LETHAL INJECTION (Det. Jason Strong(CLEAN SUSPENSE) Book 8)

by John C. Dalglish

  “Anybody got a visual on our blanket guy?”

  Everyone came back with a negative response.

  She set her cup on the dash and as she did, she caught site of a blue sedan, its license plate missing, slowing to a stop across from Jason’s position. A man of average height, wearing a long coat, got out and walked toward the entrance to the lot. She keyed her mic.

  “Jason, you’ve got a visitor.”

  “I don’t see him.”

  “He’s entering the parking lot now.”

  *******

  Jason’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Vanessa, tell me when you’ve got him on video.”

  “Okay. Wait, there he is, coming up on your right.”

  “I see him.”

  Jason pulled his hat lower and laid his forehead on his knees. He sensed the man’s presence growing ever closer.

  *******

  Lieutenant Banks was focused on the voices in her ear, when she felt the vibration of her phone on her hip. Irritated, she pulled the phone out and looked at the number. It was dispatch.

  “Lieutenant Banks!”

  “Yes, Lieutenant. This is central dispatch, and I have a call from a Doctor Darrel Chase at the coroner’s office.”

  Banks was only half listening. “Who?”

  “The coroner’s office.”

  “Very well, put him through.”

  After a couple clicks, she heard the calls connect. “This is Lieutenant Banks.”

  “Lieutenant, this is Darrel Chase. I just received the extra test result on victim five.”

  “Please be brief, Doctor. I’m in the middle of something here.”

  “The victims are being injected with sux!”

  Banks pulled her earpiece and focused on the call. “Sux? What is that?”

  “Succinylcholine. It’s a paralytic drug used mostly in surgery. A person who is injected will die in about two minutes without proper medical support.”

  “Die how?”

  “They lose all muscle movement, including the lungs, and die of asphyxiation.”

  “Thank you, Doctor.”

  Banks hung up the phone and jammed her earpiece back in. “Strong! Do you copy?”

  Jason didn’t respond.

  *******

  Vanessa watched the screen, her pulse rising with each passing moment. She could hear the conversation but the stranger had blocked her view. Suddenly, Sarah Banks screamed in her ear.

  “Strong! Do you copy?”

  Vanessa sensed panic in the lieutenant’s voice. “He can’t answer now, Lieutenant.”

  “Can he hear me?”

  “I believe so.”

  “Jason, do not let yourself be injected! Break cover if you must, but do not get injected!”

  *******

  “Is that you, Benny?”

  “What?” Jason mumbled, trying to disguise his voice.

  “Benny Walker, is that you?”

  “Who wants to know?”

  Jason cringed when Banks screamed in his ear, and he hoped he didn’t give himself away. He didn’t dare respond, and he wasn’t exactly sure what she said.

  Then another loud interruption, partially muffled. “…do not get injected.”

  Before Jason could make sense of it, he felt the stab of pain in his shoulder. Reacting immediately, he lunged after the man, who had started to walk away. Jason got the man’s sleeve.

  “Police, freeze!”

  The man jerked his arm free, and Jason found himself unable to stand. He fell back to the concrete loading dock and struggled to sit up. He couldn’t move, his arms and legs unable to follow his brain’s commands.

  He lay there, eyes open, but no part of his body responding. Panic overwhelmed him as he realized he was starting to have trouble breathing.

  *******

  Vanessa saw the stranger lunge forward and then turn away from Jason. Her partner reached out to grab the man, but was unable to hold him. It was when she saw Jason collapse that she knew her partner was in real trouble.

  “Jason is down, suspect is leaving. All units converge on suspect.” Vanessa jumped out of the van, running to get to her partner.

  *******

  Banks began calling out orders. “Officers respond to blue sedan, man in long coat, directly in front of the stakeout.”

  She climbed out of her car, pulled her gun, and ran for the sedan. “Dispatch, send medical personnel to 441 East Quincy!”

  In her ear, she could make out Vanessa calling Jason’s name, but couldn’t hear a response. She keyed her mic. “What’s Jason’s status?”

  Vanessa came back. “I just reached him. He seems unable to move and is having trouble breathing.”

  “He’s been injected with a paralytic. You have to breathe for him until EMTs get here!”

  Sirens filled the air, and Banks spotted the killer getting into his car. Running and placing herself in front of the vehicle, she leveled her gun through the windshield at the man’s head. The car was already running, and he was reaching for the drive lever when he looked up.

  “Turn it off!”

  Banks watched indecision run across the man’s face. She yelled again.

  “Turn it off or I’ll shoot!”

  The man slowly reached to the ignition, shut the car off, and raised his hands.

  “Get out!”

  *******

  Vanessa kneeled over her partner, struggling to keep her panic under control. She rolled Jason onto his back, and his eyes looked up at her, the fear obvious in his stare. Banks had told her she would need to breathe for him, and so she began CPR, minus the cardio.

  She blew into Jason’s mouth, let him exhale, counted, and then repeated. Over and over, keeping oxygen going into his lungs. Every time she let him exhale, she saw the tears that ran down the side of his face.

