He continued to labor up the stairs, his body jolting and bobbing with the extra strain of his wife’s weight on his shoulder. Bex discarded the scalpel, instead using both hands on the railing to leap the steps three at a time. Turning the corner she closed in on him.
Beyond Lander, the fire resistant door to the next level burst open.
“Stop! Federal Agents! Lander Dresden, stay where you are!”
The words were fast and hard, breaking over their heads in a shout that echoed around the concrete stairwell.
Caught between Bex and the new arrival, Lander lurched backward, one powered foot kicking out at her. Bex made her arms rigid, clinging to the railings but she couldn’t stop her upward impetus. The robotic foot connected powerfully with her stomach, punching the air out of her lungs into a muffled scream. The thrust sent her sideways, straight over the red-painted railing.
She tumbled, her body rolling over and over down the concrete treads until she reached the foot of the stairs.
“Bex!” It was Cole’s voice she dimly heard through a noise like crashing waves inside her head.
Cole! There was something important she had to tell him. The baby! She had to tell him about the baby, so he could help her. But the words jammed inside the tidal wave pounding, thundering behind her eyes and couldn’t escape.
Chapter 35
Columbus General Hospital
Saturday, 28 April
Struggling out of a nightmare, Bex woke up only to discover it wasn’t a dream, she really was back in the hospital. Her startled awakening caused Walt to reach out a hand and squeeze her shoulder.
“Slow down, Bex. I think I recall saying this to you before, but hell, here we go for round two with you back in the hospital.”
“It’s okay, Walt,” she found herself comforting him. “The doctors say my broken arm will make a full recovery in six to twelve weeks, and the bumps and bruises will fade even faster.”
Bex looked down at her left arm, held rigid in a sling against her chest. Experimentally she wiggled her fingers, wincing as sharp pain shot up from her wrist.
“The doctors say it’s a closed fracture, the bones stayed aligned so I didn’t even need surgery. And I’ve been cleared of concussion.”
Bex squeezed her eyes shut, sifting backwards through jumbled memories.
“Dresden! Can you tell me what happened to Dresden since I’ve been trapped in here without visitors? The nurses have told me nothing.” Her croaking voice ended in a dry cough. She wet her lips, seeking moisture until Walt held a plastic cup to her mouth so she could suck water through a straw.
“Special Agent Eisley Gillespie made the official arrest of both Lander and Sophie Dresden. Sophie Dresden underwent emergency surgery after it turned out the bullet you shot nicked her femoral artery. Lucky thing it did otherwise she might’ve escaped police clutches again. She’ll also make a full recovery. Right now she’s under guard here in Columbus. Some guys with the funny accents arrived yesterday to make arrangements to take both of them back to England.”
“You mean Cole? Is he still here?” Bex couldn’t hide the edge of anxiety she felt.
“That I don’t know. What I do know is that Ortiz is champing at the bit to ask what your involvement in all this is and how you came to be at QBE. So far the medicos have been keeping you sedated and him at bay.”
The door opened and Neil poked his head through the opening.
“Looks like my time’s up.” Walt rose from the side of her hospital bed. “Stay strong, kiddo.”
“Wait, Walt. What happened about the Manhattan Club waitress? Did we ever get an ID on her?”
“Yeah, that English dude told me the photo you sent him matched one Erin Hardcastle. She’s a medical technician at QBE. I passed her details onto Ortiz. He brought her into the station for an interview. Swears she was just being a Good Samaritan, helping Cabalina Gomez out of a work bind. I guess you’re going to have to let your conspiracy theories go, Bex.”
She read the culpability in his flinching gaze, but she refused to relinquish his eyes. This past week Walt had been brushing off her suggestions of foul play with the energy and determination of a guilty man. Ever since the car crash her gut instincts had insisted that Zane’s death wasn’t an accident. She wasn’t going to let the culprit escape because Walt preferred to let the truth slide. She knew exactly what was behind his guilt and she couldn’t let him get away with it!
