Donors

by C. M. Sutter

  I turned around. “Yeah, that’s her. What did you find out, Emma?”

  She approached us, smiling. “Jerry remembered the vehicle. He said the guy had a charcoal-gray van that had sliding side doors. He said it was completely empty from the front seats to the back. That’s the only way the chairs fit inside. Oh, and he said the van seemed older just because it looked a little run-down.”

  “He didn’t happen to see the plate number, did he?” J.T. asked as he took notes.

  “He said he didn’t even think to look, but he remembered seeing a parking pass sticker on the windshield.”

  “That ought to help.” I gave J.T. a hopeful glance. I let out a long breath. “Okay, anything else at all that you can remember, Emma?”

  “Just that he said he was artsy and wanted to reupholster the chairs. That’s why he didn’t care if they matched.”

  “Okay, thanks. You’ve been a big help.” I handed her and Jan my contact card. “We’ll be in touch. I have to find out from our tech department if there’s a way to pull Tuesday’s footage from the camera. That way we can review it at the precinct. We may be sending someone over to take a look.”

  J.T. and I headed back to the station with the information we had gathered. As J.T. drove, I pulled out my notepad to give everything a thorough review.

  “Did Charlie get anywhere with those initials?”

  “Yeah, he says they’re an S and an R.”

  “That rules out Alex. How about the rest of the people in his group?”

  “Fitch and Andrews are going through the names of everyone interviewed.” I flipped through my notepad in reverse.

  “Looking for something in particular?”

  “Yeah, we did interviews too, you know. I may as well go through those names while I’m sitting here, anyway.”

  Chapter 53

  She could barely hold her head up. Adeline’s energy level had faded dramatically overnight. Sam had a hard time keeping her alert.

  “Mom, please drink the juice. You need vitamins and liquids in your body. You have to keep up your strength so I can give you a transfusion today.”

  She whispered in a raspy voice, “Just let me die. I’m going to no matter what.”

  “No you aren’t, and don’t talk that way.”

  Sam held the straw to her mouth and willed her to take a sip. With a quick glance at the clock on her nightstand, he checked the time—ten thirty. He needed to get to the library to see whether Massimo had responded to his message from last night.

  Kristen’s dead body lay on the gurney in the back room, and her blood was filling the jugs. He’d bag it as soon as he returned home. His mind was consumed with thoughts of finding another dump site for a body. Chances were he’d have two bodies to dump this time. Sam was sure Bethany’s death wouldn’t be far behind.

  Adeline’s fresh blood supply would dwindle quickly now that Kristen was gone. Sam would be lucky to get a few more draws from Bethany before her veins were completely useless and her blood supply depleted.

  “Mom, don’t try to get out of bed. I’ll be back as fast as I can, I promise.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes. Sam grabbed the keys and left through the garage. He backed the van down the driveway, lowered the overhead, and sped off, heading to the library. He planned his next steps as he drove. He’d sell Kristen’s blood to Massimo to free up some cash. Then he’d search for a new donor. His mind went back to the clerk from Second Life Resale. She was a good possibility.

  Chapter 54

  “No shit! You have to be kidding me.” I sat up straight and focused on the page in my notepad.

  “What?” J.T. jerked his head toward me.

  “I got it. I swear I know who he is.” My head nearly hit the passenger door window as J.T. cranked the steering wheel and swerved the cruiser into a grocery store parking lot.

  “Show me.”

  “Geez, I think I have whiplash.” I handed him my notepad with the page folded back. “Look at the name of the last person we interviewed at the hospital where Heather worked. Think about it, J.T. You do remember what he looked like, right?”

  J.T. stared at my notes. “Sam Reed. The initials are right, and he has blond hair. A well-mannered, polite guy if I remember correctly.”

