He was running late for work, and hoped he could get through this traffic quickly. Captain Stanley was a stickler for being on time. He had threatened to suspend his partner the last time he had been late. As he pulled into the parking lot behind the station, he glanced at his watch. Two minutes to spare! He hurried inside and joined the others in the kitchen.
“Hey, Roy, cutting it a little close, aren’t you?” asked Chet Kelly, checking the time.
“Yeah, I had a flat on the way to work,” he said, pouring himself a coup of coffee.
“I hope your partner has a better excuse than that,” remarked Captain Hank Stanley, as he walked into the room. Roy turned to look at the Captain, and saw that he did not seem to be in a very good mood. Damn, Johnny, he thought, you sure picked a bad day to be late!
Fifteen minutes later, Gage still hadn’t arrived. Roy had called his house, and got his answering machine, so he was probably on his way. But Stanley was getting more angry with every minute that passed and still, no John Gage. Fifteen minutes turned into thirty.. thirty into forty-five. This wasn’t like Johnny, thought Roy. Where the hell was he?
When Johnny hadn’t shown up after an hour, Stanley called headquarters to let them know he would be calling in a replacement. Roy had never seen the Cap so mad, and was sure Johnny would be suspended this time. Roy continued to call Johnny’s house, and left a message on his machine.
Thankfully, the engine was called out to a dumpster fire. While they were gone, Roy decided to look for the address book that Johnny kept in his locker. He figured he could call Johnny’s landlady, to see if she could check on him. He searched under all the stuff in Johnny’s locker and finally found the book. Flipping through the pages as he walked back to the kitchen, he found her number and gave her a call.
“Hello,” said the voice on the other end of the phone.
“Mrs. Meyers?” he asked.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“Mrs. Meyers, this is Roy DeSoto. I’m John Gage’s partner.”
“Oh, yes, I remember you. How are you, Roy?”
“Fine, but I’m looking for Johnny. Have you seen him this morning?”
“No, he’s on a camping trip with his friend, Matt.”
“Well, he was supposed to be back last night. He didn’t show up for work today. He’s already over an hour late.”
“Oh, dear. Well, let me check and see if his car is here. Hold on just a moment.”
Roy waited while she checked. “Roy, his car isn’t here, but that little red sportscar that his friend drives is still in Johnny’s parking space.”
“Okay, Mrs. Meyers, thanks for checking. If you see him, can you ask him to call the station right away?”
“I will, Roy,” she promised him. “Roy, do you think something is wrong?”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Meyers, he probably just had car trouble or something. I’m sure he’s fine,” he tried to reassure her, although he wasn’t at all sure that was the case. Johnny had been late before, but never this late.
Roy was getting a bad feeling. Johnny had gone camping in the mountains with Matt Mackie, a cop friend of his. Roy had been invited along, but had family commitments, so couldn’t go. Roy debated calling Matt’s family, but didn’t want to worry them needlessly. The more he thought about it though, the more concerned he became. It just wasn’t like his partner not to call in.
He didn’t feel any better after calling Matt’s wife. She, too, had begun to worry, and had been leaving messages on Johnny’s machine. Roy and Susan Mackie talked for a few minutes, trying to determine where the men had gone. Johnny had a couple of favorite spots, and had mentioned to Roy that he wanted to show one of them to Matt. And he had left a map with Susan, pinpointing the areas they planned to go.
Roy smiled. Leave it to Johnny to leave a map showing where he would be. Johnny was meticulous when he went on one of these trips. He always made sure at least one person knew exactly where he was going. He also left a map in his car, marking the route he planned to take when he went hiking.
Johnny was a volunteer member of a search and rescue team during his off-duty time, and had been on too many searches where they had NO idea where the victim was. Johnny vowed that would never happened to him. He even made a point of signing in at the Ranger Station in the area he would .... of course, the Ranger Station!
Roy looked through Johnny’s address book again, looking for the right number. He dialed and waiting while the phone rang, tapping his fingers impatiently on the wall next to the phone.
“Ranger Dutton,” the baritone voice said.
“Is this Rick Dutton?” asked Roy, to be sure he had the right man.
“Yes, it is. What can I do for you?”
“My name if Roy DeSoto. I’m a firefighter with the LA County Fire Department. My partner, John Gage, is a friend of yours.”
“Yeah, Big John, how is he? Haven’t seen him in weeks.”
“Actually, he’s the reason I’m calling. He took a friend camping in the mountains this weekend and is late returning. I think he was going to be in your area and I remember he always checks in with the Rangers when he goes into the mountains.”
“Yes, he does. Let me check the logs. I’ve been off the last couple of days and just got into the office.” Roy heard some shuffling papers, and then Dutton came back on the line. “Roy, he did sign in on Friday, just after lunch. It lists 2 different campsites he planned to be at. According to the log, he never signed in that he was leaving the mountain. When was he due back?”