  She could hear sirens coming from every direction, and it reminded her of the time Jason saved her life. She said a quick prayer. “Lord, he saved me with your help. Please assist me now to do the same!”

  Breath in, exhale. Breath in, exhale. She did her best to stay in rhythm, focusing on the task. After several minutes, when she let Jason exhale, she found his eyes closed.

  “Jason! Jason! Don’t you die on me!”

  Her partner’s eyes fluttered open. She gave him another breath, but suddenly she became aware of people around her. EMTs leaned in and pulled her back. “We’ve got him, Detective.”

  She allowed herself to fall back against the loading dock wall, and sat there watching but not really seeing. Her mind went to Sandy and little Nina, the despair they would feel and the suffering they would experience if Jason didn’t make it.

  She began to shake, whether from the wind or adrenaline, she wasn’t sure. Then, before she even realized it, Jason was gone. The ambulance sirens fading as it raced toward the hospital.

  Chapter 10

  Sarah Banks came around the side of the car and grabbed her prisoner. Turning him toward his car, she pushed him hard against the hood and grabbed his hands. She snapped one, and then the other, into handcuffs, cinching them tight. She began to read him his rights.

  “You’re under arrest, anything you say…”

  As she finished, the black-and-white that had been parked just north of the stakeout, arrived. She handed the prisoner over to the officers and went to check on her detectives. She’d seen the ambulance go by as she was cuffing the prisoner, but hadn’t heard any updates over the radio.

  Now, as she walked into the parking lot, the ambulance came back out and by her, lights flashing and sirens blaring. She stepped out of the way before turning the corner and scanning the load dock.

  She found Vanessa sitting against the wall, motionless. “Layne, you okay?”

  Far-off eyes turned toward her, seemingly without a hint of recognition, and stared through her.

  “Vanessa, it’s Sarah. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “How was Jason?”

  “He w
as still alive when the EMTs got here. Did you catch the guy?”

  “Yes. He’s on his way to booking.”

  “Good.”

  Sarah helped Vanessa to her feet, and then put an arm around her, guiding the detective toward the van. Once inside, she gave her some hot coffee, and waited for her to settle down.

  Vanessa looked up at her. “Who was it?”

  “The killer?”

  “Yes.”

  “His name was Mark Lane.” Sarah saw the flash in her detective’s eyes. “Do you know him?”

  “Yes. He runs a mission called Recycled Lives.”Vanessa sipped her coffee. “Can we go to the hospital?”

  “Of course. Whenever you’re ready.”

  Vanessa looked around her, trying to find something, but without success. “Do you see my phone?”

  “No, but you can use mine. Who do you need to call?”

  “Jason’s wife.”

  “I can do that. I’ll call on our way to the hospital.”

  “No, I need to do it. She’s not just my partner’s wife, she’s my friend.”

  *******

  Sandy glanced over the top of her book at the clock. Ten thirty; just an hour-and-a-half more to worry. She was always thinking of Jason at work, stopping to say little prayers for his safety was part of her daily routine, but it had been years since he’d done anything like this undercover stakeout. She’d be glad when they caught the guy and Jason could go back to his regular duties.

  Penny, their Great Pyrenees pup, lay at her feet. Actually, it was more correct to say she lay on her feet, and Sandy was pretty sure the dog sensed her anxiousness. From the moment Sandy had come in from work, Penny had padded around behind her, lying down whenever Sandy stood still for more than a minute. Those big, round eyes had been watching her all night.

  She reached down and ruffled the big dog’s ears. Nina was at a neighbor’s house, something Sandy had arranged just in case. When the friend had asked, Sandy hadn’t specified ‘just in case’ of what.

  The phone rang and startled them both. Sandy’s heart started to pound as she saw the caller ID. It wasn’t Jason’s number.

  It’s early. Maybe they caught the killer, and he borrowed a phone.

  That was the positive side of her reaction. The negative in her was afraid to think what else the call could mean.

  “Hello?”

  “Sandy?”

  “Yes…”

  “This is Vanessa. I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”

  Sandy fought the panic rising inside her. “Jason?”

  “Yes. He was injected with a toxin this evening during the stakeout.”

  Sandy thought she was going to vomit. “Is he…”

  “He’s been taken to SAG. I don’t know any more than that right now.”

  Sandy began to pray.

  “Sandy? Are you still there?”

  “Yes. What was the poison?”

  “It’s a drug that paralyzes a person.”

  “Permanently?”

  “No, but he did stop breathing. He was given CPR until the ambulance arrived.”

  Sandy stood. “Okay, I’ve got to go.”

  “Do you want me to pick you up?”

  “No. I’ll see you at the hospital.”

  Sandy hung up and raced for the door, grabbing her keys along the way. She was already dressed, even still had her shoes on, and was in the car in less than two minutes. As she sped toward Jason, she continued to pray. She needed to get there, to tell him she loved him, and urge him to stay with her.

  *******

  Jason lay on the bed with his eyes open, watching people in white dash around him. A tube had been inserted into his throat, and though it hurt, he was grateful to have the steady influx of oxygen. There still wasn’t a familiar face, and despite the crowd of medical personnel, he felt very alone.

