by Rebecca Deel
Then again, he’d pushed Kate into protective custody, confident he could keep her safe. He’d failed then, too. “I want the ME’s report ASAP. Prints?”
“Lots of them. Smudged, partials, and full prints of anybody who ventured into this room in the last few days.”
“Did you find a playing card? An ace?”
Rod frowned. “How did you know? I found it at the foot of the bed.”
“Witnesses?”
“Not so far. Officer Jansen’s with the volunteer. The girl’s shaken, but maybe she noticed something.” Rod’s brows beetled. “Chief, what’s going on?”
Ethan motioned the detective into the hall, found an empty hospital room and shut the door behind them. “I’m almost certain we have an international assassin in Otter Creek.”
“Here? Why do you say that?”
“I crossed paths with him before, in Las Vegas.”
“Are you sure?” Rod rubbed the back of his neck. “Otter Creek isn’t exactly a popular tourist destination. Why would we appear on an international assassin’s radar?”
“The MO is the same. The initial beating is a warning. Always facial and torso injuries. If the vic doesn’t heed the warning, a .22-caliber bullet in the forehead follows. At the scene of each murder, he leaves an ace card.”
“This guy got a name?”
Ethan’s fists clenched. “The Fox. No other ID.”
“Huh. Any special instructions?”
“Standard operating procedures in processing the scene, but I don’t want word of my suspicions to leak. After we interview the volunteer, I need to make a couple phone calls.”
#
The teenager huddled in a blanket in the waiting room. Kelli Jansen stood as he and Rod approached.
“Heather’s feeling better, sir.”
“Thanks, Kelli.” Ethan pulled a chair in front of the teen and sat. He didn’t want his height and bulk intimidating her. “Can we get you anything? A Coke?”
Heather shook her head. Her hands clenched the blanket tighter.
“We need to ask you some questions, Heather. Think you can help us?”
“I’ll try.”
“Good.” Ethan smiled at her. At least, he hoped it resembled a smile instead of him baring his teeth. Hard to smile while clenching your teeth in frustration. “What time did you come to work this morning?”
“9:00.”
“Tell me your routine.” He jotted notes as she described her movements. “Did you notice anyone in the hallway this morning before entering Miller’s room?”
“No.” Heather stopped. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Ethan and Rod. “Wait, a woman passed me at the end of the hall.”
“Was she arriving or leaving?” Ethan’s heart raced. If they identified the woman, she might provide crucial information. Yet another possibility. Was the assassin a woman?
The girl thought a minute. “Definitely leaving. That hallway is a dead end.”
“What did she look like?” Rod asked.
“I didn’t get a good look at her.” Heather’s face registered her unhappiness. “She had blonde hair and was small.”
“Small?” Ethan glanced at Kelli. “Was she as tall as Officer Jansen?”
Heather studied the policewoman. “She was shorter than Kelli, maybe by two or three inches.”
“What about her hair? Was it long or short?” Rod’s pen hovered above his notebook. “Do you remember what she was wearing?”
“Long hair, past her shoulders. She was wearing a dress. Maybe dark blue or black.”
Ethan felt Rod’s gaze on his face. He refused to jump to conclusions. Serena Cahill wasn’t the only woman in Otter Creek with long blonde hair. He swallowed hard. She had been wearing a black dress at church this morning. “See anyone else?”
“Regular hospital people.”
“Regular hospital people?”
Heather pulled the blanket closer. “Yeah, you know, nurses, orderlies, people like that.”
“Do you always work this shift, Heather?” She nodded. “So you recognized these people?”
“Yeah, except for two orderlies. I guess they’re new.”
Ethan made a note to check new hires. “Did the woman you saw seem upset or in a hurry?”
Heather brushed her hair away from her face with a shaking hand. “She didn’t act upset, but she must have been late.”
“How do you know that?”
“The lady looked at her watch and hurried down the hallway.”
#
Rain smacked the pavement, splattering water on both women’s legs as they maneuvered into Ruth’s house. Serena shivered. Her feet were soaked, and her hair dripped cold water down her back.
