When a Heart Stops

by Lynette Eason

  “Serena!” Panic clawed at his throat, helplessness spinning his mind. “Serena! Answer me!”

  Dead silence echoed back to him.

  Was she dead? Terror streaked through him as he pressed the gas pedal. Oh God, please no.

  Where was the officer who was supposed to be protecting her?

  Heart thudding, he spun the wheel of his car to race back toward Serena’s house. They hadn’t been talking long, so she couldn’t be very far from her home.

  His adrenaline flowed, free and easy. He took in a deep breath and forced himself into cop mode, emergency response instinct. It terrified him that the person involved was Serena, but emotions had no place in his response.

  He realized he still had the phone pressed against his ear, but no sound penetrated. He looked at the screen and saw the call had been disconnected. He pressed redial.

  No answer.

  He dialed the officer who was supposed to be watching out for her.

  No answer.

  His gut tightened and sweat broke out on his forehead.

  If he knew her location, he’d call for backup.

  But he didn’t.

  Quickly, he called in the wreck, giving what information he had—which wasn’t near enough.

  He just prayed he could find her before he was too late.

  Serena groaned and pressed a hand to her aching head. She’d whiplashed, the impact jerking her head toward the car that hit her, then slamming back against the driver’s window. A motorcycle rumbled. She heard what sounded like a car backfiring twice, then someone cursing behind her, followed by an angry “What are you doing here? Why’d you shoot that cop?”

  She lifted her head to see two figures, blurry and distorted. She closed her eyes, pressed her finger to the lids, tried to gather her scattered thoughts. When a hand reached in to grab her by the upper arm, she looked over, thankful for the officer who’d been behind her.

  But her eyes didn’t land on the officer.

  A black masked face stared down at her. A scream bubbled in her throat even as dizziness made her head spin.

  “Where is it?” the low voice hissed.

  “What?” Serena blinked against the dark spots swirling before her eyes.

  The hand on her bicep tightened and gave her a shake. “The package from Jillian. We know you have it. Where is it?”

  Where was the officer who’d been following her?

  She squinted through the throbbing pain and ignored her attacker.

  Then the person leaned over and snatched Serena’s briefcase from the passenger seat and brought a gun to her head.

  “Is it in here?”

  Serena brought her hand up in a quick defensive move, knocking the gun to the ground. Her attacker let loose a string of curses. A fist connected with her already aching head. From the corner of her eye, she saw him bend down. As she fought the encroaching darkness, she heard the other person say, “I’ll see you soon.” A low chuckle sounded. “And I shot the cop because I couldn’t let the game end before it’s even begun, could I?”

  A gunshot sounded, then all went black.

  Through the windshield, Dominic saw the figure leaning over Serena and at first thought it was the officer who’d volunteered to protect her. Then he saw the man on the ground beside the unmarked Escape. Dominic recognized the officer as the one who’d been following Serena and grief stabbed him as he wondered if the man was dead.

  As his mind pieced together the scene at mach speed, the person near Serena turned at Dominic’s approach, lifted his right hand, and fired a shot.

  Dominic swerved as the bullet slammed into the side of the car. Keeping his head low, he yanked his weapon from his holster and grabbed his radio. “Officer needs help! Intersection of Dove Park and Spring Ridge at the four-way stop sign.” He tossed the radio down after receiving notification that help was on the way. Dominic noticed a bag clutched in the person’s left hand.

  The killer bolted toward the car parked behind Serena’s, leaped over the officer, and dove into the driver’s seat.

  Through the open window, Dominic aimed his weapon and pulled the trigger. The bullet shattered the windshield, but the person slammed the Escape into reverse, whipped the steering wheel around, then sped off.

  Dominic pulled his vehicle in as close as possible to Serena’s and climbed out, keeping low. Into his radio, he said, “Suspect is going east on Spring Ridge in a Blue Ford Escape. License plate Delta-William-Victor Zero-Two-Four.”

