Nurse Blood (The Organ Harvester Series Book 1)

by Rebecca Besser

  David looked at the angry face of the detective in front of him.

  “Sometimes giving someone hope where there is none is harsher than telling the truth up front,” he said calmly. “She needs to look after her family and she doesn’t need to be fed bullshit.” He couldn’t help but think of his mother and how he should call her as he defended his actions. He felt like a hypocrite. “Sometimes families need the truth to move on.” No one knew that better than him. He was stuck in life until he had closure for his own loss.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  When Sonya awoke again it was a little after one o’clock in the afternoon and sunlight was forcing its way through the drawn blinds on her bedroom windows. She yawned and stretched, feeling relaxed and lethargic. Parts of her body still ached from Lloyd’s attention. She smiled thinking about him and what he’d done to her.

  She curled back up and let her eyes drift shut. She was no longer tired, but she was comfortable and didn’t want to move.

  Her cell phone rang, ripping her out of her lazy cocoon.

  “Shit!” she exclaimed, sitting up and blinking, trying to figure out where her phone was. After looking under the blankets and a couple of pillows, she finally found it.

  “Hello?” she answered. “Oh, hi, Jan. Did you get my message from earlier?”

  “I got it…” Jan said. “Could we meet somewhere for lunch?”

  “Yes, I can meet you—give me twenty minutes.”

  “Where do you want to eat? Will the same place as last time work?”

  Sonya threw back her covers and crawled out of bed.

  “Sure, the same place works for me—see you there,” she said, and ended the call as she darted out of her bedroom, down the hall, and into the bathroom to pee. She sighed as she sat on the toilet and found relief for her full bladder.

  Her phone chirped and vibrated from where she’d tossed it down on the counter a moment before.

  “Why can’t people just leave me alone?” she complained.

  Jennings: What have you found out about the FBI?

  Sonya: Nothing yet. Meeting for lunch.

  She finished on the toilet and decided to take a quick shower. She knew the restaurant was only five minutes from her house, so she had fifteen minutes to burn showering and getting dressed.

  She stepped into the shower and adjusted the knobs to make the spray very hot. She wondered about what Jan would tell her while she washed her hair and then her body, and in her detached state of mind her shower took less than five minutes before she was out and toweling off.

  The meeting with Jan was making her nervous. The woman had seemed upset, but calm, on the phone. Sonya didn’t know if that was because they’d found something out, or because they’d decided on a decisive plan of attack to find Bill. She was hoping it was the latter.

  Sighing, she hung up the towel and headed to her room to get dressed.

  She was dressed, ready to go, and out the door in record time and just made it to the restaurant as Jan was climbing out of her car.

  She smiled at Sonya while standing on the sidewalk in front of the building.

  Sonya noticed the other woman’s face was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. She also couldn’t help but see that she was fidgeting nervously and looking around herself in a paranoid manner.

  Climbing out of her car, she smiled warmly and slammed the door before jogging up to the curb. She didn’t say anything, but wrapped her arms around Jan and felt the woman shivering. She pulled back and frowned at her.

  “Are you all right? You’re shaking…”

  Jan nodded as tears sprang to her eyes; her lips quivered as she tried to speak.

  “Let’s go inside and sit down, then you can tell me all about it,” Sonya said, steering Jan toward the door with her arm still around her. She couldn’t help but wonder why the woman hadn’t wanted to meet at her home where she’d be more comfortable and her grief wouldn’t be as public.

  “Sit down,” Sonya said, helping Jan into the booth, and then sitting across from her. “Tell me what’s wrong. What did you find out at the meeting?”

  “The FBI…” Jan started, and burst out crying, sobbing violently.

  Sonya pulled a paper napkin from a dispenser on the table, handed it to the woman, and looked around. People were staring. She didn’t need this kind of attention, especially with someone she and her coworkers planned to kidnap and kill soon.

  Figuring her best bet was to try and calm Jan down, she leaned over the table and touched the woman’s arms, rubbing them slightly.

  “You need to calm down,” she said. “Do you want a drink or anything?”

  Jan shook her head, gasped in a breath, and hiccupped out, “I don’t drink.”

  “I think we could make an exception this time,” Sonya said with a smile, “but I won’t force you. Just take deep breaths and read over the menu a couple of minutes—then we’ll talk.” She picked up one of the laminated folders the hostess had left behind and handed it to Jan.

  Jan took it in a shaking hand, fumbled it open, and started to read the words on the page.

  Sonya could tell by the way Jan’s eyes were darting back and forth that she wasn’t processing anything her brain was seeing, but she left her be, looking over her own menu. She was starving, not having eaten all day, and everything looked good to her.

  They were both engrossed in their thoughts and menus when a waitress approached and asked, “What can I getcha?”

  Jan visibly jumped, startled by the sudden interruption, but Sonya merely looked up into the face of the middle-aged woman who was holding a pen and pad at the ready.

  She glanced from the waitress, over to Jan.

  “Do you know what you’re getting?”

  Jan shook her head and looked at the menu like it was the first time she’d ever seen it.

  “I’ll order for both of us, okay?” Sonya asked, pulling the menu from Jan’s hands.

