Eleven Days: An Unexpected Love

by Lora Lindy

  “I have something amazing for you and you are to drop everything and find this guy. First I want you to put someone you trust to find information on Lana.”

  “Who, not who do I trust, but who do you want me to look up, what name?” She first thought Raymond was teasing, but then she dismissed this because of the severity of the case.

  “His name is Angelino Marquit.”

  “How did you get a name before me?” She would have to have a long talk with Ken when they both had the time.

  “I’ll explain later and send me everything you have.”

  “I will and I’ll have someone continue on Lana’s stuff.”

  Colby heard the name and was already out in the SUV pulling everything up they had on him. He brought it in to Raymond.

  Raymond looked it over and looked at Colby. “Who the hell is this guy and why haven’t we heard about him?” They all looked at his picture and were amazed that he didn’t look like the picture from the airport. After he looked at this picture, he knew why the FBI face recognition database didn’t pick him out, and why they called him Mission Impossible.

  *****

  Slowly Lana tried opening her eyes and they were caked shut. She forced them open and she could see some light and the light seemed bright. Everything looked like a blur, and she blinked the fog away.

  She had difficulty breathing, and the pain was excruciating in her left lower chest area. The beeping noise drove her crazy and she wished someone would turn off the machine. Mike sat in the chair next to her, sleeping. When she glanced around she realized she was in a hospital. The room was white and sanitary. Thank God she wasn’t dying or she would be put in the pretty room, the death room, a room like James’.

  Her mouth seemed so dry she couldn’t say anything. She looked around for something to drink, but nothing was close by her.

  She mustered up every ounce of energy to get Mike’s attention. She could just barely whisper. “Mike.”

  He didn’t hear her, she tried again. “Mike.”

  He didn’t stir. She tried to move a little bit, and she couldn’t because the pain was too bad. Tubes and needles where poking out several areas of her body. She could see some bloody tubes coming out of her side. What the hell happened to me, she thought. She sure wished she could move because she could feel sweat under her body and it was uncomfortable.

  About that time Mike’s phone rang and he stirred. He pulled the phone out of his pocket to see who was calling.

  She managed a few words. “That damn phone.” Her voice sounded weak, barely audible.

  Mike jumped up and ran to her. “Oh my God, baby you’re awake.” He immediately called for a nurse. “I’m so glad you’re awake. Do feel okay? Do you need anything?”

  The nurse walked in grinning. She checked her vitals and replaced her IV. “Welcome back, you scared us a few times young lady.” The entire time she worked on her, Mike never let go of her hand. After the nurse checked her blood pressure and saw it had risen she asked Lana. “Are you in pain?”

  Her mouth was so dry she couldn’t answer so she shook her head. Lana saw tears in his eyes, and she didn’t know why. Why would her baby be crying?

  The nurse said. “We can fix that for you. It’s good your feeling pain.” She pulled a vial from her tray and put some medicine in her IV.

  That’s easy for you to say, thought Lana.

  The nurse noticed Lana trying to lick her lips. “Would you like some ice chips?”

  Lana nodded yes.

  When the nurse finished what she was doing, she brought Lana some ice chips and told Mike. “Give her only a little bit at first we don’t need her to get sick and tare her stitches. We’ll check on her in a little bit, call if you need us.”

  Mike smiled and said. “Thank you and I will.”

  He laid his head on the bed next to her and cried like a baby.

  Lana’s hand reached over and touched his hair, and she was confused why he would be crying. Then the pain medicine kicked in and then darkness.

  *****

  Mike watched the evening news and they talked about the two shootings and the prowler. They commented the woman staying at the house had been under Marshall protective custody for months. The newscaster said a marshal was a suspect and Lana was a witness. Mike just shook his head. He thought they would say anything for a story.

  Raymond walked in the room and glanced at the TV, but ignored it. “Hi Mike, how is Lana?” He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but he thought she had some color in her face.

