When the person (she couldn’t tell if it was a man or woman, just that they stunk like rotten garbage) snorted and moved, Kate sucked in a breath and hit the back of her head as she backed away from the car. When she stepped back, she bumped into something. Make that someone.
She turned. “Payaso.”
“Hello, Kate,” he said in a heavy Mexican accent. Not his native accent, but the one the gangs had adopted.
Payaso wore a white “wife beater” tee, baggy jeans that fell just below his butt cheeks, baby blue boxers, a gold chain around his neck, and a slew of tattoos.
“How do you know my name?” Kate asked.
Before she registered what was going on, Payaso had his hand on her gun. She struggled to get free, and keep her gun at the same time. She twisted and pulled, then realized she needed to call in her position. Newton hadn’t arrived, so she didn’t have her chest camera on. Oh shit, all the things going through her head. The mistakes she’d made. She reached to arm her chest camera.
“Don’t touch that,” Payaso said, then yanked at her hip.
Payaso had her gun. Fuck.
“Come on, girl,” he grabbed her upper arm and yanked.
I’m going to die, she thought. Right here in the squalor of East Main Street, I’m going to die. Unless he takes me somewhere else.
But he dragged her into the alley. She thought about screaming, but he had her gun.
Once in the shadows of the alley, Payaso pinned her against the wall. “I always wondered what a pig tasted like.” He leaned in close and ran his tongue up her neck.
Kate struggled. Reaching for her radio, she moved slowly, trying to make the move seem natural. She had her finger on the button when Payaso ripped it from her reach, then threw it down the alley. That cut off the connection to the mic at her shoulder. Kate gasped. She hoped dispatch would realize it was her radio, and find the location of her vehicle.
“Lots of layers,” Payaso said. He reached up and unbuttoned her shirt, but only the first two or three before he got impatient and tore the rest of her shirt away. “Fuckin’ eh.”
“What are you doing? Just let me go.” Kate didn’t beg, she used all the authority she could muster in her voice.
He put the gun to her temple. “Shut the fuck up before I blow your head off and fuck your corpse.” He slammed the gun into the side of her head.
Kate stopped talking. She stopped breathing. Everything got swirly, then went black.
She couldn’t have been out too long, but when she came to, Payaso had her stripped down to her bra and panties, straddling her as she lay on the filth of the concrete alley.
She started to say something, then decided to keep quiet. Payaso ran the gun up her torso, the metal cold against her hot skin. Even though the temperature had dropped to the eighties, she felt sweat on her brow, between her breasts, and at the small of her back. Was it heat or terror making her sweat? Eighty wasn’t hot. And the concrete even felt a little cool.
Still groggy from the impact, Kate knew her predicament. If she didn’t get away, didn’t get her gun back, Payaso was going to rape her. After all she’d been through, this was how it ended. Because no way he was letting her live. She went limp, trying not to feel his skin on her skin, his tongue on her belly. She fought to find a way to get out from under him, then decided she wasn’t going down without a fucking fight.
Payaso had her hands down at her sides, his knees holding them just under her hips. She bucked hard, moving his scrawny body just enough to get a hand loose. She shoved at him, trying to free her other hand. She had to get that gun away from him. Crazy things crossed her mind: she would not be killed with her own service weapon. He might rape her, but she’d never let him kill her with her own gun.
Payaso smacked her hard in the face, but this time it didn’t knock her out.
The white-hot pain shot across her cheekbone, and she felt her nose crack, then felt the blood running down onto her lips into her mouth. “Fuck you, asshole. You’re not taking me down like this.” She twisted her body to the left.
Payaso didn’t move an inch. He sat down hard and fast on her hips. “You stupid fucking pig. Just sit still.” He leaned over and the full weight of his body covered her. She could feel his chest against hers, and she couldn’t stop the feeling inside. She felt ill, embarrassed, fucking pissed off. And not pissed off at Payaso, but at herself. She was stronger than this. But he had her down, and had her hands above her head now. She could struggle all she wanted, but he’d do it, and she couldn’t stop him.
