher?  Is that understood?”

 

     “Yes, Mrs. Banner,” Chris mumbled as he stole a glance at his sleeping friend.

 

     When the bell rang to signal the dismissal of school for the day Todd shot for the door.  Chris followed him.  He’d have just enough time to get his books from his locker before returning to Mrs. Banner’s class to serve the detention that would involve Chris sitting in silence and doing homework.   Chris didn’t need to worry about letting Coach Donaldson know why he wasn’t at practice.  Several of his teammates were in Chris’s English class.  He could easily imagine how eager they’d be to let the coach know he was in hot water with Mrs. Banner.

 

     Chris ran to catch up with Todd. 

 

     “Todd, wait!  I wanted to give you—“

 

     Todd turned around but ignored the note Chris held out to him.

 

     “No time, man.  I need to get home to deliver papers.”

 

     “Deliver papers?”

 

     “I have a job after school now.  That’s why I quit the basketball team.”

 

     “But—“

 

     “I gotta go, Chris.  Talk to you later!”

 

     Chris watched as Todd joined up with Matt at one of the school’s doors.  Though their conversation had been brief, Chris had easily observed how red Todd’s eyes were.  He also observed Todd popping a purple capsule into his mouth before he and Matt walked out of the building.

 

     Chris sighed, then headed for his locker.  No matter how much he tried to help Todd, things appeared to only grow worse.

 

 

_____________________

 

    

     That evening Chris treaded down the hallway with light steps.  He risked a glance in John’s bedroom through the half open door as he passed. His mother was seated in the rocking chair with John on her lap.  It was seven-thirty now, and Chris’s father hadn’t called to talk to his family, which meant he was out on a run.  John had been given his bath, and was now reclining, droopy eyed, in his mother’s arms while she read to him.

 

     Jennifer was seated at the kitchen table doing homework.  She looked up as her older brother entered the room.  He laid a paper in front of her.  Chris shot a quick look toward the hallway.  In a voice pitched just above a whisper, he said,  “Jen, I need you to sign Mom’s name to this.”

 

     “What?”

 

     “Sign Mom’s name to that.”

 

     “Why?”

 

     “ ‘Cause you write just like her.”

 

     “But—“

 

     “Jenny, please.  Just do it.”

 

     “But, Chris—“

 

     “Please, Jen, do it,” Chris begged, tossing a nervous glance over his shoulder.

 

     Jennifer took a moment to read the document she was supposed to be forging her mother’s name to.  She looked up with wide eyes.

 

     “You got a detention?”

 

     “Shhh.  Be quiet!”

 

     “Chris, you have to tell Mom about this.  You’re gonna be in even bigger trouble if I sign Mom’s name on it.  And I’ll get in trouble, too.  You’d better just tell her and—“

 

     “Jennifer, please. Please sign it for me.”

 

     “Sign what for you?”

 

     Chris slowly turned at the sound of his mother’s voice.  She was standing behind him with her arms crossed over her chest. 

 

     “No. . .nothing.”

 

     “Jennifer, gather up your books and finish your homework in your bedroom, please.”

 

     “But, Mom—“

 

     Joanne pointed down the hallway. “Now, Jennifer Lynn!”

 

     Though Jennifer didn’t want to miss the humongous trouble Chris was about to get in, she knew better than to argue when her mother was this angry.

 

     The ten year old picked up her books and pencil. Chris wouldn’t meet her eyes as she passed him. 

 

     “And shut your door, please,” came Joanne’s last instruction. 

 

Joanne waited until she heard Jennifer’s door close before turning to Chris.  She picked up the paper that Jenny had left on the table.

 

     “What exactly is this, young man?”

 

     “You can read.”

 

     “Christopher, now is not the time to get smart with me.”

 

     Chris rolled his eyes. “It’s a detention slip.”

 

     “For what?”

 

     “I was talking during Mrs. Banner’s English class.”

 

     “Why?”

 

     “I had. . .I had something to tell Todd.”

 

     “Something that couldn’t wait until after class?”

 

     Chris’s eyes fell to the carpeting.  “Guess not.”

