She's an Easy Target, page 10
part #2 of Quinton Target Series
“I can go home?”
“If you don’t feel up to it, we can keep you another night for observation.”
“No, I don’t want to stay longer. I’m sore, but ready to get back to normal.”
“You’ve been through a major trauma. I strongly recommend you schedule a psychiatric exam to help you deal with the assault.”
“I work for the NSA. I’m sure they’ll provide a team to review my mental status.”
“Let me give you my card. Please call my office to make a follow-up appointment in two weeks. Feel free to call me night or day if your condition worsens or you want to talk about your recovery.”
“Thank you, Dr. Downey.”
“Please, call me Dr. Erica. All my regular patients do.”
“OK, Dr. Erica. If there’s a Web site where I can rate doctors, you’ll get a five-star rating from me for your competence and bedside manner.”
“That’s good to hear. I’ll give you an A+ patient rating for being insightful enough to recognize medical talent when you see it,” she said and they both laughed.
Chapter 18
Quinton approached the police officer, who was sitting in a chair next to the entrance to Blaire’s hospital room. He handed him a cup of coffee and said, “Here you go. It’s freshly brewed from the cafeteria.”
“Thanks,” the man in the uniform said.
“Is the doctor still inside?”
“No, she left and then a nurse came and went.”
“Anything out of the ordinary happen? I thought I heard a commotion when I got out of the elevator.”
“A visitor stopped by, but I told him I had strict instructions not to let anyone inside without FBI permission.”
“Did he give his name?”
“I think he said it was Lucas something. He said he was Blaire’s boss. When I told him that I couldn’t let him in, he became belligerent and threatened to call the police chief to get me fired. I told him you’d be back in a few minutes and he could ask for your approval, but he stormed off. He went down the corridor in that direction,” the officer said and pointed in the opposite direction from where QT had just arrived.
“You did the right thing.”
“He was muttering and cussing the FBI all the way down the hall. He’s a real asshole.”
“Yes, he is.”
“I’m going inside. Let me know if you see him again.”
“Will do,” he said and opened the lid to his steaming coffee.
QT entered the hospital room and saw Blaire sitting on the bed. “Do you need help getting up?” he asked.
“No, I’m OK. The doctor released me. See, the nurse already removed my IV. She’s gone to get a wheelchair. I don’t need it, but it’s a hospital rule.”
“Are you sure you’re ready to leave?”
“I’m sure. I’ll stay home this weekend and go into the office on Monday.”
“I’ll arrange for the local police to post an officer at the townhouse until we figure out what’s going on.”
“That’s not necessary,” she said without conviction.
“Yes, it is,” QT said forcefully.
“I can’t leave in this hospital gown. Do you know where they put my clothes?”
“The ones you were wearing last night were ... How can I say this nicely? ... They were soaked in body fluids.”
“In other words, they stunk to high heaven.”
“I’m afraid so. There are clean ones in the bathroom.”
“How’d you arrange that? I didn’t hear you leave last night.”
“They gave you a sedative in your IV. You were out cold ... but I didn’t go get them. I had them brought here.”
“Oh? Who brought them?”
“Lieutenant Mad.”
Blaire knitted her brows with a questioning look on her face and said, “Lieutenant Mad? How’d she get inside our townhouse?”
QT avoided eye contact when he said, “She still had a key from when she spent the night with us last year.”
“You mean, when she spent the night with you last year.”
“Let’s not quibble over semantics. The important thing is she brought you clean clothes.”
“Has she used the key at other times during the past year?”
“No, I’d forgotten she had it until it struck me last night when I was trying to figure out a way to get your clothes here without leaving. I called and asked her to pick up a change of clothes for you and drop them off at the hospital.”
“Really? Why was she with you last night when you rescued me at the storage facility? Were you together at the townhouse while I was working?”
“No, of course not. After you left Miller’s, she showed up with Dr. Bit and they invited me to join them for a drink.”
“Are Dr. Bit and she a couple now?”
“No, they were joining up with Dr. Bit’s girlfriend. You should see her. She’s a knockout.”
“Are you getting a roving eye?”
“No, my point was that it was surprising that she was so much more attractive than Dr. Bit. I thought he’d have a nerdy looking girlfriend who wears glasses.”
“So, it was the lieutenant you were ogling not Dr. Bit’s girlfriend. I get it. Two couples are better than one couple with an extra person.”
“You’re twisting things. We weren’t a couple. The four of us had a few drinks. That’s all.”
“Did the four of you leave together or only the two of you?”
“Dr. Bit and Chloe wanted to stay longer, and the lieutenant and I were ready to leave, so we left at the same time but not really, together.”
“Did the two of you walk side by side toward our townhouse?”
“Well, yes.”
“I’d call that together.”
“Were you holding hands or touching?”
QT thought about how he’d walked with his hand resting on the lieutenant’s bare shoulder. He hesitated before saying, “No, it wasn’t like that.”
