Chemical Attraction (26 page)

“Oh my God,” Madeline said, covering her mouth. “Ernie just killed Burt. Those attacks were from this! Someone is illegally experimenting outside the lab. What do we do, Joe?”

“Pack up your stuff. We’re leaving. I need to make a phone call. Between this and the meth, there’s some heavy duty crime going on here,” he said, setting the cage back in its area.

Madeline gathered the samples and put them in the biohazard container. She stuck his gun and the vial back into her purse. “I’m afraid, Joe. What if people are injected with this? I have no idea what would happen. If Ernest is any indication, it could be devastating.”

He had a hand at her back as they quickly took the stairs to the first floor. Madeline turned in his visitor pass and waved at June, who was busy signing in the last of the researchers. He slowed her down on the steps.

“Take a deep breath, baby. You look like you’re going to pass out.” He opened the passenger side door. As she leaned up to kiss him, he grunted and grabbed his arm. “Madeline, get in. I think I’ve been shot,” he said, shielding her.

She grabbed his keys and crawled across the seats. Grasping his left arm, he fell into the front passenger seat. “Oh God!” she cried. Her hands shook pulling out of the parking lot.

“Did you hear a shot?” he asked. She shook her head. “Take me to Eva,” he replied, pressing on his oozing arm.

She drove and fumbled for her phone at the same time. “Matt, Joe’s been shot and wants to come there.” Her voice sounded high-pitched.

“Damn it, I’m getting blood all over my car. If I live, can I still have that kiss?”

Tears blurred her eyes as she nodded. Pulling into the garage, she hit their garbage can. As soon as the garage door touched the cement, Matt was at Joe’s side. Matt helped him to the kitchen chair while Eva pulled his bloody right hand away from his left arm.

“Joey, what the hell were you doing?” Eva asked, grabbing a dishtowel from the drawer.

“Matt, sit her down.” Joe nodded toward Madeline, who stood clutching her purse in the doorway. From a chair, Madeline watched Eva work on his arm. Holding her purse on her lap, she pulled on its long strap and stared. “Madeline, I’m fine. Evie’ll fix me up good as new.”

“Maddy, go into the bathroom and get the large blue towel. I also need my medical bag in my bedroom.” Madeline dropped her purse and ran from the room.

“How did this happen?” Matt asked.

“I was shot in BennTech’s parking lot. I think she was the target.”

Madeline returned and handed Eva the items she needed to clean, stitch, and bandage his wound.

“Did you see the shooter?” Matt asked.

“No, we didn’t even hear the shot,” he replied. “Ouch, that hurts.”

“Yeah, you were shot. Sit still and let me sew you up. I’m going to need to replenish my supplies,” Eva said, finally getting the bleeding under control. “It’s a deep graze. You’ll have a nice scar.”

“I like men with scars,” Madeline mumbled, causing him to laugh.

Eva finished the stitching and wrapped gauze around his upper arm. She kissed his cheek. “Okay, new house rule, nobody else is allowed to get hurt, shot, or killed.”

While the ladies cleaned up the mess, Matt sat down. “Are you ready to explain, Joe?”

“I’ll try, but this whole case has gotten more complicated.” He told them what they had found.

“Holy shit,” Matt said, “Is this part of the meth, or something else entirely?”

“Too many things overlap. We need to focus on the meth situation first. I need something substantial before we can get a warrant for the building.”

“I can help with that,” Matt replied, explaining about Larry Murphy and Kenny VanKampen.

Joe smiled at Madeline. “I’m going to enjoy arresting that greasy bastard.”

“If you get a warrant, can we also look for that nano-drug?” Madeline asked, wiping the blood off his other hand. “You owe your sister a new set of towels.”

“We’ll shop later. I need to call this in and get a warrant as well as more agents. You think the drug’s at BennTech?”

Madeline nodded. “It has the labs and the equipment. Maybe it’s on the fourth floor.”

“We can definitely look around. Matt, do you want your people in on this, too?” he asked, moving his left arm to test its range of motion.