 

     Joanne read over the form that outlined what Chris had told her. He’d created a disturbance in class and had been issued an after-school detention, which he’d served without incident.  Joanne or Roy needed to sign the form acknowledging their awareness of the detention, and Chris was to return it to Mrs. Banner the next day.

 

     “Just what did you have to discuss with Todd that was so important it had to be done during class?”

 

     “Nothing.”

 

     “Nothing?”

 

     “No. . .nothing.  Just. . .nothing, Mom.”

 

     Joanne took a deep breath in order to calm herself.

 

     “All right, young man, here’s the deal.  First of all, getting a detention for anything is not acceptable in this household, and you know that. Second of all, trying to convince your sister to forge my name to this paper was wrong and deceitful.  I can’t believe you’d do such a thing, Chris.”

 

     “I. . .I’m sorry.  I just. . .look, it’s not that big of a deal.  It’s just for talking in class.  I won’t do it again.”

 

     “If it’s not that big of a deal, why did you try to hide it from me?”

     “I don’t know! Because I knew you’d be upset.”

 

     “Of course I’m upset!  You’ve never done anything like this before, Chris.”

 

     “I know, and I’m sorry.  It was a mistake, okay?”

 

     “It was more than a mistake.  It was wrong, Chris.  Everything. . .the detention, hiding it from me, trying to get Jennifer to forge my name, it was all wrong.”  Joanne grabbed a pen from a kitchen drawer.  She quickly signed her name to the detention form, then thrust it at her son.  “You turn that into Mrs. Banner tomorrow and assure her you’ll be discussing this with both your parents.”

 

     Chris sighed.  All hope he had of keeping this from his father was now over.

 

     “And, because of this entire fiasco, you’re grounded through Sunday.  That means you’ll come straight home from school.  No basketball practice, and no basketball game on Friday.”

 

     “But if I don’t play in Friday’s game Coach will bench me next week!”

 

     “Then that’s the price you pay for your actions today.”

 

     “But, Mom—“

 

     “No ‘but, Mom’ with me, young man.  Now go to your room and do your homework.  I don’t want to hear any music, and I want the light out at nine o’clock.”

 

     “But—“

 

     “Christopher Roy DeSoto, I mean it!”

 

     Chris stared at his mother just long enough to make her wonder if he was going to refuse to do as she ordered.  But finally he turned and stomped off to his room.  Joanne winced at the sound of the door slamming.  She waited, but when no cry came from John’s room, she knew the baby had slept through the disturbance.

 

     “He is so lucky he didn’t wake up John,” Joanne said as she began unloading the dishwasher. 

 

     The woman anxiously waited for the phone to ring while she worked.  If there was ever a night she needed to talk to Roy, this was it.

 

 

_____________________

 

    

     Johnny wasn’t trying to eavesdrop as Roy spoke to Joanne on the phone in the station’s kitchen, but it was hard not to overhear his exclaimed, “What!  He got what?  He tried to get Jennifer to do what?”   

 

     It was eight o’clock before Squad 51 had returned to the station from its most recent run that Monday night.  Captain Stanley and the engine crew had eaten supper two hours earlier and were out back, playing basketball beneath the floodlights.  The paramedics had gone on three calls since four o’clock and had missed the evening meal altogether.  Johnny fixed sandwiches for himself and his partner while Roy talked to Joanne.  When Roy didn’t ask to say good night to any of his children before ending his conversation with his wife, Johnny knew something had him very upset.

 

     Roy sat down at the place Johnny had set for him at the table.  He didn’t touch his food, but instead propped his elbows on the table, folded his hands together, and stared off into space.

 

     Two minutes of silence passed before Johnny pointed at Roy’s dinner.

 

     “It’s okay, you know.”

 

     “Huh?” Roy shook himself from his reverie and looked at his partner.  “What?”

 

     “Supper.  It’s okay.  I know I’m not the greatest cook, but it’s kinda hard to screw up a ham sandwich.”

 

     Roy glanced down at the sandwich and potato chips on his plate.

 

     “Oh. Sorry.”  The man took a small bite of his sandwich. “It’s good.  Thanks.”

 

     “Listen, if what I’m about to ask is none of my business, just say so, okay?”

     “Okay.”

