Life Flight

by Lynette Eason

  Penny frowned at the seething anger in the woman’s voice and stepped in front of her. “I’m sorry, can I help you?”

  She raised a brow. “You can step aside so I can kill my brother.”

  Ah, one of the sisters. “I’m afraid you’ll have to get in line.”

  Rachel marched around Penny and stopped at Holt’s side. “Have you even watched the video?”

  Holt shot Penny a glance and sighed. “No. I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to and—”

  “She’s in prison, Holt! This can get her out and you don’t make the time to watch a simple video? Well, I need you to make time. Zoe needs you to make the time.”

  “Wait a minute,” Penny said. “Zoe, your other sister, is in prison?” She walked over to Holt and planted her fists on her hips. “Your sister is in prison?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She narrowed her eyes and fought the rising anger. And lost. “You pushed and pushed for me to tell you every little detail about my life, got mad at me because I kept the identity of my mother secret, said we had to go deeper in our conversations to have a relationship, and this is how I find out about your sister? Wow, thanks a lot, Holt. Apparently relationships are a one-sided deal with you. The little woman has to spill her guts while the big bad man hides his feelings? That’s not how it works. Not for me anyway.”

  “No, that’s not true.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Although I can see why it would look like that at the moment. I wanted to tell you. Started to a few times and I just—”

  “Just what? Just didn’t, that’s what. How many hours were we in the car when we talked about everything. Including our families!”

  “Oh boy,” Rachel muttered under her breath. “Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t know about all . . . this”—she waved a Penny-and-Holt-inclusive hand—“and truly, on any other day, I would be thrilled to meet the woman who landed my elusive brother—and can tell him off when he needs it—but I’m getting desperate.”

  Holt pressed his fingers to his eyes. “Rachel, can you step outside for just a minute?”

  “Holt—”

  “Please!”

  With a half growl, Rachel turned and aimed herself at the door, then paused and turned back to Holt. “Are you okay?”

  “I will be.”

  She nodded and stepped outside.

  Penny stared at the man in the bed, unsure if she wanted to stay and talk or simply leave and lick her wounds.

  “Don’t leave,” he said.

  The plea in his husky voice stilled her. “Tell me.”

  “Zoe’s in prison and has been for two years.”

  “I’m sorry. For what?”

  “For killing her husband.”

  Penny gasped. “Okay, I did not see that coming.”

  He rubbed his forehead. “Neither did anyone else.”

  “Was it an accident?”

  “No. It was definitely premeditated.”

  “I see.” She looked out the hospital window. “He was abusive?”

  “So she says. Her attorney argued self-defense at her trial, but the jury didn’t buy it.”

  She whipped her gaze back to him, the agony on his features twisting like a knife in her heart. “You don’t believe her.”

  He shrugged. “I want to.”

  “So, what’s all this about? Why is Rachel tracking you down in the hospital, asking you to watch a video?”

  “Rachel has always been very involved in Zoe’s case. So much so, that if she took the bar, she’d probably pass. She’s made it her mission to prove Zoe didn’t kill Owen—or at least killed him in self-defense—but . . .”

  “But you don’t think so.”

  “She confessed.”

  “People have been known to confess to things they didn’t do. For various reasons. Usually to protect someone they love.”

  “I get that. I’d even agree with the reasoning if there was someone to protect, but there’s no one. It was just Zoe and Owen at home that night. The kids were next door at a sleepover. And the gun belonged to Owen.”

  “Huh. How old are the kids again?”

  “Ellie is twelve and Krissy is eight.” He picked up his phone and thumbed to a picture of two dark-haired, dark-eyed little girls, his face softening as he held the phone for her to see.

  “So, they would have been ten and six when everything happened,” Penny said.

  “Yes.”

  She nodded. “Have you talked to them about what happened that night?”

  “The girls?” He shrugged. “Not really. They weren’t there. Nothing much to talk to them about.”