“Yeah, we’ll go over tactics once we’re all together. I don’t think we’ll have the room here,” Matt replied.

“I know a great B & B. Sylvia can make some big bucks off these guys,” he said.

“We’ll need to get some groceries for a full house,” Madeline replied.

Joe left the room to make his call. Eva and Madeline made a list of food. Matt made his own list of the officers he wanted and equipment he would need.

From Eva’s bedroom chair, Madeline watched Joe talk on his cell, pace, and move his arm around. He finished his conversation with satisfaction. She knew he liked organization down to the detail. “Is everything set?” she asked.

“Ten agents will fly in this afternoon.”

“Is that enough?”

“It’ll have to be. Matt’s got some guys, too, so we’ll be fine.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?”

“I was so worried about you,” she said, lightly touching the edge of his bandage. “That bullet was meant for me, wasn’t it?”

He knelt beside her chair. “I don’t know for sure, but let’s say we’re even.”

“Does it hurt?”

“It’s painful.” He grinned. “I think I need a distraction.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “How does it feel now?”

“Hey, you two need to find your own room,” Matt said from the doorway.

Giving her a quick kiss, Joe helped her stand with his good arm. “I’ll have our warrant and agents here by two. We’ll plan for early tomorrow morning. How many of your guys do you want in on this?” Joe asked, following them into the kitchen.

“I’ve got three I can really trust. I’ll have them camp out at Sylvia’s, too,” Matt said, putting his arms around Eva.

“I’ll take our grocery list and shop for the group,” Madeline said. “Joe can ride in the cart.”

“We’ll need a couple of cars to pick up the gang,” Joe said. He tapped his bandaged arm. “Thanks, sis, you’re handy to have around.”

“Be careful. We don’t know if this guy will try again,” Matt yelled as he raised the garage door. Joe and Madeline heard him mumble about finding a better place to keep his garbage can.

After stopping at Sylvia’s for a change of clothes, Joe pulled into a spot at the Family Fare. “Look what you did,” he said, pointing to the small dent in the front. “That’s why I don’t let anyone drive my car.”

“You did tell me to.”

He yanked a cart out of the corral. “I hope you’re insured. If not I’ll figure out another way for you to pay that off.”

She watched him push it erratically with one hand. “Come on, Gimpy.”

“Do you doubt my abilities? Show me some skin and I’ll push this cart without any hands.”

Shaking her head, she added various items from her list. “I should never shop on an empty stomach. You never fed me breakfast and now we’re missing lunch.” She added a box of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls to the cart. “Who’s paying for this anyway?”

Smiling, he added another box. “I’ll buy,” he said as an older man checked out his girlfriend and listened to their conversation. “You can show me your appreciation later.”

She glared as the guy chuckled. Turning the corner to the freezer section, she saw a young woman blatantly wink at him. “Joey, don’t forget to stop at the pharmacy for your refill of Viagra.” She smiled sweetly as the young woman turned away.

“That is not funny. I only have eyes for you.”

“What about your other girlfriend, Rita? She’ll be coming, too, won’t she?”

“Yeah, she’ll be here. For the record, she was never my girlfriend.”

“I believe you, Joey.”

He stepped forward and unloaded the groceries onto the conveyor. He cringed from the pain twice. She pushed the cart to the car with four sacks stuffed full of various foods.

“Do you believe me, Madeline? I need to know,” he asked, opening the trunk.

She blocked him from picking up the sacks and carefully set each inside. “I told you before that I did. Besides, she doesn’t seem your type unless you like immature women.”

He shook his head and slammed the trunk closed. “Let’s get out of the open.”

Matt took his wife to the hospital. Eva wanted to check in with the girls and replenish her first aid bag. She said she was ready, but after the first three stares walking down the sidewalk, he wondered. Although he wasn’t in uniform, he wore his sidearm and badge. She had on a blouse and a pair of jeans to hide most of her bruises.