 

     “Is everything all right at home?  I mean, I couldn’t help but hear part of your conversation with Joanne, and now you seem pretty upset.”

 

     “I am pretty upset.  And no, everything isn’t all right at home.”

 

     “What’s going on?”

 

     “Chris got a detention in school today for causing a disturbance in his English class.”

 

     “What kind of disturbance?”

 

     “Talking out of turn.”

 

     “That doesn’t sound like something Chris would do.”

 

     “No, it doesn’t. Or at least not something he used to do.  And then to top it off, he tried to hide the detention slip from Joanne, and tried to get Jennifer to forge Joanne’s name on it.”

 

     “Chris?”  Johnny asked with disbelief.

 

     “No John. Of course Chris!  That’s who we’re talking about here, isn’t it?”

 

     “Look, Roy, you don’t have to get ticked off at me because you’re mad at Chris.”

 

     “I’m not ticked off at you!”

 

     “Well, you’re sure acting like it!”

 

     Chet Kelly slowly backed out the door.  He was entering the station to get a drink of water while the other basketball players took a break from the game.  He didn’t wait to hear what else was said between Roy and Johnny, which also meant he didn’t hear the apology Roy gave his partner for blowing off steam at him.

 

     Chet found Marco leaning against the building while Cap had Mike looking at something beneath the hood of his car.  Chet kept an eye on his captain as he talked quietly to his friend.

 

     “There’s big trouble brewing, Marco.”

 

     “What kind of trouble?”

 

     “I just heard Roy tell Johnny that Chris got a detention for yelling at a teacher.”

 

     “You’re kidding!”

 

     “Swear on a stack of Bibles.  Then he tried to hide it from Joanne, and tried to make Jennifer forge Joanne’s name to the slip.”

 

     “Oh man, that is trouble.”

 

     “Yeah, but that’s not all.  Now Roy is pissed as hell and him and Johnny are fighting.”

 

     “Over what?”

 

     “Chris.  Gage was giving his opinion on how Roy should handle things, and Roy just about ripped his head off.  I thought they were gonna have a fistfight right there at the table.”

 

     “Johnny and Roy?”  Marco questioned with disbelief.

 

     “Yep.”

 

     “Then maybe we’d better go in there.”

 

     “No need.  They’ve calmed down now.  I don’t think they’re gonna come to blows, but I bet they’re not on speaking terms.”

 

     Before Chet could pass along any more gossip, Hank threw the basketball to him.

    

“Ready to play another round, Kelly?”

 

     “Sure, Cap.”

    

     By the time the game ended and the weary men trudged into the kitchen for cold soda, Roy was in his bunk reading a book and Johnny was asleep on the couch in front of the dayroom’s TV. 

 

As they walked by Johnny, Chet whispered to Marco, “See, I told you.  Gage and DeSoto are so pissed at each other they can’t even stand to be in the same room together.”

 

Marco gave a solemn nod. He sure hoped for Roy’s sake, and for the sake of Johnny and Roy’s friendship, that Roy got the problems with Chris straightened out.

 

 

Chapter 8

 

     It was a long and difficult week for Chris DeSoto.  On Tuesday, Coach Donaldson lectured the teen regarding his detention when Chris stopped in the man’s office to let him know he wasn’t allowed to attend basketball practice that week. That lecture was severe enough, but it was mild compared to the one Chris received from his father when he arrived home from school on Tuesday afternoon. 

 

     “I’m really disappointed in you, Chris.  This behavior ends now!  Do you understand me?  It won’t be tolerated in my house!”    

 

     It wasn’t often Chris heard his soft-spoken, even-tempered father yell, but he heard just that on Tuesday afternoon.  Chris nodded his head and gave a subdued, “Yes, Dad,” then retreated to his bedroom, where he spent the rest of the evening, except when he was called to the kitchen for supper.

 

     Although Chris was grounded, his mother made him come along when she ran errands on Thursday after he and Jennifer arrived home from school. He assumed this was part of his punishment as well – being forced to go places like the bank and grocery store as though he was a little kid again, and not a teenager perfectly capable of staying home alone for a few hours.             

