GAME OVER
BY
DONALD WELLS
Also by Donald Wells
Blue Steele
Blue Steele - Bounty Hunter
Blue Steele - Broken
Blue Steele - Vengeance
Blue Steele - That Which Doesn't Kill Me
Blue Steele - On The Hunt
Blue Steele - First Capture
Caliber Detective Agency
Caliber Detective Agency - Generations
Caliber Detective Agency - Temptation
Caliber Detective Agency - A Ransom Paid In Blood
Caliber Detective Agency - Missing
Caliber Detective Agency - Deception
Caliber Detective Agency - Crucible
Parker & Knight
Game Over!
The Reynolds Family Saga
The Many And The One
Sins & Second Chances
Dry Adultery, Wet Ambition
Of Tongue And Pen
All Good Things...
Little White Sins
Everything New Is Old Again
The Light Of Darkness
Standalone
Redemption
Double or Nothing
The Fix-It Man
Watch for more at Donald Wells’s site.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Also By Donald Wells
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About The Author
COPYRIGHT
Further Reading: Thrillogy
About the Author
1
The Bennett Nursing Home, Washington New Jersey, 8:06 p.m.
Becca Conner was in a bad mood.
Tonight was the grand reopening of Taggart’s Bar & Grill and she had to work.
Her friend Ginny had called and told her how different everything looked, and she would know. Ginny had worked her way through nursing school while waitressing at Taggart’s.
Becca sighed.
I’m stuck here with all these zombies when I should be having a good time.
“Zombies” was how Becca thought of the patients, many of whom were comatose, and none of whom were ambulatory.
Becca was stuck working every Friday and Saturday night because she had only been recently hired, and so was handed all the worst shifts. However, the job did pay considerably more than the last one she had and she would be able to save enough to pay for more schooling and get her R.N.
Thump!
The sudden noise frightened Becca. It seemed to come from a room across the hall and two doors down, but the only people in that room were both comatose, and her supervisor, Mrs. Howard, was in her office watching TV, as usual.
Becca called out.
“Mrs. Howard, is that you?”
Thump! Thump! Thump! BAM!
Becca jumped out of her seat and stared at the open doorway leading into the room. It wasn’t so much the noise that frightened her, but the light.
The lights had come on in the room and the lights worked with a motion sensor to save energy. The only time they would come on would be if someone were moving around in there.
Through the open door, she could see Mr. Carroll’s feet and legs beneath the blanket, and they were as still as ever. Mr. Carroll had suffered a massive brain injury two years ago when he attempted suicide by ramming his car into a telephone pole. He hadn’t killed himself, but he might as well have, because although his heart still pumped blood, his brain was virtually dead.
Someone must be breaking in. Becca thought, as she stretched out over the desk, craning her neck while looking to the right in an effort to see farther into the room.
“What’s going on?”
The voice came from Becca’s left and startled her so that she let out a scream.
“Oh God, Mrs. Howard, you scared me to death.”
Mrs. Howard looked at Becca as if she were a simpleton.
“Why are you so skittish tonight?”
Becca pointed at the lit room, and as she did, more noise came from it.
“I think someone is breaking in.” Becca whispered.
Mrs. Howard, a sturdy woman of formidable bulk, began walking towards the door. When she reached it, she eased her head past the doorframe and peeked in with one eye. An instant later, she spun around and called to Becca.
“Call the hospital and have them send an ambulance. One of the patients has awakened from his coma.”
“What? I thought they couldn’t.”
“Just make the call, Becca!”
Mrs. Howard rushed into the room and helped the man, who had been attempting to lower the side rails on his bed. When she saw that his eyes were alert, she spoke to him.
“It’s all right. You suffered a terrible injury but you’ll be all right.”
The man grunted at her and raised a weak hand towards his face.
Mrs. Howard pushed the hand away.
“That’s a feeding tube. A doctor has to remove it, but in the meantime, please don’t touch it, you might injure yourself.”
The man nodded slightly, and then his eyes looked pleading, as he grunted some more, this time forming words.
The words were unintelligible due to the feeding tube and the raspiness of his recently inactive vocal cords, but Mrs. Howard took the tone as questioning.
“You were injured badly, a head injury, that was back in late August, it’s now May.”
The man’s eyes grew large with astonishment at the news.
Becca appeared in the doorway and stared in at them.
“The ambulance is on its way.”
After months in a coma, Nico Umbria was back.
2
Taggart’s was packed with happy couples on the occasion of its grand reopening.
The new owner and operator, Timothy Hearn, had gone to considerable expense in renovating.
The inside of the bar had been gutted and remodeled. The new seating arrangements were designed to accommodate more patrons, yet also left room for a small dance floor near the new bar.
