The characters of "Nash Bridges" are the property of CBS and Paramount Television. Not for
profit. Copyright 2002 by Stevie
Nash Bridges 2: War of Nerves
A single man was jogging along the beach. It was just dawning. The sea’s water moved up the sand
in small waves, surrounding the man’s feet as he set one foot in front of the other. Right, left, right
left. Breathing in, breathing out.
He passed an elderly man, who was trying to catch some fish. The man stopped and took some deep
breaths from the fresh and salty morning air.
“Any luck yet?� he asked the fisherman.
“Not yet, no. But I only started couple of minutes ago.�
“Good luck, then!� the man replied and went up to his car.
“Thanks,� the fisherman said and returned to watch the sea.
The man arrived at his car and glanced at his watch. He’d still have time to have a shower at home
before he would need to get to work. Maybe there would be some time to feed his baby son, so his
wife could sleep a few minutes longer.
The man smiled at this thought. He was sure his boss would understand if he would call in a few minutes
later.
He wanted to get in his car when he felt someone approaching from behind. It was a man of Asian
origin, but from where exactly he couldn’t tell.
“Can I help you?� he asked friendly, although his right hand was already reaching for his gun.
“I like your car…� the Asian said.
“Well, you ain’t gonna get it, I’m afraid,� the man replied. He could tell by the look into
the eyes of the other man that he was on drugs. “You better take a hike, man. For your own good!â
€�
He drew his wallet out of his belly bag and presented his SFPD badge.
“Oh man, you’re a cop? That’s not good man…� The Asian drew his gun and before
the inspector could react, he was down.
* * *
Bridges and Dominguez were on their way to the SIU barge. The roaring of the ‘Cuda’s engine
made Nash speak louder so his partner would hear him.
“You know what Nick’s up to now?� he asked.
Joe shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure you’re telling me now,� he smiled.
“He wants to baby-sit! He’s actually taking first aid classes for children!� Bridges gave his
partner one of his ‘can you believe that?’ looks he always did when his father wanted to do
something new.
“So what’s so bad about it? He can make some money and he has something to do with his time.
�
“Are you crazy? Did you listen to what I just said? My father wants to be a baby-sitter! What if he
forgets he’s having to watch a child?�
“Nashman, don’t you think Nick’s old enough to know what he can do and what he canâ
€™t?â€�
Nash looked over to Joe as if he was from another planet. “It’s Nick we’re talking about
here. Remember the scuba diving thing? I don’t think he exactly knows what he’s up to!�
“I’m sure you will tell him...�
“Oh no, bubba, I want you to tell him!�
Joe shot a glance over to Nash. “Why me?�
Bridges took his eyes off the street for a moment to face his friend. “Because he won’t listen to
me. And because you are my best friend...�
Before Joe could say something else, his partner’s cell phone rang. Without taking his eyes off the
street, he reached for it and flipped it open.
“Nash, it’s Harvey,� he heard the voice of his co-worker. “We just got the news that
Terry Manson was hit during a shooting with some of Hu’s guys. It doesn’t look good.�
“Damn!� Nash cursed. “I believe he has a wife and a kid – have they been notified?�
“Yeah, I called them before I called you,� Leek answered with a sad voice.
Inspector Terry Manson was a member of the SIU almost from the beginning and they all knew him
quite well. A couple of months ago they had organized a surprise party for Terry and his wife Betty Ann
as their first child had been born, a son.
“Paramedics took him to the hospital,� Nash heard Harvey’s voice through the memories.
“We’re on our way. Did they get the shooters?�
“Unfortunately, no. But we have an eye witness. He’s IDing them as we speak.�
Nash sighed heavily. “Okay, keep me posted!�
He closed his cell phone and looked over to his partner without saying a word. Then he made a U-turn
and headed towards the hospital.
* * *
When Nash Bridges and Joe Dominguez arrived at the waiting area of the ER, they spotted Betty Ann
Manson right away. She was nervously pacing up and down between the rows of plastic chairs, trying to
keep calm as best as she could manage.
After she turned for about a hundredth time, her eyes fell on her husband’s superior.
“Nash!� she exclaimed and hurried towards him.
Bridges tried to smile reassuringly and embraced her. “How is he?� he asked concerned,
releasing the blonde woman again.
“They took Terry up to surgery, he’s not out yet...Nash, they won’t tell me what happened...
� Fear hung in those words. Fear that her husband might not make it through the operation.
“I’ll try what I can find out,� Joe said, hurrying away. It wasn’t until then that the woman
recognized him being there as well.
“Thanks, Joe,� she sobbed.
“Where’s your boy?� Nash asked to keep her distracted.
“I asked Katherine, our neighbor, to keep an eye on Terry jr. till my Mom shows up.�
Nash watched Betty Ann. She appeared much older than she actually was. The worries about her
husband showed themselves clearly.
The Inspector’s first instinct was to say that everything would turn out okay, but he knew it would
most probably be a lie. “Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do?� he asked instead.
Betty Ann looked up to him. “I need my husband and Terry jr. needs his father,� she calmly said,
trying to keep her voice steady as well. She wasn’t one of those women who cried at the least
occasion. Nash knew that she was a tough woman. She was strong. She had to be. Her husband was a
cop, as well as her brother and father. He knew she wouldn’t allow herself to cry. Not yet, anyway.
Bridges meet her hazel eyes as he promised her the only thing he and his colleagues at the SIU could do
for her family. “We’ll get those bastards!�
She draw a sad little smile. “Thank you for that, Nash. But that won’t help Terry at all now...�
* * *
“Nashman, we have a name!� Inspector Leek informed his superior, who was on his way back to
the SIU barge.