 

     The last stop for Joanne and her children that afternoon was Station 51.  Hank Stanley was in his office doing paperwork while the rest of the crew sat at the table playing cards.  Hank answered the door when the bell rang that signaled guests had come calling.  He led Roy’s brood through the apparatus bay and into the kitchen.

 

     “Roy, you’ve got visitors!”   

 

     The men stood as Joanne entered the room carrying John on her hip. Jennifer walked beside her mother with a plate of foil-covered chocolate chip cookies.  Chris lagged behind his family and stopped in the doorway. 

 

     Greetings were exchanged and then John was passed to his father.  The toddler exclaimed, “Daee!” while giving Roy a sloppy kiss on the cheek.  He then held his arms out to Johnny.

 

     “Una Onny!”

 

     “There’s my boy,” Johnny said as he took the child and held him high above his head for a long moment.  “How ya’ doin’ today, little pally?”

 

     “Una Onny!” John screeched with delight.

 

     Jennifer made sure she sidled up to Johnny so John didn’t get all his attention.  That move earned her an arm around her shoulder and a kiss on the top of her head.

 

     “Hey, Jenny Bean. How’s my best girl?”

 

     “I’m good, Uncle Johnny.”

 

     Johnny looked at Chris. “Hey, Chris.”

 

     “Hey, Uncle Johnny,” came the quiet reply from the boy who was staring at his shoes.

 

     John was passed from man to man then, before Marco set him on his feet. There hadn’t been a baby amongst the Station 51 A-shift since Mike’s youngest child, Craig, had been born six years earlier.  John was the center of attention as he explored the room.  His baby antics soon had the men laughing, in-between bites of the cookies Joanne had baked earlier that day.

 

     John toddled over to the couch where Henry lay sleeping.  He tugged on the dog’s ears and tail.

 

     “John, be gentle.” Roy admonished.  “Don’t hurt Henry.”

 

     The Bassett Hound opened one eye to see what was disturbing his slumber.  He decided a small boy wasn’t enough to get excited over and went back to sleep.

 

     John laughed and pointed at the dog.  “Heny!”  He turned and looked up, pointing at Hank next.  “Heny!”

 

     Though John’s actions were mere coincidence, a new round of laughter broke out amongst the A-shift.  The men well-remembered their captain not being pleased the day Johnny christened the lazy dog with the moniker of Henry. 

 

     “I better not hear anyone call him Hank,” Cap had said with a firm note to his tone.

 

     The lanky man now stared down at John. Hank planted his hands on his hips.

 

     “What did you call me, young man?”

 

     “Heny.”

 

     John laughed again as Hank Stanley chased him around the dayroom.  His laughter turned to a squeal of delight when the tall man swooped him up into the air.

 

Chris observed the goings-on from his spot in the doorway.  If there was one thing good about a baby brother as lively as John, it was that he drew attention away from you.  While everyone else was watching Captain Stanley playfully roughhouse with the DeSoto toddler, Chris caught Johnny’s eye.  With a flick of his head, he indicated that he wanted Johnny for something.  Johnny was still laughing at John when he approached Chris.  The teenager kept his voice low.

 

“Can I talk to you a minute?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Is there somewhere we can go that’s private?”

 

Johnny glanced over his shoulder.  Everyone in the room, including Joanne and Jennifer, had their backs to him and Chris.

 

“The dorm, I suppose.  Is that okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

 

Johnny led the way to the dorm.  He opened the swinging door that allowed one to enter the big room from the apparatus bay.  He stood back so Chris could walk in front of him.  Johnny pointed to his bunk all the way at the end of the room.

 

“Have a seat, sport.”

 

Chris sat down with Johnny sitting beside him.  Their backs were now to the door that had shut behind the paramedic.

 

“What’s up, kiddo?”

 

“I’ve got. . .well, I’ve got a problem and I don’t know how to solve it.”

 

“What kind of a problem?”

 

“Do you remember my friend Todd?”

 

“The boy I met at your Halloween party?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I remember him.”

 

“Well, I think. . .I. . .see it’s like this, I think. . .”

 

“You think what, Chris?”

 

In a rush of words that indicated Chris had been longing to confess this to some trusted adult, he blurted, “I think Todd might be doing drugs.”