  “Much better they just gave her a shot so she’ll be out for several hours. Hopefully you have some good news?”

  “I have some great news.”

  “What?”

  “We have the name of the killer.”

  Mike just looked at Raymond in shock, total disbelief. A few hours ago they didn’t even have DNA results. “What’s his name?” Anger immediately rushed through his body.

  “Angelino Marquit aka The Mission Impossible and he’s a hit man.”

  “Who is he hired to kill?”

  Raymond looked over at Lana to make sure she wasn’t awake. Then he whispered. “Lana.”

  “I’ve never heard of him. Who the hell is he and why is he called Mission Impossible, but most importantly why is he after Lana?”

  “He is called that because he can disguise himself and he likes to toy with his victims before he kills them, sound familiar? Mike, he can even dress up and pass as a woman, so be extremely careful for Lana’s sake, and for your sake. You said yourself that this guy liked toying with us.”

  “How did you find out his name?”

  “Ken. They have a new software program that can find and predict killers and it’s called MAD - mental assessment development.”

  “Are you kidding me? So his special computer is truly special.”

  “Yes it is.”

  Mike looked at Raymond as though this was a syfy show and this was all part of the script. “So how long have they had this program?”

  “We’re their sixth case. It’s still in the infancy stage and Ken had to get permission for us to use it. I have Sara and Ken continue to work to find more on this guy. And Mike it gets worse.”

  “How?”

  “For some reason his records with the FBI are blocked. I’m having Sara work her miracles so let’s hope she can find something. However, I do have some good news.”

  “Good new I can use.”

  “Colby and I went to the lighthouse and reenacted the shooting and we found a few prints. We are running them as we speak and hopefully that will give us a more information on him.”

  “You’re doing a good job and keep me informed and get me a picture as soon as you have one.”

  “I brought one with me and I will give a copy to all the men and the hospital staff. Mike, when you look at this picture and the picture at the airport, they don’t look anything alike.”

  Mike looked at the picture and Raymond was right, they don’t even look like the same person. He wished Lana could look at it, he was sure she could pick out the similarities. When he looked at his picture he felt so much anger. This man shot Lana. He stared at the picture a few seconds longer then sat it on the table. “Thanks and make sure Joe gets one. Right now I’m so worried about Lana I can’t think straight. I’m going to take a nap while Lana naps. Maybe then I can think straight.”

  Raymond understood how Mike felt. When his wife had her appendix out a couple of years ago, he couldn’t think about anything but her because her temperature got so high. Raymond walked over to Lana and took her hand. “Mike she is a special lady to knock Joe out of the way. She acted quicker than some of our agents would.”

  “Yea, she acted selflessly that’s for sure.” Mike knew she would never regret what she did. “She woke up a few hours ago. It was only for a few minutes and she knew me, but she didn’t know why she is here. The blessing in all this is she doesn’t remember being shot.”

  “That�
��s great and I hope she doesn’t remember. And Mike, I have run an intensive background check on Lana’s family to find out who would hire a killer. I just wanted you to know.”

  “I agree and I hate this for her sake. She just had a cousin die a couple of weeks ago, so you may want to have Sara start there.”

  “Mike, there is one more thing.”

  Mike didn’t want to hear anymore. “What?”

  “We think the shooter knows how the marshals work. He set the tripod facing only the porch. He knew if Lana walked outside we would want her to stay on the porch, and he sat there and waited on her.”

  “How many people know about this?”

  “You, me, and Colby, and that’s all.”

  “Be sure to tell Joe, and we will get together with the four of us in the next few hours to discuss this and nobody is to know about our meeting.”

  “I’ll keep you informed,” said Raymond.

  Chapter 37

  Day11

  October 25 7:22 a.m.

  When she woke up it the sky looked gloomy and overcast and she noticed she had moved to a different room, and this room had color. Oh my God, I’m dying, she thought. No one was around and she thought I’m going to die alone, unlike James. There were flowers everywhere, at least twenty flower arrangements.