He let go of her right hand, his right hand holding the gun and her left hand. He rounded his back, and reached between them, feeling for the zipper of his pants. That’s when Kate felt his erection, and her stomach lurched. She projectile vomited into the air, and all over the front of Payaso.
He flew up off her, but still sat on her hips, his erection protruding from his unzipped jeans. “Fucking bitch!” The gun in his hand aimed at her face.
“Oscar,” she heard a voice from behind her.
Payaso looked up.
Kate braced for the blow as she choked on her own vomit. But instead of a blow, she heard the concussion of gunfire as it echoed off the walls of the alley.
This time, Payaso bucked and fell back. Kate saw the gun drop from his hand.
She struggled to sit up, and crawled across the filth to grab the gun, but Payaso’s hand got there first. He wrapped his fingers around the grip and fired. It was Kate’s turn to fall back, but even with the burning pain searing her belly, she ripped the gun from Payaso’s hand. He’d lost all strength and didn’t even fight her.
She pushed to get to her knees, her legs in a tangle, then using the wall, she got to her feet. Then she aimed her gun at Payaso’s head and emptied her magazine. She heard breathing behind her and expected to see her boss finally catching up to what had happened.
Instead, she saw a tall thin man with orange hair, his gun still aimed at Payaso.
Kate sucked in a short breath. “You…asshole…you set…me up.”
Newton stepped forward. “No, I didn’t. I came here to tell you, Payaso and Vega killed Lopez. Payaso wanted it all. Lopez had the weed business, but Payaso had his own. Lopez stepped on the wrong toes.”
Kate could barely register his words. “Call 911.”
“I called before I came down the alley. I heard Payaso. I had no idea you were, well, naked, until I came around the corner.” Newton’s voice oozed concern. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you over the phone. I’m so sorry.” Newton helped Kate into a sitting position against the wall, then stepped back.
“What about Kim?” Kate managed to whisper. She looked up, but Newton was gone. Then everything was gone.
As Kate slowly faded, she realized, even though she fought, she’d still die by her own gun. Damn it, this sucks, was her final thought before everything went blank.
Chapter 26
By the time Zane found out Kate had been shot, she was already in surgery. Racing, Code 3 (lights and siren), he ran into the hospital emergency area just in time to see Bryce coming out of the elevator.
“Where is she?” Zane asked.
“Where is who?” Bryce cocked his head, frowning at Zane’s frantic demeanor.
“Kate. She was shot.” Zane said a little too loud.
“Oh, shit, no. Hold on.” Bryce went behind the nurse’s station and looked in the computer, then at paperwork on a clipboard.
Zane followed him to the desk. “Well?”
“She’s in surgery,” Bryce said. “That’s all I know at this point. Let me see what else I can find out.”
Zane watched Bryce calmly jog to the secured doors, swipe his employee pass, and disappear as the doors closed behind him.
“Zane,” Jake called from the waiting area of the ER.
“Hey, what do you know?” Zane asked, grasping Jake’s shoulders.
“I was with the captain when we got the call. She was found in an alley next to Madi
son’s. It was so dirty and dark, like something out of a dark thriller movie. Two bodies. One on the ground and the other slumped against the wall.” Jake looked off like he was seeing it all again for the first time.
“The other body? Who was it?” Zane asked.
“Oscar Silva. They called him Payaso,” Jake said.
“Is he the one who shot Kate?”
Jake shrugged. “We don’t know much right now. Just that Kate was gut shot, and someone emptied a magazine on Payaso.”
“He’s dead?” Zane tensed as he felt the need for the loser to be dead.
“Oh, yeah, dead for sure.”
“And Kate? What about her?”
“We found her wearing only a bra and underwear, and her underwear had been pulled down, or slipped down, I don’t know, but they were close to her knees. Her uniform had been taken off and pieces spread down the alley. Captain Francois thinks Payaso undressed her as he walked her deep into the alley.”