 

Silence lingered in the room a moment, then Johnny nodded. 

 

“I see.  And just what makes you think that?”

 

Chris explained everything that had been happening since school had resumed in early January, from Todd’s new choice of friends, to his falling grades, to his lack of interest in all the activities he used to enjoy so much.

 

“Plus, I saw him. . .I saw him take a pill the other day, Uncle Johnny.”

 

“A pill?”

 

“A purple capsule of some sort.  And he keeps falling asleep in class, and his eyes are always red.  He smells like pot on some days, too.”

 

Johnny knew the look on his face had to be voicing his astonishment.

 

“You know what pot smells like?”

 

“Uncle Johnny, I am thirteen years old.”

 

“I know that, but. . .”

 

“But what?”

“Nothing.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, as sad as it makes me to say that.”

 

“Why? Didn’t they have pot when you were a kid?”

 

Johnny laughed. “Yeah, pot was around, but I don’t think I ever smelled it until I was out of high school.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really.  First of all, you have to remember that I grew up in a small town, so my exposure to a lot of things was limited.  Secondly, though I’m sure some kids I went to school with might have smoked pot on occasion, its use just wasn’t all that common back them.  Cigarettes and alcohol were easier to get our hands on.”

 

“Did you ever try either one of those?  I mean, before you were eighteen?”

 

“Tried smoking when I was your age.  Made me sicker than a dog.  Not to mention the fact that my dad made me eat a cigarette when he found out the reason I was throwing up behind the barn.”

 

“He made you eat a cigarette?  Yuck.”

 

“Yuck is right. That cured my interest in tobacco, let me tell you.  As far as alcohol went, any desire I had for experimenting in that area left me when a good friend of mine, who was drunk out of his mind, wrapped his car around a tree when we were sixteen.”

 

“Was he okay?”

 

“No, as a matter of fact he wasn’t.  He died at the hospital the next morning.”

 

“Oh.  I’m sorry.”

 

“It was long time ago, Chris.  There’s nothing to be sorry for.  A sixteen-year-old boy did a stupid thing that night. It happened many times before then, and has happened many times since.  Unfortunately, growing up isn’t easy for any of us, and sometimes the choices we make during that process are the wrong ones.”

 

“That’s exactly why I’m worried about Todd.  I’m afraid he might do something that will cause him to get hurt. . .or worse.”

 

“Have you talked to your parents about this?”

 

“I can’t.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“The principal sent home a letter in January about drug use in the schools.”

 

“I know. Your dad told me about it.”

 

“Well, it says that any parent who knows a kid. . .any kid, who might be using drugs, has to turn that kid in.”

 

“So?”

 

“So if I tell my folks, then they have to talk to the principal about Todd.  I wanna help Todd, Uncle Johnny, I don’t wanna nark on him.”

 

“Unfortunately, sometimes in order to help a friend you do have to nark on him, kiddo.”

 

“I guess, but isn’t there another way?”

 

Johnny thought a moment. He couldn’t blame Chris for his concerns.  It was never easy to be put in the position of having to tell on a friend, even if your intentions are good.

 

“Okay, Chris, I’ve got a couple ideas.”

 

“What?”

 

“First of all you, really need to make an effort to put your mom and dad’s minds at ease regarding your behavior. They’re really concerned about you.”

 

“I know.  And I do feel bad about how I’ve been acting, but I’ve been worried about Todd.  The only reason I got that stupid detention was ‘cause I was trying to wake Todd up.  He had fallen asleep in our English class.”

 

“Well, just do me a favor and do your best by your mom and dad.”

 

“I will. I promise.”

 

“Good. Now second of all, you need to try to get Todd alone so you can talk to him.  Get him away from this Matt Moran character you were telling me about.”

 

“I’ve tried, but I haven’t had much luck.”

 

“Keep trying. Maybe you can get him to come over to your house on a Saturday or. . .hey, do you think Todd might accept an invitation to my place for an afternoon of horseback riding?”

 

Chris’s face broke into a slow smile.  “Yeah. Yeah, I bet he would. He was really interested last fall when I told him you had horses.  I even told him maybe he could come riding with me at your place some time.”