  Hating his inability to be in two places at once, Dominic abandoned the idea of giving chase and turned to check Serena’s pulse.

  It pounded beneath his fingers strong and steady.

  He went to Officer MacDougall, who lay on his back, eyes wide and staring. Blank. Dominic checked on him even though he knew the man was already gone. No pulse.

  And a bullet to the center of his forehead.

  Nausea rolled. The loss of life. A good man with two children in their teens. Teens who needed their dad. Fury grappled with grief as the ambulance and other law enforcement arrived on the scene.

  Dominic held up his badge.

  Hunter and Katie bolted from their vehicles, worry stamped on their features.

  “Serena?” Hunter asked as another ambulance pulled up behind the unmarked car.

  “Alive, but unconscious.”

  Paramedics headed toward them and Dominic waved them over to Serena. There was nothing they could do for the dead officer. Katie was already next to the body. The other officers shut down the intersection, rerouting traffic.

  Dominic watched paramedics work on Serena. Anxious, he tried not to hover, but from the slanted looks the younger one kept shooting him, Dominic had a feeling he wasn’t doing a very good job of staying back.

  As they placed her on the gurney, her eyes fluttered and a moan slipped from her lips. “Dominic?”

  He stepped forward and snagged her hand. “Right here, Serena.”

  “What happened?”

  “You got hit.”

  “It was him, wasn’t it?” she whispered.

  Dominic nodded. “Yeah.”

  “The officer behind me . . .”

  “Dead.”

  Grief flashed. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Me too.” Dominic clenched his jaw against the fury that raged in him.

  She tried to sit up and he eased her back. “Go to the hospital and get checked out.”

  “I’m all right.”

  “Don’t argue.” He hadn’t meant to sound so harsh.

  She flinched. “Right.” Serena lay back and licked her lips.

  The fact that she didn’t argue worried him. “Sorry, I’m not upset with you.”

  “I know,” she whispered.

  “You have an escort to the hospital. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He paused. “Anyone you want me to call?”

  “Yeah. I want my mom.” She gave him the number and his heart clenched when a tear slid down her cheek to disappear into the delicate shell of her ear. He leaned over her and looked into her eyes. “You’re going to be okay.”

  She sniffed. “I know.” But Dominic didn’t see any belief in the statement.

  One of the paramedics nudged him and Dominic stepped back. “See you soon.”

  “Wait!” She winced and held a hand to her head. The paramedics paused again. “He stole my briefcase.”

  So that’s what the guy had been holding.

  “What was in it?”

  “Just work stuff.”

  “Go get checked out. We’ll worry about that later.”

  The paramedics rolled her away and loaded her into the back of the ambulance. Dominic made sure Hunter and Katie were on its tail.

  The coroner’s vehicle pulled up followed by a black SUV. A man Dominic had never seen before stepped out of the SUV just as his phone rang.

  He heard the man introduce himself as Ralph Newton, the medical examiner on call. Dominic punched the green button to answer. “Hello?”


  “Colton here.”

  “I’m kind of in the middle of something, can I call you back?”

  “This is important. Hunter just texted me and said he didn’t have time to talk to you at the scene. If you can spare me a couple of minutes, I think you need to know this.”

  Dominic watched Ralph Newton lean over the body of Officer MacDougall. “Sure, what is it?”

  Colton said, “We’ve uncovered some things related to the Doll Maker Killer copycat.”

  “Go on.”

  “We’ve got a possible for the latest dead girl. Kelsey Nicholson. Her prints were in the system when she applied to be a day care worker. But she was picked up on a shoplifting charge a couple of years ago. We’re waiting on the parents to come ID her and talk to us.”

  “All right. Keep me posted. Serena’s on her way to the hospital to get checked out and I want to be there for her.”

  “I’ll check with Alexia and see if she remembers Kelsey.”

  The ME said something to the officer standing next to him, and the officer cursed and turned away to gain control of his emotions.

  Dominic said goodbye and walked over to see what the commotion was. “I’m Special Agent Dominic Allen. What’s the problem?”

