Find me, Cisco…
Most of her strength crept back and she sat up, still hearing the rampage in the hidden room. Desperately looking around for something to defend herself, she saw garbage, straws, a doorknob, and old tattered baseboards. She heard the distinct crackle of fire. It reeked of the accelerant. Smoke began to billow from the room through the small opening. She was terrified that he had doused the woman with the gasoline.
Katie pulled her legs underneath her and pushed herself up, dizzy at first, but she managed to stumble into the kitchen area, holding her side, searching for anything—a knife, a frying pan, anything to fight him. In the corner, leaning against the wall, was a three and half foot long metal bar with a hook on the end used to open high windows.
She grabbed the pole, gripping it tightly, making fixed fists around the metal; feeling her balance return to about ninety percent, she crept toward the opening of the room.
Katie dared to look inside, where she watched in horror: Randy was panting for breath, standing in the middle of the room watching two of the walls begin to burn. As sweat dripped from his face the flames crept higher.
Without hesitation, Katie ran full speed into the room and swung the metal pole aiming for his stomach. It struck Randy in the arm and knocked him down against another wall leaving a large dent behind where his head had struck.
Katie took a fighter’s stance and swung again downward, hitting Randy in the shins.
He screamed in pain, huddling over his wounded legs.
Her adrenalin spiked and she wanted to beat him unconscious—a strike for every woman he made a victim. Her head pounded. As she regained her stance, she hesitated, and tried to strike him again. Her hesitation was all that he needed, he lunged at her, taking her down like a linebacker on the field. They struggled as the flames began to build momentum.
Truth…
Sixty-Seven
A searing headache permeated throughout McGaven’s skull, causing him to puke several times. He moved his arms and legs until he could push himself up and into a standing position. A few seconds passed before he realized where he was and that Katie was all alone.
He cursed himself for allowing someone to sneak up on him.
As he took a step forward, he groped for his weapon which amazingly was still in its holster.
Cisco ran at him, barking nonstop and running circles around him, waiting for a command.
Smoke filled the air and he realized that there was a house on fire.
Katie…
“Find her!” McGaven yelled. “Find her!” he yelled again. He realized that Katie must’ve pressed the release button for the back door of the cruiser. She was in trouble.
The dog barked again, gave McGaven one last look, and took off at full pelt, leaping over several tall bushes and scaling a fence before running at full speed down the street and disappearing from view.
McGaven followed as fast as his legs would carry him, stumbling every couple of feet, his head still spinning—probably suffering from a minor concussion. He knew that Cisco would beat him to the house, but he ran as fast as he could to get to Katie.
Sixty-Eight
A week and half later…
Katie stood eagerly at the outside entrance to the Silver Springs Hospital, holding a large bouquet of yellow roses. It still hurt to walk, but she was healing up nicely—as for her emotional wounds—it would take more time.
After a few minutes, she saw Madeline Thomas emerge with her sister holding her arm. She looked frail, but there was an expression of relief on her face. Just as she stepped into the light, she looked up and marveled at the sky and everything around her. Life again. A smile washed across her face: It was clear that she was joyful and thankful to be out of the hospital and to have survived her ordeal.
Madeline looked around and then she saw Katie standing there. She stopped for a moment and gently took her sister’s hand away.
Katie walked up to her and said, “I’m so glad to see you, Madeline. It’s nice to know your name. I wish you all the best.”
“Thank you,” she replied.
“These are for you—your favorite, right?” Katie said, giving them to her.
“Oh, thank you. Yes, they are.” She smiled at Katie and said, “I knew you were going to catch him.”
“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Katie hugged her. “You take care of yourself, okay?”
Madeline nodded.
Her sister spoke. “Thank you, Detective, for giving us our lovely Madeline back.”
Katie nodded and turned, heading back to her car. She didn’t let them see the tears in her eyes as she wiped them away.
Sixty-Nine
Katie sat on her couch finishing another novel—it was her third since she had been ordered to stay home to recover. She had many good days, and some bad ones where the memories of the fire at the Humanity Project and memories of the battlefield sometimes merged into one disturbing event. It was difficult to be her own company and not be busy with another cold case. In some ways it was good; she thought about many things: Chad, being a detective, what she wanted in life.
Cisco snugged closer to her, never allowing her to feel alone. She looked down at the black dog and smiled. He had been there through her toughest times and he was here now.
Katie put the book down, pulled her feet up on the couch, and drew a blanket over herself. It was another day that she was still here and she was thankful. As she closed her eyes, she willed only the good memories to fill her mind. Having dinner with Chad, spending time with her uncle, and laughing at McGaven’s jokes, those were the cherished times that she needed to hold onto.
There was the sound of car doors slamming outside.
Cisco stood up on the couch and barked.
Katie got to her feet and went to the door. She saw several people coming up her driveway carrying bags, bowls, and casserole dishes.
