The Soldier's Sister

by Giusti, Debby

  “God, help me,” he pleaded, knowing he didn’t deserve a response from the Lord. But Stephanie did. “Please, Lord.”

  She coughed and sputtered.

  “Open your eyes, honey. It’s Brody. You’re going to be all right.”

  He swallowed hard, trying to keep his emotions in check. Her eyes fluttered open. “I’m here, honey. You’re going to be okay.”

  “Br...Brody?” Her voice was only a ragged whisper.

  He nodded. “You were at the bottom of the pool. Who did it, Stephanie? Was it Ted?”

  She grimaced.

  “Or Nikki?”

  She shook her head and tried to sit up, but she didn’t have the strength.

  Brody reached for his cell phone, lying nearby, and called the Freemont chief of police. Quickly, Brody filled him in on what had happened.

  “Stephanie’s responsive, but I want to know for certain she’s okay. Send an ambulance and medical personnel.”

  The chief assured him the EMTs would arrive shortly, and that he, along with two other police officers, were on their way.

  A number of sheets of paper had spilled from the file folder and lay scattered on the concrete. Brody lifted one of the pages and stared at the print.

  The letter o had the same flawed type as the warning message left on Stephanie’s counter and the suicide note found near the hot tub at Paul Massey’s house.

  Brody shook his head in amazement. They finally had the evidence they needed. “We’ve got our killer,” he told the chief. “You’ll never believe who it is.”

  * * *

  “Keith Allen?”

  Stephanie sat in her living room and sipped a cup of tea. She had been in the emergency room for more hours than she wanted to count. A cherry-flavored drink that contained charcoal rid the remaining drugs from her system. Although the doctor had wanted to keep her overnight for observation, she had insisted on going home. The lab had tested the iced-tea pitcher and found a high level of clonazepam in the liquid that Keith must have added before leaving her house.

  Brody paced back and forth across the living room, visibly agitated by her close call.

  “I should have been with you,” he berated himself.

  “You saved me, Brody, for which I’m grateful. Now stop pacing and try to relax. Keith has been arrested and the danger has passed.”

  She shook her head, trying to get a handle on everything that had occurred. “But why would Keith kill Paul and attack Joshua? It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Not to us, but to someone vindictive about his brother’s death it might seem logical. Keith was probably angry because Hayden had died while Paul and Joshua survived.”

  “If that were the case, wouldn’t Keith be equally hostile toward Ted?”

  Brody shrugged. “Maybe he had listed the guys in alphabetical order. Joshua. Paul. Ted would have been next.”

  Stephanie shuddered, thinking of what could have been.

  Footsteps sounded on the porch. A key turned the lock. She glanced toward the front door.

  Ted and Nikki stepped inside and hurried to the couch where Stephanie sat. Nikki hugged her and Ted squeezed her hand. “Glad you’re okay, sis.”

  At least they were making progress.

  She glanced at Nikki. “Are you sure spending the night won’t put you out?”

  “Of course not. You shouldn’t be alone. I don’t have to go to work until noon tomorrow.”

  “And I plan to be at my desk much earlier than that,” Stephanie assured her.

  “Ted’s taking my car back to the barracks tonight,” Nikki said. “He’ll pick me up tomorrow.”

  Ted shook his head as if dumbfounded by what had happened. “I still can’t believe Keith attacked you and killed Paul.”

  “He may have felt overwhelmed with guilt for his brother’s death. I always thought Keith had provided the alcohol that day on the lake.” Stephanie kept her eyes trained on Ted. He refused to hold her gaze.

  “Hayden knew where the bottles had been hidden,” Nikki said. “I thought he had stolen them from Keith and stashed them on the island. Isn’t that what you thought, Ted?”

  He shrugged. “Sounds right to me.”

  “Did you know there would be alcohol that day, Ted?”

  “I thought it was a just a picnic.”

  But he had consumed the whiskey, just as the other kids had. Temptation was often too hard to resist.

  She looked at Brody. He hadn’t wanted her to be alone, but he’d voiced opposition to Nikki staying overnight. With Keith behind bars, Stephanie had assured him she would be fine.

  His first question after he had saved her life was whether she had seen her attacker. His next question had torn her heart in two. “Was it Ted?”

  The CID agent would always think Ted was at fault. Then he had mentioned Nikki.

  As much as she hated to admit the truth, she and Brody didn’t have a future together, not when he continued to look for fault in her brother.

  Ted had made mistakes in his past, but he was trying to be a better man and find his way in life. Stephanie was confident that with counseling Ted would heal, but he had to be surrounded by people who believed in him.

  Brody would cause more harm than good. No matter how much she cared about the handsome CID agent, she couldn’t open her heart to someone so opposed to her brother. Especially now, when her relationship with Ted was starting to mend.

  TWENTY-ONE

  The sky was overcast on Saturday. The weatherman predicted showers, but not until evening, long after the Wounded Warrior picnic.

  Brody called the chief of police as he drove to the marina. “Any chance the judge will set bail in the Allen case?”

  “Not until Monday. We’ve got Keith locked up at least for the weekend, although he insists he’s not guilty.”

