by T. L. Haddix
“That’s gorgeous,” Beth told her.
“Lean up so I can put this on you.” When Beth complied, Joely gently placed the hat on her head and adjusted it for fit. She took a step back and pursed her lips. “Okay.” She took the hat back. “Just a few more rows, and I’ll have it finished.” Moving back to the chair, she sat down and her hands quickly returned to knitting. “You like the colors, right?”
Beth moved around, trying to get comfortable. “I love them. Where’d you get the yarn?”
“There’s this little shop across the river in Jeffersonville called Grinny Possum. They’ve got a great selection of yarns, even some of the more exotic stuff, and they’re really nice people. I found this Noro there, and a couple of others that I think you’ll like.”
Beth laughed. “Grinny Possum? You’re making that up.”
Joely grinned. “Nope, it’s true. It’s an inside joke, but it works. They’ve got the cutest little opossums all over the place, stuffed, knit, crocheted. It’s a neat shop. I go there when I’m feeling stressed and just knit. It’s my version of the press room, I guess.”
“You don’t have to spend all your time making me hats,” Beth told her quietly. “You know that, right?”
Joely frowned. “I know. But I want to. I need to do something.” Joely had brought the hat out the day before, hoping it would help Beth feel less self-conscious about the shortness of her hair. “This was going to be your Christmas present, you know. I guess I’ll have to come up with something else now.” She put the knitting down and studied her sister. “I know you miss your hair, but I think the pixie style suits you. Gives you a little more attitude, you know?” As Beth started to get up, Joely rushed to her side. “What do you need?”
Beth smiled at her sister’s protectiveness as she slowly moved to stand. “I just needed to get up, Momma. I think you like my hair because it’s cut just like yours.” Joely shrugged and grinned back. After Jackie had taken a pair of scissors to Beth’s hair the night before, tidying up the ragged ends, they had all been startled by the similarity in the cuts.
“Maybe… and I still think you should dye it a wild blue or green.”
Beth laughed outright, wincing as the movement pulled her stitches. Joely reached for the belly band Beth had been given to help support the traumatized muscles and gently wrapped it around her sister’s middle. Sighing with relief, Beth thanked her.
“Let’s walk. I’m starting to get cabin fever in here.” As they walked slowly down the hall, they talked about light subjects and deliberately stayed away from the kidnapping, Ethan, or any of what had led to Beth’s being in the hospital. They ended up at the visitors’ atrium near the elevators, where a wall of windows greeted them. With a spectacular view of the city of Louisville spread out before them, Beth gazed at the comfortable-looking chairs.
Joely linked her arm with Beth’s. “You probably should avoid sitting out here for a couple more days. Just to be on the safe side. You don’t want to risk getting cooties.”
Beth laughed and reluctantly turned, ready to go back to her room. As they headed back down the hall, the elevator dinged behind them and they instinctively turned to see who emerged. When Beth saw who it was, she smiled widely, surprised.
“Hey, you.” She held out her hand as Gordon approached. Clasping it warmly, he pulled her in for a gentle hug.
“What are you doing up and about? I figured you’d still be in a hospital bed.”
“I had to get up and walk around or else I’d go crazy.” Turning, she introduced Joely, who sent a speculative look from him to Beth. Seeing that look, Beth was surprised to feel her face flush. She quickly spoke, hoping to distract her sister. “Who’s your friend?”
Gordon held up the teddy bear he carried. “This guy? I found him downstairs, wandering around. He told me he was looking for you, so I offered to escort him upstairs.” The bear was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, and had on a pair of dark sunglasses.
“He’s adorable!” Beth laughed as Gordon’s cheeks flushed, and he thrust the bear in her direction. Tucking him into her arms, she squeezed tightly. “Thank you!”
“So how do you guys know each other?” Joely asked as they started walking again. Beth decided to let Gordon handle that question. Not surprisingly, he answered smoothly.
“We met through your sister’s job, and I knew Chase from college. We went to law school together.”