  Suddenly, the white coats on his right parted, and hanging over him was Sandy. Her eyes were red from crying, and the sight of her made Jason’s eyes flood with tears as well. Everything would be alright now, his Sandy was here. She kissed him, caressed his face, and told him she loved him.

  He struggled to blink, form the three words he wanted to say to her, or take her hand. It was no use. Nothing moved except for his eyeballs. Sandy held his right hand between both of hers and he could tell she was praying.

  His body lurched, and he gagged. The tube in his throat was choking him. An alarm started to sound, and Sandy was taken from his side. He tried to hold on to her but his choking wouldn’t let him.

  “We need to get this tube out now!”

  The chaos around him picked up speed, and he felt people pinning him to the table. He choked again and felt like he was dying. Someone was standing by his head, holding his chin, and pulling on the tube. In an instant that felt like forever, the tube slid out of his throat, and he gasped for breath on his own.

  Sandy returned to his side, and smiles appeared on the faces of the medical team. He was breathing, and this time when Sandy took his hand, he squeezed back. She began to cry all over again and laid her cheek against his hand.

  “I love you, Jason Strong.”

  “I…love…you, too.”

  *******

  When Vanessa arrived at the hospital, she found Sandy sitting in the emergency waiting room, a cup of coffee in her hand. Sandy smiled at her, then stood and hugged her. Vanessa was surprised.

  “How is he?”

  “Good. The drug has worn off, and he’s breathing on his own. He’s regained movement in all his extremities, as well.”

  “Sandy, that’s fantastic!”

  Vanessa collapsed into a chair. Relief washed over her as she realized her partner would be okay. After a minute or so, she realized Sandy was sitting beside her, holding one of her hands and staring at her. “What is it, Sandy?”

  “Jason told me what happened.”

  “Oh.”

  “Thank you for saving him.”

  Vanessa smiled. “I had no choice. It looks bad on your record when your partner dies.”

  Sandy gave her a ‘you’re not fooling me’ look and then hugged her tight.

  Vanessa looked toward the emergency ward. “Where is he now?”

  “They’re moving him to a room upstairs. We can go up in a little while.”

  Vanessa stood. “Will you say hi to Jason for me?”

  “Of course. Why?”

  “I’m going to the station to question the man responsible for all this.”

  “Okay. I’ll tell Jason.”

  *******

  When Vanessa got to the station, she found Lieutenant Banks standing outside an interrogation room. Through the one-way glass, Vanessa saw the man who’d been arrested for the attack on Jason. She recognized him immediately.

  “That’s Mark Lane, alright. Jason and I interviewed him last week.”

  “Do you want to talk to him?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Detective?”

  Vanessa turned from the glass to look at Banks. “What?”

  “I know your partner was attacked by this man, but if I let you in there, you have to keep a level head. Understood?”

  Vanessa nodded.

  Banks gestured toward the door. “He’s all yours.”

  Vanessa turned the knob and entered the brightly lit room. Mark Lane looked up and she saw a flash of recognition cross his face. Vanessa kept her distance, leaning against the door she’d just come in and crossing her arms.

  “I gather you remember me?”

  Lane nodded.

  “That was my partner you injected tonight.”

  Lane blanched. “A cop!”

  “That’s right.”

  The man hung his head. “Is he okay?”

  “Fortunately for you and him, yes.”

  She moved over and sat on the side of the table. “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Oh, come on. Why target the very people you were supposed to be helping?”

>   “You wouldn’t understand.”

  Vanessa forced herself to keep an even tone in her voice. “Try me.”

  Lane didn’t respond, so the detective pulled out the chair, sitting down so she could look him in the eye. “You targeted certain people, why?”

  He raised his head and looked directly at her. Anger flared in his eyes. “Because it was their fault.”

  “What was their fault?”

  “They ruined it for all the others that could have been helped.”

  Vanessa wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but she wanted him to keep going. “How did they ruin it?”

  “Recycled Lives closed because of those people.”

  “Closed? When?”

  “A couple days ago.”

  “And you blame them?”

  “They wouldn’t help themselves get off the street! They wouldn’t improve themselves, learn work skills, get jobs, and succeed. I was trying to help them.”

  “By killing them?”

  “I killed them to do what they refused to do. Get them off the streets.”

  Vanessa had heard some twisted logic before, but she didn’t buy this story. She was sure it was revenge that drove Mark Lane. “Where did you get the sux?”

  Lane’s head dropped again. “My wife works at a vet.”

  “Your wife is in on it?”

  Lane looked panicked. “No, no! I stole it from the vet’s cabinet. My wife knows nothing about all this.”

  Vanessa had her answers. She stood and walked to the door. “By the way…” she turned to face Lane before exiting. “…you might be interested to know that sux is one of the drugs used in Texas to carry out its lethal injection.”

  The detective opened the door and walked out.

  Epilogue

  The phrase ‘running around like a chicken with its head cut off’ was probably first used to describe someone like Peter Macomb. Only in this case, a turkey would be a more appropriate reference. The director of Victory House was busy keeping everyone organized for the free community Thanksgiving meal.