  She looked around her body and she noticed the tubes in her side were gone, and there was a big bandage there. There were black and blue marks all the way up as far as she could see. What could have made marks like that? Was she in a car wreck? She was too scared to look under the bandage.

  The nurse’s button was next to her hand and she pushed it. Within a few minutes a nurse entered the room smiling. “Hi there Ms. Andrews, you look my much better, do you feel better?”

  She could barely talk. “Hi,” she forced out those words.

  “Let me get you some water to wet you whistle.” She went to the bathroom for some water, and then poured some in the glass. Realizing she didn’t have a straw she went to the nurses’ station to get one.

  Lana wouldn’t wait. She drank three glasses of water before she stopped. It tasted so good, the nurse poured her some more. “The medicines you’re taking make you thirsty. You’ve had a lot of visitors and as you can see the many flowers. All the nurses were wondering who these good looking guys are, the ones carrying guns.”

  “I don’t know,” she mustered an answer barely audible.

  “Every time they come, they bring you flowers. You couldn’t have flowers in intensive care, but since you’ve been out they’ve come by at least twice a day with flowers. You are a lucky girl to be loved so much.”

  Lana had no clue what she was talking about, nor did she care.

  “Are you some kind of cop? There have been many cops come by to check on you and there’s one outside keeping an eye on you. Do you want me to get him?”

  She nodded yes.

  Joe walked in and sat next to her, and gently squeezed her hand. “How are you feeling?”

  All she could do was shrug her shoulders.

  “I text Mike to let him know you’re awake, he’s on his way. He’s getting a coffee in the cafeteria. You know you are one tough lady.”

  A few words she could whisper. “You just noticed?” She smiled, she sure loved Joe.

  He rolled his head back in laughter and said. “I’ve got to go back outside, but Mike will be here in a few minutes.” He reached down and kissed her on the forehead and walked out to sit in the chair.

  The pain got bad so she buzzed the nurse and she came with her bag of tricks.

  Mike got back just after she went back to sleep, and he was disappointed he missed her. She looked so tiny in the bed. He could spend hours just watching her. If she moved only an inch he jumped up and checked on her. He didn’t want her to be in any pain. If she needed moving he moved her. Since he was much stronger than the nurses, he could move her gently. He couldn’t stand for her to be cold, so he had her favorite patch work quilt brought from home.

  He saw her open one eye and he walked over and cupped her head with his hands and said. “Hi baby, I have missed you and I’m glad your back. Do you need anything?” There was no doubt he would have got her the moon. He kissed the corner of her mouth. He thought her face felt warm. Maybe the blanket was too much. He pulled it off her. A quiver of panic enveloped him.

  “Just some water,” she managed a whisper. He noticed her eyes didn’t look well. He started to worry about her.

  “You got it,” and he left and brought her some water, then he went to the nurse’s station to get her a straw and ice chips.

  When he put the straw to her lips she drank several cups of water, she was so thirsty. That made her feel a little better, but it did hurt a little when it went down her windpipe. She told Mike. “I thought I died.”

  He wasn’t expecting that statement at all. “Why would you think that?

  “All the flowers.”

  “Oh baby, all the flowers are because we love you. You are so cute.” He pulled the chair up to the bed and got as close as he could to her. He took her hand and rubbed it on his cheek. He had to be touching her as much as he could.

  “Mike that hurts, you have whiskers.”

  “Oh baby I just love you so much. I’m so glad you’re doing better,” he said. The nurse came and took all her vitals and told Mike he needed to leave. She told him her blood pressure was up and she was running a fever. The nurse immediately paged the doctor.

  His heart sank because he knew that was not good news. He kissed her on the forehead and he reluctantly left. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

  She nodded, not wanting to let go of his hand, she didn’t know why, but she didn’t want to let go. She felt like it might be the last time she would ever touch him. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched him walk out the door.

