by Erin Wade
Nikki caught Teagan’s hand and held it as if willing her strength. “A year from now Jane Doe will be completely healed and we will be discussing her case over dinner for years to come.”
“Any luck with missing persons matching a name with our patient,” Mecca watched the motionless body for any sign of movement.
“Not yet,” Nikki said. We got the news stations to run a description of her from what we have. You know brunette, 5’6”, and 125 pounds—pretty general description. Someone from the police department is supposed to come by to collect her fingerprints and DNA.”
Nikki let go of Teagan’s hand, “How about a cup of coffee before we make our rounds?”
Jericho watched the three head for the doctor’s lounge and decided Mecca was safe in the hospital. She stepped inside Jane Doe’s room. She was sleeping peacefully. She also wondered how someone could beat a woman that badly. She was certain that whoever did it was sure she was dead.
She stepped back into the hall and saw a man at the nurses’ station. The bulge beneath the man’s jacket caught her eye immediately. Jericho walked away from the room listening to the footsteps of the man. When she was certain the man was inside Jane Doe’s room, she turned and quickly stepped inside too.
The man had placed a pillow over the helpless woman’s face. He was aware of Jericho’s presence for only a few seconds before his neck was snapped.
Jericho called her contact at the police department and within minutes, two uniformed police officers appeared to carry away the body of the Muslim assassin.
##
Mecca and Teagan were surprised at the flurry of excitement around Jane Doe’s room and the two police officers standing guard at her door.
“Someone tried to kill Jane Doe,” the head nurse rushed to Teagan. “The police took him away.”
“If he tried to kill her, he must know who she is,” Teagan spoke to one of the officers. “Where is he? I must speak with him.”
“His neck was broken when he was apprehended,” the officer replied.
“I must speak to the officer in charge,” Mecca said, “Who is handling the case?”
“Mecca, we are in the middle of something very dangerous,” Teagan cautioned her sister. “Apparently our news coverage last night caught the attention of Jane Doe’s assailant who came back to finish the job.”
“Thank goodness he was apprehended,” Nikki strode toward them and put a protective arm around Teagan “Are you ok? I came as soon as I heard the news.”
“I’m going to get some water,” Mecca had a feeling the body of the assailant was probably in the hospital morgue and she wanted to see his face.
##
“I need to see the man that was just brought in,” Mecca spoke to the morgue attendant.
“Go through those double doors. He is against the far back wall; on the green gurney waiting for the ME’s office to pick him up,” the intern pointed to the back of the long room. “He’s the one right next to the double doors leading to the loading area.”
Mecca stared at the killer’s face for a long time. She etched every detail of it into her memory, and then she took a picture with her cell phone.
Suddenly a hand went over her mouth and a strong arm encircled her holding her tightly, so she couldn’t move or make a sound. A hard body pressed against her back as she was dragged behind a row of file cabinets. She struggled in vain.
“Please, be still,” Jericho growled her whisper.
Mecca knew that voice. She knew she was safe. She let herself collapse against her captor and moaned softly. The person was tall and muscular but smelled faintly of expensive feminine perfume.
“You’re a woman,” Mecca gasped.
Mecca breathed in the scent of her, the feel of her. She finally had someone to go with the voice. She tried to turn to face her captor but was held tightly from behind.
The double doors leading to the loading area flew open and three armed men rushed to the hit man’s body. One hulking brute threw the corpse over his shoulder and in less than sixty seconds they disappeared through the same doors they’d entered.
“Listen to me,” Jericho commanded, “Jane Doe is a danger for you. Get away from her. Don’t let anyone know you’re involved with her.
“Tell your sister to have her moved to the most secure room in the hospital. Don’t give anyone information on her. Don’t let any information get out that connects your sister or you to her. Guards will be posted at her door twenty-four, seven.”
Her lips were so close to her ear. Mecca could feel her warm breath, but her words seemed far away. She struggled to comprehend what she was saying, but her mind was caught up in the sheer strength of her. She tried again to turn to see her, but Jericho gave her a shove forward and was gone.
