“More like infamous. The police accused me of statutory rape, but the girl told me she was sixteen. I swear. I was innocent.”
“I understand,” Kathryn said. “I hear that happens a lot.”
“Thanks for saying that. A lot of people call me names. My family hates me because the shock of my arrest gave my mom a heart attack. They accuse me of her death.” He was staring at the floor.
“How sad. I’m sorry she died.” Kathryn replied.
I’m sorry she had to die because you couldn’t control your urges.
“It’s nice you understand. Maybe we could have dinner sometime. That would be nice. I really didn’t kill her. She had a bad heart. I often feel I should have died, too.”
This jerk just hit on me in the same breath he used to explain away his responsibility.
Kathryn said, “Maybe you’ll get your wish.”
He looked up at her with knitted brows as she pulled the trigger twice. Both bullets hit him in the forehead. He slumped over on the couch.
“Nice and clean,” Kathryn said.
She watched him long enough to be sure he was dead and placed the note next to his body.
Chapter Eighteen
The alarm roused Kathryn from a deep sleep. She slapped it to stop the beeping, rolled over on her back, and smiled. She had survived last night and freed the world of two more pedophiles. A quick frown crossed her face, and a pain hit her heart for a moment when she thought of Nick. Kathryn did her best to push the thoughts of Nick from her mind. She had survived pain and loss before, she could do it again.
She dressed quickly and left for work. She stopped at her favorite restaurant for an indulgent breakfast sandwich to go and coffee.
“After last night,” she mumbled to herself, “I could use the extra calories and a treat. I never did make it to the restaurant for dinner.”
She parked in her reserved spot in the parking garage, popped the trunk, and grabbed Nick’s duffel. It was heavy, and the coffee hadn’t kicked her into her morning spunky self. Grunting, she hauled the bag into the building and stopped at the security office. Mac smiled at her from behind the glass.
“Morning, Katie girl. How are you this fine Monday morning?” He smiled and nodded his head.
Mac had been a fixture in the hospital longer than Kathryn could remember. He must have reached retirement age since he worked part time, and if an alarm sounded anywhere in the hospital, he was the only security guard who didn’t respond. He sat and continued to watch his monitors. He was also the only person on earth who could call Kathryn “Katie girl.”
“Hi, Mac. I’m doing okay. Could I leave this duffel bag here with you? Nick will pick it up later.”
“Sure thing,” He said and walked out of the office to retrieve the bag. “It’s heavy. You two lovebirds planning something? Word is all over the hospital that you two are together.”
She pressed her lips together and then said, “We were until Friday night. We broke up. That’s his stuff.”
Mac’s smile disappeared, and his brow lowered. “Sorry, Katie girl, I heard you two were perfect together. Word always travels to this office. Did he do something to you? You okay?”
“I’m okay. It isn’t Nick. It’s his mom. She thinks what I do for a living is beneath her, and when I left their house Friday night after she insulted me, it took him quite a while to follow. He didn’t stand up for me. Well, he did try and say my job was important, and I was good at it, but he let his mom put me down over and over. She inferred I was a loser because I quit nursing school and work with Doc.”
Mac put his arm around her shoulder and said, “We all know what happened with your mom. You’re a good kid Kathryn. You have to decide whether Nick is important enough to you to put up with her. When I returned from the war, the only job I could get was in a factory. My girl didn’t care, and we got married. Her mother was fuming. She was supposed to marry some white collar guy. When the factory closed and I came to work here, the old lady nearly had a cow.” He laughed out loud. “God rest her soul, but she did her best to make life hell for us, but we stuck it out. We bought a house, raised three boys and a girl, always had food on the table, and the house was never cold. We weren’t rich, but the kids always had Christmas, birthdays, and decent clothes. They weren’t designer duds, but they were always clean and pressed. What was most important was that the house was full of love. Love Katie girl is most important.”
“Thanks, Mac. You helped me a lot,” she said and smiled as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I have to get to work.”
