Startled, she jumped up, dashed to the front of the cottage, down the path and out the gate in time to see two vehicles, one barely trailing the other, racing around the sharp curve at full speed. Instinctively, Jessie stepped back. The first vehicle jumped the curb, missing her by inches, then scraped the wall, the grating sound of metal lingering painfully, before it bounced off violently, and without ever slowing down, crashed into a cement light post head on. The second car, a white sedan, screeched to a halt next to it.
Under the dim glow of the street light a hundred feet away, Jessie got a glimpse of a man in the passenger seat. As she did, he turned and glanced back at her before the car sped away.
Jessie raced to the wrecked car. Wrapped around the post, the front end had collapsed onto itself. Its side was riddled with bullets holes. Shattered glass from the windshield covered the dashboard. The airbags were deployed and as she approached the driver’s side, she discerned the back of a woman’s head, hair saturated with blood, her face and torso entangled in the remnants of the bag. With adrenaline pumping through her veins, Jessie pulled on the handle. The door was bent and it didn’t budge. Using both hands, she yanked harder. Several attempts later it finally gave, and she was able to force it open part of the way. She reached in, checked the woman’s pulse, and found no sign of life.
A glance in the back seat revealed the driver was alone in the car. Realizing she had left her cell phone in the cottage, Jessie was about to run back when she thought she heard a whimper. Suddenly hopeful, she peered at the driver, but the woman hadn’t moved. She took her pulse again. Nothing. Mystified, she looked into the back seat once more. There was only a crumpled blanket and a bag on the floor. She turned and was only a few steps away when a soft cry arose from the car. She opened the back door. Curled up on the floor under the blanket, a child stared at her with terror-filled eyes. Jessie’s heart took a leap.
“What is your name, sweetie?” she asked softly.
“Lilly.”
“Hi, Lilly, I’m Jessie. Don’t be afraid, I’m not going to hurt you,” she said, reaching out.
The child shrunk back, whimpering. “I want my mommy…”
“I know. But right now we have to hurry and get her an ambulance, okay?”
“Are the bad men gone?”
“Yes, they are gone. You’re safe.”
The child nodded, and hesitantly reached out a hand. Jessie lifted her off the floor and into her arms. She took hold of the blanket and wrapped it around the child. “Hold on, Lilly, my house is right here, we’re going to get help.”
She ran back to the cottage with the child clinging to her. In the living room she gently sat her on the couch, crouched down next to her, and pointed to the kitchen. “I have to make a phone call. I’ll be right over there, okay?”
The child nodded. Jessie grabbed her cell phone, stepped away, and dialed 911. With her back to the child so she couldn’t hear her, she gave the operator her address and the information. Afterwards, she sat beside Lilly and pulled her close. “In just a few minutes, the police will be here. When they do, I’ll have to go back outside to talk to them. I won’t be far, I promise. You can lie down right here and wait for me.”
“Is Mommy going to be all right?”
Jessie’s throat tightened. She rubbed Lilly’s back and nodded. “There’s an ambulance coming and they’ll take her to the hospital.”
Tears filled the child’s eyes. “I want her to wake up and talk to me.”
The deception gnawed at Jessie. “I know, baby, but she can’t talk right now. What about your Daddy? Can we call him?”
Lilly shook her head. “The police came to the house and took him away.”
“When was that?”
“Yesterday.”
“Was your Mommy there?”
Lilly nodded. “She was crying, and Daddy was crying, too. He didn’t want to go. They were mean to him and made him get in the police car.”
“That other car, tonight, do you know if it was following you?” Jessie asked.
Lilly nodded.
“Were those the bad men you asked about?” Jessie said.
The child nodded again. “Mommy and me, we went to the police station to see if they would let Daddy come home. We waited there a long time, and Mommy talked to a lot of policemen. She asked if we could see him. They said no. When we got back to the house, it was really dark and the two men were standing at the front door. Mommy was afraid, she said they were bad. She drove away really fast, and they chased us. Then she told me to get down on the floor, so I did.”