“Hit me!� he simply replied.
“Harry Sishido…�
Nash’s eyes widened. “Hu’s hit-man…I should’ve known!�
He thought for a second while making his way through heavy traffic.
“Do we have anything else to connect him to Hu?�
“Not yet, boss,� Harvey replied.
“Okay, I’ll be with you in ten.�
Bridges parked his screaming-yellow ‘Cuda on his parking spot, as he had done it uncountable times
before. And yet, there was something different this time. He felt the hair at the back of his neck stand up.
Something was definitely wrong. Nash looked towards the barge and recognized Leek and an elderly
man coming up the small iron bridge connecting the barge with the mainland. When they had reached the
highest point, the man suddenly collapsed. Instinctively, Leek ducked down, covering the man with his
own body, his gun already drawn.
Bridges’ eyes peered in the direction where the shot had come from. He spotted a fleeing man, the
rifle still in his hand. “Police – Freeze!� he shouted, but the man didn’t react.
Nash hurried back into his car, started the engine and hurled it around to follow him.
The shooter ran into a small side-street near the barge, with Bridges close behind him.
By the time the ‘Cuda had stopped and Bridges had got out, the fugitive had already climbed the fire
ladder. Just before Nash could follow him, the man slipped and fell, hitting down hard on the concrete.
Immediately, the captain checked for life-signs, but it was too late: the shooter was dead. Nash removed
the mask the man was wearing and recognized the face at once.
“Sishido…�
After the medical coroner had removed Sishido’s body, Bridges returned to the SIU headquarters.
As soon as he entered the barge, Joe Dominguez approached him.
“The witness is dead, Nash,� he said.
“So is the shooter. It was Harry Sishido,� Nash replied and didn’t fail in effect.
“Hu’s number one hit-man…� Joe returned, a small smile playing around his lips. “Does
that mean we can kick Hu’s butt?�
Bridges sat down at his desk. “Bubba, this brings us back into the game – we’ll get him! And
Hu himself just gave us our number one trace!�
Nash looked around and didn’t see Inspector Leek anywhere. “Where’s Harvey?� he
asked.
“Ehm, outside. He just talked to the victim’s daughter. He’s pretty pissed…�
Nash nodded and went outside. He found his co-worker standing at the railing, a coffee mug in his hand,
watching sea-gulls circling above the water.
“Heard you lost one,� Nash simply said when he approached him.
Harvey turned. “Heard you lost one…�
Bridges laughed sarcastically. “But I think Harry Sishido won’t be missed very much.�
Leek returned to watching the gulls. “So Sishido was the man…He killed Adrian McGillan, father of
two daughters, grandfather to three, great-grandfather to Laurie. He thought it would be the right thing to
make a statement…�
Nash let his hand rest on Leek’s shoulder. “He did the right thing, Harvey. And it may sound
crude, but maybe Adrian McGillan gave his life for a good thing after all: So we can nail Hu’s Asian
ass once and for all!�
Confidence hung in those words.
“Yeah…but still it’s a pain, man…� Harvey sighed and joined his superior going inside again.
* * *
“Hi Daddy!� Cassidy Bridges greeted her father as she approached his desk.
“Hey, sweet heart,� Nash smiled brightly. “What are you doing here?�
“Do I need a reason to visit my favorite father?� she teased him, chuckling.
“Yeah, right, I’m your only father!� His smile saddened a little. “So, what are you doing
here?�
“I wanted to invite you to dinner tonight,� Cassidy said, but Nash knew there was something else.
He gave her the ‘tell me’ look and she sighed.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to Harvey...� Cassidy could tell that this surprised her Dad. He looked
puzzled.
“Oh...okay, he’s upstairs.�
“Thanks Daddy! Dinner tonight, don’t forget!� She gave him a kiss on the cheek and went
upstairs.
Cassidy found Inspector Leek standing by the file cabinet, holding a folder in his hands.
“Hey Harvey,� she approached him.
He swirled around. “Cassidy, hey...Nash’s down –“
She raised a hand. “No, it’s okay. I wanted to talk to you.�
His eyebrows shot up. “Me?� he echoed puzzled. “What about?� He put the folder back
into the cabinet, wondering what the topic may be.
“Evan...�
Harvey lowered his gaze. Just hearing the name of his former partner stirred up a lot. He knew he had to
make a decision about the further handling of the issue with Evan, but so far he successfully had pushed
it in the far corner of his mind.
He sighed and offered Cassidy a seat. “Go ahead.�
The young woman looked out the window, gathering her thoughts. She wasn’t sure where and how
to begin. “Remember I told you I wouldn’t love him anymore?�
Harvey smiled sadly as he recalled the scene. “Yes I do. And I remember Evan not believing a word
of what I said.�
“Harvey, how do you cope with the situation?� she asked bluntly.
Caught totally off guard by that question, Leek thought for a moment. “I’m trying...�
He took a deep breath and let it out again. “I’m trying to tell myself that I have done everything I
could to help him...�
When he read the expression on Cassidy’s face, he smiled weakly. “But still it’s a pain in the
butt...�
They remained silent for a moment.
“How do you deal with it? It must be even harder for you...,� Harvey finally said.
Cassidy looked at him. “I hate him for what he did to me...But I still love him so much that it hurts...
Does that sound crazy?�
The Inspector smiled and shook his head. “No, that’s not crazy! I feel similar. But a friend told
me that sometimes you have to let someone down in order to help him...�
“Sounds like Abby...� Cassidy leant a little closer. “You love her, don’t you?�
Harvey shook his head slightly in surprise and smiled nervously. “What gave you that impression?�
“The shine in your eyes when you talk about her...�
He knew he had lost, so there was no point in denying. “I wouldn’t call it love, though. I really
care about her, but more like a little sis, not a girlfriend. Besides, she’s too young...�
Now Cassidy laughed out loud. “A man with principles...I like that,� she mocked him, but got
serious again. “Wish Evan would have some of them...�
Again, there was an eerie silence between them. Finally, Harvey sighed heavily.
“I know he betrayed you, Cass, but keep a little love alive inside of you...He might come back to us...
�
She met his eyes. “Do you still care for him?�
“Yes I do, although it’s hard to care about Evan at the moment,� he answered without
hesitation. “And I hope he’ll turn out okay in the long run...�
* * *
Kam Hu cursed when the phone beside him rang. “Yeah,� he grumbled into the hand piece.
“Hey, Kam…�
“Who is this?� he asked, his mood not improving.
“Oh, I’m sorry – where are my manners? I’m Captain Nash Bridges, SIU and – if I
may add: Soon your worst nightmare!�
Hu smiled slightly. He knew about the man at the other side of the phone. “Forgive me for not being
impressed, Captain.�
He could hear Bridges laugh. “Oh, but you will be, bubba! It might interest you that one of your men
is dead.�
Kam Hu grew serious at once. “And who would this be?� he asked, trying to sound light-hearted.
“A killer named Harry Sishido…�
The Hawaiian man swallowed hard. That was a big loss for his organization.
“You okay, bubba? You’re so quiet…�
Hu could tell the satisfaction from Bridges’ voice. Anger came up inside of him, but he managed to
control it. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you. And thank you for telling me, Captain Bridges. Good-
bye.�
Not five minutes later, Nakahara and Kelly were standing in front of Kam Hu’s desk, waiting for
instructions.
“I just got a call from Captain Bridges, SIU. He told me that Sishido was dead – can you tell me
how that could’ve happened?!�
They looked down to their feet. Finally, Nakahara faced his boss. “There were drugs missing from
the ware-house when we last checked. Simmons told us that Harry was the last to be seen there. And
apparently, he was loaded. Seems Harry shot a cop while he was on it. Then he killed the witness and
then died when Bridges was after him,� he explained with a very quiet and shivering voice.
“And can you also tell me, why the fuck you didn’t tell me this earlier?� Kam Hu bashed his
hand down onto his desk in anger. This was just what he needed. One of his men went berserk and now
the cops were at his tail.
“For what little it’s worth, boss…We’re sorry…� Kelly mumbled, still not looking up.
You could tell they were both afraid of Hu.
“You better be…� Kam said, looking out of his window. “The damage is done. All we can
do now is to control the consequences…�
* * *
Joe Dominguez closed the elevator door behind him and stepped deeper into his partner’s
apartment. He spotted Nick Bridges sitting in a chair on the balcony, reading a book. “Hey Nick,â
€� he greeted and joined him.
“Joe...� Nick looked surprised to see him. “What are you doing here? Nash is working.�
Dominguez raised his hand to wipe that fact away. “I know, I’m supposed to talk to you.�
The older man closed the book. Joe recognized, amused, that it was one about first aid.
When Nick noticed the look, he stood up and showed the cover to him. “Abby gave me this for
studying,� he smiled, but it faded quickly. “Nash sent you to talk me out of it, right?�
Joe sighed. It was his cross to bear that he couldn’t keep a secret from a Bridges.
“He thinks it’s a stupid idea, doesn’t he?�
“Well,� the inspector started, trying to choose the right words. “He didn’t say stupid
exactly...more crazy...�
Nick went angrily past Dominguez and put the book down on the kitchen table louder than necessary.
“Nash’s worried about you, Nick. What if you’ll get in a situation you can’t cope with?â
€�
“That’s why I’m getting trained! I can’t stay in this house 24-7, Joe. I’m going
crazy in here.
Besides we are ten men and women, all my age and we think we can still do something useful with our
free time.� He met Joe’s eyes. “And Nash’s not worried, he’s overprotective,
dammit! I’m old, not dead! He just send you ‘cause I wouldn’t listen to him anyway.�
Joe knew there was nothing more he could say or do to change Nick’s mind. “Fair enough,
Nick,� he sighed. “Nash’s going to kill me, but he has to accept your plans. Good luck.�
Then Joe turned and walked back to the elevator. “I’m dead...�
* * *
Nash Bridges stood up from his desk. He had an announcement to make. The head of the Special
Investigation Unit walked towards the front entrance of the barge, so that everybody would hear him.
“May I have everybody’s attention, please?� he almost shouted.
Everything went quiet in an instant. Only a few phone rings could be heard. Some of the officers were
already guessing what Bridges would have to say and lowered their heads in grief.
Nash took a deep breath. He hated to be the one to deliver these kind of news, but it was part of his
job.
“I just got a call from the hospital. Inspector Terry Manson died this morning as a result of his severe
injuries...�
* * *
Harvey Leek had just come down from the coffee maker, sharing a chat with Abigail Williams, when he
heard his phone ringing. He hurried down the stairs and grabbed the handle. “SIU, Inspector Leek.â
€œ
The man listened for a moment, then his mood dropped instantly and he sighed heavily. “Yeah, okay.
Be there in five,“ he said and almost threw the hand piece back on its cradle.
The inspector put his hands on his hips and started to look for his superior, while a puzzled woman
looked questioning at him. When Harvey didn’t see Bridges around, he went over to his desk, got a
small piece of paper and left him a note. Then he signaled for Abby to join him.
* * *
“So what did he say?� Nash Bridges looked curiously at his partner when he finally returned to
the barge.
“He saw through it right away...�
“And?â€� Nash asked impatiently. “What did he say? Have you convinced it’s a bad idea?â
€�
Joe looked down and his partner knew exactly what that meant.
“You better do it quick, bubba!� Dominguez sighed. “I’m not gonna kill you, Joe! So tell
me what he said.�
Joe lifted his head to face his partner. “You know, Nick said some interesting things...�
“Like what?� Bridges looked anxiously at him.
“Like you’re overprotective...like he’s not dead yet, so he wants to have a bit of a life and
do his share to the community...geez, I wish Ulla would be more like Nick...�
Nash waved a hand at Joe. “So you’re on his side now, fantastic!�
Joe sighed heavily. This had to happen. “No, I’m not taking side for either of you. I’m just
saying he has some good points. Oh, and it was your idea I talk to him, not mine, remember? So stop
giving me a hard time! Talk to Nick yourself!�
Joe got up from his desk and went upstairs to get some coffee, leaving a thoughtful Nash behind.
* * *
As promised, Harvey Leek directed his blue Ranchero next to a patrol car. Almost instantly, Leek’s
gaze fell onto the blue pick-up truck of Evan Cortez. Harvey and Abigail got out of the car and went
over to the two officers.
“Hey, Inspector,“ the patrolman said when he noticed him approaching. “Thanks for coming. I
don’t want to take him in for driving under the influence of alcohol...“
“Thanks for calling me, Davis. I really appreciate.“ Harvey stated, his eyes searching for his
former partner. He gave the officer a pat on the shoulder. “I’ll take it from here. Thanks again.â
€œ
Davis nodded. “No problem, Inspector. I know he’s your friend...Good luck.“ Then he and
his partner got back into their car and drove off.
Harvey stood there for a short moment, not sure what to do next. Finally, he let out his breath and
stepped up to the driver’s window of the pick-up. He felt his stomach drop when he spotted his
friend Evan, laying half asleep on the seats.
Abby joined Leek and shook her head after she had taken a look at Evan herself. “Let’s get him
home,“ she said.
Harvey nodded. “Can you drive the Ranchero? I’ll take the pick-up.“
Abby agreed and helped to move Evan over to the passengers seat, before she got into Leek’s car
and followed them.
After a few silent minutes had passed, Harvey heard a moan from the man beside him.
“Hey, Harv, man...“ Evan said when he realized who was with him.
“Shut up, Evan!“ Harvey really wasn’t in the mood to talk to him right then.
“What’d I do?“ Cortez asked, ignoring Leek’s statement.
Harvey shot a sharp look over to his former partner. “Driving drunk...I don’t believe it...I’m
really becoming pissed off by your behavior, Evan!“
Cortez moved a little to get into a more comfortable position . “I didn’t ask for you to come and
play nanny...“
“That’s right, man, and you better never do it. I’m sick of saving your sorry ass, man. And
now: Shut up!“
* * *
It was a quiet drive back to the station. Abigail was directing the Ranchero through the traffic, while
Harvey kept staring out the window. Finally, he drew a deep breath, held it a second and breathed out
audibly. “I don’t know what else I should do...� He shook his head slightly.
“With Evan?� Abigail asked, taking her eyes off the street for a second to face the man beside
her.
He nodded. “Yeah, Evan...I can’t get through to him anymore, he doesn’t listen to me...Itâ
€™s like he’s slipping away from me, and I’m not able to do squat about it.â€�
“This may sound old and grey, Harv, but you can’t help Ev if he doesn’t want any help...�
Harvey turned his head to face the woman beside him. “Don’t you think I know that?� he
asked brusquely. Then he shook his head again. “Sorry, Abby, I didn’t meant to...�
She brought up a hand to stop him. “It’s okay...no offence taken. It must be hard for you to
watch Evan go down like this.�
Harvey watched the houses flying by his window. Although Evan had been stupid enough to steal money
from Baptiste and not telling him and although Harvey’s place had been messed up as a result of
that stupidity, he still cared for his former partner. He just couldn’t let Evan ruin his life and career.
“Part of me still wants to kick his ass for what he did with Baptiste’s money...But part of me still
hopes for him to get back to normal, so I can have my partner back again.�
“He really screwed up and he’s still doing it. This may sound hard, Harv, and please don’t
get me wrong on this, but you have to stand up for yourself sooner or later!�
“I can’t let him down...� Leek whispered.
“You have to!� she insisted. “As long as you stand with him, Evan will always find an excuse
not to seek help. And with or without knowing it, he’ll pull you down with him.�
Harvey hated to admit it, but this thought had crossed his mind more than once already. They had
reached a point where he could do nothing anymore to protect and cover his buddy’s butt.
“But friends are there to help each other through difficult times...�
“Sure, that’s what friends are there for, but this is self-destruction, Harvey!� Abigail added.
It hurt her as well saying these strong and cool words, but she imagined it was even worse for the man
beside her. Harvey and Evan were closest friends, like brothers, both on the job and off. But Evan had
thrown all of this away, and neither of them knew why.
“Do you think he will get up again and pull himself together?� Williams asked after a short period
of silence.
Leek sighed heavily and his hand went over his face before he answered. “I don’t know, Abby...
I thought I knew Evan, but right now he’s a totally different person.� He sighed again.
“I really don’t know...�
* * *
The mood during the next day wasn’t very good. Almost everyone had known Terry Manson.
During a quiet moment, Harvey Leek approached Bridges’ desk. “Ehm, boss?� he carefully
asked. Somehow it seemed odd to him to talk louder inside the barge at the moment. He felt as if he
was disturbing something.
“What’s up, Harvey?�
The inspector with the colorful shirt presented a cookie jar, filled with dollar bills. “We arranged a
donation for Terry’s family,� Harvey explained as he handed the jar over to his superior.
Nash smiled. He guessed the amount inside that jar to be about a thousand dollars. “Thank everyone
who gave some money, Harvey. I’ll give it to Betty Ann later today. That was very thoughtful of you
guys!�
Harvey lowered his head. “How’s she holding up?� he asked with sympathy in his voice.
Nash sighed. “She’s not showing it, but how would you feel if Bonnie would’ve died?�
Leek nodded. It had been a stupid question. “Is there anything we can do for Betty Ann?�
This time, Bridges smiled warmly. “Thanks for the offer. But I think the best thing we can do for her
and her family right now is to get Hu. And that’s what we will do. I want you to put up a task force
with you in it. The only thing we will do is to get this bastard and show him the advantages of a nice San
Fran jail!�
* * *
Nash Bridges dropped his hand piece back on its cradle and stared into nowhere for a second. The call
he just had received hadn’t been good. It meant they had to change their plans.
“Joe,� he motioned towards his partner. “Set a meeting in ten, just got the inside word that
Hu is up to something.�
“I’m on it,“ Joe replied and started calling in everybody on the special task force.
Nash turned and stepped over to Harvey Leek’s desk. The inspector startled when he noticed his
superior behind him.
“Harv, you got a minute?�
“Sure boss, what’s up?�
Bridges signed for Leek to join him out to the fantail. “I just got a call from our man inside. Hu’s
planning something. He wants to leave the country for good. If we wanna nail him, we have to hurry up.â
€�
Leek nodded. He already sensed what his boss was up to. Nash sighed. “Look, Harv, I know you
have Jerry with you at the moment...And I know you’d prefer being with him, but we really need
you here, man...�
Harvey closed his eyes for a second and turned his head slightly. He really hated to make this decision.
Having to choose between some quality time with his son and helping out his friends at the SIU. Again.
But he couldn’t let them down.
“Give me an hour for arrangements,� he sighed. “I’ll call Abby to watch Jerry...�
Nash gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Thanks, bubba. I owe you!�
* * *
“Okay, judge Rothstein wrote a warrant for Hu’s house. The fact that Sishido was on Hu’s
payroll was enough for him“ Nash informed Leek. “Take a few unis and the warrant and pay him
a visit!� he ordered.
“My gears are engaged,� Harvey replied, already hurrying off.
“Take the SWAT with you – who knows who’ll be expecting you!� the captain advised his
fellow man.
“I’ll be meeting it there...�
“And be careful, bubba!�
Harvey nodded in acknowledgement, then he left.
About an hour later, a van with the SWAT team and a blue Ranchero arrived at the villa of Kam Hu.
Inspector Leek got out of his car, carrying a walkie-talkie in the one hand and the search warrant in the
other hand.
“Okay, people, let’s move!� he radioed them.
Almost instantly, the doors of the van flew open and several men in black clothes and full body armor
were hurrying out, making their way to the front door.
“Henderson, take three men and secure the back side of this…� Harvey looked up and down
that building. “...house…� he finished, still impressed of the sheer size of that estate.
Then he ordered the rest of the team to follow him and traded the walkie-talkie for his gun, before he
knocked at the entrance door. When nothing moved for several seconds, he signaled two SWAT team
members to crash it. After a loud breaking noise, the door was open and they invaded the house.
While the SWAT team members retreated, the uniformed officers started to search the house. Inspector
Leek started in a room which he believed was Hu’s office. He let his eyes skim through the room to
see if anything interesting was in sight.
When Leek’s gaze fell on a picture on Hu’s desk, he stopped dead. No, that wasn’t
possible. He must be wrong. But the face on that picture of Kam Hu and a beautiful woman wouldnâ
€™t change, no matter how much Harvey was staring at it. Finally, he slipped his hand into a rubber
glove, took the picture out of its frame and put it into a plastic evidence bag. The bag vanished into his
pocket.
Nash would have to answer a few questions later on.
* * *
Angrily, Kam Hu threw an ashtray across the room against the wall. Anderson had just informed him
that his villa had been searched. “Who was in charge?� he asked his men.
“An SIU inspector named Harvey Leek,� Kelly told him.
Kam Hu looked out the window and enjoyed the beautiful sea view for a moment, then he turned back.
“I want to know everything about this guy!�
“Do you want us to put the squeeze on him?� Anderson asked.
Hu thought for a second, his mind already forming a plan. “No, we’ll get him another way. But
be careful not to get the word spread, understood? I don’t want him to know!�
When he got two nods in return, he dismissed them. Kelly and Anderson left the office in a hurry.
The Hawaiian man smiled maliciously. He would get Leek’s head on a platter soon. He could trust
his men in issues like this. And Kam Hu was sure that the inspector would prefer working for him, once
he learned the alternative.
“What are you smiling at?� he heard a female voice behind him and turned around. There she
was: The most beautiful woman he had ever met.
“Oh, just business, darling. You don’t need to loose any sleep over it...� He put an arm
around her and drew her closer. “Why don’t you go into town and get something nice to wear
for tonight’s dinner party?�
The woman smiled. “Is there something I should know?� she teased him.
“No, honey, everything is fine...you just have fun, okay?�
The woman drew her eye browns together, but remained silent. She knew it wasn’t good to ask too
many questions about Kam’s business, so she just smiled. “I will, honey...catch you later...�
* * *
“Is that who I think it is?“ Harvey Leek tossed the bag with the picture onto Bridges‘ desk.
Nash looked at it, puzzled at first, then he tried to form an explanation. But all he could manage was a
nod. “So you knew...all the time...“
Nash could tell by his colleague’s voice that he was angry. He took the picture and had a look at
Bryn Carson standing beside Kam Hu. She looked different. “Yes, I knew...But I couldn’t tell
anybody...,“ he finally admitted.
Leek smiled nervously. “Then I think it’s time you do!“
“All right,� Bridges sighed. “But nobody else is to know this, understood?�
Leek nodded and followed his boss outside to the parking lot. Making sure nobody could overhear their
conversation, Nash turned to Harvey. “Bryn has been undercover with Hu for the last two years.
She’s our inside man and she made her way up in that company to Hu’s girl-friend.�
Harvey shook his head in disbelief and looked down. “That’s why she disappeared all of a
sudden?�
“Yeah, she had to make that decision quickly, cause the woman who was supposed to be the mole
got injured just a week before that in the line of duty. And now we’re on the brink of getting Huâ
€™s ass nailed down and finally get Bryn out of there.â€�
They remained silent for a moment, both of them busy with their own thoughts.
“Thanks for telling me, boss,� Harvey finally said and went back inside.
Nash stood there alone for a moment longer, thinking about his former co-worker Bryn Carson. The
Captain sympathized with Leek being angry with him; he missed her as well.
* * *
A flash of recognition went over Inspector Leek’s face, when he discovered Bryn Carson standing
next to Kam Hu. Her eyes locked on his and she silently mouthed ‘Don’t’.
It was hard for her as well to keep quiet, to pretend they didn’t know each other as well as they
actually did, with her heart jumping inside her chest. Bryn hadn’t seen Harvey in two years and now
she realized how much she had actually missed her co-worker and friend.
After Inspector Leek had left, the woman thought back to the day she had been asked to do this
undercover job. She hadn’t been exactly jumping at the opportunity, but Bryn loved going
undercover. And it promised her a promotion. Nobody, including her, would have imagined that this job
would last for more than two years. The official version was that Inspector Bryn Carson had changed
from a ideal cop into one of the criminal individuals she used to arrest. She had changed sides.
In the beginning she had dropped a word every now and then when there would be police action around
Hu’s estate. This way, Bryn had worked her way up from a dirty cop to becoming Hu’s girl-
friend. Kam trusted her. And that was what made Bryn so valuable, specially for the SFPD. That was
the reason for her still being with Kam Hu’s organization. Bryn had gathered information like no
undercover cop or police snitch had ever done within Hu’s gang.
She sighed. She missed her friends at the SIU. Although she had contact with Nash Bridges every once
in a while, it had hurt her much not to be able to talk to Harvey Leek when he had been here.
Bryn wondered why Evan Cortez hadn’t been with him. Even when she had still been with the SIU,
Evan and Harvey had been a team and were seldom separated.
Lost in thoughts and memories, Bryn Carson didn’t notice her boyfriend Kam Hu approaching. She
startled when he actually spoke to her. “Where does he know you from?� Hu asked demandingly.
“What makes you think he knows me?� Bryn asked back and regretted it immediately when Kam
Hu grabbed her upper arms.
“Don’t play any games with me! I’ve seen that look in his face and I’ve seen your
reaction! So tell me where do you know him from?�
The woman winced under the grasp of the man. “You’re hurting me, Kam!� she stated and
met his eyes. “He’s one of my former colleagues...SIU...�
Instantly, the pressure on her arm vanished and Hu smiled, taking a step backwards. “See, was that
so hard to tell me?�
Bryn tried to keep calm. In a normal situation when she was still a cop, she probably would have broken
his arm or worse. But now, she just smiled nervously. “That’s a part of my life that is over,
honey. I’m with you now...�
* * *
Kelly presented the results of their search to Kam Hu. He was smiling when he went through the
thorough file. “He has a son...that’s good...� he mumbled, his thought running. Finally, he
looked up to face the man in front of his desk.
“Take Anderson and Nakahara and get the boy! Make sure not to harm him, we don’t want to
have a crazy father at our tails...And get Dr. Wilks here, we will need him!�
Kelly nodded and went off again. Hu grabbed his phone and made a call. “Simmons? It’s Hu. I
need you to rent a place for me, but don’t use my name. Something quiet and away from the crowd.
Got it?�
He listened to the voice at the other end. “Good. I’ll see you get rewarded for your help.�
Then he hung up and leaned back in his chair, satisfied. Once he got the boy, Leek would do anything to
get him back. And that would include backing off.
* * *
The television set was still running, but there wasn’t a channel signal. Abigail Williams was sitting on
the couch, sleeping. Jerry Leek laid there as well, using her lap as a cushion. On the other side of her
laid her own son Luka. He was asleep as well.
Abby had come over earlier that day to watch Jerry as Harvey Leek had to work late again. He had
done a lot of overtime lately, but she knew the SIU guys were working on a really big case at the
moment. The woman didn’t know any details and was smart enough not to ask. The only thing she
did know was that a cop had died. Harvey wouldn’t tell her anything more. He knew better than
that. When he was with her or Jerry, work gossip was a no-no.
Suddenly, Abigail woke with a start. Hadn’t King just barked? The Great Dane was outside in the
back garden. She listened for a long moment, but everything was quiet again.
“Must’ve been dreaming,� she thought, yawning. Then she reached out for the remote control
and turned off the TV. She was moving carefully not to wake the children beside her.
Abby argued insider her head whether to stay on the couch or to put the kids to bed, when she heard
something again. It sounded like a key in the lock of the front door. The woman glanced at the
illuminated clock on the VCR. 2:23 am. It had to be Harvey coming home.
Abby tried to stretch her neck to have a look at the front door without getting up, but there was nobody
to be seen. She cocked an eye, carefully lifted Jerry’s head from her lap and got up. Panic grabbed
her when she realized there were two unknown men in black clothes wandering through the house. She
drew back, careful not to make a sound to draw the men’s attention.
Her head began spinning. Could she make a call to the SIU without getting noticed? She doubted it. But
she had to do something to protect the children with her. Gently, the woman woke Jerry. When he
wanted to complain about being ripped out of sleep, Abby quickly put a hand over his mouth.
“You want play Hide & Seek with Daddy?� she whispered. When he nodded and his face began
to shine in anticipation of his father, Abby went on. “Okay, I want you to be very quiet. Just get a
good hide-out and Daddy will come in a second looking for you, okay?�
Abigail let him go and instantly, he sneaked over to his favorite hide-out, the closet in his room.
When she knew Jerry was safe, the young woman lifted her own son. She prayed he wouldn’t
wake, but he did. As soon as the infant opened it’s eyes, it began to cry loudly.
“Shoot!� Abby cursed silently. When she heard footsteps, she knew that the men would find her
any second, so she took her chance and ran.
But the woman hadn’t noticed a third man forcing his entry through the back door. She practically
ran into his arms. When he grabbed her, she moaned in pain and astonishment.
No way out, she thought, but she wasn’t willing to give up just yet. She had to protect Luka and
Jerry. Harvey would kill her if anything would happen to his son.
The man forced Abigail back to the living-room, where the other two were already waiting.
“Where is it?� the man behind her asked in a commanding voice.
The taller man of the two in front of her took Luka from her arms. She wanted to stop him, but the grip
tightened a little more around her arms. “No!� she cried instead.
“It’s hiding,� the other man said.
“Find it!�
The third man nodded and went back to search through the other rooms. Abigail tried again to free
herself, but she couldn’t move.
“Co-operate, and nothing will happen to the kids!� the man behind her hissed.
She thought a second and relaxed to ease the pressure on her upper arms. Then she lifted her foot and
kicked down on the man’s foot with all strength she had.
He howled and stepped back, releasing the woman. She took her chance and ran into Jerry’s room.
But it was too late, the third man had found him already.
“Your baby-sitter said you should come with us, we will visit your Daddy,� he told the small boy.
“Jerry, no, he’s lying! These men are bad men!� Abby cried out, puzzling the child even more.
“What do you want from us?â€� she angrily asked the man who was holding Jerry. “Let us go!â
€�
“I don’t think you’re in the position to make demands, here!� the man holding Luka said.
“Let’s go, we have what we wanted!� the leader ordered.
“No!� Abby shouted again, stepping into the men’s way.
The man who had held her before stepped closer, giving her a cold look. Then he made a fist and
knocked the woman down. She felt her teeth clicking together as she went down, forcing tears into her
eyes.
Abby struggled to get up again, ignoring the pain in her jaw. She tried to get hold of one of the men, but
he just pushed her away violently. The woman felt a second blow at her head. She cried out when her
side made physical contact with one of the chairs by the windows. Abby tried another time to get up
again, but pain went through her side and head. She just managed to reach out for the leader, but had to
cringe when another one of them kicked her hard into the already hurting side.
There was a crack and a sharp pain and Abigail knew there was something broken. When she heard the
front door close again, she laid still and cried.
* * *
Inspector Leek was happy to finally make it home. He took care of Jerry as his mother Anna was out of
town on a business trip, but he hardly saw him. Fortunately, Abigail Williams was there to watch him,
otherwise he would have spent a fortune on baby-sitters.
Harvey’s mood lifted when he thought about his son. Jerry was his reason for living since he had
found out about him couple of months ago. It bothered him not to be around his son, but he knew he
had not much of another choice. At the SIU, they were on the brink of cracking this major case. Leek
shook his head. That was work and it had to stay behind when he left the barge.
Now was private time and the Inspector looked forward to watch his son sleeping for a while.
When he pulled the blue 1972 Ford Ranchero over to the curb in front of his house, he instantly got a
bad feeling at the bottom of his stomach. Something wasn’t right, although he couldn’t tell what
it was.
Harvey killed the engine and slowly left the vehicle. It was quiet, but he expected that at this hour of
night. He still had this eerie feeling. But he was sure that if there had been something wrong with Jerry,
Abigail would have called him.
He hurried up the few stairs to the front door. The lights went on and Harvey wanted to put the key into
the lock when he noticed scratches on the metal the lock was made of. He drew his gun and prayed that
they were all okay. But he tried to prepare for what he might find and entered.
It was dark and it took his eyes several seconds to get used to it. It was way too quiet in his house. Not
even King made a sound.
“Jerry? Abby?â€� he asked into the darkness and startled at the sound of his own voice. He didnâ
€™t really expect an answer and was surprised when he heard a silent moan right of him, coming from
the living-room.
Harvey tightened the grip on his gun, then turned on the lights. His heart missed a beat as he discovered
the source of the moan. Abigail was laying on the floor, hardly moving. A chair laid next to her, broken.
The man had a flashback of her laying on a different floor, with a head injury caused by his bullet. He got
rid of the imagine as quickly as it had come up and hurried over to the woman.
“Abby...what happened?� he asked, surprised at how calm his voice sounded.
The young woman struggled to open her eyes and looked at the man kneeling beside her.
“Kidnapped...three men...have Jerry and Luka...�
It took an Herculean effort to just get those few words out. Harvey flipped open his cell phone and
dialed 911. After that, he called his superior, Nash Bridges.
In the meantime, Abigail tried to draw enough breath through the pain in her side to say something more,
but Harvey held her still. “Schsch, don’t move, medics are on their way!�
But she forced out some words anyway. “I...tried to...hold them back...� she whispered with
tears in her eyes.
“It’s okay, we’ll find them!� Harvey said, fighting back his own tears.
“I’m sorry, Harv...please forgive me...� she mumbled before slipping into the darkness of
unconsciousness.
* * *
Nash Bridges and Joe Dominguez arrived at the well-known address shortly after the paramedics.
Nash parked the ‘Cuda and hurried over to his co-worker. “What happened?� he asked
concerned.
“Jerry and Luka have been kidnapped. Abby tried to stop them and got beaten up pretty bad,�
Harvey explained nervously. He ran a hand over his face and stepped back and forth unsteadily. “I
shouldn’t have left them alone...�
Nash stepped closer to Leek. “What about King? Why didn’t he make a sound?� Nash
asked.
“He was sleeping in the back yard, had been sedated...�
“Wow, seems they were pros...â€� Joe sighed while his partner gave Leek a pat on the shoulder. â
€œYou ride with her, we’ll follow after we cleared everything here.â€�
The two paramedics pushed the gurney with the injured woman past the SIU members. Bridges
swallowed hard as he caught a glimpse of Abigail. There was a big bruise on the left side of her face. His
colleague had been right, someone must have hit her very hard. He stopped the medics and let his hand
rest on hers.
“You’ll be fine,� he told her tenderly, unsure if it was the truth.
She squeezed his hand slightly, because she didn’t have the strength to say anything.
“It looks worth than it actually is,� one of the paramedics assured them, pushing the gurney further
to the ambulance.
Harvey joined them, taking over Abigail’s hand from Nash. The woman was glad that he was with
her. Beside her own physical pain, she was tormenting herself mentally for letting the men get away with
the children. She wanted to say so many things, but it was almost impossible to draw enough breath.
* * *
“Miss Williams actually was quite lucky. The main injuries are a concussion and a broken rib. Apart
from that she’s just bruised and a lot scared,� Dr. Elisabeth Edwards explained with a confident
expression on her face.
Leek let out a relieved sigh. “How long does she have to stay here?� Nash asked.
Dr. Edwards shrugged her shoulders. “She can go home right away, if there’s someone watching
her. She needs rest.�
“Abby can stay with me,� Harvey offered. “I kinda owe her,� he added, looking at Nash
as if he needed his superior’s approval.
Bridges nodded and smiled slightly. He was glad as well that the young woman wasn’t seriously
injured. He pointed a finger at Harvey. “And you stay home as well, in case the kidnappers try to
contact you.�
Leek acknowledged that order and turned away, his head lowered, his hands stuffed in his pockets.
Nash reached out for him again. “I know how you feel, bubba, but don’t let the sun go down on
you. We’ll find them!�
Bridges smiled and tried to cheer his colleague up. “Abby will be okay as well. She was lucky she
didn’t get herself killed.�
Harvey drew a sad smile. “Yeah, she can be stubborn as a mule,� he sighed, shaking his head to
get rid of the thought what might have happened.
Nash let his hand rest assuring on Leek’s shoulder, squeezing it slightly. “Well, she has a good
teacher there...�
Harvey looked at him with a sad expression on his face.
“We’ll find them, Harvey! I promise!�
* * *
Harvey had never felt so helplessly in his life. He waited for the phone to ring, but it remained silent. It
was as if it was mocking him. It was quiet in Leek’s house. Abby was sleeping in the bedroom,
King was outside in his kennel. The Inspector could hear his watch ticking. No laughing from his son or
godson. He realized that it was the laughing he missed the most. Harvey wasn’t even in the mood to
listen to some Grateful Dead music, because he was afraid he might miss the phone ringing.
So, he was sitting at the kitchen table and stared down at his half full cup of coffee. There was a gap
inside of him since Jerry was missing. His son meant everything to him. The man shook his head. He
didn’t know what he would do if...
He couldn’t finish this thought. It frightened him deeply. And Harvey wouldn’t allow himself to
think that anything could happen to Jerry. His thoughts stretched out to Luka as well. It would tear
Abigail apart if something happened to her son.
And Harvey prayed that his friends at the SIU would find the children in time...
* * *
Kam Hu entered the room and instantly everybody jumped to their feet. When he discovered two
children on the mattress, his face reddened. “Why are there two of them?� he asked with an
angry voice.
One of the men from Leek’s apartment spoke up. “There was a woman on the premises and the
infant. How were we supposed to know which one is Leek’s son?�
Hu pointed at Luka. “Kelly, does that look like a two year old to you?�
The man lowered his head in shame. “No, Sir...�
“I’m not paying you to make decisions, just to follow orders. Don’t you ever do something
on your own ever again!� He hit Kelly’s chest with his forefinger to make his statement clear.
Another man stepped closer. “Sir, what shall we do with the infant then?�
Kam Hu looked at the children and thought for a moment. “Keep them both alive, they may be our
insurance!� he ordered and turned towards the door. “Sedate the older one, so he’ll keep
quiet.�
Then the Hawaiian man left.