Out For Justice (13 page)

“Can I see my husband?” Mrs. Anderson’s voice was barely above a whisper. Karen looked down at her and was shocked to see that she appeared to have aged ten years. Karen swallowed hard around a large lump in her throat. She didn’t know what to say.

The nurse answered, “We’ll get you into to see him as soon we can.” She patted Mrs. Anderson’s arm. “Let me take you back so you can talk to the doctor in charge, okay?”

“Thank you. I’d appreciate that very much.”

Karen watched as Sam’s wife clung to the nurse’s arm as if needing the physical support.

The nurse turned to Karen. “Detective? If you wait out in the waiting room, we’ll send someone out to get you just as soon as Ms. Morris is ready.”

“Thank you.” Karen turned, left the small room, and stepped into the waiting room. Other people were already there. Several of them were coughing into tissues. One man held a bloody towel around his hand. A young woman rocked a sick baby while another child played on the floor next to her chair. A television blared from one corner of the room with an afternoon talk show. Karen felt drained. She expected to look at her watch and see that it was nearing midnight. But from the sun shining through the windows, it was only afternoon. From her vantage point, she could see the dark clouds gathering for an afternoon shower. Low thunder rumbled from somewhere in the distance.

 Karen chose a chair away from those that appeared sick and coughing, and sat carefully. She tried to block out the noises around her, concentrating on the events of the day. Sam had to be okay. He just had to be. Even though she hadn’t been Sam’s partner long, she still felt close to him. Concern for Sam’s wife also surfaced. The poor woman had looked lost and all alone as she walked back to the trauma room.

 Drawing on her feelings of grief, she could only imagine the added anguish of losing a husband or wife. Without a significant other in her life, she felt that loss as well. Her thoughts turned to Mike and their date tonight. She wondered if he would mind if she canceled. She didn’t think she’d be very good company considering the circumstances. As she thought of calling Mike, her cell phone rang. Hoping for some privacy, she stood and walked outdoors to a small concrete table. It looked like a smoking area for emergency room patients and visitors. She answered her phone on the fourth ring.

“Hello?”

“Karen? It’s Mike. I heard about Sam.”

“Mike. I’m really glad you called.” The door opened and a man came out, lighting a cigarette. “I was thinking about our date tonight and…” Karen frowned at the interruption the cigarette smoker caused.

“I was thinking about it too. I’m guessing you don’t want to do anything too public and you’d like to keep the evening quiet?”

“Yes, actually I was thinking—”

“I agree. That’s why I changed our plans and you’re coming over to my place where I can take care of you.”

“You want to take care of me?” Karen wasn’t sure she heard Mike right.

“Karen, this is a traumatic time in your life. You shouldn’t be alone. Please let me take care of you tonight. I promise a good meal, nice wine, and some quiet conversation.”

 Karen’s heart melted. “It does sound nice.”

“Of course it does. Why don’t you come by my place say, seven o’clock? I’ll have the coals on the grill and the steaks marinating by the time you get there.”

“I’ll need directions to your place.”

“No problem, you got something to write on?”

Karen pulled out her notebook and pen and took down the directions as Mike told them to her. He was right. She wasn’t that far from him. She’d be able to find his house easily. His directions were perfectly clear.

“Thanks, Mike. I really appreciate this.” Karen pocketed her notebook and pen.

“No problem. I want to do this.”

“I’ll see you tonight.”

“I’m looking forward to it. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” Karen pressed the end button to disconnect the call. She tapped her chin with her cell phone as she thought about Mike. He kept surprising her. And that was a good thing. As she replaced her cell phone to the holster on her belt, she noticed a nurse entering the waiting room. She hurried back inside to see if the nurse was looking for her.

Seeing the man with the bloody towel stand up and walk over to the nurse, Karen made her way back to her seat and sat down, dejected. What was taking them so long? She had questions and Maggie Morris had the answers. Not able to sit still, Karen stood and paced the waiting room. On her fifth round, she heard her name called.

“Detective Sykes?”

“Yes. Yes. That’s me.” Karen hurried over to the nurse. “Can I talk to Maggie Morris now?”

“I’m supposed to take you back there. She knows you’re waiting to talk to her.”

“How is she?” Karen asked as they walked through the doors labeled ‘Emergency Room Personnel Only’.

“She’s in a lot of pain. She has a concussion. We’ve given her some pain medication. It’s difficult for her, but she insisted on talking to you.” The nurse moved on ahead of Karen leading the way. “We’re almost there.”