 

“Well now’s the time.”

 

“Then what?”

 

“You need to talk to Todd about what you’ve been observing.  See what he has to say about it.  You need to convince him to confide in an adult he trusts.  A favorite teacher, your basketball coach, someone in Todd’s family.”

 

“He’s got an older brother he talks about a lot. Scott is his name.”

 

“Then maybe Scott is the person Todd should speak with.”

 

“But he goes to college in Indiana.”

 

“That might be a problem I guess, but overall it’s up to Todd to decide who he’s going to confide in.  Maybe. . .well maybe you can get him to talk to me when you guys are at my place.”

 

“I might be able to.”

 

“I’ll be happy to help him in anyway I can, Chris, but don’t get your hopes up.  Unless Todd wants help, there’s not much either one of us can do.”

 

“Then what will happen?”

 

“Then I’ll be the adult who knows what’s going on and I’ll be the one who talks to your principal.  That will leave both you and your folks out of it.”

 

“You’d really do that, Uncle Johnny?”

“If I’m certain Todd is using drugs, then yes, Chris, I’ll really do that. But there’s one more thing you have to do for me.”

 

“What?”

 

“Regardless of whether or not Todd does accept an invitation out to my ranch, you have to tell your parents what’s going on. You can wait until after you talk to Todd, but then your folks have to know.  I can’t keep this a secret from your dad, Chris.  For one thing, he’s too worried about you for me to do that, and for another, I can’t meddle in your life without your parents knowing why.”

 

“They won’t care.  They trust you.”

 

Johnny chuckled.  “That’s true, but this is a pretty big issue, and I have to make sure I’m handling it the way they’d want it handled.”

 

“Okay,” Chris nodded.  “I promise I’ll tell them.  But let me talk to Todd first.  Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll agree to talk to Scott or Coach Donaldson right off the bat.”

 

“Maybe,” Johnny said, though he rather doubted that would happen.  It all depended on how much control Matt Moran, and drugs, had over Todd.

 

The pair fell quiet for a long minute.  Despite that quiet they didn’t hear the swinging door ease open, nor were they aware of Chet Kelly standing half in and half out of the room.

 

“I just wish I could stop this whole drug thing, Uncle Johnny,” Chris said when he spoke again.  “I just wish I was able to stop it now.”

 

Chet watched as Johnny put an arm around Chris’s slumped shoulders.

 

“I know you do, sport, but I’ll help you in whatever I can.”

 

     Chet made a hasty exit as the klaxons went off. He was the only person in the kitchen who had seen Johnny and Chris slip away.  No one paid attention to where Johnny came from as the paramedics were summoned on a call.  By the time the squad was pulling out, Chris was standing next to his mother as she, John, and Jennifer stood in the kitchen doorway, waving goodbye to Roy and Johnny.

 

     Five minutes later Joanne departed with her offspring.  Captain Stanley returned to his office while Mike retrieved a clean rag from the supply closet so he could wipe down the engine.

 

     Chet followed Marco to the kitchen. It was Marco’s night to make supper.  Chet stood at the man’s elbow as Marco began pulling pots and pans from the cabinets.

 

     “Marco, you’re never gonna believe what I heard now.”

 

     “What?”

 

     “Chris is on drugs.”

 

     “Chet, you’re full of it.”

 

     “I am not! I just heard him telling Johnny.  The two of them were sitting on Johnny’s bunk in the dorm.  I’m not kidding you!  Chris really said that.  He said, and I quote, ‘I just wish I could stop this whole drug thing, Uncle Johnny.’  End quote.”

 

     Marco shook his head with despair.  “That’s too bad.  This is just going to kill Roy.”

 

     “I know. Man, I sure wish there was some way I could help.”

 

     “I don’t see how.  If Chris has spoken to Johnny like you said, then Johnny will tell Roy and—“

 

     “Hey, I know what I can do!  I’ll call Gary.”

 

     “Gary?”

 

     “My buddy Gary Fitzgerald.  He’s a paramedic at 99’s. I went through the academy with him. We worked together outta Station   17 the first couple years we were with the department.  He’s got a boy Chris’s age.  Maybe Gary will know what Roy should do.”