Though airport food was not always the best nor the cheapest, Cole didn’t want to try to find a decent restaurant in an unfamiliar town. Instead, they settled on a chain restaurant they both agreed served good food.
“Tell me more about your family,” Cara said after they had placed their order.
Cole leaned back and took a deep breath. He loved his family, but like every family, they had their quirks. Was he ready to share that with Cara?
“Well, I grew up in a small town in the South. My parents weren’t farmers, but they lived out in the country on a large plot of land. It was pretty lonely growing up - not many neighbors - so Cindy and I became close. She’s two years younger than me. Blonde, perky, friendly. Pretty much everything I’m not.”
Cara’s brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t say that. I think you’re friendly. At least as long as you’re not trying to arrest me.”
Cole chuckled and pointed a finger at her in a “touché” gesture. “My mother was a teacher which was great on one hand because she was off summers with us, but she never let us slack on schoolwork.”
“That’s a good mother right there,” Cara said as she lifted her water and took a sip. “How about your father?”
Cole bit the inside of his lip. His father was the chink in the perfect armor that was his family. It wasn’t that his father was a bad guy, he just hadn’t been there a lot. “My father was a broker. Investments. He spent most of his time at the office or studying stocks.” He turned his water glass in a slow circle. “It’s funny, I always said I didn’t want to be like my dad. I wanted to help people and be there for my kids, but then I took a job where I work nearly as much as he did.”
“You do help people though.” Cara’s voice was soft, and he saw the same caring attitude in her eyes.
“Yeah, I guess, but if I had kids, would my son think the same way about me that I thought about my dad? I think that’s one reason I’ve been thinking of getting out and doing something else.” He took a sip of his water and watched as Cara thought about what to say.
“Do you have kids now?”
Cole nearly spit his water out. “No.”
“Close? I mean are you married? Engaged?”
Where was she going with this? “Not even dating.”
“Well, then I think you have time to decide. You have time to choose if keeping people safe is more important than attending ball games or not. You have time to think of how you could do things differently than your dad. And you have time to think of how you could explain it to your son if you decide to stay with your job.”
Cole felt the corners of his lips pull up in an irresistible smile. “You’re something else, you know that?”
She dropped her eyes to the table and shook her head. “No, I’m just a woman who’s seen a lot and has some big ideas.”
There was something in the way she said those words that told Cole there was more to her background than getting teased for being overweight, but he could also tell she wouldn’t be opening up about it right now. He filed the information away for later and opened his menu.
21
Cara
Cara couldn’t keep her heart from racing as they stood in front of David’s sister’s house. Would Sarah be able to help them?
“I think it would be best if you let me do the talking at first,” Cole said as he raised his hand to ring the bell. “I doubt she even knows of David’s death yet.”
Cara nodded. Though she’d never had to be the one to tell a family their loved one was dead, she had heard from friends in the military how hard it was.
It took a few moments before the door opened. A woman, thin and frail, stood on the other side. She didn’t look much like David, but then Cara didn’t look much like her sister either. “Are you two really sisters?” was a question she had heard so often growing up that it invaded her dreams for a time. In Sarah’s case, the lack of resemblance could have also been due to her emaciated frame and balding head.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes ma’am. My name is Cole Davenport and this is my associate Cara Hunter. I’m a criminal investigator. Can you tell me if you are Sarah Grissom?” Cole flashed his badge and waited as the woman’s eyes flicked from Cole to Cara and back again.
“I am, but I didn’t call for a criminal investigator. What is this about?”
“It’s about your brother David, actually.”
Sarah’s eyes widened and her grip on the door tightened. “Has something happened to David?”
Cole nodded. “I’m afraid he’s been killed.”
As Sarah’s mouth dropped open, her knees folded and she began to sink to the floor. Cole rushed forward and propped an arm around the woman. “I know this is sudden news and we will answer any questions we can for you, but we really need to ask you about David as well. Would that be possible?”
Sarah nodded and opened the door wider to let them in. Cole kept his arm around the woman and helped her to a couch in the living room. Cara took a seat in one of the recliners that faced the couch. Though not elegant, the living room held a homey, comfortable feel as if secrets were often shared within it.
Sarah sat for a minute, her hand running absently up and down her arm. “How did he die?”
“That’s what we need to talk to you about,” Cole said as he sat in the other recliner. “David was admitted to the hospital with Melioidosis. Are you familiar with it?”
Cara watched Sarah closely as Cole spoke. While she probably wasn’t as versed in spotting tells as he was, her gut was generally accurate when it came to judging people’s character.
Sarah shook her head. “No, but it sounds like some sort of disease.”
“It is,” Cara said after Cole shot her a look that said she could explain. “It’s a disease mainly found in tropical areas. I was studying it in order to try and create a vaccine.”
“I don’t understand then. How did David get it? He hasn’t been anywhere tropical.”
“Do you know how David was getting the money to pay for your cancer treatments?” Cole asked.
