Duby's Doctor

Chapter 27: INTERVENTION, Part 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Jean has stalled his armed captor, hoping that Stone will have the police ready and waiting when Jean and his enemy arrive at Jean's boat.  He does not know that Mitchell is planning a rescue of her own, because she is certain a police standoff will end in violence and death.

Enjoy part one of Chapter 27: Intervention, from DUBY'S DOCTOR.

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Jean knew he had pushed his luck as far as was prudent, and he drove obediently – and directly – to the marina. From the parking lot, as he unloaded armloads of purchases from the trunk of Iglesias' rental car, he took quick, surreptitious glances at the surrounding land and buildings. He could see nothing that indicated a police presence, and he prayed that his message to Stone had been delivered, understood, and acted upon promptly. In the absence of any evidence, Jean could only trust that his rescuers were hidden nearby, watching for the opportunity to act safely and effectively.

He would have been comforted if he could have seen Frank Stone and a team of Special Weapons and Tactics officers settling into their places on the roof of the seafood restaurant on the far edge of the parking lot. The SWAT team leader, a police lieutenant, approached Stone and knelt beside him, behind the concrete parapet of the rooftop.

"Surprised to see you here, Stone. Thought I heard you'd retired."

Stone lowered the binoculars he was using to scan the marina. "Right. But I need to observe on this one – if you'll give me that much, for old times' sake. My boy's out there."

"Duby?"

Stone nodded, looking through the binoculars again.

"Sorry he's got himself into a situation," the team leader said, "but, on the other hand, it's good to know he's back. Active again. That's great." He smiled and gave Stone a pat on the back.

"Not so great. He's just a civilian, now. Matter of fact, he probably knows less about this kinda business than a normal civilian, really." Stone lowered the glasses and turned to speak discreetly to the team leader. "He doesn't remember ever seeing this kind of action on TV or in a movie, much less being a part of an operation like this."

The team leader wrinkled his forehead, confused. "But, you said he stalled the kidnapper, and he got a message to you, tipping us off. That sounds like the Duby I used to know."

"Yeah, but he's not the guy we used to know. He's just a guy smart enough to put two and two together and do whatever he could think of to get some help in a tough situation."