They reached Beth’s room, and she eased down into the recliner. Settling the bear in her lap, she held him in place with her hand as she found a comfortable position.
Joely broke the silence. “If you don’t need anything, I think I’ll head out for a little while.”
“I’m fine,” Beth assured her. “I can push the call button if I need anything.”
Nodding at Gordon as she headed out of the room, Joely stopped at the door and turned, her eyes wide with mock innocence. “Door opened or closed?”
“Closed, please, you minx.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Her grin wicked, she pulled the door around. Beth refused to meet Gordon’s gaze.
He laughed. “She’s a pistol, isn’t she?”
“You could say that, yes.” She rested her head against the back of the chair, and met Gordon’s worried gaze.
“I’m okay, just tired. I didn’t think a short walk would take that much out of me. How’d you find out I was here?”
“Chase called me. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner. I’ve been tied up out of town. Want to tell me what happened?”
She drew in a shaky breath. “Not really, but I will.” She recounted the kidnapping, her voice growing shaky as she told him about the shooting. “If Cullen Jarvis hadn’t been there, I’d be dead. Ormsby was getting ready to pull the trigger when Cullen shot him.”
When he saw that her hands were trembling, Gordon reached over and took one gently in his. His skin was warm and comfortingly solid. “Try to focus on the fact that he didn’t pull the trigger. You have to focus on the fact that you survived.”
“Barely.”
“Thankfully, ‘barely’ is enough. Just try to take it one day, one hour, one minute at a time. Don’t force yourself to deal with it until you’re ready, or let anyone convince you that you shouldn’t feel the way you do.”
With a strained smile, she apologized. “I know you have questions, but I really don’t want to talk about this right now.”
“Okay. Just let me say this. I’m sorry you had to go through such a horrible ordeal, and I wish there had been some way it could have been prevented.”
“It wasn’t your fault, so please don’t feel guilty. Heck, I dated Ormsby a couple of times and didn’t know. I didn’t have a clue.”
“Yeah, but I’m the big, strong man,” came the sardonic response. “Add to that my ‘secret identity’ and I’m feeling more than a little responsible.”
“You and my brothers. You know things don’t work that way in the real world,” Beth chided.
“I know, but they should. My job would be a lot easier if they did.” Seeing how tired she was, he stood and offered her his hand. “Why don’t you lie down? You look tired.”
“You just want to get me in bed, you cad.” She groaned lightly and winced as she accepted his hand. As she stood, a sudden and pressing urge hit her. “I need to use the restroom.” Embarrassed, she handed him the bear and hurried across the room. When she reached the bathroom door, she turned. “Can you stay a while or do you have to go?”
He shrugged. “I can stay if you want me to. It’s up to you.”
“If you don’t mind staying, I’d like the company.”
When she came out a few minutes later, he hurried over to take her robe. She sat down on the side of the bed and eased her slippers off, and he gently lifted her legs and swung them up onto the bed.
“You’ve done that before.” She held her arms out for the bear, and Gordon handed it to her, then brought the covers up over her legs.
He pulled the c
hair up to the side of the bed and settled back. “When my wife was sick, we spent a lot of time in hospitals and sick rooms. That’s why I brought the bear. Most everyone brings flowers, but sometimes it’s nice to have something to hold on to.”
She turned the bear to face her, a sad smile on her face. “He’s really adorable, and I do appreciate your bringing him. I have a feeling that this little guy is going to be my best friend for the next few weeks. I’ll have to come up with something to call him, though. What’s your full name?” She cast a speculative look at Gordon, who shook his head.
“You can’t name him after me.”
“Why not? Galen Gordon is a good, strong name.”
Obviously embarrassed, he gave in. “Call him Donovan, then. That’s my middle name.”
Satisfied, Beth settled down a little more in the bed. “Donovan it is, then. It suits him. So tell me about my brother. What was he like in college? I’ll bet you know some good blackmail material a sister could use.”