“You can’t take the blame for Zane’s death! You couldn’t possibly have known my coffee had been drugged when you urged Zane to drink it.”
“If I had just left it alone, you probably wouldn’t have drunk it either because it would’ve been cold by the time you came back into the restaurant. Both of you would be alive and living happily in New York. There’s no way around it. Zane’s heart attack is my fault.” His head drooped, his voice faltered. “I killed my best friend.”
“No, Walt, I forbid you to blame yourself! Even without the drugged coffee, there was another car that tried to run us off the road. I think this woman, Erin Hardcastle, took off after us when she realized I hadn’t drunk the coffee. Remember those security photos you found showed she left the café within a few minutes of us? If she knew we would be at the Manhattan Club for dinner, she certainly knew we were traveling to Armonk straight after. I think she was the one who drove towards us, hoping to scare us. One way or the other Hardcastle was determined to get me and she didn’t care if Zane was collateral damage. When she saw our car swerve out of control, she must’ve thought she’d succeeded and drove away. The snow that night erased any evidence. We were unlucky that no witnesses were around to come forward or this crime would’ve been solved sooner.”
“How can you forgive me for not believing you, Bex? From the very beginning you knew a crime had been committed and Gabe and I refused to listen!”
“Walt, you were doing your job. I was hysterical with grief and there was no evidence to support my claims. Nobody took me seriously.”
“But I was your partner and Zane’s best friend. If anybody —”
“Stop! You have a chance to redeem yourself now. Help Captain Ortiz gather sufficient evidence so Erin Hardcastle can’t escape her crime. Do it for Zane. He wouldn’t want you to blame yourself. You’ll be no good to those boys in the halfway house if you do.”
His bowed head spoke volumes. She thought she saw a tear escape, dribbling against lips pressed tightly together so his emotions wouldn’t break.
“Now, get out of here! I need to talk to Neil.”
Neil’s spritely form replaced Walt’s in the chair by her bed. His cheeks bristled with two-day growth and his normally neat comb-over looked tousled. His faded blue eyes were ringed with tiredness and concern.
“You gave us all another scare, my dear.” He patted her hand.
“I’m going to be fine, Neil.”
“I know you are. I spoke to the doctors and your MRI shows no lasting damage to your spine, just plenty of bruising and inflammation to keep you from dancing the night away.”
Bex offered a weak attempt at a smile.
“I’m sorry, that’s a joke in poor taste. I won’t stay long. Once we knew you were awake Steven went down to the cafeteria to get you a real coffee so he’ll be back to see you soon. I just wanted to relay some news about Karen and Kristian.”
“Kristian’s okay?”
He patted her hand again.
“The hospital staff checked him over and released him yesterday. Kristian’s in good physical health but hopping mad at the world in general. Karen, on the other hand, is dead. A drug overdose caused her heart to fail. Kristian explained that Dresden stole the ambulance that might have saved her life. The paramedic on the scene did his best with an injured arm, but he couldn’t revive her. Child Protective Services started poking their noses into Kristian’s affairs, so I visited Joachim Weiss to see if we can get this mess sorted. First off, he thinks Karen’s death will have a favorable impact on the appeal p
rocess to get the divorce judgment overturned and have you reinstated as Zane’s legal wife.”
“I don’t know about that, Neil. If Karen’s dead then Zane’s inheritance will pass to Kristian and I think Zane would be happy with that.”
“Poppycock! Zane set up a trust for Kristian, the rest of his money he wanted you to have. Besides, I took Kristian to the Zane Wynter Halfway House after his release from the hospital and Walt gave him the grand tour. He spoke to Walt at length and some of the boys there. He’s not going to contest the appeal or try to get the money through Karen’s estate.”
“What?! Have you been twisting his arm?”
“Just opening his eyes. I’m taking every opportunity to enlighten him about what a great guy his dad was and how much he loved Kristian. I’m hopeful he’ll come around to thinking the same thing. You know something else, whatever you did on Thursday night created quite an impact on him. He seems to think you’re pretty special. Although I admit he does have a bloodthirsty streak because he thinks your only flaw is that you didn’t finish off the woman who stole the ambulance.”