  Ralph Newton gently turned the officer onto his side and pointed at a bloody area on the man’s upper right torso beneath the shoulder blade. Dominic blinked as he realized what that meant. He looked at the ME. “He was shot in the back?”

  “Yep. That’s an entry wound. No exit wound.”

  Dominic felt his stomach churn. “So our serial killer had some help. The only way MacDougall could have been shot in the back is if he were going to help Serena. One drove the car into Serena’s, the other waited until the officer got out of his car and shot him.” He dropped his head for a brief moment of dread. When he looked up, he said, “There are two of them working together, which means our workload just doubled.”

  1:20 P.M.

  “She’s in the hospital? I thought you were going to kill her,” Frank said.

  “Not this way. I still need her alive for a little while longer.”

  “That makes no sense! She’s already had Alexia spend the night. What if she’s talking to her?”

  “Alexia doesn’t know anything,” the voice said. “I’ve already established that. Besides, she’s so busy looking for her father, she doesn’t have time to worry about anything else. Regardless, Serena’s not talking to her. That doesn’t mean we’re not still keeping tabs on her, but Serena’s the one with the package.”

  “A package she’s keeping secret even from her closest friend, Alexia?” Frank couldn’t help the sarcasm.

  The voice on the other end of the line went silent, then came back a good fifty degrees cooler. “Exactly. Because she knows if she tells Alexia what’s in the package, that will mean Alexia’s death for certain. Serena’s not the type of person to risk that.”

  Frank thought about that. “How do you know this? You seem so certain.”

  “I have my sources.”

  Sources Frank probably didn’t want to know about. “Okay. What about that FBI agent she seems to be getting so chummy with?”

  “Ah yes, Alexia’s brother.”

  “Right.”

  “I’ve been thinking about him a lot. I think he may have to meet with an unfortunate accident.”

  “As long as it can’t be tracked back to either of us. That’s the most important thing to remember,” Frank said. A sharp shooting pain down his left arm elicited a gasp.

  “What is it?”

  “Nothing. Just some pain in my arm. Stress.”

  “I told you I have it under control. Don’t go and have a heart attack on me.”

  “I don’t have time for a heart attack. I have an election to win.” The pain had faded, but Frank’s worry had tripled.

  “I’ve got it covered. After all, Dominic’s tracking a serial killer, right? I’m sure that the killer doesn’t like the fact that he’s got one of the best FBI agents in the country on his tail.”

  Frank felt a small smile slip across his lips. “Right. I wouldn’t think he’d like that at all.”

  26

  FRIDAY, 1:47 P.M.

  At the hospital, Serena sat on the edge of the bed and pondered her next move. Her attacker had taken her briefcase. She thought about the feeling of being watched as she’d stood in front of the mantel in her den. Somehow, he’d seen her put the package in her briefcase.

  Obviously he hadn’t seen her remove it a few minutes later.

  How had he been watching? Binoculars?

  Or through a scope attached to a high-powered rifle. Like the one that killed Howard. She shuddered.

  First thing, she needed to ask Dominic to escort her to the bank to put that package into the safe deposit box. After they read the contents.

  Maybe. The package contents had to do with Jillian. Not Serena.

  Of course, if Jillian hadn’t sent the package, then the creeps wouldn’t be after her, right? She would have shaken her head if she’d been able to do so without pain. So, she had something someone wanted and was willing to kill to get. She was also the target of a serial killer.

  This was turning into a really bad week.

  She turned her thoughts to Camille.

  She’d already called Mrs. Lamb and told her to be on the lookout for Camille in case things went south with her father. The fact that the girl hadn’t shown her face didn’t mean all was well. In fact, Serena was quite concerned since she hadn’t heard from the girl in two days. That was very unlike her.

  Serena grimaced as worry for Camille mingled with worry for herself and those she was close to.

  Her head still pounded, but fortunately, she’d escaped the wreck and the attack without a concussion. She’d be moving slowly for a while, but at least she would be moving.