Mac nodded and shuffled back into the office.
~ * ~
Kathryn hurried toward the elevator. Mac was right. Love was most important, and she loved Nick. She’d manage to find a way to interact with Brenda. She hummed in the elevator as she texted Nick:
“Left your duffel in security with Mac. Can we talk?”
She added a red heart to the message.
Less than thirty seconds later he texted back.
“I’ll get it later.”
That was it. She didn’t expect a heart, but maybe that they could meet. Maybe he left a surprise for her. She smiled when the elevator doors opened.
Kathryn arrived first, and the morgue was dark and quiet. Her head knew she probably wouldn’t hear more from Nick, but her heart hoped there would be a single rose by the door when she approached the morgue. Maybe more than one, a dozen or two. Something—anything to let her know he cared. Nothing, but she had steeled herself for that reality. Kathryn was angry at herself for letting Mac’s words get her hopes up. She gave up hope. Brenda won.
She had time to dispose of the gloves and the cloth she used to wipe down her steering wheel to be sure she removed any tell-tale gun residue that might have transferred to her hands when she removed the gloves.
The morning was quiet, but Doc received a call to a scene just before lunch.
“Kathryn, take lunch now. I’ll text you when I’m on my way back. I’m sure you’ll be finished with lunch before I return,” Doc told her.
“Sure, I’ll be ready when you’re back. Do you know why they called you?”
“Another murder, that’s all I know.” He shook his head.
“That’s enough, sir. The world gets more frightening each day.” She bit her lip wondering who they found or if it was a stranger.
He patted her on the shoulder as he passed by. “Don’t let it jade your outlook on life. There’s still a lot of good out there, Kathryn.”
“Yes, I’ll remember that,” she called after him.
When she heard the service elevator leave, she turned off the lights, walked out of the morgue, and texted Karla to see if she could take a break.
They met in the cafeteria.
~ * ~
Kathryn sat stabbing her salad with her fork trying to capture a piece of celery when she saw Karla waving from the opposite side of the room. She was carrying a large pinkish green concoction in her right hand. Kathryn knew it was one of Karla’s famous and favorite fruit and spinach smoothies.
Karla pulled a chair next to Kathryn and sat. They exchanged pleasantries and Karla babbled on about work until Kathryn stopped her.
“Karla, something’s going on. You don’t babble on and on about work. We usually don’t discuss obstetrics at all. I evidentially caught you off guard when I texted you to meet me. You didn’t have time to absorb whatever is bothering you. Spill.”
Karla twisted her lip and whispered, “It’s about Nick.”
Kathryn felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of his name.
“What? Is he okay?”
“Oh, he’s more than okay,” Karla said. “He brought a young woman up to the floor from E.R. about a half-hour ago.”
“That’s his job,” Kathryn responded.
“I know, but he stuck around for a while. We have a new nurse. She reminds me a lot of you. She’s about the same size, hair color, except her eyes are dark brown.”
> “Uh, huh.”
“I’m not sure what he was saying, but she was giggling. When I picked up a chart from the desk, I could hear their conversation. He said he was stuck going to a wedding this weekend. He needed a date and asked her. She said yes.”
Kathryn dropped her head fighting back tears. Her head told her she lost Nick forever, but part of her heart hoped he might come back.
She looked up at Karla and said, “I know his cousin is getting married on Saturday. I just bought a new dress last week. It was where I expected to meet his mom for the first time. No loss, the dress still has the tags. I’ll return it,” Kathryn said wiping the tears she couldn’t stop from her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Kathryn,” Karla said reaching for her hand. “Want some of my smoothie? It’s great for stress.”
Kathryn shuddered and laughed through her tears, “No thanks. I know how some of those taste and that one is a bit too green. You added broccoli or something.”
“Brussel sprouts,” Karla smiled.
Kathryn threw her hands over her mouth. “I need to get back before Doc. Thanks for letting me know about Nick. Let’s have a girl’s night soon.”
