A Whole Latte Murder

by Caroline Fardig

  I nearly collapsed with relief. Suddenly, Dean grabbed me, wrapping the IV cord tight around my neck and dragging me over to the intercom. I gagged and choked and stumbled with my injured knee, but he didn’t let up.

  Dean said to me, “Push the button.” I obeyed, and he said into the intercom, “I thought we had an understanding.”

  Ryder replied, “Change of plans.”

  Dean hesitated for a moment and then said, “Back off if you don’t want to see me squeeze the life out of Juliet.”

  After a pause, Ryder said, “Okay, I’m backing off. Come out.”

  Dean put my body in front of his and swiped his key card. He forced me through the door ahead of him, using me as his human shield. Ryder stood in the hallway, gun pointed at Dean’s head and a panicked expression on his face.

  Coughing, I choked out, “Ryder! He killed Amanda.”

  “I know,” Ryder said, unable to take his gaze from my neck.

  “You know?” I wheezed.

  Dean laughed, pulling the tubing a little tighter, causing me to gag. “Of course he does. That’s why you’re not dead already.”

  “Ryder, is this true?” I gasped.

  Ryder clenched his jaw in response. I knew the answer.

  Dean continued, “It’s true. He paid me a visit earlier this week with everything all figured out. But I assured him I had a lot of reach in this town, and if I went down, when he least expected it or when he dropped his guard even for a moment, you’d be obliterated. So, he pulled out of the investigation, I planted some evidence for the police to find on Jack, and you still get to be my bargaining chip.”

  My voice straining, I said, “If you don’t let up, I’m going to be a dead bargaining chip.”

  Thankfully, Dean slackened the line a bit.

  Ryder’s eyes got steely as he finally looked away from me and zeroed in on Dean. “That’s where you’re wrong. I only let you think I pulled out of the investigation. Every cop in the MNPD has been working with me to tear apart your life. We have enough on you to put you and everyone you’ve ever done business with away for good. It’s over, and you don’t get to call the shots anymore.”

  Dean tightened the IV line again, and I cried out in pain and gasped for breath. He said, “Big mistake. You let me go or she’s dead. Just like your pretty little wife.”

  Ryder’s face suddenly drained of color and his eyes widened. I could see the barrel of his gun beginning to waver. “No, you hurt her any more and I shoot you in the face.”

  Dean started pulling me with him toward the stairs. I couldn’t hop like this, so I had to put weight on my knee. The pain was excruciating but nothing compared to the strangling. My eyes were streaming.

  Dean laughed. “You’re shaking. You’d probably shoot her instead. Wouldn’t that be a tragic ending? Then you’d have lost two women to me. How would that make you feel?”

  Ryder was sweating and full-on trembling as he slowly came our way. “Let her go, damn you!”

  My head felt like it was going to burst, and I was on the verge of passing out. I couldn’t take much more of this. Dean was either going to have to finish the job or let me go. I couldn’t stand the in between. I wished Ryder would just stand down, but I knew he’d never be able to let Dean walk.

  Dean growled, “Put the gun down now.”

  I gave Ryder a pleading look, whispering, “Ryder.”

  “She doesn’t sound so good,” Dean said. “Are you really willing to let your girl die at my hands, right in front of you?”

  Grimacing, and with great effort, Ryder lowered his gun. Dean shoved me toward Ryder and ran. Ryder managed to catch me just as my knee twisted and buckled. He set me down on the floor, his face ashen. I wheezed and gasped for air, clawing with one hand at the IV line still hanging around my neck and reaching for Ryder with the other.

  “I’m sorry. I have to go after him,” he said, already running down the hall.

  “Wait, I need…”

  I hurt all over and didn’t have the strength to move, but I knew I needed to get out of here, and I needed to get Kira out of here and find Maya. Inch by inch, I crawled back over to the exam room. I struggled my way up the wall and took my key card out of the pocket of my hospital gown, thankful for having thought to do one smart thing today. After swiping it and gaining access to the exam room, I managed to get across the floor to my clothes and put them on. No more flimsy hospital gowns for me. It seemed to take forever to get dressed in my weakened state, although it was probably only a few minutes, and I was sweating buckets by the time I finished. I got my crutches and pulled myself up into a standing position, immediately noticing how dizzy I was. I had to do this, though. Ryder was long gone, and I couldn’t even call for help. The fact that I hadn’t seen Maya yet troubled me. Fearing the worst, I hobbled to the door and let myself out.