“Did the call come from Madison’s? They heard the gunshots?” He didn’t want to hear any more about Kate’s state of undress. It made him want to vomit.
“No, the call came from a burner cell phone.”
Captain Ollie Francois walked up. He wore his patrol uniform, and looked as put together as a man in an expensive suit. He stood the same height as Zane, and kept his silver hair cropped close. His Roman nose cast a shadow over his thin lips.
“Zane, you need to go home. We’ll call you when we know more,” Captain Francois said.
“I’m not going anywhere. That’s my officer, and my ex-wife. And I want to know why the hell she was in East Peculiar at that time of night in uniform! She was off duty at six.” Zane’s fists clenched as he tried to hold his temper in check.
“Look, I don’t know. Maybe she went to Madison’s after work for a drink,” Francois said.
“No, she’d go home, or to my pop’s place. No way she’d be in uniform on that side of town if she wasn’t working. And now she’s in surgery and no one can tell me her condition. Did you even speak to her at the scene?”
Ollie shook his head. “She was unconscious and unresponsive when we found her. I’m sorry.”
“And that filthy piece of garbage, Payaso, he raped her?” Zane willed the tears of anger and frustration away.
“It doesn’t appear she was raped,” Jake said.
Zane breathed deep. Thank God.
He paced the hallway, not wanting to talk to Francois and Underwood. He turned his head every time he heard a door, looking for Bryce. Maybe he’d have more answers. He looked at his watch and time seemed to move in slow motion. He’d heard about this, but he’d never experienced the clock moving so slow.
“Zane,” Bryce said, coming up behind him.
“Bryce. What do you know?” Zane stopped pacing.
“She’s in surgery, they will probably be another hour or so. She was shot in the stomach. And it looks like she was beat up pretty bad. The nurse I spoke to said her face was bloody and swollen, and it looked like she might have had her nose broken. She couldn’t be sure because of the swelling.”
Zane stopped breathing. His girl was hurt and he couldn’t do a damn thing. He never felt so helpless in his life. “What about recovery time?”
“I don’t know right now, but I’d guess she’ll be hospitalized for several days, then she’ll need months to recover.” Bryce’s voice calm and passive. “Look, I’m moving out to the house with her, so I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“But the bedroom is upstairs. She can’t be walking up and down those stairs,” Zane said. “She can come stay with me.”
“That’s not going to happen and you know it. I’ll get something set up on the first floor. Lord knows there are plenty of rooms downstairs. And there’s a servant’s quarters off the kitchen. I can get that fixed up for her before she gets home.”
Zane shook his head. “She needs to be closer to the hospital.”
Bryce put his hand on Zane’s shoulder. “Look, man, I know you love her, but she can’t and won’t stay with you. She’ll probably barely tolerate you visiting. You know how she is. She’ll let me dote on her because I’m her brother, and she’ll bitch about that.”
“But you have to work. Who will watch her? I mean, it looks like she killed a gangbanger. And not a low level one, either. They’ll come after her. She can’t be alone.”
“She won’t be. I promise. We can work out a schedule.”
Zane’s legs quivered, and he barely made it to the chair before collapsing. “What if she dies?”
Bryce walked to the chair. Standing over Zane like a behemoth, he said, “Stop that stupid talk. I’ve got to get back to work, but as soon as I know more, I’ll call you. Okay?”
Zane didn’t even look up, his head in his hands. “I just don’t understand. Why was she even near Madison’s?”
“Madison’s? That’s where they found her?” Bryce stopped walking away and turned back to Zane.
“Yes, in the alley behind Madison’s. Do you have any idea why she’d go there?” Zane stared up at Bryce now.
“That’s insane. She wouldn’t go there. Not alone.” Bryce balled up his fists. “Something stinks, Zane. I mean really stinks. But I’ve got to go. I’ll call you if I hear anything, I promise. The doctor and nurses know you’re here, so you might hear from them before I do.”
Zane slumped down in the chair, then jumped up. “Captain!”
Francois walked into the seating area, meeting Zane halfway. “What’s up?”