  The memory of the man standing over her sent shudders through her.

  “Serena?”

  At the soft voice, she looked up to see her mother, Portia Salazar Hopkins, standing in the doorway. For some reason she couldn’t fathom, tears climbed into Serena’s eyes and she blinked. “Hi, Mom.”

  The tall, slender woman, who still had a head of hair so black it shimmered blue in certain light, walked over and wrapped her arms around her.

  Serena breathed in the comfort of being in her mother’s arms. Her mother’s suddenly tight arms.

  “Hey, you’re smooshing me.”

  Her mother loosened her grasp and pulled back. “That FBI agent called and said you’d been in a wreck.” The soft Spanish accent soothed Serena’s nerves.

  “A car ran a stop sign and rammed into me.” Unsure what her father had shared with the woman, she left out the rest of it.

  “Oh darling, I’m so glad you’re all right.” Her mother dropped to the bed beside her.

  “Where’s Dad?” Surely he wouldn’t leave her mom by herself after Serena’s news that a serial killer may target those close to her.

  “He said he had something to take care of.” Her mother pursed her lips and shook her head. “Your father has been acting very strange over the last day or so.”

  “Strange how?” By not telling her mother about the conversation he’d had with Serena? And the extra protective measures he’d be making? Or was it the fact that her father had also been keeping their financial issues a secret? While Serena didn’t agree with him on that particular score, it wasn’t her secret to tell.

  “He dropped me off with orders not to leave the hospital or talk to strangers. And this morning, he decided he needed to go grocery shopping with me. To make sure I got everything.” An indignant look crossed her face. “Suddenly he’s treating me like a two-year-old.”

  So, her father hadn’t said anything about what had been going on with Serena and the serial killer. She wasn’t so sure that was the wisest thing to do, but bit her lip. She’d honor her father’s decision.

  For now.

  A knock on the do
or grabbed her attention and she looked up to see Dominic enter, followed by Paul, her lab assistant.

  Paul shot her a sheepish grin. “Hope you don’t mind me popping in. I ran into Dominic while he was talking to Daniel about what happened to you.”

  Serena lifted a brow at Dominic, unsure whether to be perturbed about that or not. “You talked to my boss?”

  “Just to let him know what happened and to see if Jane Doe’s tox screen had come back.”

  She supposed that was all right. “Had it?”

  “Yes, I’ll fill you in a little later.” Dominic held a hand out to her mother who shook it. “I’m Dominic Allen, the one who called you.”

  Serena looked back and forth between the two of them. “Have you two never met before?”

  Dominic shook his head. “I don’t think so. You were in and out of my house a few times when you were a kid, but I don’t think I ever met your mother.”

  Serena’s mother eyed Dominic. “I appreciate you calling me.”

  “And this is Paul Hamilton, my assistant in the lab. Paul, my mom, Portia Hopkins.”

  The two shook hands then Paul said, “I’ve got to go back to work. Just wanted to make sure my favorite ME was going to be okay.”

  “Who was the ME who responded to the officer’s death?” she asked, the guilt flooding back as she thought about him.

  “Ralph Newton.” Paul gave a little grimace.

  Serena gave him a small smile. Ralph was a fantastic ME, but brusque and almost rude to those he considered beneath his station. Such as Paul.

  Paul said, “I’ve got to go, but I’m glad you’re all right. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  Serena smiled at her friend and grimaced as pain shot through her head. “Thanks, Paul.”

  He left and Dominic said, “I’ve got a phone call. I’ll be outside.”

  After the door shut behind Dominic, Serena asked, “So everything’s all right? Nothing else weird going on?”

  “No, nothing. Well, nothing other than our alarm system seems to have a glitch in it. They’re supposed to send someone to come fix it sometime tomorrow, I think. Your father insisted on someone coming out as soon as possible.”

  “Oh good.” Serena breathed a sigh of relief that her father was being as diligent about their security as he’d promised.