“She did?” Karen kept her eye on the nurse’s back as they weaved their way around various emergency room personnel and equipment. They passed an elderly man laying on a gurney, covered with a blanket. His eyes were shut and he appeared to be sleeping. As Karen passed, he slowly opened his eyes and stared into space. She could see the pain and confusion behind his watery eyes. She gave him a tentative smiled and continued following the nurse.

The nurse led Karen to an examining room labeled ‘Trauma Room 1’ and opened the door. She stood to one side and Karen walked into the room.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Maggie Morris lay in a hospital bed with an IV connected to her hand. Her torn clothes were gone and she was wearing a hospital gown. Her face swollen and bruised; her lips puffy and split. There was a new row of tiny stitches above the left eyebrow and a couple in her chin. Her blonde curly hair was pushed back from her face and matted in some places where the blood had dried.

Karen walked to the side of the bed and said, “Maggie? I’m Detective Sykes. Do you remember me?”

Maggie nodded slowly, wincing from the obvious pain.

Karen winced along with her.

“I’m really sorry about this, but I’m going to ask you some questions. I’ll try to keep them brief.” Karen took out her notebook and pen. “Did Raymond Alan Thomas assault you and Detective Anderson?”

Maggie’s eyes widened. She nodded again, fear showing on her face.

“Do you know where he is?” Karen asked her questions softly but clearly.

Closing her eyes, Maggie sighed. She slowly shook her head from side to side.

Karen tried again. “Did he say anything to you?”

Maggie’s eyes opened. She looked at Karen and nodded. Working her mouth to try to form the words, Maggie swallowed hard. Her swollen lips moved, but no sound came from them. Making another attempt, Maggie croaked, “Die…bitch.”

“He told you to ‘die bitch’?”

Maggie nodded.

Great, Karen thought. Still nothing to go on to catch this guy.

“Maggie, would you know where he hangs out, who he hangs out with, or where we can start looking for him?” Karen knew she was grasping at straws now, but she had to keep asking.

Maggie stared up at Karen. Using the hand without the IV, she lifted a glass of water to her mouth and gently put the straw between her lips. She took a long swallow and then another. She sighed and put the glass back onto the bedside tray table. “Ra-Ray…hangs out…corner…store.” Exhausted from the effort, Maggie closed her eyes.

Not wanting to show her frustration, Karen bit her upper lip. She needed new information. How was she supposed to bring justice to the poor parents of a murdered boy if she kept running around in circles? Damn it, this guy couldn’t just up and disappear. She looked down at the woman who bore the violent marks of the man they were looking for and wondered where he hid himself when he wasn’t staying at home. Maybe he had another woman in another house somewhere. Someone was protecting him and Karen was going to figure it out. If she had to spend all her waking moments working on this case, she would. Nothing was going to stop her from solving the murder and bringing justice to the Hunt family.

Karen turned her head when the door to the trauma room opened and a nurse walked in. “We’re going to be moving her to a room upstairs, so if you’re finished …?” She let her voice trail off.

“Yes, thank you. I’m finished for now.” Karen turned to the blonde woman in the bed. “I think she fell asleep.”

“It’s the medication we gave her. It’ll make her sleepy.”

“I’ll be going.” Karen pulled a business card from her pocket and placed it on the bedside table. “Could you make sure this goes with her when she moves to her room? If she remembers anything, please have her call me.”

The nurse nodded.

Karen turned and left the room. Curious, she looked about to see if she could find where they were treating Sam. The room next to Maggie’s was labeled ‘Trauma Room 2’. Inside she could see Mrs. Anderson standing beside an empty hospital bed. Her shoulders slumped. Looking from side to side, Karen didn’t see anyone who was interested in what she was doing, so she knocked softly on the door.

Mrs. Anderson turned and seeing Karen, opened the door. “Hello, Detective.”

“Mrs. Anderson. What is the word on Sam? Has he regained consciousness yet?”

“No, not yet. He’s having an MRI test right now. They want to see how much damage has been done to his spine.”

“You don’t think… They don’t think… Is he…?” Karen stammered not able to put into words the horror that she was thinking.

Mrs. Anderson lifted sad eyes to look at Karen. “They don’t know yet.” She took a deep breath and lifted her shoulders a bit. “They found some swelling around the spinal cord and aren’t sure yet how much damage was done. The doctors said they’d know more after this test.”

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Anderson. Please, if there’s anything I can do for you…” Karen’s voice trailed off in her attempt to think of anything she could do for her partner’s wife.