Ruth handed her streaming coat to Serena and sank onto the couch. “Oh, this feels so good. I’m counting the hours until this cast comes off.”
“Can’t be any fun plowing through puddles with crutches.” Serena smiled at her friend. “I’ll clean up the water we tracked through your house. Can I get you anything?”
“How about a towel and some hot tea?” Ruth scrutinized Serena. “Make that a double order. Looks like your side of the umbrella had a large hole in it.”
“With a downpour like this, I don’t think any umbrella would do the job.” Ruth might think herself invincible, but Serena hadn’t wanted to chance her catching a cold.
“Might’ve helped if you’d held part of it over your own head.”
Serena grinned at Ruth’s tart tone. She grabbed two towels from the linen closet and helped Ruth sponge off most of the water. After drying her hair, Serena traipsed into Ruth’s kitchen, filled a kettle with water and turned on the burner. While she mopped their puddles, Serena breathed in the familiar apple pie spice scent permeating Ruth’s kitchen. Now that she knew Ethan was Ruth’s nephew, the southwestern décor held more meaning.
After the green tea finished brewing, Serena returned to the living room with two steaming cups.
Ruth patted the sofa seat next to her. “Thank you for bringing me home, Serena.”
“I’m glad I could help.” Serena sank onto the blue-flowered cushion and gave the woman’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I suppose Ethan left because of work. He said he had an emergency.”
Glad Ethan wasn’t around to see her bedraggled state, she slipped off soggy shoes. She loathed wet shoes and mud-splattered hose almost as much as water-logged clothes.
“He wouldn’t have left the service unless the situation was serious.” Ruth frowned, eyeing the pouring rain through her living room window.
Lightning lit the darkened afternoon sky. Thunder rumbled so close the floor vibrated under Serena’s feet and windows rattled. “Are you worried about him?”
“A little. He takes anything that happens on his watch to heart. Ethan was 13 when he came to live with me. Even then, he tried to take responsibility for my well-being.” She grinned. “Except for the times he asserted his independence from his nagging aunt.”
“You must be close.” What family tragedy occurred to enlist Ruth raising him? Her heart ached for him. She valued the love and strength from her family. Of course, families came with drawbacks, like five people nosing into her business.
Despite that, nothing beat her family’s loyalty when tough times hit. The Cahills stood by her when she lost the chef positions at restaurants and hotels. They encouraged her to start her own business, one where she controlled the menu and exposure to red meat which caused her severe bouts with nausea. Who did Ethan have when life dealt unfair blows besides Ruth?
“We don’t have anyone else so we take care of each other.” Ruth turned away from the window and the subject, and smiled at Serena. “Have you found a date for the Stephens’ dinner?”
Serena finger-combed her snarled hair. “No prospects yet.” Serena wished she hadn’t agreed to coordinate the dinner party for the community and Dunlap County leaders at the Pot o’ Gold Hotel. Her uncle asked the favor for a friend, though, and she couldn’t refus
e.
Ruth peered at Serena through narrowed eyes. “Maybe I can fix that.” A sneaky grin perched on her mouth.
“What are you up to?”
“When I talk to Ethan, I’ll ask him.”
A door slammed. “Ask me what?”
Serena closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. Please let there be a second rich chocolate voice in this town. Heat rose in her face. Why did she always have to see Ethan when she looked like a drowned rat with its tail stuck in a light socket?
“Ethan.” Ruth’s voice betrayed her delight. “What perfect timing.” She grinned at Serena. “He’s taking me to lunch. And he’s buying.”
Ethan hugged his aunt. “I never argue with a pretty lady. Now, what were you going to ask me?”
Serena jumped up to leave and realized she still had bare feet. “Ruth, don’t bother Ethan with this. I’ll work something out.”
“Nonsense. Ethan’s a good sport. He won’t mind helping a friend out of a bind.” Ruth turned to Ethan with a 1000-watt smile. “Serena needs a date for Saturday night.”