Gordon grinned. “Oh, the things I could tell you…” He shook his head. “Nah. I could make a few things up, but for the most part, Chase was a good kid.”
She raised her eyebrows at ‘for the most part,’ but let it slide for now. “How did you guys end up in the same class? Aren’t you older than Chase? No offense.”
“None taken. Yes, I am older than Chase, by about six years. I got a little bit of a late start, though, so I was only a couple years ahead of him.” They talked for a few more minutes until the nurse and an aide came in to make late afternoon rounds. Gordon leaned over to hug Beth, and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.
“I’ll head out now. Do you have your cell phone in case you need to call me?”
“My parents are coming back down this evening and they’re bringing it.”
“Good, then. I have to sit in on Ormsby’s interview tomorrow in Leroy, so I might not get back in to see you until the day after. Any idea how long you’re going to be in here?”
“Probably until Saturday or Sunday, anyhow. They want to watch for infection pretty closely. Gordon, you’ll tell me what he says?”
He nodded. “I will. Get some rest, and call if you need anything, even if it’s just to talk.” As he left with a smile for the nurse and aide, they watched him go, then turned back to Beth and waved their hands around their faces.
“Woooeee, he’s a hunk.” The comment caused Beth to blush. “That your beau?”
“No, just a friend.” She held up Donovan. “See who he brought me?” They made silly noises over the bear, giggling like school girls. After checking Beth’s vitals and her wound, the nurse asked if she needed anything.
“You’re looking a little pinched around the mouth, hon. Do you need another dose of pain meds?”
“Please? But just the Tylenol. I think I’m more tired than anything.”
The women promised to bring the medicine shortly, and left. Turning so that she was lying on her side, Beth pressed the button that lowered the back of the bed. She was more upset than she had let anyone see, and was having a hard time dealing with everything, especially the loss of the baby she hadn’t even known existed. She understood intellectually that it hadn’t even been a baby yet, just a collection of cells, but emotionally, that distinction didn’t matter. It was a child she and Ethan had created together, and its loss hurt.
She hadn’t been sleeping well before the shooting, and truly couldn’t remember the last time she had gotten a decent night’s sleep. This was the first time she had been alone for more than five minutes since the shooting, and she hoped no one else would show up for a while. Tugging the blanket up over her shoulder, she settled in with the bear wrapped in her arms. Gordon had done well in picking Donovan, she thought. He had known exactly what she needed, something to hold onto, indeed. Closing her eyes, she tried to escape into sleep.
~ * * * ~
By the time the nurse came back with the pain medicine, Beth was sound asleep. Deciding to take the medicine back rather than disturb her patient, she tucked the blanket a little more securely around her shoulders. She smiled at the picture the young woman and the bear made, and turned off the harsh light above the bed. Lost in a sound and dreamless sleep for the first time in weeks, Beth didn’t even move.
Chapter Thirty Seven
Stacy Kirchner paced restlessly in the sheriff department’s conference room as she looked at the evidence boards they’d set up. There were three boards lined up in a row, one for Chad Ormsby and Ruby Sloane, and two for the victims. As she walked, State Police Detective Russell DeHart looked up from where he was making notes.
“You’re nervous about this interview.”
Stacy stopped and forced herself to breathe deeply. “A little. I’ve never worked on a case this big before. I know we have to be careful how we question him.” She referred to the upcoming interview with the doctor. Ormsby had agreed to a plea deal, offering a full confession in exchange for a life sentence with a few small stipulations attached. The prosecutor had been reluctant to make the deal, but given the heinousness of the doctor’s crimes and his willingness to cooperate with law enforcement, they had little choice. The deal had been made, and the first of a series of interviews with the doctor was scheduled to begin later that day.
“Yeah, well, I’ve not either. That’s why we’re getting coached.” A tinge of resentment crept into his tone.
Wyatt chose just that moment to walk in through the open door, followed closely by a tall man in a dark gray suit. The sheriff raised an eyebrow at DeHart’s tone.