“Thank you, Detective. I appreciate your concern. I’m sure Sam does as well.” Sam’s wife held out one of her hands and Karen grasped it between both of hers. “Sam’s going to wake up soon and he’ll be able to tell you what occurred. Just keep praying for that to happen.”

“I will, I will.” Taking a business card from her pocket, Karen handed it to the woman standing in front of her. “Please take this and call me, anytime, for anything.”

“Detective?” Mrs. Anderson looked Karen in the eyes. Her mouth formed a thin line as she pressed her lips together. “Find the man who did this. Please.”

“I’m going to, Mrs. Anderson.” Karen hoped her eyes and the seriousness on her face expressed all that she wanted to convey to Sam’s wife. She would find the man who did this. And when she did, she’d make him pay. Tampa wasn’t so big that he could hide forever.

A nurse entered the trauma room. “Mrs. Anderson?”

“Yes?”

“We’re moving your husband to a room upstairs. Would you follow me?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Sam’s wife turned to Karen. “Detective Sykes, I’ll call you as soon as there’s a change.”

Karen nodded. “Thank you.” She watched Mrs. Anderson leave with the nurse. Her stomach growled in hunger. It reminded her that she missed lunch. She checked her watch. She had just enough time to file her report, get home, and change for dinner. She suddenly had an urgent need to see Mike.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Karen found Mike’s house by the directions he gave. She pulled her SUV into the driveway and got out. Taking a moment to smooth down the hem of her dress, she paused and locked her door. In deference to the heat and high humidity, she’d worn something sleeveless and short. Without stockings, her legs felt free. In flat sandals, she turned and made her way to the front door and rang the doorbell.

Mike answered after a minute or two and by the awed expression on his face, Karen knew she’d chosen the right dress. His appreciation shined in his eyes.

“Hi,” Mike said as he stood in the doorway.

“Hi, yourself.” Karen pulled her hands out from behind her back and showed Mike what she was carrying. “I brought a bottle of red wine. I hope you don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” Mike stood to one side and said, “Come in. Please.”

Karen walked through the doorway and into a small foyer into Mike’s living room. The room was decorated with a casual flair and dark earth tones. There were plump pillows on the sofa and overstuffed chairs. A large, big screen TV took up most of the space at one end of the room while an elaborate sound system and stereo filled in the rest.

“I like this room,” Karen said. “It’s definitely you.”

“Really?” Mike cocked his head to one side as he watched Karen look around the room.

“Yeah. Casual and neat.”

“Well, that’s me, all right.” Mike laughed and put a hand at Karen’s back to help lead her toward the kitchen. “I’ve got the coals hot and the wine chilled. How about I put this bottle away for dinner and we start out with something a bit cooler?”

“That sounds great.”

Mike busied himself with pulling wine glasses out of the cupboard and a bottle of wine out of the refrigerator. With a deft flair, he opened the bottle, poured the first glass and handed it to Karen. She smiled her thanks and drank. A bit fruity and not dry. Just the way she liked it. “It’s good,” she said.

“Thanks. I thought you might like it. It’s from Australia.”

Karen lifted the glass to her lips and took another drink. “I like it.”

After pouring himself a glass, Mike corked the bottle and put it back in the refrigerator. He motioned for Karen to take a seat on the stool behind her at the breakfast bar. He leaned against the counter and his face grew serious. “How’s Sam?”

Karen lost her smile. “Not good. The doctors don’t know anything definite yet, but they’re trying to determine if Sam’s paralyzed.”

“No.” Mike’s concern showed.

“Yeah. They found some swelling at the base of his neck around his spinal cord. He hasn’t regained consciousness yet, so we can only surmise what happened. It looks like he took some violent blows to the head and at least one crushing blow to the throat.”

“Any leads?”

“One good one. I’ve got one eyewitness saying our suspect from the Hunt murder did it.”

“Hunt? The little boy found in the campground?”

“That’s the one. Our main suspect doesn’t want to get caught apparently.” Karen took another sip from her wineglass.

Mike straightened up and said, “I need to put those steaks on if we’re going to eat anytime tonight. You can come with me or you can sit here and enjoy your wine.”

“Why don’t I come out and supervise?” Karen smiled to let Mike know she was kidding. “Seriously, though, I like my steak medium well.”

“Good to know.” Mike took the steaks from the refrigerator and carried them to the patio off the living room. A large built in grill stood off to one side, away from the house, next to the pool. Karen stepped out onto the patio and looked around. The last rays of sun shot across the sky and melted into the horizon in a blend of deep purple, pink, and orange. The screened lanai kept the pesky mosquitoes at bay. Soft jazz played on the outside speakers.