“Tell me everything you know. And where the hell is the chief?”
“I just got off the phone with him. He’s on his way.”
“He should have been here,” Zane said.
“He’s coming. He said he got tied up with business.”
Zane’s face reddened. “What do you know? I mean the smallest detail.”
Francois told them about the call. They were closest when Dispatch sent out the call. When he checked back, the call had come from a burner cell, so they couldn’t trace it. They might be able to with further investigation, but it wasn’t going to be quick and easy. She’d been beat up, and even though she was nearly naked, she wasn’t raped. Payaso would be at the morgue shortly and they’d expedite the autopsy. Somebody, most likely Kate, unloaded her full magazine on Payaso. Weirdly, one shot to the torso, and the rest to his face and neck. Blood everywhere in the alley.
“Look, we don’t know why she was there. I asked the chief when I talked to him, and he said he didn’t know, either. Darby had clocked out at six almost on the dot,” Francois finished.
“Hopefully she remembers more when she’s out of surgery.” He put his face in his hands again. “I just can’t lose her.”
“She’s gonna make it.” Francois patted Zane’s shoulder.
Zane paced the waiting area for another hour before the doctor came out and asked for him. Dressed in scrubs, with the face mask around his neck and his Looney Tunes cap still on his head, he reached out to shake Zane’s hand.
“I’m Dr. Mollenstad. I performed the surgery on your ex-wife. She’s out of surgery and doing well, considering. The bullet didn’t hit any major organs or arteries. Her face is a little banged up, too. Broken cheekbone and we reset her nose. She looks really bad right now. The damage to her face could be a lot worse.”
Zane took a deep breath. “She’s okay,” he said more to himself than anyone.
“She is. It will be a while until she comes out of the anesthesia fully, but you’re welcome to come sit in her room as soon as they release her.”
“Yes, I’d like that,” Zane said.
“I’ll have my nurse come get you when Ms. Darby is in a room.” He shook Zane’s hand again.
Zane sat down, exhausted from worry, then looked up to see Kate’s adoptive parents walk through the door. He stood. “Mr. and Mrs. Darby.”
“Bryce called us. We got here as soon as we could.” They all embraced in a hug.
Zane c
aught them up on the details, letting them know she’d be okay.
Mr. Darby said, “Physically, but what about mentally?”
The thought had crossed Zane’s mind. He didn’t know the answer to that one.
Chapter 27
Zane sat in the room with the Darbys and Bryce for a couple of hours. Kate slept the entire time. About three in the morning, Bryce left with his parents to get them set up in a hotel, and Zane fell asleep. He woke up at 4:13 and looked over to Kate lying in the bed, hooked up to at least three different machines. He swore he saw her eyelids move a little and jumped up to be by her side.
Holding her limp hand, Zane leaned over to kiss it when he heard, “Zane?”
He looked up at Kate’s face, looking closely for the first time. It hurt his entire body to look at her battered and bruised face, swollen eyes, and stitches on her temple. “I’m here, babe, I’m here.”
She squeezed his hand, but it was so weak, it was barely finger movement.
“So tired,” she said.
“Don’t talk. Just rest. You have plenty of time. Go back to sleep.” He patted the top of her hand.
“Ncnnn,” Kate said.
Zane leaned down closer to her face, as her voice came out light and weak. “What did you say?”
She mumbled something that sounded like, “Find Newton.”
To be sure, he said, “Did you say, ‘Find Newton?’”
She wiggled her fingers, then fell back to sleep.
Zane sat in the chair, stewing over Kate’s words. “Find Newton.” Weren’t they already looking for the guy? Did he have something to do with the murders on M Street? Zane felt himself start to burn from his core. Or did Newton do this?
Bryce returned to Kate’s room around five-thirty, and Zane got up to go to the bathroom, using the one in Kate’s room. Then he excused himself and went out into the hallway. Zane and Kate’s family had decided she’d have no visitors for the night, so Francois and Underwood hadn’t seen Kate yet.
Angry Betty Page 17