  Jan smiled, nodded, and sighed with obvious relief.

  Sonya ordered for them both, figuring Jan probably wouldn’t eat much anyway.

  “Are you calmer now?” Sonya asked when the waitress left.

  Jan smiled ruefully. “Yes, I’m better,” she said. “I guess I just needed a few minutes to let my brain slow down. I was pretty near panicked when I arrived.”

  “You didn’t seem that upset when you called me,” Sonya said, frowning. “Did something else happen?”

  “No…” Jan said, shaking her head. “I was still at the precinct and there were people all around. It wasn’t until I was alone and on my way here that everything finally started to sink in.”

  “What did you find out?” Sonya asked, smiling at the waitress as she brought their drinks—she’d ordered them both lemonade.

  Jan took a sip of hers and smiled.

  “Good choice,” she said, setting her glass back down. “The FBI agent who came to talk to me seemed to believe that Bill was taken by the people he’s tracking.”

  “Whoa!” Sonya exclaimed, sitting forward. “What kind of people?”

  “He didn’t say, but apparently they’re important enough to have searches set up in their system for similar cases,” Jan said.

  “So, they really think Bill was taken by these…people?” Sonya asked.

  Outside she seemed calm and friendly, but inside her blood ran cold. Knowing the FBI was in the area looking for them didn’t sit well with her—they’d never been this close before. Being here with Jan was even worse, because if they had a tail on her for some reason—just in case—then them being seen together was going to be noted.

  Jan nodded and tears sprang to her eyes again.

  “They said that none of the people in the cases had ever been found—that’s basically like saying Bill should be considered dead.” She shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment. “At least I might get a death certificate…if they can catch these people.”

  Sonya nodded. “What are they planning to do? D
id they say? Do they have any idea who these ‘people’ are?”

  Jan shook her head no. “They don’t know who the people are, or what they’re doing with the people they kidnap. The FBI agent only said they suspected it was for some kind of profit.”

  Before Sonya could respond their food arrived and there was a break in the conversation. They decided who was going to eat what, since she’d ordered two things that sounded good to her, and started eating.

  “Are you still planning on moving?” Sonya asked, changing the subject while cutting her grilled chicken breast.

  Jan sighed. “Yeah, we’re going to have to. I just made a house payment—which still leaves us five months behind—and, with paying a deposit and the first month’s rent on a new place, I’ll be about broke.”

  Sonya nodded and swallowed her bite of food.

  “You’ll have to find a job…fast,” she said.

  “I know,” Jan said, frowning. “I need to find somewhere to live first, but I’ll get my resume typed up so I can look soon. I just wish we knew what was going on. If Bill’s alive, we need to know. If he’s dead, I need to know that too. It could save us all this hassle.”

  “I’m sorry,” Sonya said, reaching across the table and squeezing Jan’s hand. “If you need anything…let me know. I can help you move, if you want. My cousins own a moving company. They have a truck and everything and will come and move your stuff for you. I bet I can even get you a discount.” She hoped inwardly that Jennings was able to get a moving truck and hire Butch.

  “Oh,” Jan said, “that would be great! I haven’t even thought that far ahead yet. There’s just so much going on that my brain is overloaded. I’ll let you know soon about the moving help.”

  “Okay,” Sonya said. “Don’t be afraid to call me anytime if you need something.”

  Jan smiled, and more tears slid down her face.

  “You’re such a great friend,” she gushed. “I’m so glad I met you. I don’t know what I would do if I had to handle this all alone.”

  Sonya smiled and squeezed Jan’s hand again before she resumed eating. Her brain was overloaded too, making plans. They needed to avoid the FBI, harvest the family, and deal with Jennings―none were going to be easy tasks. But the sooner they pulled off the harvest, the sooner they could get out of town and away from the FBI.

  Her fingers itched to text Lloyd and tell him what was going on, but she’d forgotten her cell phone in the car.

  Throughout the meal, Jan prattled on about her woes and Sonya listened, intent on every detail because she knew her livelihood and life could depend on it.

  At the same time, she was thinking about the meeting later that evening and if she should stay away, but decided that was probably overkill since the FBI had just arrived and didn’t have much in the way of an investigation on Bill done yet. They had a week maximum to get things decided and done. Otherwise they risked a lot more than any of them wanted to.

  Finally the meal was over and they parted ways. As soon as Sonya climbed into her car, her hand went for her cell phone.

  She texted Lloyd.

  Sonya: The FBI is here already.

  In her anxious state, she didn’t sit and wait for a reply, but backed out of her parking space and looked around her like federal agents were waiting behind every car to ambush her.

  When she pulled out of the parking lot, she turned the opposite direction from where she lived, and drove around town for a half hour to make sure she wasn’t being followed. Once she felt safe, she headed back to her house. She was almost there when Lloyd texted her back.

  Lloyd: Tell Jennings. I’ll see you tonight.

  She texted Jennings after she was safely inside her garage, and then went into the house to try to calm down before the meeting.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Butch checked the directions Lloyd had written down for him. The building he’d just pulled up to didn’t look inhabited, but it wasn’t really supposed to. After confirming he had the correct address, he silenced the motor of his rusted pickup truck and climbed out to survey the area around him.