  It struck me immediately that something was amiss. The bright white hallway was marred by blood droplets on the floor and bloody streaks and handprints along one wall. The blood stopped (or had started) at the room next to mine—Kira’s room. I pushed down a surge of terror as I swiped my key card in the reader on her door. Nothing happened. Shit. My card must have only opened my door.

  I pushed the button on the intercom and said shakily, “Kira, it’s Juliet. Are you okay?”

  After waiting for a moment, I heard Kira’s frightened voice come across the speaker. “Juliet?”

  I was so relieved to hear her voice. “Yes! We need to get you out of here. Can you open your door for me?”

  “Okay.”

  When the door swung open, I saw where the blood had come from. Micah was lying on a hospital bed, eyes closed, his bloody hands pressing a stack of gauze pads to an actively bleeding wound on his abdomen. Shocked at the sight, I didn’t realize until too late that Kira had grabbed hold of me and was pulling me into the room. I stumbled and went down, landing again on my already injured knee and thigh. I cried out in pain.

  “Kira!” I exclaimed, panting. “What did you do that for? We need to get out of here!”

  She looked from Micah to me. “You’re not going anywhere, Juliet.”

  Chapter 35

  “What? Kira, I’m getting you out of here. It’s not safe.” I pointed at Micah. “He’s the bad guy!”

  “He’s my boyfriend.”

  “What?”

  “I’m getting him out of here, and you’re not coming with.” Kira’s eyes weren’t right, and neither was her personality. She seemed drugged.

  “No, let’s all go.” I glanced at Micah, who was sweating and turning grayer by the second, his eyes fluttering open and closed. “You’re probably going to need my help to get him upstairs.”

  As I struggled to my feet, she rifled around in an open cabinet, finally coming up with a scalpel. She held it out toward me, her hand shaking.

  “Stay back!”

  “Okay, okay,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “You’re welcome to try to take him out of here on your own. I won’t stop you.”

  I knew full well a little thing like Kira could never drag a practically unconscious man up a flight of stairs. I wasn’t sure we’d manage even with two of us, what with my crutches. I stood in the corner while Kira sat Micah up and put his arm around her shoulders. As she tried to help him to his feet, she buckled under his added weight. A look of wild determination on her face, she mustered some strength and hoisted him up, dragging him toward the door. He stumbled and went down, splaying lifelessly onto the floor. She began wailing, then her eyes focused on me.

  “This is all your fault!” she screeched. “You couldn’t just leave me alone when I asked you to! I was fine. Everything was fine!”

  I fired back, “You were not fine, Kira. You were being abused and brainwashed. You still are! This isn’t you. Did they drug you?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. “Shut up! Shut UP!”

  When she opened her eyes, they were glassy and vacant. I’d seen that look before in crazy people I’d tang
led with. Bellowing a battle cry, she charged me, scalpel first. I got my footing, dropped one crutch, and grasped the other one like a baseball bat. I swung with everything I had left, which wasn’t much, but I managed to make contact with the side of Kira’s head. She went down, moaning.

  “Crazy Stockholm syndrome bitch,” I muttered, shaking all over.

  I figured I only had a second to get out before she got up and tried to charge me again. Leaving my one crutch on the ground, I hauled ass, stopping only to snatch Micah’s key card from his belt clip and Kira’s key card from the counter next to the door. After swiping myself out, I slammed the door behind me and collapsed back against it. I burst into tears.

  Two uniformed officers thundered down the stairs, guns drawn and pointed right at me. “On the ground! On the ground!”

  I cried harder, raising my hands. My knees ached as I bent them, sliding my way down the door and into a sitting position on the floor.

  “Guys, back off,” a familiar voice ordered.

  I looked up to find Stafford standing over me, his expression a mixture of concern and relief. I stopped sobbing and put my hands down, never so happy to see anyone in my life.