  “Yeah, a good act if I do say so myself, and he said he barely knew Heather. His hair color, age, and body size fits the descriptions we were given. Now we need to know what he drives. Hospital employees usually have parking passes on their vehicles too, just like Jerry described.” I grabbed my cell and called Sullivan. I tapped the speakerphone icon as the phone rang. He picked up before the third ring. “Captain, I think we know the guy. We need a DL for a Sam Reed and his vehicle registration information. If he drives a dark gray van, we have him dead to rights.”

  J.T. pulled back out onto the street and continued toward downtown.

  “Who the hell is Sam Reed?” Sullivan asked.

  “He works at the same hospital Heather did. We interviewed the punk ourselves, damn it.” I checked my notes again. “He’s local and said he lives in the vicinity of Second Street but avoided giving me an exact address.”

  “Okay, Charlie sent off a return message earlier, posing as Massimo, and the seller has already replied. He must be getting desperate. He wants to meet at twelve forty-five today at Franklin County Park. We can’t arrest somebody based on their initials, so we need to catch him in the act of trying to sell human blood. I’ll have tech pull up Sam Reed’s DL and vehicle registration. How far out are you guys?”

  “We’re here and pulling into the parking garage right now.”

  J.T. parked. We hurried through the door then headed straight for Sullivan’s office.

  “Did tech get a hit on Sam Reed’s DL?” I asked as I took a seat in a guest chair.

  “That name doesn’t come up in the system with any driver’s license at all.”

  J.T. ground his fist in his right eye. “How the hell is that possible?”

  “Maybe Sam Reed isn’t even his real name.” I checked the time. We had an hour and a half to come up with a plan. “Who’s meeting this guy in the park?”

  Sullivan huffed. “Who do you think? It has to be Alex. It’s his picture on that website.”

  “Shit. Has anyone briefed him yet?” J.T. asked.

  “Andrews is putting him in interrogation room two right now. The rest of the clan has been released.”

  “Okay, I’ll call the personnel department at the hospital and get Sam’s address.” I gave J.T. a glance. “You’re going to be the person briefing Alex, right?”

  “Absolutely, and come downstairs after your call. Just don’t get your hopes up that the hospital is going to give you confidential information over the phone.”

  “I know, but it’s worth a try. Maybe I’ll get a newbie on the line.”

  Sullivan pushed back his chair and joined J.T. at the door. “Use my office to make your call. At least it’s quiet in here.” He pulled the door closed behind him. I watched through the glass wall as they walked away.

  I looked up the hospital’s number on my phone and dialed. I waited as the phone rang four times.

  “St. Mary’s Hospital, how may I direct your call?”

  “Hello. I need the personnel department, please.”

  “One moment.”

  I listened to smooth jazz for a solid minute before somebody picked up.

  “Personnel, how may I help you?”

  I went through the usual introductions with no luck. Unless I went to the hospital and showed them my FBI ID in person, they weren’t obligated to give me any employee’s personal information over the phone. I hung up and flipped through my notes again. I remembered Joan Miller being talkative and helpful during her interview. She was the one who gave us information about Heather’s infatuation with Adam Drake. She could very well be the perfect person to talk to. I called again, altered my voice a bit, and asked for the lab. I was transferred to the receptionist there.
r />   “Lab, Deb speaking.”

  “Hi, Deb.” I recognized the voice of the not-so-helpful, gum-snapping young lady who sat behind the glass window in the lab’s registration area. I thought I’d play it nice and see whether I’d have better luck with her, but I wasn’t about to let on who I was. “I have an urgent message for Joan Miller. May I speak to her, please?”

  “Give me a sec.”

  I waited as Deb put me on hold for nearly a minute. A rustle on the other end told me she’d returned. “Joan just left for her hour-long lunch. I’ll give her your message when she returns.”

  “No, thanks, but you can give me her cell number.”

  I could imagine her smirking on the other end. “I don’t think so. That’s against hospital policies. You’ll have to try back after lunch.”

  I hung up. “Damn it, I’m not getting anywhere.”