Jessie stroked her face and smiled. “You did the right thing. You’re a good girl.”
Soon, the distant blast of sirens resonated in the night. Jessie had Lilly lie down and pulled the child’s blanket over her legs. “I have to go talk to the policeman for a little while, but I’ll be back soon, all right?”
Lilly nodded.
Jessie went back outside. The first patrol car pulled up, followed closely by an ambulance. Two deputies got out of their vehicle and approached cautiously. Jessie introduced herself, then described the pursuit and shooting as calmly as she could. As she was talking, a couple of EMTs jumped out of the ambulance and rushed to the wrecked car. It didn’t take them long to confirm what Jessie already knew. The woman was beyond help. They stood about briefly, in a moment of hopelessness, before repacking their gear.
In the next few minutes, several more Broward Sheriff’s cars arrived, along with a medical examiner’s van and a truck from the crime lab. Lights were brought in, yellow crime tape went up, technicians walked around gathering evidence. A tow truck parked nearby, waiting to haul away the vehicle once the techs and the police were done.
As the eerie scene unfolded, Jessie was overcome with sadness, thinking about the child who was now without a mother. She was ready to step back inside to check on Lilly when an unmarked police car pulled up. A plainclothes man got out, and immediately was joined by the other cops on the scene. They conferred for a while before glancing in her direction. The man nodded, then headed her way.
As he got closer, Jessie recognized Jim Boyd, a Broward Sheriff’s office homicide detective. Short and thick through the middle, he had a square jaw and sported a crew cut, probably dating back to his military days. She had interviewed him several times while reporting on a crime a while back. His eyebrows shot up. “Jessie, what the heck are you doing here?”
She pointed to the driveway nearby. “I live there. I was sitting on my patio when I heard the shots. I ran out here and saw the car crash.”
“So you called it in?”
Jessie nodded and described the accident once more. She told him about the little girl. Boyd frowned. “How is she doing?”
She shook her head. “She doesn’t realize her mom is dead. She told me her father was picked up by the police yesterday. I think he may still be in jail.”
Boyd sighed. “Do you think you could stay with her for a while? We don’t want her out here with all this going on. When I’m done, we’ll talk.”
Jessie nodded and went back into the cottage. Lilly was curled up on the couch, dolefully staring at the ceiling. She smiled at her. “Somewhere in the kitchen I have some cookies. Would you like some with a glass of milk or juice?”
Lillie shook her head. “No, thank you. Can I see Mommy now?”
Jessie’s stomach roiled. She peered into the child’s innocent blue eyes and lied. “Right now is not a good time Lilly. They had to take her to the hospital.”
The child’s chin trembled. “I don’t want to stay alone at the house.”
“No, no, you won’t have to,” Jessie reassured her.
“Can I stay with you until Mommy’s better?”
Jessie smiled at her. “I’m not sure if it’s possible. We’ll find out.”
Oddly enough for the late hour, she found a children’s movie on TV. It wasn’t long before Lilly had her head on Jessie’s lap and was fast asleep. Nearly an hour later, Boy
d rapped softly on the door. After a glance at the sleeping child, he motioned for Jessie to step outside. She gently eased herself out from under Lilly and joined him, closing the door behind her.
“The young woman’s name is Mandy Thomas. She suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Until the autopsy is done, we won’t know for sure if they’re the cause of death. The little girl is her child, Lilly Thomas. The father, Dariel Thomas, was arrested yesterday.”
“So he is in jail. Lilly said so. What was he arrested for?” Jessie asked.
“Monday he was caught on camera stealing a briefcase at the airport, so they revoked his probation. There probably will be charges coming from the theft.”
“Could there be a link between the theft and his wife’s death?”
Boyd shrugged. “It’s possible. There’s no way to know right now.”
Jessie sighed. “Poor child. She asked for her mom. What will happen to her now?”
“We don’t have too many options. After we talk to her, we’ll have to turn her over to social services,” Boyd said quietly.
“Could she stay with me for the night? This is really an awful situation for her,” Jessie asked.