Modern lighting and flat screen televisions gave the place a more contemporary look and even the menu has been upgraded. In addition, the old bandstand in the rear has been renewed and is a huge part of the opening’s success.
Four bands were hired to provide live music, all of them were local, and to Rick Parker’s untrained, but appreciative ear, the bands sounded good.
He was working, as was his girlfriend, Heather Jones. Parker had decided to work overtime when he learned that she had to wait tables. He wasn’t there as a detective tonight, but as just another cop.
He was dressed casually, jeans and a black T-shirt that had the word POLICE written on the back in bright yellow. His gun sat in a holster over his right hip and his badge was displayed on his belt.
Heather, on the other hand, was dressed in far less, as the new waitress costumes were much like the old ones, shorts and a top; however, Hearn’s choice of tops had plunging necklines and revealed a generous portion of cleavage.
Parker saw her and the other waitresses make frequent adjustments after they made any movement that required bending over, such as every time they delivered a meal to a table.
As if she were reading his mind, Heather joined him by the end of the bar and pointed at herself.
“Do I look like a floozy, because I feel like one,”
/>
“I wouldn’t arrest you if I saw you loitering on a street corner, but that outfit does lack modesty.”
“I hate it, we all do, but I have to say, the tips are fantastic.”
“Are you still looking for other work?”
“Yes and no, I could get a job at the diner near my house tomorrow, but I’ll make as much here on the weekend than I would there all week, and medical school is expensive. There’s no way I’m going to let my mom pay for everything.”
Parker looked at her and sighed.
“I understand the finances, but I hate that outfit, and don’t think that I didn’t see that guy pawing at you before.”
“I handled it.”
“I know; I saw that too, it’s why I didn’t butt in.”
Heather leaned closer.
“How would you like to paw me after work?”
“Absolutely, but I thought you were going home?”
“I changed my mind, and besides, half my stuff is at your place anyway.”
A loud noise rose from the crowd clustered by the bar, and Parker looked in that direction.
“It looks like a fight.”
He rushed over and saw two large men in their twenties circling each other; one of them had a bloody nose, while the other man had an eye that was quickly swelling shut.
“Break it up guys and go home before you get into real trouble. I’ll even walk you out.”
The two men turned to face him and he realized two things at the same time. One, the men were brothers, locals who ran a gas station he sometimes stopped at, and two, they were both drunk,
The brother with the busted nose, the taller of the two, raised his fists and yelled.
“You can’t tell us when to go home, who the hell do you think you are?”
His brother forgot about their fight as well, he also turned his wrath on Parker.
“Let’s kick his ass, Billy.”
The man lunged at him and Parker stood still, but as the man grabbed his shirt with both hands, Parker shot a knee up into his gut. The hands left his shirt and the man began retching as he doubled over.
The tall one, the brother named Billy, throw a left hook aimed at Parker’s head. Parker leaned back to let the drunken blow fly past, and then sent a quick right jab to the man’s chin. The man fell to the floor, dazed, and landed beside his brother, who was in the process of throwing up.
Two cops in uniform rushed over, to make their way through the crowd watching the show. When they made it to the scene, they began cuffing the two men.
The cops were a male and a female, Ed and Sierra. They were the newest members of the force, but Parker thought that they both did their jobs well.
Sierra smiled at him as she hauled the much larger Billy to his dazed feet, to cuff him.
“Do you want to make the arrest, Rick?”
“Nope, they’re all yours,”
“We’ll charge them with drunk and disorderly and assault on a police officer,” Ed said.
“Skip the assault charges; I think the D and D will give them the appropriate amount of grief, also, drop them at the station and process them later, and oh yeah, place them in separate cells.”
As Ed and Sierra hauled the brothers away, Heather came over and took Rick’s hand.
“You weren’t hurt, were you?”
“I’m fine, but I’ll be glad when this night is over.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t get off so that we could just enjoy it.”
“They’ll be plenty of opportunities, the summer is just beginning, and, I have a surprise for you later.”
Heather grinned. “What surprise?”
“I’ll tell you when we get home, but right now I better make the rounds. We’re a little short-handed until Ed and Sierra get back.”
“I’m taking a break at midnight; meet me at your car?”
“You got it.”
***
When Parker reached the bandstand area, he saw his partner, Joanna Knight, dancing with her boyfriend, Matt Hooper.
She smiled and waved over at Parker as she and Hooper danced to a Latin beat. Parker waved back, before continuing through the crowd and pretending not to see the marijuana being smoked.
He didn’t care about the weed. He had smoked his share while still a kid going to concerts at the old Philly Spectrum, and he hated to be a hypocrite.
At the rear of the crowd sat a new structure that granted its inhabitants not only a great view of the bandstand, but also a view of the lake. Parker thought that it looked like an overgrown lifeguard station.