  He kneeled down over me. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice soothing.

  I nodded, every ache and pain screaming in agony now that my adrenaline had drained away. I choked out, “Maya. Where’s Maya?”

  “She’s on her way to the hospital. She’s fine, just a little banged up. In and out of consciousness.”

  I sighed. “Good. Kira and Dr. Perry are locked in there.” I nodded toward the room behind me and handed him the key cards. “He’s hurt and she’s probably got a concussion. But be careful. They’re both dangerous.”

  Stafford handed the key cards to one of the officers. “I’m going to let them handle this. I only came for you.”

  He lifted me as if I weighed nothing and carried me down the hall, up the stairs, and out the back door to a waiting ambulance.

  —

  I was pretty much out of it, but had my wits about me enough to be aware that Stafford was right by my side, holding my hand all the way to the hospital and in the emergency room. It hurt to talk, and he didn’t push me to say anything. The only times he wasn’t glued to me was when I went for X rays, and then when Pete burst into the room and pushed him out of the way in order to hug me way too tightly.

  “Jules, you’re okay,” Pete cried, still holding on to me.

  “I need air,” I croaked.

  He immediately released me, but picked up both of my hands and stared at me with terrified eyes.

  Stafford cleared his throat. “I’ll give you two a minute.” He disappeared quickly out the door.

  “I told you this was a terrible idea!” Pete griped, then his gaze fell on my neck and his face fell. “Holy shit. Jules, did someone try to strangle you?”

  “Dean. It’s his thing,” I replied, disgusted.

  He nodded. “I know. When Mallory and I laid what we knew in front of Jack, he admitted to working for your doctor friend Dean. He told us what the guy was capable of, so we immediately told the cops everything.” His eyes got bright with tears as he stroked my cheek. “I guess we didn’t tell them quickly enough, though.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m worried about Kira. They brainwashed her into thinking that doctor I went to see was her boyfriend. She came at me with a scalpel, Pete. I hit her in the head in the heat of the moment to save myself, but it’s killing me that I was forced to do something like that to her.” A tear slipped from my eye.

  Pete wiped it away. “Don’t do that. The only thing that matters is that you’re safe, and now Kira’s safe, too. Sounds like she may have a tough road ahead of her, though. Hey, so if Dean was strangling you, how did you manage to get away from him?”

  “Ryder showed up.” I looked away as another tear escaped. I whispered, “He left me there alone so he could go after Dean.”

  Pete slammed his hands down on the rails of my bed. “That son of a bitch. He just left you? By yourself? That’s unforgivable.”

  “He was chasing his wife’s murderer. He wasn’t going to give that up for anything. I get it, but I’m not exactly happy about it.”

  “Still, his main concern should have been your safety,” Pete grumbled, taking my hand and kissing me gently on the forehead. “But let’s not worry about that now. You need to rest. I’m going to check on Maya and let her know you’re okay. I’ll be around if you need me.”

  When he left, I allowed myself to cry over Ryder abandoning me. I knew it was the right thing for him to do in the sense of making sure Dean didn’t go free, but it still hurt. This wasn’t the first time he’d chosen his job or his vendetta over me.

  To my surprise, my crying fit didn’t last terribly long. As I was wiping away the last tear, there was a knock on my door. Stafford stuck his head in.

  “Juliet, if you’re up for another visitor, I thought you’d want to see for yourself that Maya’s okay.”

  A smile broke out over my face. “Of course.”

  He pushed a very grumpy-looking Maya into my room in a wheelchair.

  She seemed to be mid-rant as she griped, “And another thing, I’m not an invalid, Stafford.”

  He replied, “Hey, it’s not my rule. Until you’re officially released, you’ve got your own personal taxi service. To spring you from your room for a few minutes, I had to promise your nurse you wouldn’t get out of this chair or out of my sight.”

  She swatted him away and wheeled herself over to the side of my bed. “Juliet, I’m so happy to see you’re okay. And I’m sorry I was such rubbish backup at the Genesis clinic. That weaselly little doctor surprised me and knocked me out.” She rubbed a goose egg on her temple.