“Detective, is there a problem? Because if there is, I suggest you take it up with your supervisor. It was as much his idea as mine to take the FBI up on their gracious offer to assist us. We can’t afford to antagonize Ormsby.”
The state trooper flushed as Wyatt spoke, an unhealthy red that crept up from under his too-tight collar to cover his whole face. When he declined to comment, the sheriff quickly made the introductions.
“Detective Russell DeHart, this is Special Agent Galen Gordon. He’ll be the one advising you and Stacy today.”
Gordon extended his hand and the two men shook. He then turned to Stacy, who nodded.
“Good to see you again, Detective. Why don’t we get started? We have a long day ahead of us,” Gordon said. The four of them took seats around the conference table, and Gordon opened by asking what they had found so far. Since the state police were heading the investigation, Russell answered him.
“We’ve searched both his residence and his office at the clinic where he practiced. Our techs are still going over his computer, phones, that sort of thing, but the only significant evidence we’ve found at this point are the files he kept on a computer in his lab, on what he called his ‘experiment.’ That data looks to be fairly extensive, and we’re getting another medical doctor to help us out with that. Aside from the van we confiscated at the crime scene, we’ve found quite a stash of equipment in his barn, including an incinerator, a fully equipped laboratory, and a wood chipper.”
Gordon’s face was grim. “Any idea where he’s dumping the bodies?”
“No, not yet. He’s promised to tell us that during our interviews, though.”
Stacy spoke up. “Something else we haven’t found is any evidence linking Ormsby to Beth Hudson’s stalker. We hit the jackpot at Ruby Sloane’s apartment with that, though.”
“Good. Where is all that evidence? Is it here?”
“No, it’s at the state police post,” Wyatt told Gordon. “It’s a conflict of interest with this department, since two of my deputies are involved with one of the victims. Have you found out anything about Ormsby’s background?”
Gordon passed the others copies of a file. “The doctor isn’t who he professes to be, in a manner of speaking. His full name is Chad Ormsby Stuart. He changed it a couple of years ago, dropping the ‘Stuart.’ He’s thirty-eight years old, grew up in the Chicago area, attended college in Kansas, and barely graduated from medical school. He�
��s divorced, and his ex-wife went into hiding after they split up. No kids, parents both deceased before he was out of medical school.”
Everyone was thumbing through the file as he spoke, and Stacy held up her hand to stop him. “It says here that his medical license was revoked in Kansas because of gross negligence that led to the death of a patient. That was right before he came to Leroy. Any idea what happened?”
“Yes. He was running a methadone clinic as a side business from his regular practice, and one of his ‘clients’ overdosed and died. An investigation was started, but before it got very far, Ormsby vanished. That’s when he changed his name, and apparently faked his credentials to get a job here in Leroy. Kansas has been looking for him, but he’s been using a fake social security number, driver’s license, you name it. He didn’t want to be found, and might not have if this whole mess with Beth Hudson hadn’t happened.”
Wyatt frowned. “So how do we handle him? His ego is so big there isn’t room for anyone else in the room with him.”
Gordon shrugged. “Yeah, I figured as much. I met him once, briefly. He came across as a narcissist then.”
The state trooper snorted. “You can say that again. He seems to think that just because he’s a doctor, he’s entitled to special treatment.”
“It’s the God complex.” Seeing the confusion, Stacy explained. “A lot of doctors have it, especially surgeons. Ormsby isn’t a surgeon, but he could have been, given his ego.”
Gordon nodded. “Good analogy. The important thing to remember when you’re in there with him is that the best way to get what you want from this guy is to stroke his ego. Let him think you admire his cleverness, though not too much. He’s not stupid, and he’ll pick up on overdone admiration in a heartbeat. Also, make sure he knows that you’re aware he’s smarter than you, that if it hadn’t been dumb luck out there in that field, he would have gotten away with everything.” Gordon’s voice tightened as he spoke, and looking around the table, he could tell they were all thinking about how true his words were.