“How could you? I know I haven’t been as attentive as I should be lately, but how could you be with her at our home while I was being kidnapped and tortured?”
“I told you, we didn’t go to the townhouse together. We gave each other a friendly hug and parted ways at the parking lot. That’s the truth.”
“Now I’m supposed to believe you parted with a friendly hug, when I know you slept together last year”
“Nothing sexual happened between us.”
“How can I believe you?”
“I don’t know how this got turned around so that I’m the one under suspicion. I’m the one who should be asking the tough questions.”
“What are you talking about? I was kidnapped, I didn’t go willingly.”
“That’s not what I’m referring to. I called Lucas last night to find out if he knew where you were. He said you were probably spending the night with another man.”
“You know that wasn’t true.”
“I know it wasn’t true last night, but Lucas implied that it was revealed in your polygraphs that you had affairs with multiple other men.”
“... He’s taking things out of context. I never revealed that in a polygraph.”
“That doesn’t sound like a straightforward denial.”
“I told you they ask embarrassing personal questions about sexual relationships and fantasies. It was bad enough to go through it with the NSA. I’m not going to relive it again with you.”
Blaire sat on the bed with her arms crossed in defiance. QT rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, wondering once again how he’d ended up bewildered after an argument with a woman. He’d never figure them out.
“Can we please call a truce and accept each other’s word that we haven’t been unfaithful in the past year?” QT said.
“OK, but I’d still like to know why the lieutenant was with you to rescue me.”
“Rasputin saw you being kidnapped and told me. When I got a GPS signal from your phone, I asked the lieutenant and Rasputin to back me up while I checked it out. They’re both highly trained and experienced operatives. It’s as simple as that.”
“I want to get dressed and leave. Can we stop fighting?”
“That would be my preference. But we need to talk about the kidnapping when we’re home. You’re not out of danger, yet. We need to get to the bottom of it.”
“Fine.”
Everything is fine, he thought. That’s the problem. He remembered that not too long ago, everything was great with Blaire.
Chapter 19
The nurse was a heavyset woman in her fifties with a friendly disposition and easy smile. She pushed the exit doors open until they clicked in a locked position and then rolled the wheelchair onto the walkway. The police officer who had been posted at the hospital room was now standing near the curb with one hand resting on the top of his holster while he scanned the area.
“Agent Target is in the Parking Garage retrieving his vehicle,” the officer said.
“There’s no reason for you to wait here with me,” Blaire said. “Go ahead and drive to the townhouse and wait for us there.”
“Agent Target told me to stay here until he returns from the garage and picks you up.”
“The man who kidnapped me last night turned me loose, so he’s not going to try to kidnap me again this morning.”
“I was told to stay by your side.”
“I’ll take full responsibility. QT knows how difficult I am to manage sometimes. If he asks about you, I’ll tell him I sent you on your way. It’ll save time. You’ll be in place in case QT needs to go to his office to begin the investigation after he drops me off.”
Reluctantly, the police officer said, “OK, if that’s the way you want it.” He got into his cruiser, which was parked in an emergency vehicle parking zone, and drove away.
“I talked with your boyfriend last night when I came in for shift change,” the nurse said to Blaire. “He’s a peach. I’m sure he’ll take good care of you while you’re recovering.”
“QT is special.”
“If you don’t mind me saying so, he’s easy on the eyes, too. You better hold onto that one.”
Blaire smiled and said, “I intend to.” She looked at the nametag on the nurse’s uniform. “Are you married, Louise?”
“Yes, thirty-two years.”
“That’s a long time to be with one man.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“Aren’t you sick of sleeping with the same guy for that many years?”
“Sometimes I wish there was more romance in our marriage, but he’s a nice guy and has been there for me and the children.”
“Have you ever had an affair?”
Louise let her jaw drop, as though she were shocked by the question. She laughed and said, “There was a time when more than one doctor was trying to remove my pants. Of course, my pants were a lot smaller back then. I’ve never cheated but I can’t say there weren’t times I was tempted.”
“It’s encouraging to hear that a relationship can last as long as yours. My parents divorced when I was in eighth grade. It was an amicable split, but it affected me a lot ... I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this.”
“It’s the hospital effect. It makes people think about their mortality and causes them to reassess their lives. Don’t worry, it only lasts a few days and then you fall back into your daily routine and forget all about your lack of invincibility.”
“Thanks, Louise. You’re a good listener.”
“Don’t mention it, sweetie.”
By the time Blaire heard the footsteps coming toward them, it was too late for her to react. A man with a pistol in his right hand fired two shots which were muffled by a silencer. She expected to feel pain but there was none. She looked at her body to see if she was bleeding. No blood was visible.
“Don’t shoot,” she said and turned her head away as if that move were going to elude a bullet.
When no additional shots were fired, she turned back to look at the man with the gun. He took the canister he was carrying in his left hand and threw its liquid contents into Blaire’s face.