Taggart’s new owners, Timothy Hearn and his bride, Rachel, were enjoying themselves up there as they looked down on all the little people.
Rachel Hearn, who was also Parker’s ex-wife, watched him as he passed by. She had a smile on her face, and after checking to see that her husband wasn’t looking, she sent Parker a wink.
Parker sighed, looked away from her, and went back to performing his duties.
***
With the night finally over, Parker and Heather returned to his home.
Over the last few months, Heather had been spending as much time there as at her mother’s house, as she and Parker had grown closer.
Heather showered first, and when Parker emerged from the bathroom, he found her lying in bed watching an old movie. He no sooner lay beside her, then she put her arms around his neck and smiled.
“What’s this surprise you were talking about?”
Parker reached inside his pillowcase, and pulled out plane tickets.
Heather’s mouth dropped open.
“The Bahamas?”
“Yes, have you ever been?”
“No, oh, but Rick you know I don’t have much free time.”
“I know, but look at the tickets, they’re for next month, and you will have a few days free then.”
Heather kissed him.
“Oh thank you for this baby, but there’s a chance I won’t be able to go.”
“Why? You won’t have school then,”
“No, but remember that I applied for that research project? If I’m chosen as an assistant than I’ll be too busy to get away.”
Parker hung his head.
“I’d forgotten about that, but maybe the start date will be pushed back again.”
“Or maybe I won’t be chosen to participate. I’ve made it past the first two rounds of applications, but there are still twelve of us hoping for three positions.”
“You’ll get it, and when you do, we’ll hold off on the trip. I know how important this is to you.”
“Important? Oh my God, it would be like a dream come true. Not only would I gain experience, but the position comes with paid tuition.”
“Great, then you can quit Taggart’s.”
Heather made a face.
“You hate it that I work there, don’t you?”
“A little, I mean you’re working for Tim Hearn and my ex-wife. Those are the last people I want you working for.”
“I know, but I really need the money.”
“I could help out.”
“I’m not taking your money, besides, you’re a cop; I know they don’t pay you a fortune.”
“That’s for sure, but the offer stands, and I still have a little money saved.”
Heather grabbed the remote and turned off the TV.
“Enough talk,”
Parker lifted the cover and looked beneath it at the silk nightie Heather was wearing.
He then sighed while giving her a look of disappointment.
“What’s that sigh for?”
“I was hoping you’d wear your uniform to bed.”
Heather laughed.
“Oh, do you fantasize about that?”
“Actually, all my fantasies involve you being naked.”
Heather slipped out of the nightie.
“Well then, you’re in luck,”
3
Two weeks later, Taggart’s was still bustling with activity when
Heather walked in to begin her shift.
The bartender called her over to talk.
“Hi Jerry, what’s up?”
“The boss lady wants to see you; she’s back in the office.”
“Mrs. Hearn? Did she say why?”
“Nope, she just told me to send you back there.”
“All right, thanks,”
She entered the kitchen and was greeted by several people, most of whom she had worked with for years.
Heather walked toward the office with a growing feeling of dread. She knew that Rachel didn’t like her, and that despite her recent marriage, she still had a thing for Parker. There was also a rumor floating around that Rachel wanted to fire her, but that Timothy Hearn wouldn’t let her.
Heather didn’t know if that was true, but as she knocked on the office door, she began to wonder if she were about to be let go.
“Come in.”
Heather stepped inside and found Rachel sitting on the right at a large desk, while on the left was a long sofa and a coffee table.
During the renovation, Patrick Taggart’s old office was converted into a pantry while a new addition was built on to add a proper office. The space wasn’t very big, but it did contain enough room for a small bathroom and a tiny kitchen set-up. It also had a separate entrance so that the Hearns didn’t have to maneuver their way through the kitchen to enter it.
As Heather walked closer to the desk, she noticed the room had a clean smell to it, an odor of newness, of beginnings. How ironic, Heather thought, when she figured her time at Taggart’s was about to come to an end.
“You wanted to see me Mrs. Hearn?”
Rachel stared up at her, and then smiled.
“Hello Heather, how are you?”
“I’m good, and you?”
Rachel sent her a smile with a bit of mirth in it and Heather’s heart sank. Not only was she about to be fired, but the woman was going to enjoy doing it.
“I am doing very well, thank you, but it’s come to my attention that you’re not happy here.”
“What do you mean?”
Rachel rose from behind the desk and Heather noticed that she was wearing a polo shirt that had the name Taggart’s embroidered on one side. The shirt was tight and along with the designer jeans she was wearing, Heather could tell that Rachel had a very good figure.
Game Over! (Parker & Knight Book 3) Page 1
