“CJ! You still with us?”
“Yeah. Trying to remember. I was handcuffed, my hands in front. I couldn’t have reached into my back pockets. At some point they removed the handcuffs and I was told to strip and put on the lovely jail ensemble.”
“Glad to see you still have your sense of humor.”
“I was being serious.”
Stella snorted.
Stratton said, “So, your clothes were taken away without emptying pockets.”
“Yes.” He looked at Stratton. “Was it listed in the inventory?”
“No.”
“That was stupid on the perp’s part. It’s another piece of coincidental evidence that points to someone besides me. He should have wiped the wallet and credit card and put them back in my pocket.”
“Apparently this guy is not as smart as we’ve been thinking he is,” Stratton said.
“Or he doesn’t think we’re smart enough to catch the little things.” CJ emptied the water bottle while thinking. “With the hookers, he was very careful. The only evidence was one he couldn’t have foreseen, my eye-witnessing his vehicle on number three. I think that was a trigger that started him obsessing on me. He became sloppy, started making mistakes. It’s as though he knows I’ll eventually be exonerated but gets off on seeing how long he can string me out there, confident that even with that, there’ll be a black cloud hanging over my head for years afterwards.”
“Because you saw him that night?” Stratton asked.
“No. There’s something else. I think he has a personal beef against me that’s been simmering for some time, probably years. My discovering his third kill put the beef directly on the burner.” After a few seconds he grinned. “Pun intended.”
Stella snorted again.
Stratton shook his head. “I’ve got one of the two agents from Denver digging into everything they can find on Tommy Clark, from the time he sucked his momma’s…” he looked over at Stella, “ah, cried in his crib.”
Stella rolled her eyes. “Would you like me to leave so you guys can talk your man talk?”
CJ reached for her hand. “Don’t want you to ever leave, but…”
“But what?”
He let loose of her and handed her the water bottle. “Could you find some more of this, and maybe a Big Mac with extra cheese?”
She snatched the bottle. “Water and no Big Mac, and I’m only serving you because you’re in a hospital bed.”
“What would you do if I was in a regular bed?”
She grinned and blushed, then turned and walked away.
“Not easy to get her to blush,” CJ said.
“I can imagine,” Stratton said.
“I’m worried that these guys are going to try for her. I’m protected and Trish is protected. Who’s protecting Stella?”
“I know what you’re saying, CJ. We just don’t have enough man-power.”
“Take Bowers off of me; put her with Stella.”
“Can’t do it. You’re technically still in police custody. Have to keep an officer on you.”
“Do you think he hasn’t figured it out by now, that I’m no longer a suspect?”
“We think the chances are very low that he’s found out. Give us a day or two, enough time to do a deep background check on him. For right now instead of in jail, where apparently he could get to you, you’re here.” Stratton glanced out to where a nurse was talking with another nurse. “Much better view, moderately better food.”
“Arguable on the food. Would rather see the inside of my apartment. What about Officer Kramer? You did bring her onboard, right?”
Stratton nodded. “She’s been fully briefed and is now our eyes on Clark. Worked with Chief Rague to get her quietly transferred from admin to Tommy Clark’s division. Ideally we’d like her assigned as Clark’s partner, but not sure if we’re ready to go there.”
“Awfully risky.”
“No doubt. As far as Stella, she has yet to leave the hospital. She’s always either with you or your daughter.”
“Eventually she is going to have to go home, if for no other reason than to get clean clothes.”
“We’ll work it out,” Stratton assured him. “With five agents and two officers, one of us should be able to cover a trip to her apartment.”
“Thank you.”
After Stratton left, Stella went to look in on Trish. CJ sipped the water she'd fetched for him, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He didn’t want to fall asleep; instead, he wanted to revisit everything that happened from the time he was first hit with the stun gun to when he woke up in the motel room. All he could see in his inner eye, however, was Trish lying in the street and getting farther away. And then CJ slipped off into a nightmare in which he found Trish and Stella lying next to each other in a dumpster.
“Clinton.”
CJ’s eyes snapped open to find the one person he didn’t expect to see. He started to say something, but found his mouth dry again. He lifted the water bottle for a sip then said, “How are you, Pat?”
“I’m fine, but I’m not here to talk about me. We’re divorced because of you and now Patricia was almost killed because of you.”
“I didn’t do any of this.”
“I know that. Agent Stratton has filled me in on the secret. Don’t worry, I’ll keep the secret until they catch this lunatic. Just because you didn’t kill all these women doesn’t mean you aren’t responsible for putting your daughter, our daughter, in the hospital. What in the hell were you thinking getting her involved in this? Why in the hell did you think you could go off to visit her in Idaho when this lunatic was after you?”
“I….”
“And when were you planning on telling me about Joshua following in your footsteps?”
“I didn’t know.”
“I’ll bet you didn’t. Had to do his dad one better. I feel sorry for the woman he marries.”
CJ started to open his mouth to say something, then, noticing Stella standing in the doorway, closed it.
“I’ve said my piece,” Pat added, then turned around. As she left, she said to Stella, “You could do better.”