She opened the door; Cisco ran out to greet everyone. “What’s going on?” she asked, surprised by the group.
Chad was the first to enter, holding several grocery bags. “Look who I ran into at the store,” he said with a smile on his face. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and headed to the kitchen. “It’s amazing the people you can run into in this town.”
Katie couldn’t believe it. “I’m being ambushed.”
McGaven, accompanied by Denise, greeted her. “You know me, I never turn down barbecues.”
Katie was taken aback. “You two are together?” The two people at work who always had her back were dating. That made her happy.
McGaven grinned and entered the house.
Denise hugged Katie. “You doing okay? We miss you at work.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“About this?” Denise said, referring to the get-together. “Or about me and McGaven?” She smiled. “What can I say, we’ve been flirting for quite a while and then I decided to accept his first date offer.”
“I’m happy for you,” Katie said.
John from forensics greeted her next: “Lovely day for a barbecue.”
“I thought you’d be working this weekend?”
“I’m on call. Point me to the grill.” He smiled and then joined the others.
“Go on in,” she said.
As happy as Katie was about her friends surprising her, she smiled even more when she saw Nick with his brother, James, and Nadine at his side. They looked happy.
Katie hugged Nick. “I’m so happy for you guys.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “Things have a way of working out.”
“I’m so glad that you’re here. All of you. Please come in.”
James said, “We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m James, Jimmy to most, and this is Nadine.”
“It’s really nice to meet you both.”
“Nice to meet you too,” said Nadine.
Chad yelled from the kitchen, “Your grill still out back?” He opened the sliding door followed by Cisco.
“Yes,” she said.
Katie was still stunned: She had thought that her only family was her aunt and uncle, when in fact, this was her family. She had a lump in her throat as she watched everyone talk and laugh as they readied the meat for the grill. Denise and Nadine unwrapped vegetables, salads, and pies.
“Alright, who’s the grill master?” Chad announced.
Raising his hand, Nick responded, “That would be me.”
“Who seconds that?” Chad said.
Several “Ayes,” resonated in the crowd.
Katie watched McGaven and John heap ice in the sink and put bottles of beer, waters, and soda in.
McGaven walked up to Katie and handed her a beer. “Here you go, Detective.”
“Thanks.”
“You doing okay?” he asked.
Someone must’ve told a joke as loud laughter broke out in the kitchen.
“Yeah, I’m doing okay,” she said.
“Well, c’mon,” he said, making sure Katie followed him.
Katie and Chad stood in her kitchen watching out the back window as Nick and his brother Jimmy talked. They seemed to have much to talk about and old issues to straighten out. She wasn’t sure what they were saying, but it was the first step to mending the past and to moving forward with their lives. There was no doubt in her mind that they needed each other.
Nadine sat at the picnic table and smiled every so often. She was now a part of the family and would be bringing another Haines into the family.
Katie watched as the brothers laughed at something that Nick had said. It was clear that the years apart were beginning to melt away. She hoped that it would only bring more happiness and a family closeness that they desperately needed and deserved.
McGaven, Denise, and John were eating dessert at the picnic table, McGaven taking a break from enjoying his dessert every now and again to throw a ball for Cisco.
“What do you think?” Chad asked.
“I think that it’s going to take some time, but it’s a solid beginning for the Haines. I’m happy for both of them. Actually, for all three of them, and a fourth one on the way.” She continued to watch them converse.
“What about us?” Chad asked.
She turned to him and said, “I think it is a good beginning. Make that a great beginning.”
He leaned in and kissed her. “I hope your next case isn’t as crazy as this one was.”
“I’m so glad that Tess Regan will recover,” she said.
“Well, she’s lucky you were there. Any longer, she would have been… well, let’s just say, she’s lucky.”
“Lucky that McGaven was there.”
“True. He’s a good man.”
“I still cannot believe that we almost missed the clues that led us to Randall Drake. It makes perfect sense now—he made the evidence point to Dr. Jamison and caused so much collateral damage. He could watch his victims from security cameras and blended in without anyone suspecting him. Bobby Sykes must have known what was going on and was really trying to help, somehow; he felt compelled. One thing bothered me,” she said. “Amanda mentioned the smell of jasmine. When they searched his house, they found two dozen bottles of jasmine hand-washing soap.”
“Wow.”
“There’s still some things that we don’t know why—like why Amanda had such a rich, fancy dinner in her stomach, but that’s just the way it is.”
“Why do you think he did it?” he asked.
Katie still watched the brothers as she spoke. “He suffered such a tremendous trauma of losing his wife and three-month-old baby in a fire that he blamed anyone and everyone at the hospital who told people that their loved ones were going to be okay—when they weren’t. We’re still not entirely sure of the number of his victims—not much turned up at his house. This case is officially closed, but sadly, there will probably be other victims we don’t find or ever know about.”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“Remember, I’m not alone in this.”
