He found it. “Yeah, she was a probee and didn't go through the door, but she did testify.”
“About?” Croft asked.
“When it all went down, she was working the perimeter. Anthony Dresden came out and tried to hide the fact that he’d fired his weapon. She saw him reloading the spent cartridges.”
“Shit,” muttered Croft. “Then, Detective Laden stuck his nose in it, and someone found out.”
Emma continued, “This screams of revenge. We have our motive. Everyone who testified against Anthony Dresden was wiped out. Is Tessa the last one?”
Briggs nodded.
Croft spoke, “What about his family? They’d want justice for him if they thought the FBI turned on him.”
Curtis dug. “His parents are deceased. One died of cancer, and his mother took her life right after Anthony Dresden took his.”
“So, who was left?”
He continued to search. “There’s only a sister.”
“Her name?”
“Catherine Patricia Dresden,” he said, reading it from the records.
They all looked at each other. It didn't ring a bell. The team even began thinking back to the wives of their original suspects. They didn't have a Catherine.
“Oh shit,” Curtis blurted, sitting up fast. “Oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”
They all stared at him, and when he turned the tablet around they stared.
“She got married and divorced. “Catherine Patricia Dresden is Captain Patty Stout.”
No one spoke. Finally, Emma said what they were all thinking. “She knew what Detective Laden was working on, and she shot him with her own dead brother’s gun. That’s why she didn't want the FBI helping on this one. She was going to bury it, after she buries Tessa!”
“It makes sense,” Brynn said. “There were blonde hairs in Laden’s bed, and we have a blonde in the pictures we found on Lester William’s tablet.”
“OH MY GOD!” Emma exclaimed. “The coffee shop is right across the street from the department. She could sit in her office and ride the Wi-Fi, like Lester did at home with his neighbors.”
“We have to call Ford. This is a huge mess, and he’s going to have to help clean it up! Curtis, you and Brynn head to the hospital and watch Tessa. You don’t let her out of your sight, and you lock down Paris’s room!” Croft demanded, whipping out his phone as his agent and detective took off running.
He still couldn’t believe it. Their cop killer was none other than a cop.
No one saw this coming.
* * *
At her house, she paid the cab driver and headed for the door. Thank God she had her keys, or she would have to wake up Paris’s parents to let her in.
They needed their sleep, since they’d been through a lot.
Just before putting the key in the lock, Tessa heard a rustling beside her. Spinning, there was the loud cracking sound, as everything around her went black. Falling to the ground, her last thought was Paris, and how she was going to miss him.
Patty Stout stood over her, holding the gun. “Welcome home, Agent Brass. I’ve got to admit that I appreciate you giving me the keys to the house. Now, we can go inside and take care of our little business. Then, I’ll be going home.”
There was sick laughter. “You’ll be going right to the morgue. It looks like justice is finally mine.”
* * *
By the time Curtis and Brynn arrived at the hospital, Paris was wide awake. When they rushed in, they tried not to scare the man, but they needed to know where she was.
“Hey, have you seen Tessa?” Curtis asked, glancing at the phone on the table.
“No, her cell’s been ringing and it woke me up. Wherever Tessa went, she didn't take it with her. Maybe she’s getting something to eat downstairs.”
Brynn didn't like the sound of that. Immediately, she headed out to the nurses station.
“What’s going on?” he asked, getting that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. What happened?”
“The team solved it,” he said, trying to not alarm the man. “You were right. They were all connected to one case. Good job, Paris,” he said, calmly.
When Brynn rushed in, she whispered in Curtis’s ear.
Paris could see them and knew something was up. He may be paralyzed, but his brain was perfectly fine. “Where’s Tess?” he practically shouted. “Tell me where she is!” he raged, getting visibly upset.
Brynn went to his side and placed her hand on his arm. “Paris, you have to calm down. It’s okay. She just went home to get you some comfortable clothes for tomorrow. She’ll be back,” she said, soothingly. “It’s okay. We have the killer’s identity. The boss and Emma are on it.”
He calmed marginally. “Who did this to me?” he asked, his voice cold with anger. “I need to know who stole my life away from me!”
“Captain Patty Stout,” she answered, stroking his arm. His fists were clenched in the bed linens, and he was vibrating in anger.
“Why?” he needed to know.
Curtis broke it all down, explaining everything. When he got to the end of the story, instead of calming Paris down, it stirred him up
“You have to find Tessa! She’s in danger!” he shouted.
They were well aware, but they couldn’t let the man in the bed get further injured.
When a nurse raced in, she didn't look happy. “What’s going on?” she demanded, as Paris tried to pull his arms free of the restraints.
“I have to find my Tessa!” he bellowed with rage. “She’s in danger and I have to save her!”
“He’s going to worsen his injuries,” the nurse insisted, calling for help. “We need to sedate him!”
“NO!” he shouted, fighting harder.
They each took an arm and tried to hold him still.
“Come on, Paris! You have to stop,” Brynn pleaded. “They’re going to knock you out,” she warned.
He didn't care. “Tessa!” he howled. He could feel it in his gut. She needed him, and if he had to drag himself across the floor to get to her, Paris would. “Tessa!”