“Did you find what you needed,” the intern walked toward her.
“Yes,” she stammered, “yes I did, but someone just took your body.”
Chapter 4
The three doctors were silent during the cab ride to Teagan’s apartment. Each of them went over the events of the day in their mind, trying to make some sense of what had happened.
Inside the apartment, they all began to talk at once. Nikki poured wine and sat out hors d'oeuvres while Teagan preheated the oven.
The table had been set that morning before Nikki and Teagan left for the hospital. All they needed was thirty minutes for the casserole to heat.
Mecca sat down in an overstuffed armchair and kicked off her shoes. “I don’t know what to make of this,” she said softly. “I looked at the assassin. His neck was broken. He didn’t appear to put up a struggle. He was Muslim. Who broke his neck?”
“I don’t know,” Teagan frowned, “It all happened so fast. Thank heaven someone was there and realized he was trying to kill her. I had Jane Doe moved to the room in front of the nurses’ station and the police guard is there.”
Mecca wondered if her faceless friend had been the one to save Jane Doe. Hopefully, she would have the opportunity to ask her.
“Someone knows who our Jane Doe is,” frowned Teagan. She lowered herself slowly onto the sofa, leaning comfortably against Nikki whose arm encircled her shoulders protectively and pulled her close.
Teagan and Nikki had been together since college and had leaned on each other through the grueling years of med school and residency. Nikki was obviously as much in love with Teagan as ever, and the feeling was mutual. Sometimes Mecca wished she had someone like Nikki to lean on.
After dinner, they scrutinized Jane Doe’s x-rays. Using the x-rays as a base, Nikki used a computer program to reconstruct Jane Does face.
“Unfortunately, there’s so much damage to her cheekbones and facial structure it is difficult to determine exactly how she may have looked,” Nikki frowned. “I have run several options to provide the police.”
“But you can make her beautiful,” Teagan said.
“Yes,” Nikki smiled, “but it will be a long hard road, requiring several surgeries. I have enlisted Kadence’s help. She is the finest plastic surgeon in the world, bar none.”
“For now, let’s keep everything to ourselves,” Mecca said. “There are people out there who want Jane Doe dead.
“I wonder if Jane Doe will ever know how lucky she is that you two were on duty when she came into the hospital,” Mecca poured herself another glass of wine.
“And that she has the world’s foremost psychiatrist to take care of her psyche,” grinned Teagan. “I’m glad you have decided to spend the night. You know safety in numbers and all that.”
After midnight, Jericho reclined her seat, trying to get comfortable. She hated it when Mecca spent the night somewhere. It always meant a sleepless night in the car for her. No matter how she tried to arrange her six-foot frame, she was cramped.
As the first rays of daylight hit her windshield, a taxi pulled in front of Teagan’s apartment building, and the three doctors got in. Jericho started her vehicle and followed the cab to the hospital.
The first stop for all three doctors was Jane Doe’s room. Nikki visited with the head nurse. There had been no change in Jane. Just like the day before, she had regained consciousness several times, only to slip back into a deep sleep.
Since it was Saturday, the two surgeons decided to make rounds and check on their patients then head home. They invited Mecca to spend the day with them. She asked for a raincheck. She could tell by the way Teagan kept flirting with Nikki that the two wanted some time alone.
After examining Jane Doe, Mecca knew she would not be able to reach the woman in her present state, so she opted to head home, also. She secretly hoped she would somehow have contact with her silent friend.
After Jericho had watched Mecca safely enter her building, she parked and went up to her apartment. She was so glad Mecca had gone home. She was exhausted. As she unlocked the door to her apartment, her cell phone vibrated. He looked at the caller ID. It was Mecca. She knew she was safely in the apartment above her. She decided not to answer her phone. She didn’t trust herself at that moment.