“I wish I could say yes, but it’s not up to me. In a case concerning a minor child, we have to involve the Department of Children and Families.”
“If I can’t keep her here, can I at least bring her in myself?”
He thought for a moment before shrugging. “Why not? I’m calling the social worker now, so she can meet us at the station. I’ll be ready to leave in another few minutes. I’ll come and get you.”
True to his word, Boyd was back in fifteen minutes. “Ready to go? You can just follow me.”
Jessie nodded, got her keys and her bag, and gently scooped up Lilly. The child woke up, confused for a moment. “We’re going to the police station to talk to the detective,” Jessie explained.
“Will my Daddy be there?”
“Not tonight, Lilly. Maybe you’ll get to see him later.”
The child smiled and nodded. “Then we can get Mommy and go home.”
As they were leaving, Jessie noticed the coroner’s vehicle pulling out on its way to the morgue. She glanced in the rearview mirror and was thankful Lilly had dozed off again.
The sheriff’s office building was deserted. When they walked by the desk sergeant, Jessie saw he had nodded off. Boyd led them down the hallway into a small room with a few chairs and a table.
“The social worker is on her way. We had to get her out of bed,” Boyd explained.
He smiled at the little girl and in a surprisingly soft voice for such a big man, he asked her a few questions. “Lilly, can you tell me how many men were waiting at your house when you and Mommy got home?”
Lilly nodded. “Two.”
“Did your Mommy know those men?”
She shrugged. “No. She just said we had to get away.”
“Do you remember what they looked like?”
The child shook her head, frowning in concern
Boyd gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s all right.”
He turned to Jessie. “When we get Lilly situated, we’ll go over your statement one more time. Make sure we didn’t overlook anything… you know, with everything going on, it would be easy to do. Right now, won’t you sit down? You must be tired. Can I can get you anything? I wouldn’t recommend the coffee here. At this time of the night it’s probably so thick you couldn’t stir a spoon in it. You want water or a soda?”
She shook her head. Adrenaline had kept her going until now. Then all at once, the reality of the tragedy, costing a woman her life and leaving a little girl without a mother, left her numb. She glanced at the chairs. The sheen on the metal had worn off a long time ago. They looked cold and uninviting. But exhaustion won out, and she sat down, pulling Lilly into her lap. Fifteen minutes later, a slim black woman walked in. Smartly dressed in a cream-colored suit, she looked as if getting up in the middle of the night was a pretty common occurrence for her. She smiled at the detective, acknowledging they already knew each other. Boyd nodded at her, then turned to Jessie.
He cleared his throat. “Jessie Milner, meet Mary Gilmore. We have a situation right now, Mary, and we need a placement for this little girl.”
The social worker focused her dark eyes on Lilly. “And who is this lovely young girl?”
Lilly eyed her apprehensively before burying her face in Jessie’s chest.
“This is Lilly,” Jessie said, gently patting the child’s back, to reassure her.
“Can I talk to you for a little while, Lilly?” the woman asked softly.
The little girl hesitated a moment, then turned toward her.
“How old are you, Lilly?”
“Five.”
“You’re a big girl. Now, how about you and I go see a very nice lady who can’t wait to meet you?” the social worker asked.
Lilly shook her head. “I want my Mommy!”
“We can’t see Mommy right now. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
“Why can’t I stay with Jessie?” the child whimpered.
“I wish you could. Maybe later.”
Jessie raised her eyebrows, quietly mouthing the words. “Why not?”
The woman glanced at Boyd. He walked over, and reached for the child’s hand. “You know what? I would love a candy bar right now. Only I don’t know what kind I want. Maybe you can help me make a decision. Let’s go check the machine and see what choices we have. Ladies, we’ll be right back.”
Surprisingly, Lilly didn’t protest and let herself be guided away. Mary Gilmore waited until he walked out and closed the door behind him.
“This child is traumatized. She just lost her mother. Why can’t she at least spend the night with me?” Jessie asked anxiously.