“According to the friend’s wife, and what Johnny told me last time I talked to him, they planned to be back in LA late last night.”
“Okay. Look Roy, I know the sites that Johnny noted on the log. He’s been to both spots on several occasions. I’ve even been with him a few times. Let me take a run up there and see if I can spot his Land Rover. He usually parks at one the trail heads. It’s going to take me a couple of hours to get up there, so you’ll need to be patient. Give me a number where I can reach you if I find anything.”
Roy gave him the fire station number. And not wanting to miss Dutton’s call, he also gave the Ranger his home phone number. That way, if Dutton called while the guys were out on a run, he would still be able to pass any information on to Joanne.
Roy then called Joanne and let her know what was happening, asking her to stay close to the phone. As he hung up, the engine pulled back into the station.
“Did your partner show up yet, DeSoto?” asked the Captain, obviously still pretty angry.
“No, Cap, and I don’t think he’s going to. I think he’s in trouble.”
Stanley looked dubious, until Roy explained what he’d found out with his phone calls. “Cap, I know that Johnny has a reputation for being late, but he’s been on time every day for the last six months or more. You know how hard he’s been working to get here on time.”
“That’s true, he hasn’t been late in quite awhile,” Stanley agreed. He looked at Roy, then at the others who were following the conversation. “Roy, tell me the truth. Do you really think something is wrong?”
“Yes, Cap, I do. It’s just not like Johnny not to call. Even when he was late those times, he always called and let you know. I know he can be goofy at times, but this.. he’s almost two hours late, Cap. If he could have gotten to phone, he would have called.”
Stanley knew Roy was right. He had been thinking the same thing himself when he found that Gage hadn’t shown up yet. No one had noticed Bellingham when he walked in the door. But he caught the tail end of the conversation. He had thought someone had called in sick. Now he was hearing that John Gage was missing and that was why he’d been called in.
It made him feel a little uncomfortable. If something had happened to Gage, he knew it would be a rough day for this crew.
****
Between emergency calls that day, Roy continued to keep in touch with Susan Mackie and Joanne. Dutton had checked one of the campsites and didn’t find Johnny or his vehicle. He left word with Joanne that he would be heading out to check the other site soon.
Captain Stanley had notified a friend with the California Highway Patrol, who offered to put out an APB out on the vehicle, in case any of his officers had seen it disabled or involved in an accident.
And when Roy and Bellingham had made a run to Rampart that morning, Roy mentioned Johnny’s disappearance to Dixie and Dr. Brackett. A concerned Dixie offered to contact all the hospitals and medical clinics along the route that Johnny would have taken home, to see if any of them had treated either man for an injury or illness.
The wheels were in motion, but they were moving at a snail’s pace. As more time went by with no word from Gage, the stronger the feeling that he was in real trouble. Roy knew how careful Johnny was when he went camping or hiking, especially when he headed into the high country. He always carried first aid gear and emergency supplies. Johnny was at home in the mountains—could probably survive for several days with very little equipment.
Roy wasn’t sure about Matt. He knew Matt had done a lot of camping, but didn’t know how much experience he had in the mountains. But he was a cop, so he would have some first aid training. And he probably wouldn’t panic in an emergency. But if Johnny had been hurt, would Matt know what to do?
Roy just didn’t know. That’s what worried him. He didn’t know anything, except that his best friend was missing, in trouble, maybe hurt.. or worse. And Roy couldn’t do a damn thing about it, except sit by the phone.
*****
“Roy, you want some coffee? Roy?” Chet didn’t get a response from DeSoto, so he went ahead and filled a cup and set it in front of his friend. Roy had been staring off into space for about 10 minutes. The others hadn’t disturbed him, because they knew he was thinking about Johnny. And they knew there was nothing they could say that would keep Roy from worrying. They were worried about Johnny too.
Lunch had been a quiet affair, no one really eating. Every time the phone rang they held their breaths, waiting to see if it was word about Gage and his friend. The Captain’s friend at the highway patrol had called back, but told Cap that none of his men had reported any contact with a vehicle fitting the description of Johnny’s Land Rover.
And Dixie called. Nobody named Gage or Mackie had been treated at the medical facilities in the area. And no John Doe’s had shown up either.
Stanley had also spoken to Vince Howard just before lunch at the scene of a traffic accident they had responded to. When he told Vince about Johnny, the policeman offered to check the morgue. Stanley hadn’t mentioned this to his men. He wanted to keep their hopes up until there was reason to tell them differently.
The day was relatively quiet for the firefighters, so they were able to stay close to the phone. But time dragged by, every minute seeming to take forever. Roy called Joanne about 6 o’clock that evening, while the other guys were in the middle of a drill on the engine. The Captain was trying to keep them busy.