No hole big enough or deep enough to hide in surfaced. Serena cringed, peering at his face through her long lashes.
“Is that so?” He studied her hot face, lips twitching. “I can’t imagine a woman as beautiful as Serena having trouble finding a date.” His brown eyes danced.
“Please don’t feel obligated, Ethan. It’s a black-tie dinner I’m coordinating.” Serena slipped on her soggy shoes, snatched the empty teacups, and squished through the kitchen to the door.
“What time should I be at your house?”
Serena’s hand froze on the doorknob. “You’ll go?” Her heart leaped in her chest as she stared wide-eyed at the tall cop. “Even knowing your date could disappear at any time to douse charred quiche and other food emergencies?”
“I’ll have the inside track to the best cuts of meat and first choice of desserts.” He leaned one hip against Ruth’s couch. “What time?”
Relief rolled over her. If he accompanied her, she could focus on her responsibilities instead of escaping Mitch. “About 6:00?” Serena smiled. “Thank you, Ethan.”
“My pleasure, Serena.”
Shivers raced down her spine. She had never thought of her name as being anything special, but the way Ethan said it made her knees weak.
“Why do you need someone to go with you to this shindig?”
“You’re her bodyguard,” Ruth said.
Ethan raised his eyebrows, speculation lighting his eyes. “Is that true?”
“Ruth’s exaggerating.” She eyed Ruth, silently begging her not to say too much. She didn’t want to fend off passes while she worked, but she also dreaded trouble for Ethan.
Heat rose in Serena’s cheeks. Would he make the connection between her reluctance to attend this dinner alone and her disastrous date with Mitch?
He studied her a moment. “I’ll take care of you.” A teasing smile settled on his lips. “On one condition.” He folded his arms and waited for her response.
“What’s that?” Should she worry? Maybe he’d ask for a month of free coffee or a free meal. If he liked the taste of her cooking, she might net another long-term customer. With an erratic schedule, he would appreciate home-cooked meals in his freezer.
“Next time we go on a date, I choose where we go.”
Next time? Was he asking for a future date? Would he be shocked if she cartwheeled in her squishy shoes? “Deal.” Her word came out with a husky tone. She needed to leave before he decided she was a desperate single woman trolling for a man.
“By the way, Ethan, what called you out of church today?” Ruth asked. “Anything you can talk about?”
Serena watched Ethan’s face go blank, as if he closed shutters over his thoughts. Dread coiled into a knot in her stomach.
“I suppose you’ll hear on the news later.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “George Miller was murdered.”
CHAPTER TEN
“But I visited him a few hours ago.” Shock lent an edge to Serena’s voice. “What happened?”
Apprehension swelled in Ethan’s gut. “You saw him this morning? What time?”
“Around 10:00. That’s why I was late to Sunday school.”
“Any particular reason you visited him?”
“To deliver his package.” She took a step toward him, swallowing hard. “Ethan, what happened to him?”
He led Serena to a nearby chair and knelt beside her. “Miller was shot.”
Blood drained from her face. Did her weak stomach react only to the sight of blood or would talking about it set her off? Aunt Ruth usually kept a Coke around. Might be wise to get Serena a glass—soon. “Did you see anyone?”
Serena’s first attempt at speech ended in a croak. She cleared her throat and tried again. “It’s a hospital. There are people everywhere.” She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin. “Do I need an alibi?”
Ethan rose, pulling his notebook and pen from an inside jacket pocket. He sat on the edge of the couch. “Tell me everything you did, starting with the time you arrived at the parking lot.”
He took notes as Serena described her movements. “Who did you see?” Ethan inched closer, his body tense. “I need to know every person you saw.”
“One nurse, a doctor, a volunteer, and two orderlies.” Serena shot a troubled glance at him. “I can’t think of anyone else.”
Two orderlies? Were they the same ones Heather saw? “Do you know any of these people?” How close did Serena get to these guys?