Stella looked after her for a few seconds and then looked at CJ.
“Sorry you had to hear all that,” he said.
Stella shrugged her shoulders. “She’s a mother concerned for her children. Can’t fault her for that. She is wrong about one thing for sure, though.”
“And what’s that?”
“I don’t think I could do better. You’re not going to get rid of me as easily as you got rid of her.”
“I…”
She put her finger on his lips. “Hush. Also, none of this is your fault, and you should be proud of your son.” Then she kissed him.
Chapter 50
By day’s end both CJ and Trish had been downgraded from critical, first her in the morning and then him around 3:00 in the afternoon. He’d hoped they’d share a room but was told that wasn’t possible. They did allow him to visit her in route to his new digs, however. It was a wonderful, but too short, fifteen minutes. He was pleased to learn that Stella could sleep in the room with him and Josh was going to do the same with Trish. Pat was there when he rolled in. She gave him a bit less than the time of day, told Trish she’d return in the morning and promptly departed.
Once CJ was settled, Officer Bowers went home, saying she'd be back at midnight, and one of the Denver FBI agents, Janet Crosby, took over. Josh stopped in a bit later to check on him. The conversation was just as stilted as before, CJ trying to pry out information about Josh becoming an agent, about his love life, about anything, Josh giving up little.
At 9:00 he was wiped out. Just before falling asleep Stella kissed him and then curled up on the cot the nurses provided and opened a book. His eyes fell closed.
CJ awoke just after 1:00 am in a sweat, wide awake and clear headed. He figured it was a nightmare that woke him but it faded so fast he was unable to think about it. He was sure, however, that it had to d
o with Pat’s comments and then Stella’s. He couldn’t argue with his ex-wife in her belief that he was at fault. Stella was wrong in saying that he wasn’t. There was no doubt he’d made some very stupid decisions.
Suddenly it occurred to him that it wasn’t a nightmare that woke him. It was something else. He looked over at where Stella should have been sleeping, but she was gone. Did he sense her getting up? Where did she go? Bathroom? Something didn’t feel right.
He sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed, expecting a wave of dizziness, surprised that there was nothing. He eased off the bed until his feet were in full contact with the floor, then pushed away. He was steady and confident. After considering the IV rack he pulled the IV from his arm and started around the bed.
“No need to go anywhere, Mister Washburn.”
CJ looked up from his feet, over to the door that was open a crack, light slicing into the otherwise darkened room. Just inside the door stood a person, the light from the hall illuminating just enough to tell it was a uniformed police officer, face too dark to see features. The voice was male.
“Who are you?”
“If you were Batman, I’d be The Joker.”
“Why?”
“Your sweetheart is with your daughter. Your guard, well, she’s getting what her father deserved. For right now the rest of your ladies are accounted for, except your ex, of course, but then she isn’t your lady anymore, is she? But what about that fine looking attorney. Is she one of your ladies, too?”
“Why are you doing this? What did I do to you?”
“Nothing… to me.” He looked out into the hall then turned back to CJ. “When you stopped being a cop, you should have stopped meddling in cop business.”
CJ glanced down to see if there was anything in his path. When his eyes came up, the guy was gone. CJ ran to the door and looked out. The back end of a blue uniform disappeared through a door marked by an exit sign with a stairs symbol. CJ sprinted to the same door, burst through, ran up one flight and exploded into another hall. As he had come at it from a different direction in the wheelchair six hours before, he wasn’t positive which room belonged to Trish, but one door was fully open, and there were voices.
He sprinted the distance and rushed through the doorway, nearly crashing into a table.
“Dad?”
CJ steadied himself and looked at his daughter and the people around her. “Are you alright?” he sputtered.
“I’m fine. What’s wrong? Why…?”
“I just… had a nightmare.” He steadied himself again as Stella came to him, and josh grabbed his arm.
“Sit down,” Stella said.
“I’m okay.” He pulled Josh’s fingers from his arm. “Really. I’m okay.” He looked around. “Where’s Officer Bowers? Wasn’t she supposed to come in at midnight?”
“She did,” Stella said. “She was with you when I left about thirty minutes ago. I couldn’t sleep so I came up to check on Trish. She and Josh weren’t sleeping either so I joined them for a bit.”
“She’s not there now.”
“Probably in the bathroom,” Josh said, but he was moving toward the door. “Stay here.”
Ignoring Josh’s order, CJ followed him into the hall, catching him by the arm. “Josh,” he said, keeping his voice low. Josh stopped and looked at him. “He was in my room.”
“He? He who?”
“The perp. He said that Officer Bowers got what her father deserved.”
Josh pushed his dad back toward Trish’s room. “Go! Stay with them.” With that he took off on a run for the stairs.
“Wait!”
Josh stopped.
“He’s a cop.” CJ considered that for a moment. “Or else he’s dressed as one. I never saw his face.”
Josh nodded and took off; CJ returned to Trish and Stella.
“What the hell is going on?” Stella demanded.
CJ suddenly felt exhausted. He pulled over a chair, only then realizing he was wearing the hospital gown and was probably exposing something to someone. He tightened the gown up, sat, and then told them about waking up to find the perp in his room, and everything the perp said.