“No. Unfortunately, there are rules and regulations I cannot ignore, for your safety and the child’s. On my way here, I called one of our foster moms who agreed to take her for the night. I understand the father is in jail. We’ll have to talk to him, see if there are relatives in the area. Family is usually the best option if they qualify. We won’t just let her stay with anyone without making sure they are able to care for her. I promise I will keep you posted.”
Jessie shook her head. “How can you tell her about her mom? This is just so awful.”
“We’re not doing this now. What I can tell you for a fact is the home where Lilly will be staying tonight”—Mary Gilmore smiled reassuringly—“is where I would want my child to go, if she had to. Annabelle, the foster mom, is a wonderful, caring lady. Lilly will be fine there for tonight. Tomorrow we’ll deal with the rest.”
“What if there’s no one else for her?”
The woman held up a hand. “Let’s not go there right now.” She hesitated slightly, then went on, “I don’t like saying this, but it would be best if you weren’t here when Detective Boyd comes back with Lilly. It will make it harder for her.”
Jessie got ready to protest, then realized the woman was right. If she stayed, Lilly would want to go home with her. She was torn. She didn’t want the child to think she abandoned her. Mary’s eyes softened.
“Jessie, I will tell her you had to leave. It’s for the best.”
“All right,” she agreed reluctantly.
Mary Gilmore reached over and squeezed her hand. “There’s another room across the hall. I hope you don’t mind waiting there until we’re gone. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Jessie nodded and walked away.
“Thanks for caring,” the woman called after her.
Still upset, Jessie didn’t answer. She went into another room painted stark gray, sat down, leaned her head against the wall, and closed her eyes. After she waited for what seemed like an eternity, Boyd finally appeared in the doorway.
“Let’s go next door, it’s a little less cramped,” he said smiling awkwardly. The other room didn’t seem any larger, but she was too tired to point it out.
“You sure I can’t get
you anything? Water, soda, a candy bar?”
Jessie shook her head somberly.
Boyd pointed to a couple of chairs and they sat down. “Let’s get started. I’m sorry about Lilly. You formed a bond with the child, but you know bureaucracy. There’s no way around it,” he apologized.
“I’m tired, so let’s do this,” she sighed.
They went over everything once more, from the moment Jessie heard the first shot until she walked up to the wrecked car and found Lilly. He asked about the driver and the passenger of the other car. And again, she indicated she only had a brief glimpse of a dark-skinned passenger, none of the driver. As for the vehicle they were driving, she was pretty sure it was a white or cream-colored sedan.
The detective took copious notes, and she noticed his handwriting was neat and precise. When they were done, Jessie leaned forward in her seat. “You know I have to write this up for the paper, so you might as well tell me what you think right now.”
Boyd shrugged. “Right now? It could be anything, including a carjacking that went wrong.”
“Lilly said the men were standing at their front door when they pulled into the driveway. When the mother spotted them, she spooked and took off, and they chased her. Certainly doesn’t sound like they were looking to steal a car. Also, it seems like an amazing coincidence the father was arrested yesterday for theft. I think maybe he had accomplices who wanted their share of the loot.”
“You know how it goes. We have to investigate all angles before we jump to conclusions. Right now it’s too early to tell.” Boyd stood up and stretched. It was nearly three in the morning. “Let’s call it a night. If you remember anything else, no matter how inconsequential it seems, you call me.”
Jessie sighed. He gave her his card and led her out. This time, the officer at the front desk was awake, although barely. Broward Blvd. was a ghost town, and the darkness matched her mood. She drove home in a near trance. In bed she couldn’t fall asleep, Lilly’s face etched in her mind, her blue eyes drenched in sadness.
She said she wanted to take her home, keep her here with her. Realistically, how could she? She had no support network for babysitting, or school, or for any other needs a five-year-old required. Yet, knowing Lilly could grow up lost in a world not of her making tugged at her heart and wouldn’t let go. She tried to convince herself there probably was a family member who cared about the child, and would be there for her. As dawn’s first light filtered through the bedroom shade, Jessie finally dozed off.
Diamond Lilly Page 4