Jericho’s sleep was fitful at first, as the scent of Mecca and the feeling of her back pulled tightly against her kept flitting in and out of her dreams. In her dreams, she turned Mecca to face her and kissed her slowly and gently feeling the softness of her.
Jericho awoke to the sound of the shower above her room. Great idea. She would shower with her.
She could hear Mecca blow-drying her hair as she toweled off and slipped her favorite Henley shirt over her head. Jericho decided to watch TV in her panties, so she wouldn’t have to decide on slacks or jeans, just comfort.
Jericho was putting cream in her coffee when she heard Mecca’s door close and the bell of the elevator.
Doesn’t that woman ever rest? She frantically pulled on a pair of slacks and slid on her loafers. She slipped into the holster harness and pulled on a sweater to cover it, as she ran for the elevator.
Jericho dashed out the building door in time to catch a glimpse of Mecca entering the local pub down the street. She walked the block slowly, regaining her composure and waiting for a group of people to enter.
She blended with a group of tourists entering the pub then made her way to a dimly lit table in the corner. She had learned early in her career not to enter a room alone. Her physical appearance drew eyes to her when she walked through a door alone. Tall, slender and stunning she had to work hard to be obscure.
Jericho quickly located Mecca sitting in a booth with Dr. Kadence Pride. Jericho was surprised to find that she was upset to see her with Pride.
“I can’t believe you were free on a Saturday night,” Kadence signaled a waitress and ordered drinks.
“I often am,” Mecca smiled.
“Then please give me an opportunity to remedy that,” Kadence smiled back.
“It’s by choice,” Mecca cooled her down, “I’m afraid I’m a workaholic and often bring my work home with me.”
“Believe me, I understand,” Kadence sympathized. “How is Teagan’s patient?”
“She’ll recover, but it will be a long ordeal,” Mecca replied.
Kadence raised her glass, and the two toasted, “Here is to long ordeals and even longer friendships,” Kadence laughed.
Jericho watched as the two friends reminisced for the next three hours. Her growling stomach reminded her that she hadn’t eaten in thirty-six hours, so she ordered the pub’s signature meal. Two young women at the bar sent over a free drink, but she politely declined it. She never drank on duty. Which meant she rarely had a chance to have a drink?
Jericho had finished her steak when Kadence paid their check and the two strolled from the restaurant.
She watched from across the street as Kadence walked Mecca home. They stood for a long time in front of Mecca’s building. Jericho held her breath. Please don’t invite her up she whispered. Kadence bent down and kissed Mecca on the cheek. The doorman ushered her into the building. Kadence walked back and forth in front of the building as if trying to decide if she would be welcomed inside. She finally decided against ringing Mecca and hailed a taxi.
Jericho entered her apartment quietly, listening for sounds of Mecca above. Mecca walked to her terrace. Jericho went out on her terrace and unknown to Mecca they shared a beautiful view of the Hudson River. Mecca touched the button on her cell phone that immediately dialed Jericho’s phone.
Jericho’s phone vibrated in her pocket making her jump. She moved into her apartment. She didn’t want to take the chance her voice might reach Mecca from her terrace.
She pushed the button that connected her to Mecca and held her breath. She had as many questions for her charge as Mecca had for her. Knowing too much could be dangerous for both of them.
“I tried to call you earlier today,” Mecca said softly. “I wanted to thank you for saving Jane Doe’s life.” She closed her eyes and relived the feel of her. She could still smell her perfume.
“I just notified the authorities,” Jericho lied.
“Who broke the assassin’s neck?” Mecca asked.
“I didn’t know his neck was broken,” Jericho lied again.
“Will you give me any information you can find out about him?” Mecca continued. “Do you have any way to find out who Jane Doe is?”
“Yes and no,” she replied.
“Don’t go all woman of few words on me now,” Mecca chided her. “I think we may be in over our heads, and I’m concerned about my sister and Nikki.”
“How did you happen to be in the hospital just in time to save Jane Doe?” She continued. “And why didn’t you let me see your face, and why all the cloak and dagger action?”