Karla nodded; they hugged, and headed for opposite sides of the hospital.
~ * ~
Kathryn heard the service elevator ding and quick footsteps coming down the hall. When the doors opened, Doc hurried in and handed her his clipboard.
“Please enter the info and then get a skull x-ray. Jackson will be here soon, and we need answers. We may have a vigilante on our hands,” he explained as he rushed into his office.
She glanced at the form and saw Andy’s name.
They found him first she thought. They must have found the note. That’s why Doc mentioned a vigilante. Good maybe someone will pay attention now.
Kathryn was deep in thought and didn’t hear the cart being wheeled into the room. Nick’s voice broke into her thoughts and snapped her back to reality. Tears formed in her eyes before she could stop them.
“Where do you want him?” Nick said.
“Autopsy table,” she murmured. “Let me help.”
“I don’t need your help,” Nick said a bit too loudly.
Kathryn spun and snapped, “This is my department. If I say I’m helping that is what I’m going to do.” She did her best to brush away her tears, and together they moved Andy to the autopsy table. Nick pushed the cart out as quickly as possible without another word. Kathryn readied the x-ray machine.
She ran up the stairs to have the film processed. Next year they would be able to process them in the morgue. The equipment finally made it to the top of the list. Kathryn didn’t mind the walk or wait. It gave her time to sit in the stairwell and cry. She knew it was over between them. Why wouldn’t her heart get the message? She was still in love with him. She was deeply in love, head over heels in love. She didn’t realize love could be as deep as what she felt for Nick. She’d even put up with Brenda for him if he only cared as much for her. He said he did. He promised they would fix any problem, and he knew she had odd quirks. He also knew how much her mother’s death affected her.
Why did I confide in him? I was stupid. Maybe I over reacted at his parent’s house. No one ever attacked my job before, and Brenda made me feel unworthy of Nick. Maybe I am. Didn’t he say we could get through anything together? He promised never to leave me. Technically, I left, but I tried to let him know I still loved him this morning. He decided to flirt with another girl instead. How could he stop loving me so quickly? Did he ever love me or is his mother’s pull so strong? I’ll never know. Get up, Kathryn. Get back to living.
~ * ~
Kathryn walked back into the morgue with the x-rays and radiologist’s report although Doc could read an x-ray as well as anyone. Kathryn slid the x-ray onto the light box and flicked on the switch just long enough to know both bullets had mushroomed the way she expected. She flicked off the light and told Doc the x-rays were back.
He died instantly or within seconds. I doubt he suffered and if he did it wasn’t more than his victim. It was much less. I don’t want them to suffer. I have never condoned actions that involve intentional pain. That would be cruel. Executions are necessary. These are more humane than in prison since the person involved doesn’t know what is coming. The anticipation must be horrible, and I save them from that. All I do is carry out justice.
Kathryn was entering information on her computer while Doc studied the x-rays.
“Same as the others,” he murmured. “That note cinches my idea of a vigilante. Somebody is taking these guys out one at a time.”
“Excuse me, sir, did you say something?” She asked knowing full well she had heard his every word.
“Nothing really, I was just thinking out loud. Don’t let this go any further, but there was a note with this body from someone calling themselves ‘The Executioner.’ Jackson is beginning to think we have a vigilante around here.”
A vague memory flashed through Kathryn’s mind. She shared it with the coroner. “I think I saw something like this a few years ago on a news documentary or maybe it was a TV show. I can’t remember, but I think it was out west somewhere.” She stood and walked to the light box to see what Doc was studying even though she had already looked it over.
“Hmm,” Doc rested his chin in his hand. “I think I may have seen that, too. I think it might have been a documentary because I remember watching the coroner and detective deciphering clues.”
“Could it be the same person?” Kathryn asked. She cocked her head as if she were studying the x-ray.