“The nurse, Denise Wilson, is a friend of my mother’s. The doctor is John Holt.”
“That’s Dr. Anderson’s partner,” Ruth said.
Ethan turned back to Serena. “What about the volunteer?”
“I didn’t recognize her.”
“And the orderlies?” His hand tightened on his pen as he waited for her response.
“I didn’t pay much attention to them, Ethan.” She frowned. “Come to think of it, I didn’t even see their faces. They had their backs to me.”
“Did you see them before you saw Miller or after?”
Serena glanced over at Ruth, uneasiness evident on her face. “Both. I saw them outside his room. When I left, they were still in the hall.”
Nausea grew in Ethan’s stomach. If she’d arrived at Miller’s room even two minutes later, Serena might have walked in on the murder. He would have had two murders to solve. He squashed the swirling emotions caused by Serena’s second brush with death within a few days.
“We’ll come back to the orderlies.” Ethan flipped to the next page in his notes. “What happened when you walked into Miller’s room? How did he seem?”
“His normal grouchy self.” A wry smile curled her lips. “He asked what took me so long and, without taking a breath, demanded his package.”
Serena described a regular mailer envelope. “It wasn’t heavy or thick. It had something hard inside, something small.”
A computer flash drive? What connection did Miller have to these two men? Was one of them The Fox? He frowned. He’d never known the assassin to get involved in burglary. If the price was high enough, though, The Fox might have expanded his skills. “Did he open it while you were there?”
“Are you kidding?” Serena grimaced. “He couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. Didn’t even say thanks for delivering his precious package in the middle of a monsoon.”
“Did you notice a return address?”
“No.” She frowned. “I did notice the postmark was from Otter Creek.” Serena leaned on the chair’s armrest, tilting her head. “Why would someone send Miller a package from here in town? Wouldn’t it make more sense to drop it by his house?”
Ethan closed his notebook and pocketed his pen. More unanswered questions. Just what he didn’t need.
Ruth reached over and squeezed his arm. “Are we still going to lunch, Ethan?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” He turned to Serena. “Come with us.” When she s
tarted to protest, he broke in. “I appreciate you bringing Aunt Ruth home. I’d like you to join us.”
Ruth seized her crutches and rose from the couch. “Come along, Serena. Let’s see if we can do some storm damage control.”
“Damage control?” Serena shook her head. “More like a total makeover.”
#
Ethan grinned listening to Serena and his aunt exchange one-liners. He already knew Ruth had a tough streak. When he was younger, he’d watched her stare down more than one antagonist trying to make an issue of his Cherokee heritage.
Serena handled this latest trauma better than he anticipated. After falling apart Friday at Miller’s house, he almost expected hysterics when she learned about the murder. Her ability to bounce back amazed him.
Knowing his aunt, it would take a few minutes for the ladies to reappear, although both women were beautiful enough to steal the breath from his lungs. Ethan took the opportunity to check in with Rod. “What’s the latest?” He tucked the phone between his shoulder and ear, reaching for his notes.
“We found orderlies uniforms in a dumpster on Central, two blocks from the hospital. We also found a gun.” Ethan heard Rod flipping pages. “A .22 with the serial numbers filed off.”
“Prints?”
“Clean.”
Ethan leaned against Ruth’s kitchen counter. “No surprise there.”
“We’re running the gun through ballistics to see if it matches the slug from Miller or another shooting. Also, the hospital hasn’t hired any new personnel in the last two months because of a hiring freeze.”
“Good work.” Ethan wrote a few notes on his pad. “Anything else?”
Rod paused. “Just this. One of the orderly uniforms is large.”
Ethan’s grasp on the phone tightened. He laid down his pad and glanced around, confirming Serena or his aunt weren’t within earshot. “The size of Serena’s no-neck perp?”
“Yeah.”
Ethan sat on a barstool. “Then we might have a problem.”
“What now?” The tone of Rod’s voice sharpened.
“Remember Heather mentioning the small, blonde-haired woman?”
“Yeah.”