“Oh my God,” Trish said and then looked up to a nurse coming in.
All eyes turned toward the nurse who must have seen the look on their faces. “Is everything okay?” she said as she turned her attention directly at Trish. “You having problems?”
Trish opened her mouth and looked at her dad.
“Are you aware of anything happening on the next floor down?” CJ said.
The nurse looked between CJ and Trish. “No. I got a call to check on Patricia, but no details. You’re her father, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not so sure you should be up here right now. You should be in your room, resting.”
CJ shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
Trish shook her head. “I don’t think so either.”
Stella smiled. “I think you’re out-voted.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be under guard, or something?” The nurse said to CJ.
CJ was wondering how to respond, if at all, when another nurse rushed in, male this time. He recognized him from when he come into his room earlier. His name was Michael.
“Carol,” Michael said. “We need you right now.”
Without questioning him, Carol turned and walked out into the hall, Michael closing the door behind them. CJ, Trish and Stella just looked at each other, all realizing there was nothing to do but wait.
Chapter 51
The next time the door opened, about 45 minutes later, Trish was asleep, Stella was pacing and CJ was wanting to do laps up and down the hall. His shoulder was killing him and his head wasn’t doing much better. The worst was the worry about Lisa Bowers.
Dan walked in.
CJ jumped up and Trish woke up. All heads turned to Dan.
“Did you find Lisa?” Stella asked.
Dan held up his hand. “Yes. She’s fine, or as fine as can be expected. She was in bed in an unoccupied room not far from yours, CJ, in only her underwear. Her clothes, her weapon, even her shoes, are gone. She’s not coherent at this point because it appears she was hit with the same date-rape drug you were hit with and, like you, she was first subdued with a laser gun.”
“She was careful,” CJ said. “How did he get the drop on her?”
“Because he was in uniform?” Stella asked.
Dan shook his head. “She knew the score and exactly who was on the team. She would have immediately been suspicious of Tommy Clark or any other officer.”
“This wasn’t Clark,” CJ said. “This guy I saw was five-seven, maybe eight. Clark, from what I understand, is closer to six-two.”
“Josh didn’t tell me the details,” Dan said. “Tell me what you saw, what he said.”
CJ recounted everything.
“You sure about the height?”
“Very certain,” CJ said. “You’re six foot, right?”
“Give or take a quarter inch.”
“Go stand by the door, turn off the lights.”
Dan did so.
“Now, open the door about ten inches.”
Dan complied and then stood to the side as CJ had described.
“There’s no doubt. He was at least four inches shorter than you, and he was wearing an officer’s hat.”
Dan started to move and CJ said, “Wait! Step back and inch over closer to the door.”
“Like this?” Dan said.
“Yeah. Now move your hand like you’re getting ready to grab the edge of the door and step out.” Dan did so and CJ said, “Stop! There!”
“What?” Dan said, his hand on the door.
“When the perp reached for the door I noticed something odd. Backlit by the hall light I could see the silhouette of his hand. It’s one of those things that sometimes a detective notices but doesn’t register until later.”
“Fine,” Dan said with a bit of impatience. �
��What did you notice, thou great and honorable Detective Columbo?”
“He only had four digits on his right hand, a thumb and three fingers. He was missing the little finger.”
“Maybe he had one curled up and you didn’t see it.”
“Try curling up your little finger while reaching out. First, it’s not easy. Second, why would you? I’m 95% certain this guy was missing his little finger, and…” He pointed in the air as though coming up with another idea, “…he touched the door.”
“Well, that’s certainly something. Anything else you noted about him?”
CJ shook his head. “He was otherwise in the shadows. I was going to rush him, but had to glance down to be sure there was nothing in my path. When I looked up, he was gone. The next look I got was a brief view of his back side as he was going through the door to the stairs. I can only assume he went down from there. I came straight up to here.”
“Did you notice any nurses, wandering patients, witnesses?”
“No one.”
Dan pulled out his phone and punched a number. He pressed the phone to his ear and after a few seconds said, “Dan here. We need to put an officer, or someone on Washburn’s hospital room; lock it down as a crime scene. We need to get people on the door, dusting for fingerprints near the door edge, knee high to shoulder high.” He looked up at the ceiling while he listened. “Yeah, I know. Cat’s outa the bag so I don’t see much point anymore. We need to find out who’s been opening the damn bag.”
When he hung up CJ said, “Cat’s outa the bag?”
“This guy seems to know our every move. The pretense that you’re the prime suspect isn’t working. There’s no point in keeping you in custody any longer, and it’s taking too many resources. I think we need to come up with another safe house where we can keep you all together and under protection.”
“What about Gianna Onassis?” CJ asked. “He as good as threatened her, and Pat, too.”
“I’ll get someone to check on both of them. Meanwhile, I’ll make sure Josh or someone is here with you all until we can get you broke out of here. No later than a few hours, I hope.” He looked between Trish and CJ. “If you all still need medical attention, they’ll have to come to you.”
Deserving of Death (CJ Washburn, PI Book 1) Page 23