She screamed and frantically rubbed her face. The liquid was clear and didn’t burn her skin. As the reality hit her that it was only water, she stood up and looked in the direction where the attacker had run. There was no sign of him.
“Help me,” a weak voice cried.
Blaire turned around and saw Louise lying on the ground bleeding. “Oh my God,” she said. “Louise, where are you hit?”
“In my arm and leg. Fetch a doctor, quickly before I bleed out.”
Blaire ran inside to the main reception desk where a young woman was casually talking on her mobile phone.
“Get a doctor, fast. There’s been a shooting.”
She looked at Blaire but didn’t act like she heard what Blaire had said. She wasn’t in any hurry to hang up.
“Get off the phone and get a doctor out front now. A nurse is about to die.”
The receptionist made eye contact with Blaire, but she still appeared to be too distracted by her call to comprehend the seriousness of the situation.
“I have to go now to handle another patient emergency. I’ll call you later, babe ... I love you, too.”
“Get a doctor down here now,” Blaire screamed.
“Calm down,” the receptionist said. “What seems to be the problem? If you’re not feeling well, you’ll have to go to the emergency room waiting area down the hall to the left.”
“A nurse has been shot in front of the hospital. Get a damn doctor down here immediately or else she’s going to bleed out and die.”
Finally, the seriousness of the matter became clear to the receptionist. She pushed a button on the desk phone that initiated a three-bell alarm over the loudspeaker. She followed it with her announcement, “Life and death emergency at the hospital entrance. Any available emergency room doctor respond immediately.”
Blaire turned and ran back to where she’d left the nurse. Louise was lying with her eyes closed. Blaire took her hand and said, “Wake up. Stay with me. The doctor is on his way.” Louise opened her eyes and responded with a weak smile.
An SUV drove next to the curb and stopped. QT got out of the vehicle and ran to where Blaire was squatting next to Louise.
“Blaire, what happened? Are you OK?”
“I’m not hurt. The shooter ran down the sidewalk and turned right behind the building. Go after him. I’ll stay here.”
“Is the police officer in pursuit?”
“No, I sent him to the townhouse to wait for us.”
“You did what?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he got back in his SUV and accelerated in the direction where the assailant had run.
The emergency team arrived almost immediately. Blaire moved out of the way as the team put Louise on a gurney and wheeled her to the operating room. Blaire sat down in the wheelchair, which was still positioned near the pickup area. In a few minutes, QT returned and drove beside her.
He opened the passenger window and said, “Get in. I’ll take you home.”
“Any sign of him?”
“No, but I didn’t know what to look for. I didn’t see any pedestrians. He could’ve driven by me and I wouldn’t have known it was him. Did you see what he looked like?”
“Not really. He was wearing the same mask that he was last night.”
“Did he say anything?”
“No.”
“How’s the nurse?”
“I don’t know. She was conscious when they took her inside.”
“I’ll call 911 and get police dispatched to analyze the crime scene, although I doubt the perpetrator left anything useful behind. I’m not waiting here for them to arrive. I want you safe at home.”
A tone sounded, signaling Blaire that she’d received a message. She read it with a look of horror on her face.
“What is it?” QT asked.
“It’s from the kidnapper.”
“Read it to me.”
“Unknown: You’re mine. I own you now. This should prove that I can get to you at any time to hurt you or kill you. Remember your promises. I’ll be in touch.”
Chapter 20
When they arrived at the townhouse, the police officer was standing next to the entrance of their unit. QT took out his key, unlocked the door and opened it for Blaire.
“Go ahead inside, I need to talk with the officer.”
“Don’t blame him,” Blaire said, “It was all my fault.”
QT closed the door without replying to her. “What part of my instructions didn’t you understand, officer?”
“Analyst Saunders insisted I come here right away. She said she’d explain it to you. Did something happen after I left?”
“Since you deserted your post, I guess it was nothing you’d consider important. The man you were supposed to protect her from put two bullets into a nurse and threatened Blaire.”
“I had no idea that’d happen,” he said, obviously upset. “I didn’t think there was an immediate threat.”
“How about you let me do the thinking from now on. You guard the door and don’t leave your station unless I tell you to. If you need to use the John, knock on our door and request it. During shift change over, explain the situation to your relief man. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.”
QT went inside without rejecting or accepting the man’s apology, but he was finding it difficult to fully blame the young officer. He was aware how persuasive Blaire could be.
“He really did insist on staying with me,” Blaire said. “I was foolish to think I was safe.”
“What’s done is done. We need to focus now on identifying the perpetrator and determining his motive. Do you feel up to answering questions about last night?”
“In a minute,” she said. “First things first.”
She walked toward him with a look in her eyes that he recognized — but hadn’t seen in a while. She put her arms around his waist, grabbed his butt cheeks with her hands and thrust him into her. He bent down and kissed her passionately on the lips for a few seconds before pausing to lift her into the air and carry her toward the guest bedroom, which was conveniently located on the first floor.