  “Did you mention the printer in his office?”

  “And the clonazepam we found in his desk drawer. Keith refilled the prescription last week, yet half the pills were gone. He only takes them when he feels a panic attack coming on. Or so he says.”

  “Evidently he’s panicked a lot recently,” Brody said.

  “Exactly.”

  “He stopped by Stephanie’s house after the funeral. That’s when he must have drugged the pitcher of iced tea.”

  “He claims he’s been framed,” Palmer said. “He even asked that his arrest be kept from his mother. I talked to the administrator of the nursing home. He passed the message on to the staff. At this point, that’s all we can do.” The cop sighed. “I feel for his mom. Tough to lose one son to death and another through crime.”

  “If the jury finds him guilty.” Brody thought about Ted. Had he been wrong about the soldier all along? “Keith doesn’t strike me as a killer.”

  “You still suspect Ted Upton?”

  Brody let out a pent up breath. “I’m trying to determine how he fits into the picture. There’s something he’s not telling me.”

  “And his sister?”

  “She believes her brother isn’t at fault.”

  “We all need someone like that on our side,” the chief said.

  Brody had to agree, but Stephanie had made it perfectly clear she wanted nothing to do with him once the picnic was over. He’d brought it on himself with his constant concern for her safety.

  As much as he needed to distance himself from Stephanie, she continued to be part of his life. Last night, he had dreamed of holding her in his arms and kissing her sweet lips.

  Maybe he’d put in for temporary duty. Wilson needed someone to fill a slot in D.C. Getting away from Fort Rickman might be a good thing, at least until he could get a handle on where his life was headed—a life without Stephanie.

  The marina appeared in th
e distance. Brody pulled into the parking lot and walked to where a number of military personnel were loading picnic items onto The Princess. A larger military craft was already on the lake, heading to the island, no doubt filled with the bulk of the supplies. Cadre from the Warrior Transitional Battalion were helping out and working side by side with volunteers from town.

  Despite Keith’s arrest, it looked as if the local merchants were determined to make the event a success for the soldiers.

  Hefting a box from the dock, Brody placed it on Stephanie’s boat. A gust of wind tugged at her hair. She pulled it back and smiled.

  “Thanks.”

  “The cloud cover might keep the temperature down today,” he offered as a greeting.

  Her smile faded. “I talked to the meteorologist on post. He said the weather should be clear and bright.” She glanced skyward. “He failed to mention the overcast sky and stiff breeze.”

  “What time is the unit scheduled to arrive?”

  “Soon. Major Jenkins authorized a bus to transport the soldiers. A number of local folks will boat them over to the island.”

  “What about Ted?”

  Stephanie averted her gaze. “He’s arriving with the unit. Nikki is already on the island. She started cooking early this morning. Cindy’s helping with the games. From her connections at the garage, she got a lot of the local townsfolk to help.”

  “Has anyone mentioned Keith?”

  “Only that they don’t think he’s a killer.”

  “Did they provide the name of a more likely suspect?”

  She shook her head. “Not that I heard. Although I know you have your suspicions.”

  “I don’t think Ted harmed Paul or Joshua, Stephanie.”

  She turned with wide eyes to gaze up at him. “Really?”

  “I was wrong, and I’m sorry. But I still worry about his stability and will continue to be concerned until the counselors tell me that he’s worked through what happened in Afghanistan.”

  She shook her head. “You never change, do you, Brody?”

  “If you mean I can never stop being a cop, you’re probably right. I always imagine worst-case scenarios so I’m not surprised when bad things happen. Plus, I what-if each situation.”

  “You worst-cased my relationship with my brother because of your own past. I told you we’re different, but you’re unable to accept anything I say about Ted.”

  “Maybe Ted isn’t the problem.”

  She inhaled sharply. “What’s that mean?”

  “You didn’t tell me everything about that day on the lake and what happened between you and your brother.”

  Before she could reply, the bus filled with soldiers pulled into the parking lot. They disembarked with shouts of revelry and laughter and quickly filed onto the various boats waiting to transport them.

  “I’ll see you on the island,” Brody told Stephanie.

  He waited until her brother boarded one of the boats and then took a seat near him. If Ted couldn’t handle returning to the island, Brody would be close by to keep things from getting out of hand.

  Once they docked, Brody helped unload the supplies. He carried the food items to the kitchen where Nikki smiled, an apron around her waist and her hair piled on top of her head.

  Cindy explained the plans for the day and pointed the soldiers toward the various activities. Families arrived, and soon the picnic area was bustling with smiling faces.

  Later, the guys and gals had fun floating on the calm side of the lake, staying well away from the channel between Big Island and the smaller island to the south. Some of the more mobile soldiers climbed the tower and rode the zip line that hung between the two bodies of land. Beach volleyball games ran throughout the day and a fun run around the island was held with ambulatory soldiers helping those in wheelchairs.

  Brody found himself partnered with Ted, and the two men began to have an understanding as they helped some of the handicapped guys with the various events.

  Ted’s laughter could be heard across the island, and a few times, Stephanie turned to watch her brother. A smile covered her face, something Brody had seen so rarely.