The nurse arrived and injected the syringe into his IV line.
“It’s okay, Paris. It’s okay,” Curtis promised. “We’ll find Tessa and get her back here.”
His body went lax. “Tessa,” he whispered. “Tessie, I love you, come back,” he said, his voice going all thick from the medication. “I’m sorry. I was so wrong,” he slurred. “I can’t let you…”
And he was gone.
The last thing Paris Archer remembered was slipping into the dark, but he made one promise. If anything happened to her, he wouldn’t live without her.
She was his life.
And if need be, she would be his death.
Brynn wiped the tears from his face. “Call the boss. He needs to know that Tessa headed out alone. Someone needs to get to her, and fast.”
He agreed, dialing the number. When he finally got his boss, he sounded just as edgy.
“What? She’s where?” Croft asked, staring at his wife. “Okay, you stay there with him. Under no circumstance are you to leave Paris’s side. We’re heading out.”
He hung up his phone. “Tessa left the hospital less than an hour ago. She was going back to her house. We have to get there,” he said, clipping his gun to his hip.
Emma did the same.
Out in the bullpen, they ran into Commissioner Ford. If he was coming, he better be ready to run.
“What happened?” he asked, following them to the elevator.
Emma began breaking it down, until he had the entire story. From the look on his face, they knew he was another powder keg ready to explode.
“I’ll shoot her myself! Are you one hundred percent sure?” he asked. It wasn’t that he didn't believe them, but he had to ask, just to make certain.
“Yeah,” Croft said, racing through the parking area to the Denali. “You're going to want to suit up if you’re riding along,” he said, pulling on his vest before getting beh
ind the wheel.
Both Emma and Chris Ford jumped in, doing the same.
“Of course I’m coming! Hurry!”
He did just that.
“So, his DNA was on the bullet?” Ford asked, velcroing into his vest.
“Yeah, she must have kept the gun, and this vendetta in the back of her mind for all these years. She’s out for blood, and Tessa is the last one on the list.”
Ford was sick to his stomach. Now, he knew for certain that he never should have taken the commissioner job. If he thought his precinct was a mess before, it wasn’t nearly as bad.
This was a disaster.
Something had to be done.
* * *
Tessa’s heart was pounding in her ears.
The strike to her head had been brutal, and she didn't know how long she’d been out. All she did know was that her hands were in front of her, and she couldn’t pull them apart.
“I see you’re awake,” Patty Stout said, before brutally kicking her in the ribs.
Tessa’s body came up off the floor with the velocity of the strike. She was certain something was now broken in her side.
“What do you want?” she hissed in pain. When Tessa opened her eyes, she saw Roger and Daphne Archer, bound and gagged on the couch.
Okay, this was bad.
“I want your blood spilled and your brains all over the wall, just like my brother’s were!” she raged, moving toward her once more. This time, she grabbed Tessa by the hair and dragged her forcefully across the carpet.
“Who’s your brother?” Tessa got out, between the pain in her side and her head.
“Anthony Dresden!”
Tessa had to think back, and unfortunately for her, this enraged the woman further. When she swung out and her fist met its mark on her cheek, Tessa fell backwards.
“You killed him and can’t even remember him!” she screamed.
Blood dripped from Tessa’s chin, as she checked with her tongue to make sure she still had all her teeth. For now, they felt like they were still there.
She only prayed that she could end this before the woman killed her. “I remember him. He was an agent with the FBI.”
It calmed the woman. “Yes, he was. He was a good man, and the FBI covered it all up.”
Yeah, her brother was a killer. Crazy must have run in the family, but she kept that to herself.
For now, Tessa had to hope that someone knew what was going on, and she could stall for time. Until then, she needed to build up enough strength to be able to fight.
She had to live for Paris.
“Why are you doing this?”
“I’m seeking justice! I’m evening the score for a man who couldn’t fight back. My brother deserves to rest in peace! The FBI made him believe he was worthless and he took his life. The day he died, it ended up killing our mother, and ate away at my dad. This is about making sure the truth comes out, and people know how evil the FBI is! You, and everyone there that day testified! You lied!”
The woman didn't know what the hell she was talking about. Tessa had been there. Her brother was guilty as sin. That’s why she testified. If it hadn’t been conducted behind closed doors, she would have recognized the other agents and put this together sooner.
Shit!
This sucked.
Glancing over at Paris’s parents, they looked scared. If anything, she had to keep them safe. If Paris lost them, he’d be destroyed. If she died, they’d need to carry on and help him.
“You're the last one, and I wanted to face you. I wanted you to look into the face of a person whose life you destroyed with your lies. You’re going to pay. Now, stand up!”
Tessa knew it was now or never. The woman had a gun, and she didn't. It was going to be about disarming her. Tessa was strong, but this woman was bigger than she was and that was going to be a disadvantage.
Pushing up, she stared down at her hands. It looked like this was going to be a barehanded brawl.
God, please let her live. She thought back to something Paris had said to her weeks ago. Fate put them together. Tessa had to believe she could do this, or die fighting for his family’s life. It all came down to this one moment.