“You have a nice back yard.”

“Thanks. It needs some plants, but I’m not really a gardener, so I’d probably kill them quicker than not.”

“Plants just need a little bit of attention, some water, and a little fertilizer now and then.”

“You applying for the job?” Mike laughed as he put the steaks on the grill. The meat sizzled and popped as it touched the hot grill.

“Not exactly.” Karen laughed with him.

“Darn, I thought I was gonna get me a sexy gardener.”

Karen dipped her head. “Sexy?”

Mike walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He looked deep into Karen’s eyes. “Yeah. Sexy.”

“Oh.” Karen felt the blush of heat rush through her body. Mike’s hands felt warm on her bare shoulders. She lifted her wineglass to her lips and tilted the glass slowly. Over the rim of her glass, Karen looked at Mike as he watched the liquid pour into her mouth. Karen saw a spark ignite in his eyes. She never felt so much power over someone before. Knowing that Mike thought of her as sexy was a new experience for her. It made her want to run her fingers through his short blonde hair. It made her want to turn that spark in his eyes into a flame.

Flame.

Fire. Fire!

“The steaks!” Karen stepped back away from Mike and motioned toward the grill. “Mike, the steaks, they’re on fire.”

“Shit!” Mike rushed to the grill. “All right. Don’t worry. I can handle this.” He picked up the tongs and moved the steaks to another spot of the grill, one that wasn’t so hot. “There. No harm done, right?”

“I did say I wanted mine well, didn’t I?” Karen chuckled as she watched Mike fuss over the steaks. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“No. Nothing at all. I’m supposed to be taking care of you tonight, remember?” Mike looked up from the grill and used the tongs to make his point. “You just find yourself a place to sit and relax and I’ll take care of everything.”

“You do make it easy.” Karen eased her body into a patio chair. “It really has been a rough day. I appreciate all of this.”

 Mike checked the steaks and then walked into the house. Karen shifted in her seat as if to follow, but Mike motioned to her to stay where she was. He reappeared with the wine bottle and topped off her glass. She smiled her thanks.

Karen leaned back against the striped cushions in the chair and gazed up at the darkening sky. One star shined brightly. She wasn’t the superstitious type, but the child’s nursery rhyme sprang to mind.
Star light, star bright. The first star I see tonight…
What would be her wish? Smiling, Karen wondered if wishing tonight would be the start of something special was too romantic of a wish. With a shrug, she closed her eyes and wished anyway.

Mike walked by and tapped her on the shoulder. “Sleepy?”

“No. Not really.” Karen watched as Mike placed skewered vegetables on the grill. “Just relaxing.” This was not the time to tell him about her wish. She didn’t want to frighten the poor man to death. “Those look good.”

“I have a salad ready and I thought some roasted veggies would be a good addition. The steaks are nearly done, so if you’d like, we can eat out here or in the house. Your choice.”

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to rain yet, why don’t we eat outside?”

“Sounds good. I’ll get the plates, you just sit back and go back to sleep.” He smiled as if to say he was only joking.

Karen grinned. She liked Mike’s sense of humor. He was easy to be with and she enjoyed talking to him. She watched as he made several trips to and from the house to bring out plates, silverware, napkins, and more wine. He placed the salad on the table along with a sizzling steak on each plate. Following up with the vegetable skewers, he sat down across the table from Karen and made a face.

“You’ve outdone yourself here, Mike.” Karen complimented him. “Everything looks great.”

“I hope you like it.” Mike lifted his glass of wine in toast. “To new beginnings.”

“To new beginnings,” Karen repeated.

****

Mike watched Karen cut into her steak and place a small piece into her mouth. She chewed with a diminutive smile on her face as if she truly enjoyed her meal. He grinned. He couldn’t help himself. His fears about starting a relationship with someone from work were falling to the side, a little at a time. He wasn’t totally convinced. Not by a long shot, but he was going to at least make a concerted effort. Karen was sexy, charming, and irresistible. He couldn’t get the image of her in her running gear out of his head.

Picking up his fork and knife, Mike tackled his own steak with gusto. They were cooked perfectly, even with the small fire he had to put out. If that was the only hiccup in tonight’s activities, he’d call it a successful night. But then, that was his opinion the minute he opened the door and saw Karen in her unbelievably short dress and bare arms and legs.

After taking a sip of his wine, Mike asked, “What about your case, now that Sam’s in the hospital?”

Karen put her knife down and looked up at Mike. “It’s still my case. I’m going to keep working it. Finding this guy is doubly important. He isn’t going to get away with murder or assault on a police officer.” Karen speared a slice of roasted red pepper with the fork and popped it into her mouth.