The line went dead. Mecca looked at her phone as if it had betrayed her. She hated when she hung up on her. She dialed her number again, but she knew she wouldn’t answer.
During the weeks that followed, Mecca kept busy with her patients. The press seemed to tire of Tom Reynolds and his missing family, and the Democrats and Republicans had moved on to discrediting each other’s next potential presidential candidate. Although Tom had not withdrawn from the race, pundits were certain of his campaign’s demise. The movers and shakers in the Republican Party were quickly distancing themselves from Tom. The police still considered Tom a person of interest.
Jane Doe was still drifting in and out of consciousness. It was almost as if she couldn’t face waking up completely.
##
“So, the big affair at the United Nations is tonight,” Julie handed her the invitation she had received a week ago. “Are you going with Dr. Pride?”
“Yes, Kadence wants to rub shoulders with potential donors for the hospital. I swear she is a one-woman fundraising committee. She has single handedly raised more than one third of the research foundations funding this year.”
“The fact that she is eye candy doesn’t hurt either,” Julie winked. “You know she’s crazy about you?”
“We have been friends for too many years to be anything else,” Mecca shrugged. “I have to admit it’s nice to have someone like Kadence on my arm when necessary. Of course, I do the same thing for her.”
“Oh great,” Julie feigned shock, “you are her wingman.”
“Um hum and she’s mine,” Mecca smiled. “Well, home to dress for the festivities.”
##
Jericho had stepped out of the shower and was scowling at her evening gown when she heard Mecca’s door close. Obviously, Mecca had come home early to get ready for the reception at the UN tonight. Most of the members of the Eurozone were in New York for a financial summit. After President Lockleer’s seven years of destruction in America, the U.S. dollar was at an all-time low. European leaders were depending on the next American President and the U.S. to help stabilize the world financial market.
Jericho was sure Lockleer would be at the reception bowing and kissing up to world leaders. She thought of the President with great distain. She hoped America would survive the poor leadership of the weak president.
“I just wondered if you had found out anything about the assassin?” Mecca’s voice was almost breathless.
“Nothing yet,” she lied. “I will let you know as soon as I have something. How is Jane Doe?”
As soon as the question left her lips, she wished she could get it back. She knew she should not engage Mecca in conversation. She also knew the beautiful doctor was in danger, but she didn’t know why.
“She’s better,” Mecca answered tentatively. She was afraid she would hang up. “I hope to be able to work with her next week.”
“That’s good,” Jericho knew she should hang up, but couldn’t. She wanted to hear Mecca’s voice just a few minutes more. “Are you home for the night?”
“I wish,” Mecca laughed. “I’m afraid I have to spend the evening in the most boring way imaginable; attending a stuffy reception. Want to join me?”
“No, but thanks for asking,” Jericho chuckled and hung up.
Jericho was pleased that she had elicited a laugh from her. She was also pleased that she would be at the UN reception, not as Mecca’s escort, but as her bodyguard.
Jericho arrived at the reception a little ahead of Mecca and Kadence. She wanted to make certain the German credentials the agency had sent her worked smoothly; as always, they did. She felt a twinge of jealousy as Kadence walked into the ballroom with Mecca on her arm. God, she is beautiful, she thought.
The two made their way around the room, visiting with dignitaries and politicians.
A new band took the stage and Salsa music filled the ballroom. The younger partygoers moved onto the floor, and the older dealmakers moved aside.
Jericho watched as Kadence nodded to a man who led Mecca to the center of the dance floor. A beautiful Spanish woman grabbed Jericho’s hand and dragged her onto the dance floor. Suddenly her back collided with another dancer.
Mecca recognized her cologne as soon as she bumped into the woman. Catching hold of her arm, Mecca stepped in front of her. “It’s you!”
Jericho looked at her blankly then spoke in perfect German, “I am sorry. I do not speak English.” That should kill the conversation, she thought smugly.