  “Surely they can give insight into their parents’ marriage.”

  “They were asked and they’ve never said anything against either parent. That’s what makes it so hard to believe anything abusive was going on.”

  “And yet their father is dead at the hand of their mother, for some reason.”

  “Yeah.” He fell silent, emotions warring on his face.

  “What did Owen do for a living?”

  “He was a homicide detective.”

  “Oh my. And that’s it?” she asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Why was that so hard to tell me? Seriously.”

  “Because the last woman I told I had bought a ring for, and when I went to her for support, she said she couldn’t marry me because she couldn’t take a chance I was like my sister.”

  Penny gaped. “And you thought I’d do the same?”

  “Of course not. But every time I went to tell you, I . . . froze.”

  “I thought I’d lost you when Rabor shot you with the curare. I thought you were gone, and it nearly killed me.” She swallowed. “I’ve got to go to work, but you think about what you really want. The ball’s in your court. I want to see what we could become. I want that deeper, meaningful, life-changing relationship with you and I’m willing to say it. But it’s your choice. You think about it and get back to me.”

  “Penny—”

  She held up a hand. “Not now. Think about it. Make your choice and let me know when you’re sure, without a doubt, what you want.”

  He opened his mouth once more, then snapped it shut and nodded.

  Penny turned and walked out.

  Five minutes after Penny left him to stew over everything going on in his life, from serial killer to falling in love to dealing with his family issues, Rachel pushed the door open and stepped inside, holding two cups of coffee. “Sorry, the line was long.”

  “Thanks. It was worth the wait.”

  “So . . . who was that?”

  “A friend. I think.” He hoped they were still friends.

  “She sounded like more than a friend.”

  He sighed. “That was the plan, but I may have blown it.”

  “So, apologize.”

  “I did, but I still need to—” He waved a hand. “I can worry about that later. I still have a killer to catch.”

  Grace and Julianna, along with several local officers, were keeping an eye on Penny. She’d do her job and they’d stay close by in case there were any problems. He was good with that. If he could trust them with his life, he could trust them with Penny’s.

  But the fact was, Penny was Rabor’s target. That meant other people might be in danger as well, if Holt’s latest encounter with Rabor was anything to go by. Then again, the man did have it in for him and it might not have mattered what his proximity was to Penny. The fact that they were together could have had no bearing on the attack. Of course, Rabor had been at Penny’s house, so . . .

  “Hello?” Rachel waved a hand in front of his face and Holt forced himself to focus on her for the moment. “I know you’re chomping at the bit to get out of here,” she said, “but I need you to be present in the moment and watch the video.”

  “You told me what was on it—”

  “I didn’t tell you everything! I need an unbiased opinion. I need to know if you see what I think I saw
!”

  She was near tears, her frustration with him was so great. Shame, guilt, and every other self-castigating emotion swept over him. “Let me get dressed and I’ll watch it right now.”

  “Thank you.” She set his coffee on the table, then grabbed his clothes from the closet and laid them on the bed. She turned her back, and he climbed out of the bed to dress. He still felt a little weak, but not enough to stop him from doing what he needed to do.

  “You’ve never been one to avoid dealing with things,” she said. “Why this? When Zoe—and I—need you more than ever?”

  He winced. “I’m assuming I have to tell the truth.”

  “Holt . . .”

  “Fear, Rach,” he said, scrubbing a hand down his face. He still needed to shave. “Just fear.”

  He sat down to put his shoes on and she turned to look at him. “Fear?”

  “It’s stupid and I’m not even sure it makes sense. When Zoe protested that she hadn’t shot Owen, I believed her. Then a week later, she changed her story. Adamantly. At first, I was convinced she was lying. I figured she was just confused or afraid or protecting someone or something, but as time went on, and the evidence was presented in court—and it was her prints on his gun that was fired that night . . . and she said she did it . . . I guess, eventually, I came to believe she did.”