For a split second, Sarah’s eyes grew larger and then her gaze slid to the side. Her hands twisted in her lap. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Sarah, I’m fairly certain David stole my research and possibly killed my colleague. I met David briefly when he interned for my department, and I know he wasn’t a bad guy. However, I’m afraid he got mixed up with some. David didn’t die from the disease. Someone shot him while he was recovering in the hospital, and we need to figure out who before more people get hurt.”
Sarah held her gaze for a moment before dropping her head into her hands. “I don’t know who he was working for, but I guess I knew he was involved in something illegal. He told me that he had to. That it was the only way to afford the treatments. I told him we would find another way, but he was adamant.”
“Did he ever mention a name? A group?” Cole asked, leaning forward.
Sarah shook her head. “I don’t think so. All he ever said was that it was just one job. One job that would pay enough to cover all the treatments.”
Disappointment flooded Cara as Sarah broke down. She’d known it was a long shot, but she’d been hoping Sarah would be able to tell them something, anything that would help her figure out who was behind all of this. Suddenly, the cuff links jumped back into her mind. “Sarah, did David own cufflinks?”
Sarah sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “You mean the fancy things that go in button holes?”
“Yes, specifically gold ones with a snake emblem etched on them?”
Sarah shook her head. “No. I doubt he could have afforded them even if he had wanted them. Besides, he was afraid of snakes. He’d take on spiders or scorpions any day, but even little garter snakes freaked him out. There’s no way he’d ever wear one.”
Cara exchanged a look with Cole. If David didn’t drop the cuff link, then who had? And why? Did that mean David hadn’t killed Steve?
“Thank you, Ms. G
rissom, for your time. We are so sorry for your loss.” Cole stood and motioned for Cara to do the same. He pulled out a business card and placed it on the coffee table that sat in the middle of the room. “If you think of anything else, please don’t hesitate to call me.”
Through her tears, the woman nodded, and Cara and Cole took that as their leave to exit.
“I’m sorry that was a bust, Cole. We shouldn’t have come all the way out here. Now it’s late, and we’ll never catch a flight back tonight.”
He placed a hand on her arm. “Hey, first off, it was my idea to come out here, so there’s no need for you to be sorry. Second, we learned that David probably wasn’t the killer. Not unless he began liking snakes at some point in the last few months. Third, we were able to tell Sarah the news in person. Believe me, it’s worse if you get news like that over the phone.”
She looked at him, wondering when he’d gotten that phone call and whom it was about. It was obvious from his tone that he was speaking from experience. “I suppose you’re right. I just wish I knew what to do next.”
Cole checked his watch. “Well, it’s just after eight. I bet we could catch a red eye back to Fire Beach. It would make for a late night, but I’m game if you are.”
Cara shrugged. “Might as well. There’s no reason to stay here. I just wish there was more I could do back home. Without Steve’s help, finding a vaccine will take years.”
“What did your boss say about sending help?”
Cara rolled her eyes. “That he’s working on it. Not too hard if you ask me.”
“Maybe it’s time to press him a little harder, see if we can get him to help in person.”
Cara would love nothing more than for Malone to show up and take charge. She was a researcher, not a CDC specialist. Not that Malone was either, but he certainly had more experience with stuff like this than she did. “But what if he’s in on it?”
Though she believed he was innocent, she hadn’t been able to get Cole’s words out of her mind since the moment he’d said them.
“Asking for it would be one way to find out, don’t you think? Besides, what’s that saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
Cara stared at him, a small smile pulling at her lips. “I bet you thought the same thing about me when you first came to Fire Beach.”
Cole flashed a charming grin and shrugged. “It’s possible.”
“So where do I stand now?”
His eyes twinkled as he let go of her arm and walked toward the car. His words carried over his shoulder. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
Cara smiled and shook her head before following him. She liked the fact that he could make her smile even in the midst of all the fear and chaos.
22
Cole
It was nearly five in the morning when the plane touched down back in Illinois. Cara had fallen asleep against Cole’s shoulder, and he really didn’t want to move her - he’d enjoyed the feel of a woman close to him again. However, before he could wake her gently, the lights did it for him as the plane came to a full stop and they switched on.
She opened her eyes and then jerked her head away as soon as she realized it had been resting against him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. I guess these late nights are taking a toll on me.”
Cole certainly hadn’t minded her head against him. In fact, he’d enjoyed the smell of her hair that tantalized his senses before he’d fallen asleep himself. “Completely understandable. In fact, when this is all over, I may have to find a place to pass out for a week.”
“You and me both,” she said as she pulled out her cell phone and turned it back on. Even though it was early in the morning, her phone began buzzing almost continuously with text, missed calls, and voicemail notifications.
“Guess I’ve missed a few calls,” she said with a slight chuckle. Her smile faded though as she scrolled through the log. “They’re all from Nick. We better head to the hospital.”