Bex managed a chuckle for Neil’s benefit. “If anyone can change Kristian’s mind about Zane, it’s you. Zane always said you could talk the fleas off a dog! What happens to Kristian now?
“Child Protective Services wanted to take him in but he kicked up a storm, saying he’ll be seventeen next month and old enough to be on his own. Apparently he was in the system once before when he was younger and Karen had some difficulties. He swears he’s not going to stay in state care and he’ll just run away and live on the streets. Kristian did identify an aunt, Karen’s sister Julia, but she’s not interested in taking on Kristian. She’s got a young family of her own and she says she can’t handle him.”
“Oh, Neil, I feel so sorry for him. Out of everyone involved in this mess, he’s an innocent party. He had no stake in any of this and no control over the outcome. On top of that he’s just seen his mom die.”
“I’m worried too. The good news is I’ve managed to get Kristian released into my care and I’m filling in the paperwork to become his guardian until he turns eighteen. After all, I’m his grandfather. He’s not thrilled with the idea, but he’s sensible enough to see it’s a better option than state care or living on the street.”
How would the 86-year-old manage caring for a teenager, especially one as hard to handle as Kristian? She knew his heart was in the right place, but she had to wonder if Neil had the stamina.
Before she could voice her concern, the door opened and her father stepped through.
“That’s my cue to leave.”
Bex watched Neil’s somewhat shaky rise to his feet, but knew better than to make any sympathetic noises.
“I have a Brooklyn Lager waiting in my fridge any time you want to visit,” Neil said, looking over his shoulder at Bex. He gave Steven a light clap on the back as he left the room.
Steven set a steaming cup of coffee on the rolling tabletop, within reach of her uninjured right arm. They were silent while he took a few minutes to lever himself into the seat Neil had vacated.
“Thought you might be sick of water by now and in need of stronger sustenance,” he said. “It might not be as good as Neil’s lager, but it’s easier to get into the hospital.”
“Thanks, Dad. Can you help me?” Even though she felt emotionally closer to Neil, Steven was still her dad and he had proved he loved her.
Steven picked up the cup, leaning forward so Bex didn’t have to lift her head from the pillows. Anticipating her helplessness, he had removed the lid and inserted a straw for her. She finished with a slurp, before locking eyes with him.
“I’m going to have to talk to Captain Ortiz and tell him about Wyatt Tomei’s blackmail. We can’t let him get away with his threats against Mom. Especially as this isn’t the first time, is it, Dad? Was I the target the first time Tomei threatened you?”
“How did you know?”
“It’s the only logical reason for QBE’s involvement with Zane’s death. The medical breakthrough they announced in January, that was your work, wasn’t it?”
Steven’s gaze broke from hers as his head slumped into his hands. He rubbed the palms over his face as though scrubbing at his skin. When he spoke it seemed like he was sweating blood with every word.
“That December was the first time Tomei contacted me, only I didn’t know it was Tomei at the time. It was just a faceless voice over the phone. He wanted the nerve link software PKB developed. I told him hell would freeze over before he got his hands on it. I threatened to go to the police if he continued his demands. I heard nothing for two weeks, then I got the news that you and Zane had been in a horrific crash. Zane died and you were hospitalized. I’ve never been so scared in my life. I don’t know exactly how Tomei arranged Zane’s death, but I didn’t hesitate. I handed over every proprietary patent we had on that software. I know it doesn’t alter the fact that I’m responsible for Zane’s death.”
The crack in his voice betrayed his pain and she could see the tears he fought to control. Seeing his emotion was a revelation of just how deep his feelings for her ran. Now she understood it wasn’t his coldness that made him appear pleased she had accepted a position in London that took her permanently away from New York. He had been concerned for her safety and that she would become a target again if she stayed in the city. She would never again doubt that he loved her.