“Roy, what do I tell Chris and Jennifer? Should I let them know what’s going on?” his wife asked.
“No, let’s wait until morning. Hopefully, Rick Dutton will have called back with some kind of news by then. No use frightening them if we don’t have to.”
“I suppose you’re right. But Johnny always says goodnight to Jennifer when you two are working. She’s going to be awfully disappointed.”
“I know. I’ll think of something to tell her.” Neither said anything for a moment.
“Roy, how are you doing? Are your okay?” she asked, concerned for her husband, knowing how close he was to his partner.
“I’m doing okay, so far. But I wish Dutton would call. This waiting is driving me crazy. I wish I was up there on the mountain, helping to look for him.”
“Now you know how I felt when you two were in that plane crash. But Johnny has a lot of experience in the woods. And the Rangers know exactly where to look. They’ll find him Roy.”
“I just hope they do it soon. The weatherman is predicting snow for the high country tonight. Joanne, one or both of them must be hurt, or they would have been home last night. I don’t want to think about what another night on that mountain would do to someone with a serious injury.”
“At least they both have some training and are used to dealing with emergencies, Roy. I don’t know Matt, but I do know Johnny. He’s smart, Roy. He’s done a lot of searches himself and he knows what to expect. He knows what to do to help them find him. Trust in him, Roy. Trust that he will help them in any way he can.”
Roy smiled, knowing that Joanne was right. Leave it to her to make him see things straight. They talked for a few more minutes, and he promised to call back to say goodnight to the kids.
*****
They were gathered around the dinner table when the phone rang, startling them all, loud in the silence hanging in the room. Stanley rose from his seat and picked it up before the second ring. “Station 51, Captain Stanley.”
“Captain, this is Rick Dutton. I’m with the U.S. Forest Service. I spoke to one of your men this morning about John Gage.”
“Yes, you talked to Roy. Any word yet? Have you found them?”
“Unfortunately, no. I was called off the search to assist in a rescue of a 13-year old who fell from one of the cliffs on the other side of the park. But I was able to check the first campground and the parking area at the trail head near the second campground. I didn’t find John or his friend. But I have located his vehicle.”
“You did! So that means he is still up there? So what now?”
“Well, one good thing that did happen is that during the rescue we brought a chopper in to help pull the girl out of the valley. The pilot just dropped my men back off here and is willing to help with the search for John and his friend. I’m getting ready to go up now. If we had to hike in, it would take us about 4 hours in this terrain. With the helicopter we should be able to cover the whole area if less than 30 minutes. If he’s still at the campsite, it’ll be less time than that. I just wanted to call and let you all know what we found. I’ll call back as soon as I can. Or, better yet, I’ll have John call.”
“We’ll wait to hear from you. And thanks, I’ve got a group of very anxious people here. Anything you can give us would help. This waiting in getting on everyone’s nerves.”
“Yeah, I can imagine. Look, Captain, Johnny spends a lot of time up here. He knows what he’s doing. I’m willing to bet he’s okay.”
“I hope you’re right,” Stanley told him, before hanging up the phone and explaining to the others what the Ranger had said. He watched Roy’s reaction, knowing that the man was frustrated. “Roy, are you okay?” he asked his paramedic.
“I just keep trying to think back, trying to remember if there was anything Johnny told me that would help them find him faster.”
“Roy, he left word with the rangers where he was going. And they found his car near the trail by the campsite. It’s just a matter of time now. You know Johnny’s been in the mountains enough that he’s probably prepared for anything. And he made all the right moves before he went up there, to make it easier for them to find him. And they will.”
Trying to make Roy feel better, Chet piped in. “You know, Roy, Johnny probably just tripped over his own two feet and sprained an ankle or something.” Roy appreciated Chet’s effort to lighten the mood, but it really didn’t help. He was worried. They were all worried. Making jokes was just Chet’s way of dealing with it.
Roy decided he needed some time alone, so he walked into the dorm and stretched out on his bunk. He had known Johnny for just 6 years, but it felt like they had been friends forever. He stared at he ceiling, trying not to think about what his life would be like without John Gage. Stop it Roy! Stop thinking like that! There wasn’t any reason to think Johnny wouldn’t be okay. The others were right, it’s just a matter of time.Roy closed his eyes and softly spoke to the air, “Where are you, Johnny? Where the hell are you?”
*****
He didn’t hear the phone ring, but he heard the shouts. Jumping up from the bunk, he raced into the kitchen. Stanley was on the phone, trying to hear over Chet, Marco and Stoker, who were all talking at the same time. “..repeat that, what hospital?” Stanley was saying. He listened for several long moments. “I got it. Thanks, Ranger, we owe you. And thank your men for us. You have made a lot of people very happy. And tell Johnny... tell him that we’re glad he’s okay, and we’ll be waiting for his call.”