  They’d chosen a good building, he noted, seeing that the entire block was taken up with similar structures—smaller and also deserted.

  He walked across the cracked, weed-spotted cement lot, heading toward a ramp that led to a door. As he walked up to the entrance, he wondered if he should knock or just walk right in. He decided to just walk right in. He was supposed to be there—he had an appointment—so he assumed he was expected.

  As he stepped through the doorway and looked around, he spotted a light on in a room down a long aisle lined with old, dilapidated machinery.

  He called out, “Hello!”

  There was no answer, so he proceeded with caution. He knew in this business that surprising someone could lead to getting shot. He hoped Jennings wasn’t the jumpy type.

  Once he reached the lit room, he stood in the doorway and surveyed the small space. The room had previously been a somewhat spacious office, and now held a crooked row of metal folding chairs that were facing diagonally toward a desk and a blank, water-stained wall.

  He stepped inside and spotted Jennings doing something at a small table in a corner of the room that wasn’t visible from the doorway.

  “I think I’m a little early,” Butch said, and smiled when Jennings looked up but didn’t become startled. “Better early than late, though, right?”

  Jennings smiled and put down what he was working with. He turned to greet Butch.

  “I’m glad to see you could make it—yes, better early than late,” he said as he came forward, holding out his hand to the larger, younger man. “Did you have any trouble finding the place?”

  “No,” Butch said, shaking the old man’s hand. “Lloyd gave me good directions.”

  “I bet he did,” Jennings said flatly.

  Butch kept his expression blank even though he’d noticed Jennings’ dislike for Lloyd.

  “So…” Butch said, “…what kind of work were you needing done?”

  Jennings blinked at him for a moment.

  “I think you know what we do already,” he said, “and if my memory serves me right, you’ve done the same kind of work before.”

  Butch shrugged. “Something to the same end, anyway. Apparently I’m not as neat and tidy as you are, or so Lloyd tells me. He also said ‘neat and tidy’ brings in more money.”

  “Yes,” Jennings said, nodding. “It does bring in more. Can I count on you to take orders and not lose control over your…urges?”

  Butch looked more closely at the older man, a little surprised that he’d remembered him. They had never worked together before, but had simply crossed paths because of mutual acquaintances. Jennings was hinting at some of the issues he’d had in the past, but he couldn’t think of anywhere—or anyone—Jennings might have gotten details about his history from. Sonya hadn’t talked about their past, he was sure. If she had he wouldn’t have been called in the first place.

  He made a mental note not to underestimate the old man.

  “Yes,” Butch said. “I can do the job—I really need the money right now and can’t risk blowing a big payday.”

  Jennings nodded and looked around like he was checking to make sure they were still alone.

  “What’s your relationship with Lloyd?” he asked, suddenly looking back at Butch with an intense light in his eyes.

  Butch shrugged. “I’ve worked with him a couple of times, but we aren’t particularly close.”

  “How bad do you need money?” Jennings asked.

  “I’m flat out broke right now, so I could really use some money,” Butch said, frowning. “Are you going to refuse to hire me if I don’t get along with Lloyd?”

  Jennings laughed. “Oh, no! I’m going to hire you for the family harvest because we need to get that done. But I possibly have another task for you—one that pays extremely well.”

  “Really?” Butch asked, crossing his arms and looking at the o
ld man skeptically. “What kind of task?”

  “A bloody one,” Jennings said, grinning.

  Butch laughed. “A bloody one…that’s right up my alley. What were you thinking you might need me to do? What does it have to do with me getting along with Lloyd?”

  “I want you to kill Lloyd for me…after all this is over.”

  “Kill Lloyd?” Butch asked, and couldn’t help but smile broadly at the thought.

  I guess that tells me what the group dynamic is, he thought, waiting for Jennings to answer.

  “Yes,” Jennings said. “My wife and I were discussing it last night, and we think it would be a good idea. He’ll always be a thorn in my side otherwise.”

  Butch raised his eyebrow quizzically, expecting Jennings to continue with the details, but he didn’t.

  “So, you want to pay me to off Lloyd when the harvest is over…do I have to do anything special? Or do I get to handle this however I want?”

  Jennings shrugged. “Whatever you want as long as it’s painful—I want the little bastard to suffer.”

  “How much you paying?” Butch asked.

  “I’ll pay you one million dollars. Cash.”

  “You’ve got a deal,” Butch said, and held out his hand to shake again.

  Jennings shook the other man’s hand and smiled.

  “Good. I don’t care how you do it, but I want him dead within forty-eight hours after we harvest the family—he has to make the sale and get the money before anything can happen to him. Do you understand?”

  “Yeah, I understand,” Butch said. “Don’t tear up the meal ticket before it has been cashed.”

  Jennings nodded. “The rest of the team should be here in a little while. I’ll show you around the place while we wait.”

  “Sounds good,” Butch said, and followed Jennings out of the brightly lit room and into the dark shadows haunted by prosperous days gone by. His mind was swirling with all the things he’d always wanted to do to Lloyd, but hadn’t.