  I pocketed my phone and headed to the elevator. Down on the first floor, I made my way through the security doors to the interrogation and observation rooms. I opened the door and entered observation room number two. Sullivan’s elbows rested on the counter. His head was propped in his open palms as he watched J.T. through the window. Andrews leaned against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. Fitch sat in a folding chair.

  “How’s it going?” I asked. I stuffed my hands deep into my pants pockets and watched through the mirror with the others.

  “J.T. is coaching him on everything to say and every move to make,” Sullivan said, “and Alex isn’t liking it one bit.”

  “What other choice does he have?”

  Mel grinned. “None, and he knows it. We can charge him with obstructing justice, fleeing an officer, speeding, erratic driving, and endangering the life of a motorist.”

  I rolled the knots out of my neck as I joined Andrews against the wall. “That ought to convince him to cooperate.”

  Sullivan asked how my call to the hospital went.

  “Yeah, no luck with the personnel department—they’re tight-lipped—but I may have a chance with somebody after lunch. Isn’t it time for your guys to head out?”

  Sullivan leaned forward and knocked on the window. J.T. rose and left the interrogation room.

  Seconds later, J.T. entered the room and stood at my side. He sucked in a deep breath. “I think we’re good to go. There isn’t much more I can tell Alex before he goes into brain overload. How many of us are staking out the park?”

  “I already have Stone, Mills, and Jeffries out there in street clothes. They’re parked several blocks away in their personal cars. They’re watching the area to see if the seller shows up early. It isn’t the time of year to be strolling through a park, and that’s likely why our guy picked it. He would definitely notice an unusual amount of people milling around and get suspicious, so it’s up to Alex to pull this off. The rest of us have to hang back.”

  J.T. coughed into his hand before talking. “Jade and I can’t be seen if this man is actually Sam Reed from the hospital. He’d recognize us from the interview and know it’s a setup. We’ll stay back and watch through our binoculars.”

  “I think I’ll take a pass on this one. I’m heading to the hospital. If the only way I’m going to get an address for Sam Reed is by flashing my badge, then I need to be there in person.”

  “Okay, keep us posted,” Sullivan said. He jerked his head at Andrews. “Get someone from impound to bring a clunker around to the side entrance. It’s for Alex to drive. He has to look the part of a low-life wannabe vampire. We need to get a wire on him too. Let’s saddle up and get this pony show on the road.”

  I parted ways with the rest of the group and wished them luck. After I took the elevator to the fourth floor and crossed the footbridge to the parking structure, I left in our cruiser and headed to the hospital.

  Chapter 55

  Sam kept his eye on the time as he pulled into the driveway and parked. He pulled the E-brake, killed the engine, and went in through the front door. He had forty minutes before he had to leave for the meetup. Luckily, the park was only a ten-minute drive from his house. He needed to pack Kristen’s blood in double zipper bags first so they’d be ready to go when he was. Then he’d pull the transfusion bag from Bethany and get it set up for Adeline.

  Sam fished the keys out of his front pants pocket, unlocked the door, and flipped the light switch on the wall. He entered the workroom and headed straight for the gurney. There was no time to waste. He removed the tubes from the jugs and placed them next to Kristen. Then he carried the jugs into the kitchen and set them on the countertop by the sink. Sam knelt at the bottom cabinet drawer and slid it open. He pulled out four gallon zipper bags from the dispenser and double bagged them. With each doubled bag in the sink, he carefully poured the blood in until the bags were half full. He zipped the inner bag, pressed the air out of the outer bag, and zipped that one too. He placed both bags in a large plastic trash bag so they’d be ready for transport.

  Sam quickly glanced at the clock and returned to the workroom to retrieve the full transfusion bag from Bethany. He had just enough time to give Adeline one much-needed pint before he left the house.