“Can we stop for a shower first?” The one thing Cole hated about flying was how sticky he always felt afterwards. Besides, sleep was still heavy on his shoulders but perhaps a hot shower and a cup of coffee would wake him up.
“Yeah, but we should make it a quick one. With this many calls, the news can’t be good.”
She was already returning Nick’s call as they walked off the plane. Cole was glad they had parked at the airport and that they hadn’t brought any luggage as it enabled them to get to the car faster. He heard only bits and pieces of Cara’s discussion, but it certainly didn’t sound like a pleasant one.
“Nick says all of the women from the church tested negative except one. However, they’ve had thirty people check themselves in who were in the pool. This is a disaster.”
“I’ll help in any way I can,” Cole said, sending a quick glance in her direction as he pulled onto the interstate.
“I know. I just wish I had more researchers here, and I wish I knew for sure how to help the people in the hospital.”
From the corner of his eye, Cole saw her hand tapping a nervous rhythm on her knee. Without taking his eyes from the road, he reached his right hand over and grabbed hers. She turned to look at him, but she did not pull her hand away. Instead, she laced her fingers through his and squeezed.
Cole felt his heart dance in his chest. How long had it been since a woman had made his heart do that? Years. Probably since Courtney in fact. When he’d gotten the call that she’d been killed by a drunk driver, he’d thought his heart would never thaw again. It had become a glacier of ice, driving him out of his original career as an advertiser and straight into the police academy. He’d told himself it was so he could stop crimes like that from hurting anyone else’s loved ones, but he was becoming more certain he’d harbored a secret death wish.
Everyone knew police officers held a dangerous job, and he put himself in harm’s way more often than not before he’d become a criminal investigator. Perhaps that was why his career in law enforcement had felt so unfulfilling. It wasn’t what he was meant to do which begged the question, what was he supposed to do? Go back into advertising? Take a different path entirely?
The rest of the drive back to the bed and breakfast was quiet, but not uncomfortable. Makenna greeted them as they entered. She’d offered to help out until Cara could return to her post.
“I guess you heard the news,” she said.
“Yeah, we’re stopping long enough for a shower and coffee before we head over to the hospital. How bad is it?” Cara asked.
Makenna shook her head. “I’m not sure. Bubba just said he’d heard a lot of people had checked themselves in. Everyone’s a little on edge.”
Cole could see the guilt weighing on Cara’s shoulders again. “Don’t worry, Makenna, we’ll figure this out.”
She offered him a tight-lipped smile, and he headed to his room to clean up. Twenty minutes later, they were on the road again, feeling a little more refreshed and smelling a lot better.
The sun peeked over the hospital as they turned into the parking lot, but despite the beautiful colors lighting up the sky, Cara’s face was somber.
“What if there’s more bad news?” Her voice was little more than a whisper.
He turned the engine off and turned to face her. “That’s possible, but I learned a long time ago that God is in control. All we can do is pray for the best outcome and trust that He knows best.”
Cara nodded, though from the pained expression on her face, he wasn’t sure his words had had the desired effect.
Nick greeted them at the nurses’ station, his expression haggard and somber. “Did you find anything out from David’s sister?”
Cole shook his head. “She suspected her brother was into something illegal, but she didn’t know any specifics.”
“Did he say anything before he was killed?” Cara asked.
Nick nodded and ran a hand across the back of his neck. “He did, but it wasn’t much and it doesn’t make sense to m
e. Again, he said he was sorry and then something about a snake.” His hand scraped across the side of his neck before falling limply to his side.
Cole exchanged a glance with Cara. Again with the snake? Had David been referring to himself? Maybe he had taken on the symbol as a way to assuage the guilt he felt for the job he was doing. Or maybe he learned something about the man who was obsessed with the snake and that’s what got him killed.
Cara swallowed and her voice was pinched when she spoke. “A snake? Like the slithering kind?”
Nick shrugged. “I don’t know. He passed out again after that. His fever was still high though so he might have just been hallucinating, Cara.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Her finger tapped against her lips and Cole could tell her mind was running through the same possibilities his just had.
“Cara said you mentioned others. How are they doing?” Cole asked, turning the conversation back to the issue at hand. They could ruminate on what the snake meant later.
“Yeah. Jordan and the other officers managed to locate several people who had been at the pool before they were called in for the code silver. They’re out looking again to see if they can reach the rest. We’re still waiting on test results, but several of them have complained of pain or a cough. I’m hopeful that even if they are positive, we’ll have reached them in time for treatment, but we did lose two.”
Cara gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. “Two?”
Nick’s hand found the back of his neck again. “Yeah, an elderly couple. Evidently, they had been at the pool a few days ago. Either they didn’t realize they were running a fever or the disease hit them faster due to their weakened immune systems. Both had high blood pressure and diabetes which is the only explanation I can come up with for why it progressed quicker in them. Anyway, they never called anyone.”
The blood drained from Cara’s face. “You mean they died in their house?”
“They did.”
“Oh my gosh. What if more people die like that?”
Rescue My Heart Page 10