“I know.” He hugged her tighter.
She turned to Chad. “I need a favor,” she said.
“Name it.”
“Since I’m supposed to be taking it easy, can you drive me somewhere?” she said. “It’s not far and it won’t take long.”
“Of course.”
Katie gestured to everyone outside. “I think they’ll be just fine for half an hour if we sneak out.”
Seventy
Katie walked down the curvy walkway through a grassy area holding a single pink rose, cut from her garden. She searched several areas until she found what she was looking for. Taking a quiet moment, she hung her head forward in respect and said a short prayer.
Her attention was focused on a particular cemetery headstone:
Amanda Lynn Payton ~ Loving Daughter & Best Friend
Katie then knelt down and put the rose next to Amanda’s grave.
“I’m so sorry that I couldn’t protect you—but you helped others and brought a killer to justice. May you find everlasting peace,” she said softly.
She stood up and slowly walked back, filing Amanda’s death away in the heavy box of people she couldn’t save, which she carried inside of her like a lead balloon.
Standing up at the top of the hill, she could see the outline of Chad and Cisco waiting for her with the sun beaming behind them. It was as if there was a new awakening for her—a chance for a new day—a new life.
Realizing that life really was truly not long enough, Katie vowed to never skip any moment to tell someone that she loved them, mend any feud or argument, and never take those she loved for granted. Life was too fragile to take any chances of not expressing those sentiments. Life was indeed too short.
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Seventy-One
Randy swung at her with his fists, but she managed to stay clear from any direct hits. Ducking and diving to her left, she lunged forward and pushed her thumbs into his eyes. The shock made him stumble back, giving her an opportunity to run.
She took the chance, turned her back on him and ran into the kitchen where she remembered there was a folding chair leaning against the wall. Not missing a beat, she grabbed the chair and swung it at him, knocking him to the side. She swung again, missing him.
As she readied herself to pummel him with the flat part of the chair, he anticipated her action and pivoted himself, causing Katie to lose her balance. She fell toward the floor with the chair knocking the wind out of her.
He frantically crawled on his hands and knees and found the steel pole. He stood up and swung it, striking the floor just inches from Katie’s head. He stood above her. Sweat dripped from his face. His arms shook with fierce anger—rage he felt from all he had lost—the broken shell of a man who had lost everything and needed someone to blame.
Katie knew she couldn’t fight anymore; she was now the woman that she couldn’t save.
The fire licked into the room, doubling in velocity as it headed towards them and all around them.
Just when she thought it was over, she heard a thunderous crash over the roar of the fire and a black blur catapulted through the window, landed, raced through the living room and leapt. Cisco had his jaws clamped to Randy’s shoulder, taking him down, simultaneously dislodging the pole from his hand. Once he was on the floor, Cisco shook him hard as he tried to fight back—to no avail. Cisco, trained to hold his grip, reattached his teeth into more areas, deeper and stronger each time.
The smoke thickened.
Flames crackled and flickered long tentacles of heat.
Randy screamed in pain, in rage.
Katie began to cough as the smoke filled her lungs.
Three loud shots rang out, splintering the locks as the front door burst open. McGaven filled the doorway with his gun positioned and ready.
Smoke billo
wed out in large rivers of black.
McGaven clamped his left hand over his mouth and nose for a moment—trying to control his coughing. Then he gripped the gun with both hands.
Katie yelled a command to Cisco: “Aus! Here, Cisco!”
The dog immediately released Randy and ran over to Katie, standing guard over her, tail down, waiting for the next command. Katie grabbed his collar.
Randy tried to get up to finish what he had started.
“Stay down on the ground!” McGaven yelled.
Randy grabbed the pole once again.
Cisco barked nonstop.
Katie pushed the dog to her side the farthest away from everyone, readying herself for what was about to happen. She kept them both low to the ground and began to crawl as they had done in the heat of battle—on their bellies, using elbows and legs to push them along.
“Drop it! Don’t do it, Randy!” McGaven yelled. “Don’t do it! Don’t make me do it!”
Randy stared back at McGaven; hesitating a moment as if he reflected their previous conversations, he slightly tilted his head—his eyes still crazed. Then he raised the pole toward Katie.
McGaven fired twice, dropping the security guard facedown next to Katie and Cisco. Blood spattered the wall beside them.
Katie and Cisco continued to crawl toward McGaven.
“Save her!” she yelled. “In there.” She waved to the room. “Please save her.” Katie saw that McGaven wanted to help her, but she could make it outside with Cisco’s help. McGaven rushed into the bedroom—and disappeared in the smoke.
The fire was in full force—the heat unbearable.
Her Last Whisper: An absolutely unputdownable crime thriller (Detective Katie Scott Book 2) Page 27