  Bethany sat quietly with her chin slumped against her chest. Sam flipped the lever on the valve and removed the tube from her arm. He followed the length of clear plastic to the bag on her lap. It was nearly empty. “What the hell? Did I miss her vein?” Sam jerked his head back and gave Bethany a suspicious look. “No, no, no, no.” He spun around and pressed his index and middle fingers against her inner wrist but felt nothing. He tried her neck. It felt the same. He screeched, “Son of a bitch, you can’t be dead!” Sam kicked the chair aside and leaned in. He lifted her head and pulled her right eyelid up. Her eyes were glazed over and glassy. “Shit! I can’t give Mom Kristen’s blood, and there isn’t enough in the house to hold her over!”

  Chapter 56

  I entered the hospital through the automatic glass doors and approached the woman flipping through a magazine at the information desk. I cleared my throat and she looked up.

  “May I help you?”

  Knowing there wasn’t time for pleasantries, I whipped out my badge and showed it to her. “I need to get to the personnel department. Which way do I go?”

  “Oh dear, is someone expecting you?” She looked from left to right. “Ma’am, it’s hospital policy to have an escort if you’re going into restricted areas without an appointment.”

  I jerked my chin toward the doors behind her. “I have an escort—you.” I took a quick glance at her name tag. “Come on, Sylvia. We don’t have time to waste.”

  She looked apprehensive but rose, anyway, since I insisted. Sylvia led me through a set of automatic doors, down a long hallway, and through a second set of doors. We entered an area that resembled a typical office. It was filled with small rooms and cubicles. The hospital vibe had all but vanished. Sylvia looked over her shoulder at me. “We’re close.”

  We went down two more hallways, then a placard on the wall told me we had reached our destination. The personnel department was just beyond the set of doors in front of us. We entered the large office space. Sylvia hung back and took a seat in a guest chair against the wall. I approached the first counter and pulled my badge from the lanyard. I slid it across the laminate surface to the only woman stationed there. “I need information on an employee, and I don’t have time to mess around.”

  The woman looked at me, then my badge, then at me again, as if she were comparing my face to the image in the photo.

  “It’s me, and I need you to pull up the employee file for Sam Reed.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” she said. “What department does he work in?”

  “The lab.”

  “One moment, please.”

  I stared at her as she tapped the keyboard. She frowned at the screen and leaned in closer.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “We don’t have a record of a Sam Reed that works in the lab.”

  “Okay, then just pull u
p his personnel file.”

  “There isn’t one. We don’t have an employee named Sam Reed in the entire hospital. Are you sure he isn’t an outside vendor?”

  “Yes I’m sure, and I interviewed him several days back in the lab. He has to be in the employee database.”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, but he isn’t.”

  I spun toward Sylvia. “Let’s go. You’re taking me to the lab.” I checked the time on my phone as we followed the double yellow lines on the floor to a bank of elevators. Sylvia pressed the button. We waited until the bell dinged. I looked at the large arrow that illuminated as the doors parted, and we slipped in. Sylvia pressed the button for the fourth floor. The doors closed, and we rode up in silence.

  I knew the way from there, but Sylvia apparently felt the need to escort me. I’m sure she feared her job could be on the line if she didn’t. I pushed through the doors, which opened to the lab’s waiting area and the small check-in window where Deb sat. She glanced up, rolled her eyes, and huffed.

  “Don’t start with me and don’t talk. I need you to get Joan Miller out here right this minute.”

  She shoved her chair away from the counter and disappeared through the door at her back. Minutes later, as I paced the floor, the door between the lab and the waiting area opened. Joan walked through.

  “Agent Monroe,” she said in a whisper, “what’s this about?”

  “Come with me.”

  “But I’m working.”

  “It’ll only take a minute.” When Sylvia began to stand, I pointed at her. “Stay put. We’re just going out in the hallway, and it’s a private conversation.”

  Joan followed me then leaned against the wall when the door closed at our backs. “What’s going on?”

  “I need information, Joan. It’s urgent.”

  “Sure, if I can help.”

  “You know Sam, right? The guy that files the blood samples?”