“Eva,” Betty said from behind her desk, “I’m so glad you’re all right.”

She walked into the department to get a hug from her. Amanda walked down the hall from a treatment room to hug her, too. She sat in one of the chairs by the front desk while he stood by the inside counter.

“Dr. Ellis has been a grouch since he’s had to pick up your slack. Maybe now he’ll realize how hard you work around here,” Amanda said.

“It’s getting too gooey in here,” Matt said with a chuckle.

“We miss her,” Betty said. “When are you coming back?”

“That depends on my bodyguard,” Eva said as they looked at him.

“Maybe never, I like having her around.”

“We do, too. I heard Larry killed himself,” Amanda said.

“Yeah, it looks that way,” Eva replied.

“Then why do you need a bodyguard?” Betty asked.

“Why not? He’s kinda cute,” Eva whispered, leaning forward.

The girls distracted Matt while Eva left for the lab to add supplies to her bag. Out of the corner of his eye, Matt watched someone join her. Dr. Russell stood within inches.

“You need to take a step back,” Eva said.

“It’s about time someone took you down a notch,” Dr. Russell said.

Hearing the conversation, Matt rushed toward them as Dr. Russell grabbed her jaw and turned her head for a better look at her bruise. His wife had tears in her eyes. Matt punched him in the chin with his right. Dr. Russell fell backward, tripping over the stool. Matt stalked over to him and punched him again in the same place.

“You want a good look at a bruised jaw, Benny? Look in the mirror. You may manhandle your wives, but you will not touch mine.”

Russell glowered at them. Shaken, Eva closed her bag. “Dr. Russell, I will be reporting you to the hospital’s review board.”

Gnashing his teeth, Matt escorted her from the building and opened the car door for her. “I wasn’t there for you again.” He slammed his fist on the trunk as he walked around the car.

“What did I say the new house rule was? You’re going to have a swollen hand,” she said when he sat behind the wheel.

“I don’t care.”

“I take it you know him,” she said, looking closer at his knuckles.

“Yeah, I’ve had some calls to his house. He’s beat up all three of his wives, but they always drop the charge. That son of a bitch had better stay away from me.”

“Maybe you and Joe should teach him some manners.”

“Are you giving me permission? I’ll mention it to Joe.”

“Don’t you dare, he’ll go nuts. He’s overprotective like you.”

“I knew I liked your brother for some reason, although I’d rather he not visit anymore,” he said dryly.

At one-fifteen, the Connors knocked on Sylvia’s door. Madeline let them in and they followed her into the kitchen. At the table, Joe had rough drawings of the BennTech building. On the counter, Madeline had set out three large Stouffer’s Lasagna entrees to thaw. Matt pulled out the chair and they quietly discussed a plan.

Eva motioned Madeline into the other room. “Matt wants us to stay, too. He thinks it’s safer in numbers. Do you think you’ll have enough room?”

“Yeah, Aunt Sylvia has a few cots in the attic. Let me think.” She sat on the piano bench. “There will be ten agents, including Rita, the four of us, and three of Matt’s officers. Matt and Joe can stay in the Blue Room. Rita, you, and I will stay in the Pink Room. The rest can divide up into the four rooms upstairs.”

“That should work. Who’s Rita?” Eva asked.

Madeline cringed. “She’s the pilot who flew David and Aunt Sylvia to Ann Arbor. She’ll be returning with the agents and wants your brother in the worst way.”

“So you have competition?”

She sighed. “Joe says I don’t, but this case is almost over. Where does that leave us? I’m the fun diversion, right?” Luckily, the knock on the door stopped the depressing discussion. Standing outside, Matt’s officers in uniform were holding large canvas bags.

Matt let them in and made the general introductions. “The guys will stay here with you while Joe and I go to the airport. Do you have a specific room you want them in?” Matt asked.

“Sure, I’ll show you,” Madeline replied, heading up the stairs.

Eva watched Joe frown at the guys as they followed Madeline. “What the hell is wrong with you, Joey?”