  I shook my head. “It’s not your fault. I tried to call and warn you, but I had no cell service in that creepy little exam room. If anything, I failed you.”

  Maya eyed me. “From what I heard, you escaped the clutches of a sociopath, locked another one up, and saved a confused young girl from herself. I couldn’t have done it a bit better. I didn’t do it better.” She turned to Stafford. “Don’t you think she’d make a brilliant PI?”

  Stafford chuckled. “I’ll admit she’s got some skills. But she needs to work on her surveillance. It’s the worst I’ve ever seen.”

  I smiled at him, remembering how we’d met. He’d busted me for spying on some people a few months ago during another unfortunate sleuthing adventure.

  Maya said, “I can easily teach you how not to get caught while tailing someone. What do you say, Juliet? Care to make your gumshoeing official?”

  Glancing uneasily between their smiling faces, I replied, “I don’t know, you guys. Maybe ask me again when I haven’t just been nearly strangled to death.”

  Taking my hand, Maya said, “Oh, trust me. I will.”

  —

  I ended up with only a further sprained knee, a couple more bumps and bruises, and a very sore throat. Mallory, who blamed herself and apologized profusely for the mess I got into tonight, used her ER influence to get me discharged quickly. Pete took me back to his house. The police were already there waiting to take my statement. I had to talk to Cromwell (who was kinder than he’d ever been to me), the detectives investigating Amelia’s murder and Brooke’s attack, and the two officers who had found me in the basement of the Genesis Building. Once I was finished, it was well into the middle of the night, and I was beyond exhausted.

  Pete helped me into bed, and as he was tucking me in, the doorbell rang. He ran to get it and returned with Stafford. Smiling, Pete asked me, “Can you handle one more visitor? He promised he wouldn’t interrogate you.”

  I nodded.

  When Pete left, Stafford approached me rather hesitantly. “If you’d rather I leave, I will. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  I smiled. “I’m good.” Noting his standoffishness, I added, “You can sit down.”

  His eyes flicking to the empty spot nex
t to me on the bed, he blushed. “You sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  Gingerly sitting on the opposite edge of the bed, he said, “I wondered if anyone bothered to tell you the whole story or if they just grilled you and left.”

  “No, they just grilled me and left.”

  “I figured. What do you want to know?”

  “Where’s Dean?”

  Stafford wrinkled his brow. “Hamilton is still in pursuit, and we’ve brought in some other agencies to help. I cannot fathom why he left before securing your safety. I apologize on behalf of the MNPD.”

  I shook my head. “It’s not exactly a surprise. Still kind of hurts, though.”

  The corner of his mouth turned up. “Yeah, but it doesn’t sound like you needed him. I heard you kicked some ass.”

  Frowning, I replied, “I’m not proud of it. I didn’t want to hurt Kira.”

  “She’s fine. Doesn’t even have a concussion, so there’s no reason for you to feel guilty. She’s being evaluated for…other issues, though.”

  “They messed her up pretty good. What about Micah?”

  “He didn’t make it. Evidently Maya had called Hamilton and told him to come to the Genesis office because she’d found some evidence. When he got there, he found Dr. Perry assaulting her, so he shot him. That’s another thing that troubles me—he went in without backup and left Maya and Perry unsecured while he went to find you. She managed to call 911, but then passed out. While she was unconscious, Perry slithered away. Luckily, he didn’t make it too far before he succumbed to the wound.”

  “Oh,” I said, angry with Ryder and hurting for him at the same time. “You know, Ryder has been under a tremendous amount of stress, and—”

  “Then he should have taken himself off the case. He’s been a wreck for days, and he was in no position to make decisions regarding the welfare of others. I’m afraid when the dust settles he could be facing some disciplinary action.”

  I rubbed my face with both hands. “I can’t think about this anymore. Tell me something that’s not depressing. What’s going to happen to Jack?”

  “He’ll probably do a little time for obstruction, but nothing like he would have if he hadn’t cooperated and pointed the finger at Kingston and Perry. Even better, the recording device hidden in your hair caught everything. And you were fantastic at getting Kingston to talk. How did you keep your head through all that?”