He hung up the phone, to a barrage of questions. He held up his hands to quiet them down, so he could talk. “Okay, okay. The Rangers found them both. Matt was hurt in a fall, and injured his back while they were hiking to the car from the second campsite last night. The chopper spotted them about an hour ago and were able to pick them up. They’re on their way to the hospital. Johnny is fine, he’s not hurt.”
“Yes!” cried Roy, a huge smile growing on his face, the others slapping him and each other on the back.
“Dutton said that Johnny had immobilized Matt, and he didn’t want to move him, so they stayed where he’d fallen. They were along the trail from the campsite, about halfway between the site and the trailhead. It took about an hour to get them out of the area and into the chopper.”
“But Johnny’s okay, he’s not hurt?” Roy asked, wanting reassurance.
“He’s not hurt. He just wanted to stay with Matt. He’ll call Matt’s wife from the hospital. Dutton said that Johnny asked him to tell us that he’s sorry he worried us, and he would explain it all when he called.”
“I need to call Joanne, and I think I’ll get hold of Susan and let her know to expect Johnny’s call.”
“Why don’t you use the office, Roy?” Stanley offered.
Roy nodded and went to make his calls as the others started talking excitedly between themselves.
*****
As the Captain got up from the table to refresh his coffee cup, the phone rang and he grabbed it on the first ring. “Station 51, Captain Stanley.”
“Hey, Cap, sorry I’m so late for work.”
“Johnny,” he said, relieved. “Damn it’s good to hear your voice, pal!”
They others became quiet. Roy stood up and went to stand next to the Captain.
“You too, Cap,” Johnny told him.
“Are you okay? How’s your friend?”
“I’m fine, just a little tired. Matt’s going to be okay. I was afraid he’d broken his back, but the doctors here say that the x-rays are negative. He’s gonna be here several days, though. His wife is on her way up now. I, ah, guess I’m gonna get gigged for today though, huh?”
“Oh, I don’t know. You were performing a rescue of sorts, even if you were WAY out of your jurisdiction. I’ll talk to the Chief, see what he says. At the very least, I think we can write it up as a sick day.”
“Thanks, Cap.”
“I’m gonna hand you off to your very anxious partner before he rips the phone from my hand. Get some rest, and call me when you get back to town.”
“I will, Cap.”
Stanley handed the phone to Roy, who grabbed it like it was a lifeline. “Johnny, are you okay?”
“Yeah, partner, I’m doing just great now. Very tired, but not hurt.”
“Thank god. Man, when you didn’t show up this morning, I thought sure Cap was gonna suspend you. I called your house and didn’t get any answer, then Mrs Meyers told me you weren’t home yet. I started to get a bit concerned. And as the day wore on with no call from you, we knew something had to be wrong.”
“Rick told me you called him early this morning to check and see if I’d left the mountain. I’m glad you didn’t wait too long. When they found us, it was starting to get dark and it was beginning to snow. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to spend another night up there. Matt was already in bad shape. I didn’t want him to have to deal with hypothermia too.”
“We’ve been on the phone all day. The Captain’s friend at the CHP had an APB out for you. And Dixie had called all the hospitals in the area to see if either of you had been treated. A lot of people back here were awfully worried. I was even trying to think about what I was going to tell Jennifer tonight when you didn’t call her.”
“Well, you can just tell her I’m out of town visiting a sick friend, and I promise to call her tomorrow. And tell her that her dad saved me from a long, cold night on that mountain.”
“You helped there Johnny. If you weren’t so thorough about making sure people know where you are when you go on your trips, we’d still be looking for you. I will never give you a rough time about that again.”
“Promises, promises,” Johnny said, laughing. “Rick is letting me stay in his spare room tonight, and will give me a ride back to my Rover tomorrow morning. As soon as Susan gets here in the morning, I’ll be heading back to LA. So, I’m gonna grab some food and get some sleep.”
“Yeah, get some rest and I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I really am glad you’re okay, Johnny.”
“Roy, tell everybody thanks for me, will ya?” John asked. “I’ll talk to them all myself tomorrow, but will you let them know how grateful I am. It’s nice to know I have so many good friends.”
“I’ll do that partner. You take it easy. And call me as soon as you get home. In fact, if you’re up to it, come over for dinner tomorrow. Joanne and the kids will want to see for themselves that you’re alright. And I know Joanne will have all your favorite foods.”
“I may take you up on that. Talk to you tomorrow, Roy.”
“Good night, Johnny.” He hung up the phone and turned to the others sitting around the table. With a smile, he rubbed his hands together he, looking around the table at his co-workers
“Anybody for a game of poker? I’m feeling awfully lucky all of the sudden,” he said. Yeah, I’m feeling real lucky, he repeated to himself.
*********************
"Late Again, Johnny?" ©1999 Pat 'Charli' Charleville. "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.
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