  When she saw him staring at her, her smile wavered, and she turned back to whatever chore she was doing at the time.

  As the afternoon waned, the men boated back to the marina to catch the bus that would take them to the barracks. Most of the families had returned earlier in the day.

  Stephanie stood near a picnic bench, checking off the last of the supplies that were being loaded onto the military crafts.

  “Did you get a chance to eat?” Brody asked.

  “Nikki fixed something for me.” Stephanie pointed to the untouched plate of food on the table.

  Seeing an empty peanut oil container in the trash, Brody became concerned. “You can’t eat the chicken if it was deep-fried in peanut oil, Stephanie. You need to be careful.”

  “Nikki grilled my chicken and didn’t use oil.”

  “But you’re still not eating it.”

  Turning away, she avoided his gaze. “I’ll eat once I get home.”

  Although Stephanie sounded confident, she was probably fearful of having another allergic reaction. He stared at Nikki, who appeared in the door to the kitchen, wondering if she could have had something to do with the recent attacks.

  Ted helped Cindy load the overflow items onto her boat. They were laughing and seemed to enjoy working together. Nikki walked toward them. The look she flashed Cindy was anything but friendly.

  “The kitchen’s clean and everything’s packed away.” She checked her watch. “I need to get back to the mainland. The Post Exchange gave me the afternoon off, but I have to work the evening shift.”

  Cindy jabbed a playful finger at Ted. “I’m trying to convince this guy to ride the zip line. What’s with you, Ted? You’ve been working all day, and the picnic was for you.”

  His cheeks flushed. “I wanted to give Stephanie a hand.”

  “Everyone’s left the island.” Cindy pointed to the last military craft, heading back to the marina.

  “Maybe Ted doesn’t want to change into his swimsuit,” Nikki said, an angry edge to her voice.

  “Oh, come on, Nikki,” Cindy mocked. “You never were the adventurous type.”

  Stephanie glanced at the tall tower and the rather bulky harness that had carried the soldiers along the thin cable. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Ted.”

  “It’s not a problem,” he said, smiling back at Cindy. “Give me a minute to change.”

  By the time the supplies were loaded in Stephanie’s boat, Ted had returned, wearing swim trucks and an army T-shirt. The scars on his legs showed the extent of his combat injuries.

  Brody could only imagine the pain he had endured and the long months of healing that had bought Ted to this point.

  “I’m not sure you should do the zip line, Ted,” Stephanie cautioned. “Nikki needs to get back to the marina so she won’t be late for work. Why don’t you boat back with us?”

  “Come on, Stephanie. Don’t pull that mother routine on me.”

  She bristled. Brody hadn’t expected the comment and knew she hadn’t, either. The look on her face revealed the pain her brother’s words had caused.

  “I’ll stay with Ted if you want to take Nikki back,” Brody volunteered. “Cindy can give us a ride to the mainland when he finishes riding the zip line.”

  Stephanie scanned the sky.

  “Don’t worry about the weather,” Brody said.

  “Storms come up quickly out here.”

  “Now look who’s imagining the worst-case scenario.”

  She smiled, which was a good sign. “Okay, you’re in charge. I’ll take Nikki back with me.”

  “We’ll be right be
hind you.”

  “Goodbye, Brody.”

  Stephanie’s words hung in the air and made his heart heavy, as if she were bidding him a final farewell. The case was resolved. At least that’s what everyone thought, so why would Brody continue to feel that the perpetrator was still on the loose?

  After untying the moorings, Stephanie steered The Princess away from the dock. He watched her craft until it was a small spot on the horizon, then she turned a bend and disappeared from sight.

  Brody glanced up at the zip line tower. Cindy had connected Ted into the harness. He glanced down to where Brody stood on the sandy shore. From the look on his face, Ted was having second thoughts about being up so high.

  Raising his hands to his mouth, Brody shouted, “You can change your mind, Ted. You don’t have to ride—”

  Before he could complete his sentence, Cindy shoved Ted forward and activated the slide.

  He screamed, which sent a chill down Brody’s spine. The kid had been doing so well today. Hopefully, the rapid descent wouldn’t set him back. Brody had assured Stephanie her brother would be all right.

  With lightning speed, Ted sailed along the line and over the rough water with the strong currents that formed between the two islands. A dark cloud rolled in and hid the sun. For an instant, Brody’s attention turned skyward.

  He heard the second scream before he realized Ted had fallen into the whirling water below.

  Cindy was racing down the hill to where Brody stood. “The harness must have snapped.”

  “Did you fasten it securely?”

  “Of course.”

  “Let’s take your boat.” Brody raced toward Cindy’s craft. “The current is forcing him out into the deep water.”

  To her credit, Cindy reacted quickly. Once away from shore, she gunned the engine and made straight for where Ted floundered in the water, still partially attached to the heavy harness.

  “He’s not the best of swimmers,” she called to Brody. “You better go in and help him. I’ll pull around and pick you both up.”

  A life preserver was in the back of the boat. Brody threw it into the water. “Grab hold, Ted. It’ll keep you afloat until I get to you.”