“Good question, I’ll ask Jackson when he gets here. Until then I’ll be in my office. Do you need help putting him in a cooler?”
“No, but thanks. These new adjustable tables make it easy to slide the bodies off the table and into the cooler along with the clear plastic body bags.” She flashed a quick smile.
He turned and then turned back. “Kathryn?”
“Yes, sir.” She looked up from the table she was pushing.
“Is everything all right with Nick? He was very quiet on the way back from picking up the body and rather grumpy. Was the dinner that bad?” He stared into her eyes.
She fought tears again. “Dinner was horrible. We broke up, but I don’t see why he was grumpy. I heard through the hospital grapevine that he already hit on a new nurse, and they’re going out on a date, or rather to a wedding we were supposed to attend.”
“Sorry, we can talk later after Jackson leaves. He should be here shortly.”
“Thanks, Doc. I’d like that.” She forced the same smile she had been using all day.
He’s a nice man and the closest thing to a dad I have. Mac was great this morning, too. I’m glad I work here. People do care, and if Brenda thinks it’s beneath her she doesn’t realize what wonderful people she is missing out on meeting.
~ * ~
Kathryn heard the elevator ding and saw Detective Wayne walk off toward the doors. She buzzed him in.
“Hi, Doc is in his office. I think he’s waiting for you.” She smiled a genuine smile. She liked the detective. Although she was the criminal he was pursuing, he was kind and friendly to her.
“Thanks, Kathryn,” he returned her smile and walked to Dr. Graydor’s office door and knocked on the doorframe.
“Jackson, come in.” She heard Doc say.
After the detective had settled into Doc’s office, she picked up a stack of papers. She walked quietly to the file cabinet near Doc’s door and began to file them as she listened to the two men.
Detective Wayne said, “Tim, your theory might be right. That note we found meant something. I’m not sure if the killer believes that they’re an executioner or if they left the note as a red herring.”
Kathryn smiled.
“What’s your best guess?” Doc asked.
Kathryn could hear the detective sigh. “I have no idea at this point. We’re going to discuss the case with a profiler. Maybe we’ll get a better idea.�
�
“I was thinking about a documentary I saw a while back about a similar case somewhere out west. Could it be the same person?”
“That was brought up in a meeting. It could be the same person. He was never caught. At the time, their best idea was a religious zealot since they left messages written with bible quotes. Or, as in our case, they might have been a red herring, too.”
Hmm, I barely remember that show. The fact he left notes, too helps me. I hope they link both cases. If the men here think this person has done this before, they may think twice and even three times before wanting to live in an apartment in town.
She smiled again. Doc began to explain about the bullet and damage. Kathryn understood all of that and walked back to her desk. She had heard enough to know the police were going around in circles. Even if they found the right road, it wouldn’t lead to her.
She heard Detective Wayne tell Doc on his way out that if they found the gun they would be able to solve the case much quicker.
Kathryn needed to find a place for the gun when she didn’t need it any longer. Could she hide it in Joey Coyle’s collection? How could she find out if it were a viable hiding place? She could go to Coyle for advice. After all, she wasn’t with Nick anymore. Seeing Joey might be a battle for her virtue, but he might have an idea how to get Nick back. At least that’s a good reason for a visit and then she could scope out his gun collection.
She noticed it was quitting time. She popped in to wish Doc a goodnight and hurried to the locker room.
Chapter Nineteen
Kathryn stopped at her favorite drive through for a quick sandwich to eat on the way home. She wasn’t hungry, but she’d need strength to deal with Joey Coyle. Kathryn had no desire to be attacked again, but Joey was a jerk and not a rapist. For whatever reason, women liked him even with his cheesy lines and bigger than life ego.
Kathryn dressed in her everyday jeans and a blue sweater. It wasn’t tight, but it wasn’t baggy. Staring in the mirror she mumbled, “Okay, you look attractive enough without being too sexy. The last thing I need it to have a walking, talking, raging hormone on my hands.” She smiled as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.
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