“I’m not sure that Tomei intended to kill me, just have me end up in hospital to scare you into complying,” Bex said. “He sent Erin Hardcastle to the restaurant to slip the potassium drug into my coffee. They’d used the drug in a clinical trial and must have kept some stocks of it. When Hardcastle realized I hadn’t drunk my coffee, she must’ve panicked. She knew where we were headed from the restaurant. My guess is she drove towards Armonk and managed to ambush us, forcing our car to spin out of control. She wanted to make sure you got the message loud and clear that I was in danger.
“Tomei and Hardcastle may not have realized that the sudden spike in Zane’s adrenaline, caused by seeing the oncoming headlights, mixed with the potassium cocktail he drank in the coffee, would result in a massive heart attack.”
Steven bravely met her glance. “You can say it, Bex. I’m the one who killed Zane.”
Bex winced. Any consolation she felt about proving her instincts right and solving the riddle of Zane’s death was drowned by the knowledge that those who loved Zane most were left to suffer in a hell of their own making because of where their actions had led.
“No, Dad! Tomei and Hardcastle are responsible for killing Zane.” She wanted to shake her head to emphasize her point, but the sharp pain in her neck stopped her. “I wish you had reported the incident to the police when Tomei first made contact, but I won’t let you take the blame for Zane’s death. Although you do see that we have to come clean about everything to Captain Ortiz so Tomei and Hardcastle can be charged?”
He nodded. “I’m done with keeping secrets if it helps get justice for what happened to both of you.”
* * *
Bex’s eyes fluttered open to view a woman in blue scrubs, checking the monitors beside her bed.
“Looks like your morning visitors tired you, Sugar. I’ve just got to check some vitals and then I’ll leave you in peace. How’re your pain levels?”
Bex conducted a mental check of her body. The aches and pains were active, throbbing and twinging, but nothing she couldn’t handle if she stayed perfectly still.
“I’m hanging in there.”
“Good for you. But remember, it’s better to control the pain than wait until it takes control, so don’t be shy about speaking up if you need pain medication. I was here when they brought you in I saw how black and blue you were.”
“If you were on duty when I came in, can you tell me…” Bex inhaled so hard her aching ribs protested. There was a burning question that she needed to ask, but it was difficult to voice out loud. “Can you tell me if my baby
is okay?”
The way the woman paused, the polite way her face blanked told Bex everything she needed to know. Grief ripped through her. She clamped her good hand across her mouth to stifle the cries choking her throat.
“Oh, Sugar, I’m so sorry. You sustained severe internal bruising from the kick and your fall. Your kidneys and spleen were both bruised. You were lucky you didn’t break ribs. The good news is that you didn’t suffer any lasting internal damage. I know it’s not much consolation now, but you’re young and healthy enough to fall pregnant again. That’s what I told your partner as well. He was utterly devastated by the news that you’d lost the baby.”
Bex felt ice plunge into her heart.
“My partner?”
“Yes that tall, dark man with the cutest accent. He was with you when they brought you in and so attentive about your welfare. It broke my heart to see the way he fell apart when he heard about the baby. He came to see you today, but you were asleep.” She bustled around the bed towards the water jug on the side cabinet. “Look here, I think he’s left you a note.” She handed the envelope to Bex. “Ain’t that sweet? Most fellas just send a girl a text message these days. Can you manage, Sugar, or do you want me to open the envelope for you?”
“Open it please.”
The nurse eased open the seal and removed a sheet of paper. She placed it between Bex’s lifeless fingers.
“You sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine, thank you.” Bex willed the woman to leave so she could read Cole’s note in peace and privacy.
The woman jotted a few notes in a chart that she hung on the wall and then, with a last look in Bex’s direction, she moved onto her next patient.
Bex raised the note in front of her eyes.
This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to write. I told you that when Lara and I lost our baby, it almost broke me. I couldn’t help Lara through the tragedy. I failed her, and now I’m failing you too.
Bex Wynter Box Set 2 Page 58
