Текст книги "Death by Request"

Автор книги: Jaden Skye

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 12 страниц)

“Rough job,” Mattheus commented.

“I’ve had worse,” said Konrad.

“It’s up to you to oversee who’s hired here, right?” Mattheus continued, glad that Konrad was like a loose cannon tonight, talking freely.

Konrad’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah I oversee who’s hired. So what?”

“So you knew about Alana’s past, didn’t you?” Mattheus said slowly.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Konrad looked puzzled for a second, then froze up. “You leave Alana out of it.”

“You knew that Alana had been fired from her past job for negligent patient care, right?”

Konrad lunged at Mattheus for a second and then pulled back. “See, that’s what I mean,” he breathed, infuriated. “No one gives anyone a break. Did you take time to check the facts of the case? The person Alana took care of was old; she died of old age. The family jumped all over it and blamed her for no reason.”

Mattheus remained unruffled. “You can say anything you want to excuse it, but how come you decided to hire a person with a past like that?”

Konrad stared at Mattheus in pain. “You stay the hell away from Alana,” he muttered. “She’s one hell of a beautiful woman and a fabulous nurse.”

“She has her moods though, doesn’t she?” Mattheus pressed harder.

“Oh yeah?” Konrad became furious. “Who’d you hear that from?”

“Just heard it,” said Mattheus, not wanting to tell him what the patient in Tara’s room had said.

“So, if she has her moods she has a right to them, doesn’t she?” Konrad suddenly guffawed. “You’re gonna tell me now a person’s doesn’t have right to have moods? You think it’s easy working here for rich, white people? You think they were all so good to Alana?”

“Tara never hurt Alana in anyway, though?” asked Mattheus, hoping to get more out of him.

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” Konrad’s eyes narrowed. “You’re accusing Alana of killing Tara now?” He couldn’t bear that thought of it. “That’s too much, way too much, Mister.”

“Listen,” Mattheus took a step closer, wanting to turn up the heat. “I’m not saying Alana killed Tara, I’m saying there are plenty of ways medical mistakes happen all the time.”

Konrad lifted his hands as if he were going to grab Mattheus for a second. “Not at this hospital, they don’t.”

“Oh yeah they do,” Mattheus got into his face. “In fact, from the research I’ve done, I see that there are more medical mistakes at your hospital than in most others. And, you guys got a drug problem and lousy accountability too. I’m sure your donors don’t know about all of it, either.”

Konrad stopped in his tracks and froze. In the silence between them the sound of the jazz below sounded almost like a distant cry.

“You get the hell out of Jamaica,” Konrad said then, in a threatening tone. “Or, for all you know you could be strung up to an IV too.”

Then he turned swiftly and fled down the hill, disappearing into the throngs of drunken people, happily singing along to the music below.

Chapter 18

When Mattheus returned from the jazz festival Cindy was downstairs in the hotel lounge, having a glass of wine alone. It was unusual for her to do this, but also comforting to be with others and listen to the supper music, lightly playing. Suddenly Cindy felt someone step up behind her, lean down and pull her into his arms. Startled, she jumped.

“It’s only me,” Mattheus whispered. “You weren’t expecting someone else, were you?”

Cindy spun around and smiled. “You never know,” she answered, playfully.

“What are you doing down here?” Mattheus seemed surprised. “I looked all over for you. It’s not like you to go for a drink alone.”

“Come, sit next to me,” said Cindy, “and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Mattheus joined her at the little table she was seated at and took her hand. “Okay, tell me your secrets,” he jested as he sat down.

“I was just unwinding, thinking about Ann,” Cindy confessed.

“Oh, I see,” Mattheus answered gently. “Missing your sister?”

“Yes, of course I am,” said Cindy, “but right now I was thinking of the other Ann, the patient who shared the room with Tara. She said so many things about her experience in a coma, when she was in another world.”

Mattheus looked at Cindy, uneasy. “One world at a time is good enough for me,” he smiled. “We’re here now, let’s enjoy it. When we’re there, we’ll find out what goes on.”

Cindy couldn’t help but smile at his comment. “I wonder what world my sister is in now,” she mused.

“It’s natural enough to wonder about that,” said Mattheus, “but as I see it, all we can do is live a good, full life here.”

“We’re doing that Mattheus, aren’t we?” Cindy responded.

“Definitely,” he replied, “and my life is way better having you in it. In fact, I can’t imagine life without you, Cindy. I wouldn’t want to.”

Cindy put her head down on his shoulder for a moment. “I wouldn’t want to either,” she replied incredibly grateful that they had gotten through their problems and were still together now.

Unfortunately, Mattheus’s phone rang sharply right at that moment, breaking into their entrancing mood.

“Don’t pick up, it’s late,” said Cindy, tired of working on the case right then. “Whatever it is can wait until the morning, can’t it? We need a little down time.”

“It’s unusual for the phone to ring at this hour,” said Mattheus. “Who knows if it can wait? I have to pick up.”

Mattheus picked up and grew quiet.

“Who is it?” asked Cindy perturbed.

“Eric Holder,” Mattheus mouthed silently, listening to what the Chief of Police was saying intently. “Yeah, sure, we’ll keep tabs on this and stay in touch,” Mattheus responded. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Keep tabs on what?” asked Cindy when Mattheus hung up.