  She mouthed the words, I love you.

  He blew her a kiss. That was all he could do, his lips were quivering. What hurt him the most was she didn’t want him to leave, he could tell. She squeezed his hand as if to say don’t leave me. He prayed. “Please God, give her the strength to get through this, she needs you more now that she ever has.”

  *****

  Mike waited in the hallway for the doctor to finish his examination on Lana. The nurse took some blood as the doctor ordered blood tests. Mike noticed the doctor shook his head, not a promising sight to watch. The doctors and nurses always smiled when they walked out of her room, not now. Mike didn’t want to interrupt the doctor until he wrote all the details in her chart. Mike paced in the hallway outside the room waiting to hear, dreading bad news. When the doctor finished, Mike couldn’t wait another minute and walked in the room. “How is she?” Three words he hoped he would never have to say again, memories of Kathy flooded his mind. Mike’s heart nearly beat out of his chest. He wanted to crawl on that bed and hold her, make her pain go away, make her better.

  “Not good, she’s running a high fever and her organs have started to shut down one by one. We are treating her with antibiotics and let’s hope for the best. Her body has been through so much.” Dr. Orsburn wished he had better news for Mike.

  “Are you telling me she’s dying?” Mike choked up and couldn’t bear that thought. His entire body hurt.

  “I hope not, so let’s hope the antibiotics and her fight for life will prevail.” Dr. Orsburn knew anything was possible. People died when they were not as sick as Lana. But many in worse shape recuperated. It was in God’s hands now.

  “Do you think the antibiotics will help?” This gave him a glimmer of hope. Mike trusted Dr. Orsburn’s opinion.

  “I hope so.” The doctor answered honestly. He knew many patients pulled through with less hope.

  “Do you know where the infection is?” Mike was worried someone came in and gave her the flu or some kind of virus.

  “I think the infection is in her lung. Because of the infection her heart has enlarged and she’s having trouble breathing. We are gi
ving her oxygen. If she can get through the next few days she should be home free.” He couldn’t help himself but to put his hand on Mike’s shoulder. Most of the time he tried not to get too close to the families, but he knew Mike was in such despair.

  “Is there anything I can do?” Mike asked crying.

  “Pray if you’re a praying man.”

  His parents raised him Catholic and he knew there was a God who could heal her. “Thank you, doctor.”

  The doctor shook Mike’s hand and then he was gone.

  Mike paced around Lana’s room. Other than her face looking flushed, she appeared to be sleeping peacefully. He stopped his pacing and stood by her bed. He took her hand and softly talked to her, encouraging her. “Baby, fight this infection, please. I need you beside me, with me, all our lives. You promised me fifty years. God I love you so much.” He choked up and wept next to her.

  Raymond and Joe stood in the doorway as they heard the bad news. They knew from the death of Kathy how Mike would react. At least with Kathy, Mike had time to prepare his heart. With Lana, he was thrown in, sink or swim. Guilt filled all their hearts. There were many - what ifs - going through their minds, especially Joe.

  Raymond was the first to say something as he walked in Lana’s room. “Mike we know who did this and as Lana gets better we will hunt him down like a dog. But right now we have to be strong for her. She will want to see your smile when she wakes up and I want you to focus on that. Joe and I can work on the investigation.”

  Mike knew that he would not let the shooter get by with this even if he had to quit the marshals and hunt him down on his own. “Raymond we have to find him or he’ll come back and finish the job.” From the experience as a cop, he knew this asshole would not quit until Lana was dead. If Ken was right and he was paid to kill. He wouldn’t get paid unless she’s dead.

  “I know he will, but we’ll get him before he can get to Lana.” Raymond was a little concerned about what Mike might do. Not only could this guy walk in the hospital, they wouldn’t know it’s him.

  Mike could see the doctor at the end of the hall and he had to talk to him one more time. “Doctor, may I talk to you in private?”