  “She often put his weapon in the safe for him, Holt. Of course her prints would be on it.”

  “I know, but she said she did it! And at the end of the last visit, she told me to leave and not come back.”

  “She didn’t do it!” Rachel stopped and drew in a shuddering breath. “Just watch the video.”

  She tapped the screen of her phone and turned it so he could see. With each passing moment, Holt’s stomach dropped lower and lower. When it finished, he looked up, feeling weak once again. “Ellie?”

  “You see it too?”

  He nodded. “It’s kind of jerky, but that’s what it looks like to me.”

  “I’ve watched it over and over and over,” Rachel said, “and it’s the only explanation I can find. The fact that you saw it too just confirms what it looks like. Ellie shot Owen.”

  “And Zoe took the blame.” He pressed his palms to his eyes. “It all makes sense now. Where’d it come from?”

  “It was security footage, just from a different camera that didn’t turn up in any of the footage that was obtained by the police. How it got on Zoe’s phone, I don’t know. It was a saved file, so she obviously watched it and then changed her plea. Now, will you go to the prison with me? Zoe’s agreed to meet us, and we need to leave immediately or we won’t get there in time for the appointment that I set up.”

  “I’m calling Matt Nixon.”

  Rachel’s eyes widened. “The detective who put Zoe in prison?”

  “He did his job.” Before she could protest, he held up a hand. “I know he’s not your favorite person, but he’s not the bad guy and he needs to be involved in this.”

  “But Ellie—”

  “She’s a minor. She was ten at the time. We’ll make sure she gets the help she needs.”

  “You’re sure?”

  His gaze met hers. “Zoe won’t help herself. We’re going to have to do it.”

  “Right.”

  “Call Zoe’s lawyer and tell him what’s going on. Did you send the video to him?”

  “No.” She bit her lip. “I haven’t sent it to anyone except you because it’s . . . Ellie. She apparently has no memory of that night. She’s never said one word in two years about being there, much less shooting her father. I want to protect her too. But Zoe shouldn’t rot in jail for a murder she didn’t commit.” Her agonized eyes met his.

  “I’ll find us a flight. This is personal business so we can’t use the Bureau’s chopper, but I have a friend who flies helicopters. She may be able to help me out.” He grabbed his wallet and shoved it into his back pocket. Then he got on the phone, praying Penny would answer his call.

  She did. “What?”

  “I need to get to Columbia ASAP on personal business. Do you have someone who can fly me and Rachel there?”

  For a moment, she didn’t answer. “Yes. Let me make a few calls.”

  “Thanks, Penny.”

  “Sure.” She sounded so sad, the fissure in his heart widened a few more inches. But he pushed that aside to get on the phone with the detective as he followed Rachel out of the room and down the hallway while he explained the situation to Matt.

  “Send me the video,” Matt said. “I’ll meet you at the prison.”

  Holt hung up just as his phone buzzed with a text from Penny.

  My friend will meet you at Gaston Airfield in twenty minutes.

  Holt passed the information to Rachel, tapped the address in his GPS, then climbed into the passenger seat. While she drove, he sent the video from Rachel’s phone to Matt, then punched in Gerald’s speed-dial number. “We’re going to get this settled with Zoe one way or another,” he told his sister.

  Rachel glanced at him, tears welling, then spilling over her lashes. “Thank you,” she whispered and swiped the tears from her cheeks.

  “What’s going on, Holt?” Gerald asked.

  Holt went through the explanation once more.

  “You’re on medical leave.”

  “I don’t want to be on medical leave, but for now, I’ll comply. I’m going to the prison as a family member, not an agent.”

  “Hmm.”

  “I have a friend of a friend flying me there, but I might need a chopper ready to bring me back here.”

  The man was silent a moment. “I’ll have it on standby.”

  “Thanks.”

  Holt texted his thanks to Penny, finishing with one last plea.

  Please, please, be careful.