It would be her will to live against this lunatic’s desire to destroy so many lives.
Glancing up, Tessa stared down the nose of the nine millimeter. It was pointed right at her chest. Her options were gone, and it was now or never.
As Patty Stout’s finger moved toward the trigger, Tessa moved. Swinging her hands up full force, she hit the woman’s hand, knocking the gun away.
It skittered across the floor, sliding under the china cabinet that had once been her adopted mother’s. Well, at least she wouldn’t get shot.
Within seconds, they were rolling around on the floor. Tessa fought with everything she had, even as nails sunk into her flesh, burning like fire. The woman was vicious, going for Tessa’s eyes, and repeatedly slamming her head off the floor.
Tessa knew she had one shot, and with her forehead, she slammed her skull against the bridge of Patty Stout’s nose.
Tessa was going to either be dead tomorrow, or in a hell of a lot of pain. She prayed for the latter.
When Patty stumbled back, Tessa struggled to get to her feet. When she did, a bloody Patty charged her. Using her bound hands, Tessa sidestepped and swung. Her aim was right on the mark, hitting the woman in the throat and taking her to her back.
Tessa watched her fall, struggling for air as an ungodly gurgling sound came from her damaged windpipe. When her eyes rolled up into her head, she knew it was done.
A loud crash had her glancing toward the door as her boss charged in. It was as if all the energy and adrenaline was gone. Tessa fell, rolling onto her back, as Emma rushed to her side.
Dropping to her knees, she began untying the restraints around Tessa’s wrists. “You’re a mess, Agent Brass,” Emma said. “Good to see you fought hard.”
Tess turned her head. “Help them,” she whispered, staring at Paris’s parents. “Please help them first,” she whispered, as Emma rushed to them.
Daphne Archer sobbed as Emma removed her gag. When her arms were free, she crawled to Tessa’s side, pulling her into her lap to cradle her. The woman was already going limp.
“Tell him I love him. Tell him not to leave me. I fought to stay, now he has to do the same,” she whispered, closing her eyes. The pain was too much, both physical and emotional.
There were kisses to the crown of her head as she felt loved, right before slipping into the darkness.
Now, she only hoped that feeling would last.
* * *
Wednesday Morning
It was the longest night of his life. Once he woke from the sedation, Paris was told that Tessa was indeed okay, yet, she didn't come back to his room.
It made him a nervous wreck. Finally, when his boss showed up and sat in the chair beside him to keep him company, he knew something bad had happened.
After hearing the story, his worst fears were reborn. He couldn’t be at her side. He was trapped in a bed, while his sweet Tessa was on another floor being worked on.
As the night progressed, he became more and more agitated, wanting to get to her. Each time the panic filled him, Emma or Greyson Croft offered him support. Sometimes, she would hold his hand, and others the big boss would go out and see how Tessa was doing. A few times during the night, he returned with pictures to alleviate the stress.
His heart leapt with joy, even as his stomach sank in horror. She looked like she’d been in an accident- a brutal one, where she barely walked away.
When Croft played a video message from her, which they recorded on Paris’s phone, his heart flipped in his chest.
‘Hi handsome.
I tried to get a double room for us to save the FBI money, but they’re afraid I’m going to try to climb into bed with you. So, until morning, I’m in lock down one floor below. Don’t worry. As soon as I can shake the nurse, I’ll be in your room. I’m
okay and I miss you. I love you, Paris. Forever, I promise.’
All night, he’d hit the button, as his phone sat beneath his fingers on the bed. Once he would hear her voice, there was peace. She gave him that, as she’d fought to get back to his side.
As morning broke on the horizon, he heard the gentle footsteps and knew who was coming.
“Tessa?” he called, unable to see who entered his room. He prayed it wasn’t a nurse, but the woman he loved.
“Paris,” she whispered, knowing that she wasn’t supposed to be off her floor, but she didn't care. Thanks to Emma, who had assisted in her escape, she was able to see him, reassuring Paris that she was indeed all right.
When she came into view, she was a million times more battered than he saw on the video. Her lower lip was split and swollen, her cheek had a horrible bruise, her eye was already turning black, and her arm was in a cast.
“Oh, God, baby!” he said, wishing he could hold her. He was dying to just take her in his arms and hold Tessa to his chest.
Leaning down, she gently touched her battered lips to his. “I love you, Paris,” she whispered. It was so good to be able to have that one moment.
“How bad are you hurt?” he asked.
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” she said, holding his hand in hers.
“Tessa!”
She sighed. “I have a broken wrist, a few bruised ribs and my face is a little beat up. That’s all.”
He was astounded that she wasn’t even the least bit concerned with what she’d just said. Personally, it made him want to be sick.
“Baby,” he began. Where did he even start? His mother had been in and told him about the fight. It scared the hell out of him, but he was proud.
His Tessa kicked ass.
Literally!
She kissed him again to shut him up. It was her only strategy. Brynn Westmore told her how they had to sedate him, as he fought to get out of the halo and to her side. If that wasn’t love, what was?
Love is Bleeding (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 4) Page 47