“Well, you know that our department is available to help in any way we can.” Mike forked a slice of onion with a piece of steak and put the combination into his mouth. He groaned in appreciation.

“I realize that, Mike. Right now, we’re focused on finding this Ray Thomas before he strikes again. I know he can’t just appear and disappear like magic. He’s out there somewhere and I’m going to find him.”

“I know you will. You’re determined.”

“Thanks.” Karen cocked her head as she looked at Mike. “So, what are you working on right now? Did you ever get an ID on that John Doe you found out on the causeway?”

“Not yet. FDLE Lab is way backed up. They said we should have an answer by next week.”

“Well, I guess he’s not going anywhere, right? No matching missing person’s report? Nothing like that?” Karen pushed her plate away and reached for her glass of wine.

“Nope. Nothing to match him with in the system. Guess we’ll have to wait for the lab to catch up. It’s like this during the summer. They always get backed up.” Mike snatched the leftover slice of yellow pepper from Karen’s plate and munched happily. “Like you said, he’s not going anywhere.”

“Please, let me help you clean up. You cooked a fabulous meal. I must do my share of the work.” Karen waved her hand with the wineglass.

“Absolutely not. You are to do nothing tonight except relax and enjoy yourself.” Mike started collecting plates and silverware. He stood and carried them to the kitchen. In a few minutes he had the table cleared of dishes and returned to the patio. He placed a chilled bowl of seedless red and green grapes on the table and sat back down.

Karen popped one into her mouth. “I love grapes.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were into heavy desserts, so I thought some fresh fruit might work.”

“You made a great choice. Especially after that dinner.” Karen sighed. “Much better than a frozen meal any day.”

Mike watched Karen pick another grape from the bowl and place it into her mouth, her cheek bulging a bit as she bit into the grape. He wanted to touch that cheek. He almost reached out his hand to do so, but instead covered it up by plucking a grape from the bowl and popping it into his mouth. “I do the frozen dinner thing every once in a while, but it’s great to have someone to cook for.” He nodded at Karen.

“Well, the next time, I’ll cook for you. I make a yummy stuffed manicotti with homemade sauce. You’ll love it.”

“I’m sure I will.” Mike stood up and held out his hand.

Karen looked at him with a question in her eye but placed her hand in his and stood as well. 

Giving her a smile, Mike said, “I thought a little after dinner dancing would be nice. What do you think?” He led her away from the table and chairs and over to a cleared part of the patio next to the pool.

“That sounds nice.” Karen looked down into the still water. “Just don’t drop me in the pool, okay?”

“All right. But you don’t have to spoil all the fun.” Mike chuckled as he placed a hand at the small of Karen’s back and held her close. He swayed gently in time with the music playing through the speakers.

Mike rested his chin on the top of Karen’s head and breathed in the soft coconut scent that seemed to emanate from her body. He could feel Karen’s hand as it rested on his shoulder. He held her other hand loosely in his. Her hand was warm. And soft. It nestled inside his hand as if it belonged there. Thunder rumbled from far away. He drew her closer, as if he could protect her from the intruding noise. Karen sighed softly and laid her head on his shoulder. Mike tucked her hand beneath her cheek and wrapped his other arm around her small body. It felt good to hold her completely. It was easy to pretend that they were the only two people in the world and nothing else existed beyond his backyard. But, the practical side of him knew that wasn’t true and insisted on reminding him that she was a detective for Hillsborough County. Life did exist beyond his backyard—a complicated life. One that would get even more complicated if he gave in to his feelings and took this evening into the direction it was going.

Mike sighed. Karen snuggled in closer to his body. The song ended. They continued shifting their feet, as if the music never stopped. Mike moved one hand up Karen’s back and let it rest there, massaging gently back and forth. She didn’t tell him to stop. Another song began. The mournful tunes of the wailing saxophone drifted around them, enveloping them in a hypnotic slow beat.

“That feels good,” Karen murmured.

Mike rolled his eyes skyward. She wasn’t making it easy for him to find a stopping point. “Does it?” he asked.

“Mmm hmmm.”

Mike moved his hand lower. “What if I do this?”

“That’s nice too,” Karen said as she cuddled into the front of his body as if she were an affectionately burrowing bunny. He couldn’t get the image out of his mind and almost chuckled out loud. He cleared his throat instead.

Karen lifted her head to lean back and look at Mike. He glanced down and caught her staring at him with warm hazel eyes.

“What?” he asked with a smile.