  Then he shot a text to Julianna and Grace.

  Keep me updated on what’s going on, will you? I’m headed to Columbia for a few hours. I need to know everything is okay with Penny.

  Julianna

  Everything’s fine.

  Grace

  We’ve got her covered.

  Their texts, only milliseconds apart, reassured him. Slightly.

  Rabor stood to the side of the road and watched the chaos he’d caused. A simple bullet to the windshield of the delivery van had done more damage than he’d envisioned.

  He smiled. Surely someone in that pile would need a helicopter ride to the hospital. And he’d made sure the only pilot available to fly was Penny Carlton. It was time to get this show on the road.

  Literally.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Penny paced in front of the base kitchen counter, her thoughts still on Holt and everything she’d learned. Two and a half very slow hours had passed since she’d stormed out of his hospital room, and she was still thinking. On the one hand, she could understand his reluctance to tell her about his sister after the experience he’d had with that woman, but still, his silence on the subject rankled. Made her wonder what else he wasn’t saying.

  At the same time, she couldn’t think about the future without picturing Holt in it. Assuming she lived long enough to have a future.

  Please, God, don’t let me get killed.

  A pot banged in the sink and Penny ducked before she realized it was just Raina scrubbing the dishes like she had a grudge against them. “Hey, are you all right?”

  “No, I’m not.” Raina didn’t look up, just increased her efforts.

  “Are you upset with me?” Nothing had seemed off when they’d been fighting to save Holt, but now the reporter and his veiled threats hung between them.

  Raina dropped the scrubber into the sink and turned the water off. “No, Penny,” she said, her voice soft. “Never you.” She sighed. “I’m just afraid of what that reporter might dig up on me, that’s all.”

  “He’s not going to find a thing.” She paused. “Have you talked to Grace? See if the reporter’s said anything to her?”

  “Not yet.”


  “You might do that before you panic.”

  Her friend nodded. “Yeah.”

  Raina had been in an abusive relationship and had run across the country, changing her name, her career, her . . . everything. The sacrifices she’d made to start over put Penny’s own aggravation with the reporter to shame.

  “I’ll talk to Frankie,” Penny said. “I’ll keep the focus on me and off everyone else. I’ll talk about my mother and what it was like growing up with her. I’ll give him enough to satisfy his need for the story, and then he’ll go away.”

  “No.” Raina looked up, her eyes hard. “You don’t have to do that. My mess shouldn’t be yours.”

  Holly stepped into the kitchen. “Hi, guys.” She set a puzzle on the table. “Have you seen the bathroom? It’s so gross. Whose turn is it to clean it?”

  “I’ll do it,” Raina said. She grabbed the mop and headed down the hall.

  “Hey,” Holly said, “I didn’t mean for you to do it, I was just . . .” She trailed off when she realized Raina wasn’t going to respond, then looked at Penny. “What’s up with her?”

  “You know Raina. When she’s got something on her mind, she cooks or cleans. She’s just dealing with some stuff, I guess.” Penny pulled out a chair and sat down.

  Holly grunted. “Aren’t we all?”

  “Yeah. We are.”

  “I’m sorry.” Holly walked over and slid into the chair opposite Penny. “I don’t mean to be a brat and make everything about me, it just comes natural sometimes.”

  “You’re not a brat. Most of the time.” Penny smiled to take the sting out of her words. Holly was in her early twenties and came from a privileged background. Sometimes that came through in her attitude, but she was an exceptional member of the team, so Penny and Raina let those rare moments slide. “I guess having four older brothers who spoiled you rotten from the day you were born can have an effect on a person.”

  Holly rolled her eyes. “Argh . . . don’t get me started on them. I love them, but I’ll admit they make me crazy sometimes.”

  Penny laughed even while part of her heart broke all over again. She’d give anything to have Elise back.

  The alarm broke into her thoughts and she jumped up to grab her flight jacket and headed for the tarmac.