“The police checked in with Phil, head of the Board of Directors of the hospital, right after the jazz festival,” said Mattheus. “It’s not official until tomorrow but Alana’s going to be fired for stealing drugs.”

Alarm bells rang for Cindy. “Alana didn’t steal drugs. There’s no evidence.”

“They have something or they wouldn’t fire her,” Mattheus disagreed.

“It’s an obvious cover up!” Cindy exclaimed.

“How can you be so sure?” asked Mattheus, taken aback by Cindy’s vehemence.

“Because I am,” said Cindy. “They’re making Alana take the fall so the investigations into the hospital will stop. You must have scared them, Mattheus. You must have talked about medical mistakes.”

“Yes, of course I did,” Mattheus confessed.

“And did you tell Konrad you knew about Alana’s being fired from her past job for negligence?”

“Naturally,” Mattheus continued. “I had to put the pressure on him.”

“It worked,” said Cindy. “Phil checked in with Konrad about your interview immediately. Konrad had no choice but to tell him what you said. It freaked them all out.”

“That’s too simple,” Mattheus insisted. “Whether you like her or not, there’s evidence mounting against Alana. Even Ann told you she heard Alana in Tara’s room the night she died.”

“But the cops have no idea about what Ann told me. They wouldn’t listen to a thing Ann said,” Cindy insisted. “Things are getting too hot and the hospital wants the investigation into their background to end immediately. They need someone to blame so they’re jumping on Alana.” It all felt incredibly clear to Cindy.

“I thought you believed what Ann told you,” Mattheus interrupted.

“I do,” Cindy insisted.

“So, if you believe what she said, then it’s likely Alana was involved, isn’t it? The night Tara died she was upset, yelling at Tara, cursing her job! Mattheus remembered every detail.

“That doesn’t mean Alana killed her,” Cindy wouldn’t yield. She detested cover ups of any kind, always fought them with her very life. “It could have been Konrad who did it for all we know,” Cindy continued. “Konrad was having pressure put on him, too. For all we know he just used Alana to put the substance into Tara’s IV.”

“Anything could have happened,” said Mattheus.

“I liked Alana when I met her,” Cindy went on, remembering her unexpected visit at Alana’s home. Alana hadn’t received her the way a guilty person would have. She was open and cordial.

“I know you liked Alana,” Mattheus’s voice grew gruff. “But liking her doesn’t mean she’s innocent.”

“The decision to fire Alana for drugs says the hospital is scared of something bigger,” Cindy felt compelled to stand up for her. “The hospital’s doing it to divert attention from Tara’s case.”

“Could be you’re right,” Mattheus acquiesced, “but we can’t do any more about it right now. “We’ll look into it more in the morning. Let’s go upstairs and get a good rest. You can contact Konrad’s assistant Todd first thing tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll let you know exactly what’s going on.

Cindy thought it was a good idea, it made her feel better.

“And, now rest is in order,” Mattheus put his arm around Cindy and smiled at her boyishly.

Cindy agreed, feeling relieved as Mattheus prompted her up out of her seat and gently lead her through the lounge, upstairs to the beautiful suite which awaited them in the hotel.

*

First thing the next morning Cindy put a call into Todd. To her amazement it was as if he’d been sitting there, expecting her call.

“What took you so long?” Todd responded. “I thought you’d never call.”

“You’re kidding, right?” asked Cindy.

“I don’t kid about most things,” Todd answered crisply.

“Well, I’m calling now,” Cindy felt oddly intimidated. “You want to come over? We’re at the hotel.”

“Thought you’d never ask,” said Todd. “Wait for me down at the beach two blocks from your hotel. No one’s there at this hour. Wait at the front entrance, I’ll be right over.”

“I’m coming with my partner,” Cindy informed him.

“That’s fine,” said Todd. “Mattheus checks out.”

Cindy laughed as she hung up the phone. “This guy speaks in riddles and lives in hiding,” she said to Mattheus.

“Assistant to the hospital administrator is not exactly a private job,” Mattheus quipped.

“Yeah, but when Todd has something to really say, he only says it in secret,” Cindy replied.

*

Even at the front of the beach Cindy could smell the fresh, salty air hear the waves lapping against the shore. She longed to have quiet time to walk on the sand.

“We haven’t even had time to walk on the beach together yet,” Cindy said to Mattheus playfully.

“We’ll take a walk as soon as Todd leaves,” Mattheus agreed.

“Great,” said Cindy, as she saw Todd walking towards them from afar. “Look, there he is. My God, how did he get here so quickly?”

“The guy has something important to tell us, that’s how,” said Mattheus watching Todd intently. “This is a man on a mission, for sure.”

Todd came up to Cindy and Mattheus seeming every bit as nervous as he’d been the last time Cindy had met him.

“Hi Todd,” Cindy greeted him warmly. “This is my partner, Mattheus.”

Todd nodded approvingly. “Heard all about you,” he said. “The hospital’s buzzing about you and your discussion with Konrad last night.”

“Glad to hear that,” said Mattheus.

“Glad?” Todd lifted his eyebrows, and then motioned to a large palm tree down the block. “Let’s go over there,” he said. “It’s better, more private.”

“Let’s go,” