Continued...
About four days later, Natalie could keep down solid food, had no residual problems from the OD, and could walk across the room and back without support. She was released into Nick's care.
Natalie refused to let Nick carry her into her apartment. He wrapped his arm around her and helped support her as she walked from the car, to the elevator, then down the hall to her apartment. He didn't let go until the reached the couch.
"What can I get you?"
"Some real food!"
"Your wish is my command."
Over the next week, Nick, Grace, Myra and Don took turns bringing Natalie food and spending some time with her as she slowly regained her strength. They knew she had to do as much as she could for herself, and understood when she threw them out so she could nap. She found herself taking a lot of them.
During the next week she felt stronger and was able to walk around her apartment without Nick's support. She could do a bit more for herself before she needed a nap. She and Nick returned to their work on finding those responsible for nearly killing her. They found a few slim leads. Nick checked them out while she continued the computer work.
During her third week home she was able to go out for short walks before she tired. She was down to a nap a day, especially after a walk. Nick left her alone for short periods of time, especially after she practically pushed him out of there, saying she needed some time alone.
About a month after Natalie's release from the hospital, Schanke and Cohen were curious why they were called to the loft, and hoped nothing was wrong. Schanke had heard that serious tone in Nick's voice and was concerned. Nick heard the lift start and waited for them at the door.
Natalie was on the couch waiting for them. She had regained her strength, but it had taken about a month.
"Natalie, you okay?" Schanke said as he entered.
"Yeah. I'm doing better each day."
Nick could see their curiosity. "Would anyone like anything to eat or drink before we start?"
"I'm fine," Cohen said.
"Me too," Schanke said.
"If you change your mind, help yourself," Nick said.
"I know you're dying to know why we called you here," Natalie said.
She and Nick saw them nod their heads. She and Nick exchanged glances to decided who started.
"What we say here does NOT leave the room. All of our lives and our family's lives depend on it," Nick said in that dark, serious tone.
"Okay," both Schanke and Cohen said, quite concerned. Neither knew what could be that important.
"Remember all those times I told you I didn't try to kill myself and that I wasn't a drug addict?" Both Schanke and Cohen nodded. "I finally have proof."
"Alexander DuMont has done a very thorough job of destroying her life and career. All because they were afraid she'd catch onto their crimes." Nick could see the shock and questions forming in their eyes. "Why don't you wait until we're finished and then we'll answer any questions, okay?"
Schanke and Cohen nodded.
"I was drugged and my wrists were slashed. That's why I have no memory of it. I had found oddities in various cases and started noting them down. Shortly afterwards I started to feel like I was coming down with something. I'm pretty sure I was subtly being drugged, but never did a drug test back then as it was the last thing on my mind as a possibility. The closer I got to figuring it out, the more they were out to destroy me. They had too much to lose and knew discrediting me would be far more effective than outright killing me. For one thing, there wouldn't be an investigation if I killed myself because of a drug addiction."
Nick and Natalie noticed the heavy skepticism on their friends faces.
"You'd better have an iron clad case if you're going after him. If there's any way there could be a microcosm of smidgeon of doubt, he'll destroy us all."
"I know. That's why we didn't tell you until we had an airtight case. We also didn't want to endanger your or your families," Natalie said. "I was a little reluctant to tell Nick, but did when I saw I couldn't do it on my own. I wanted someone to know, in case they killed me."
"Why don't you look over the files on the coffee table. We'll answer any questions then. It'll be easier than trying to explain it all."
Nick and Natalie headed into the kitchen to prepare a snack to give the other two some time to read. Nick and Natalie set the snacks on the table and retreated back across the room while their friends read. They softly talked among themselves as Natalie ate and Nick just nibbled.
About three hours later Cohen and Schanke had finished the mountain of files and were quite surprised and confused.
"Natalie, I'm so sorry for doubting you. Can you forgive me?" Schanke asked embarrassed and ashamed.
"I can. I would've had a hard time believing myself over the evidence if I'd been anyone else. I'm glad you finally believe I'm innocent."
"How do we bring these bastards down?" Schanke said a bit angrily.
"I think that's why we're here," Cohen said.
"I have a plan, but it will require your help, and those of a few other officers we can trust. I plan to take down the top guy and his top few goons at once. Captain, you've worked for the Feds, right?" Nick asked, seeking confirmation.
"Yes. I'll be glad to help in any way I can."
"I'll need your help in planning a Fed style raid on two, maybe three places at once, depending on our surveillance."
"Okay."
"Schanke, I have a very important job for you. I want you to take your family up to your cabin, along with the Captain's. Don't alert anyone where you're going. Janette will meet you up there. She'll watch over your families. No harm will come to them, I promise."
"Nick, how can a bar owner take care of us?" Cohen asked.
"Captain, there's a lot more to her than it seems. If you mistake her for a helpless bar owner, it's as big a mistake as we made about Natalie," Schanke said.
"If you're sure," Cohen said.
"Schanke's right. Janette can take care of herself and anyone else who threatens those she cares about or those under her protection. I've seen it myself," Natalie said.
Cohen nodded.
"When both families are safely tucked away, we attack. If we bring down the head and the top minions, we won't have to worry about the lower ones."
"Because the top ones will name names for a deal. Even without a deal, they won't want to go down alone."
"Exactly," Natalie said.
"I have to admit, it's the finest, most elaborate plan I've seen. They had everyone but Nick doubting you." Cohen said.
"Why didn't you doubt her? Or did you?"
"I admit at first I wasn't totally sure, but I listened and she convinced me. It wasn't easy for her to do so."
"It hurt that all my friends doubted me. Once Nick believed me I could handle anything else. His support is what kept me sane."
"I'm sorry I hurt you. I never meant to. I now know how you felt, as it hurt to see you destroying your life and hurting yourself like that. I'm glad it was all a plot." Schanke had a thought. "The more saint like they seem, the bigger the skeletons in their closets."
"What?" Cohen asked.
"Sometime Captain Stonetree told me on the Human Touch case."
The four of them worked out an attack plan, contingent on learning DuMont's schedule. Nick was in charge of surveillance of DuMont.
A week later, a dozen officers being considered for backup were whammied by Nick to make sure they were not corrupt. All passed. One they did they were sworn to secrecy by the Captain, and later reinforced by the whammy. They picked single officers with no families so there would be no one for the bad guys to retaliate, if they should get a chance. They were informed of the plan shortly before they left, a few at a time as if going on routine patrol.
Natalie and another officer were to man the communications truck where they'd be able to see and hear everything that went down. She had insisted in being part of the take down. Nick, Schanke and Cohen knew she'd earned the right to be there, and it was the best they could do since she wasn't a cop.
The law enforcement group sent Nick in to secure the security desk as he was the most charming of the group, and the most innocent looking. Once that was done, an officer was left in charge there. The rest took the elevator up to DuMont's floor. Once they were upstairs, the elevators were locked down. Since all the people they were after had offices on that floor, they spread out in pairs to cover each of the offices. Nick and Schanke took DuMont's office.
Nick and Schanke burst in, guns drawn, pleased to have caught DuMont and his second in charge together.
"Don't even think about it," Nick growled as one reached for his desk.
DuMont was scared by the lack of fear in the blonde officer, and his dark, feral tone, which matched his expression. DuMont and Barris had no doubt Nick would kill given provocation. They quickly surrendered. Nick handcuffed DuMont while Schanke covered them. Barris was cuffed next.
"Sweep complete. Regroup by the elevators," Nick called out as he heard the report from each team over their earpieces.
Cohen had left him in charge as he and Natalie had put the entire puzzle together. She was his second in command. Schanke was third.
Nick escorted DuMont out while Schanke too, Barris. The group met at the elevator and the one they rang was released. Two officers were left behind on the floor to make sure no one shredded any documents, or destroyed potential evidence.
In the precinct interrogation room, DuMont was there with Nick and Cohen. Schanke and Natalie watched from the observation room. Cohen was going to let Nick do the questioning, and would intervene only if necessary. She was there to make sure no legal technicality got the case tossed out.
"You have no proof I did anything to anyone," DuMont arrogantly said.
"We have enough to give you life in maximum security. There's three counts of attempted murder, the whole business about how you acquired your stock in various companies. We know about the murders you committed for various reasons," Nick said.
"Show me one shred of tangible proof."
Nick was prepared and showed DuMont a sheet of all of the money he'd given to various stock owners, which they'd used to buy stock. It also listed the various ways it was traced back to him, even when it was buried in dummy corporation after dummy corporation. Nick was rewarded when he saw the shock on DuMont's face.
"Care to make any comment?"
DuMont stayed silent. Nick glared at DuMont with that glare that made the toughest, nastiest crook shake in their boots.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to tell us what you know?" Nick said whammying the guy.
"I couldn't let anyone get between me and my empire. I was going to own Toronto, but that meddling Dr. Lambert didn't know when to leave well enough alone. She had to keep looking. I had two choices, kill her or discredit her. I knew there'd be a huge investigation if I killed her, so I set about discrediting her. I had Barris learn everything he could about her, her habits, her background. I probably knew more about her than she knew about herself. I knew there was no way I could buy her off, and she didn't respond favorably to threats. Plus I didn't want to alert her as then I was assured she'd investigate full force until she found something."
In the observation room, Schanke was watching both Natalie and the interrogation. Natalie had an angry, yet vindicated look on her face.
"I started slipping Phenobarbital into her coffee to make her feel run down. I sent the other guy off to chef training so I could put my guy in. He never knew why he suddenly got the job offer. I also put people in her favorite eating places. I had to keep her under the influence. When she didn't let up, I slowly upped the dosage. I was hoping someone would notice and after a while they'd make her take a drug test."
Schanke and Cohen couldn't believe the guy was giving a total confession. Natalie realized it's why Grace was really tired every time they'd switched coffee's.
"When she kept poking around, I knew I had to do something more intense. I drugged her one night, had Barker slit her wrists, but not kill her. I knew there was a possibility her friends would force an investigation if she died, as they wouldn't believe it was a suicide. I backed off when I saw that she had covered it up. But it still had some side effects as her friends were concerned about her, especially when her story blew up in her face, once she was healed. She has to be the most stubborn, relentless person I've ever known. If she was on my side, I'd already own Toronto." He took a sip of water then continued, "She has to be the best forensic pathologist I've ever seen. There was no way she should've been able to connect the dots. My plan was flawless."
Nick was still holding him in the whammy.
"When she still kept looking into things she should've left alone, I upped the drugs and when that didn't work, I had Barker slit her wrists again, but not kill her for the same reasons. I was thrilled when she was found by a friend. The slashing along with the Phenobarbital in her blood, caused problems at work, distracting her a bit, restricting her ability to nose around. I thought that might solve the problem, but it didn't last long."
"How did you keep track of her investigation?" Cohen asked.
"Barris snuck into her office from time to time, skimmed her notebook, checked out her files, and downloaded the contents of her computer onto an optical disk."
"Continue," Nick said, still holding DuMont in his whammy.
"The hard part was making her drug tests dirty as she'd changed her eating out habits just enough to keep me on my toes. I had a harder time getting the drugs into her. I wound up doctoring the specimen cup with just enough drug to make the test positive."
"Why did you let her have a month or two clean each time?" Cohen asked.
"I knew I had to risk it or it would seem too odd. I kept hoping she'd back down. Find something more interesting to study. I knew that I'd succeeded in discrediting her when she was fired for her drug addiction and forced into rehab. I know she only went to keep her medical license. But it was a month I didn't have to worry about her getting any closer. I hadn't counted on Knight's involvement. She and him were getting too close. I had to do something to throw them both off the track, at least long enough for me to clean up a few things. I figured if I had her OD in his apartment it would distract them both long enough. He'd be distraught to find her unconscious and near death on his couch."
"How did you know someone would find her?" Cohen asked.
"I didn't really care. I figured by now she had been discredited enough that people would buy it as a suicide. I figured Knight would be the toughest one to convince. I figured if she died, his angst, grief, and guilt would consume him."
Everyone realized he'd hit a little too close to home with that last comment.
"If she was saved, it would only discredit her further. It's a good thing you arrested me when you did as in a few days I was going to kill both Lambert and Knight and make it look like a double suicide. When he found her dead, he'd kill himself overwhelmed by grief."
"Now about the murders."
He listed off every murder he had committed. Every single one of those on her oddities list was one of his. The ones he hadn't committed, he'd ordered.
"Now the other crimes."
He listed off every crime he'd committed. Cohen and Schanke still couldn't believe Nick hadn't used a single threat, just a glare, and asked a few questions.
In the observation room, Natalie had a large satisfied smile on her face. She'd been vindicated, just as Nick had promised.
In the bullpen, Cohen approached Schanke.
"How does he do that?"
"I haven't been able to figure it out. It's probably some sort of subtle intimidation. I've seen him lean in their faces, but never cross the line. They always give him whatever info he wants. I figure it's a gift of some sort. And when he wants to be dark and scary he can be downright terrifying with just a look."
"I've noticed that. Have you ever seen him get physical or verbally abusive?"
"Once, but that was after the perp tried to kill him. He didn't hurt the guy, in fact he saved the guy's life. He doesn't get verbally abusive, he just uses that look." Schanke had a thought. "What are we going to do when there's a media circus outside? You know it's just a matter of time."
"We'll give them what they want. Anyone who wants to give an interview can. Since he's confessed, and it's on tape, we have nothing to hide. If they hound Natalie, we'll provide some protection when she requests it."
Nick walked over to Officer Harris that dark look on his face. Harris looked up. He'd heard about the Knightmare, but had never seen it.
"Mark Harris, you're under arrest for stock manipulation, passing along confidential police information to DuMont and accomplice to two murder attempts on Dr. Lambert.
Nick, Schanke and Natalie entered the Coroner's Office. Nick whammied the guard into allowing Natalie in because she was with them. Nick approached one of the mid level employees who had worked with Natalie frequently, Natalie and Schanke behind him.
"Jessica Martin, you're under arrest as an accomplice to two murder attempts on Dr. Lambert and passing along confidential information from this office."
"I thought we were friends. You let them destroy my life when you could've stopped it," Natalie angrily said.
"I'm sorry, Natalie. I didn't realize it would go as far as it did. You were going to fire me. I can't lose this job, it's all I have. I need it to support my family, you knew that."
"It wasn't anything personal. It was budgetary. I had to keep the best and those with the most seniority."
"I've been here as long as you have."
"Your performance has been a little erratic over the last year. Yes, I know you had personal problems, but this isn't a job where I can play favorites."
"But you do. Grace gets the best shifts."
"She's earned them. Her work is always excellent. As is Rob's, John's, Emily's... I have to assign shifts according to availability. Grace is available more than you are. All you had to do was come talk to me and we could've worked something out."
Nick looked at Natalie, when she nodded he took Jessica away in handcuffs.
At the precinct, Nick, Natalie and Schanke were in Cohen's office.
"How have the arrests been going?" Schanke asked.
"Pretty good. We've managed to round up most of the upper level people, including Judge Robinson, Parker and Brown from the Crown, a slew of lawyers, Abrams from the City Council, There are warrants out for the rest, and many of the lower level members. We have their names, so it's just a matter of bringing them in as they're caught. It's not going to look good that three officers, one a high level one, two from the coroner's office, including one high level one were involved," Cohen said. "Natalie, your boss has been informed and would like to speak to you."
"Thank you. I'll drop her office on my way home.
The next edition of the newspaper had a small article on the lower part of the second page about Natalie being framed. Natalie was NOT happy when she saw this and headed straight for Nick's loft. Nick noticed DuMont's arrest scored the bottom of the front page, but only mentioned he was a pillar of the community and was arrested for a variety of crimes from murder to stock manipulation.
Nick heard the lift door open, and saw an upset Natalie standing there.
"They buried my being cleared on the bottom of page two," she ranted. "Even the article on HIM doesn't say anything about my being framed or cleared."
"We'll talk to Cohen. She can be very persuasive when she wants to be. If need be I'll make a few personal visits. I promised you you'd be cleared as thoroughly as you were smeared, and I intend to make good on that promise."
"Thanks. Just don't get yourself in trouble doing so. Okay?"
"Promise."
That night Nick made a beeline to the Captain's office as soon as he entered work. Natalie was with him.
"Captain, It's highly unfair they're ignoring her being cleared because it's not as sensational as her being a suicidal, drug addicted chief coroner."
Cohen held up her hand to halt his rant. "I've already made calls to all the media explaining if they didn't clear her as thoroughly as they smeared her, not only would they not get any exclusives, but would be denied access to important places for QUITE some time. The ones that are the most cooperative get the best exclusives and the best tips. I told them that if that didn't work, we'd sue them for slander. If we're forced to do that, I bet you'll be awarded more than you'd see in several years salary."
"Thank you, Captain," both Nick and Natalie said.
"You're welcome. It's the least I can do."
Natalie knew she couldn't put off visiting her boss any longer. A part of her was unsure what she'd have to face and another part wanted to hear Terri admit she was wrong and rehire her immediately.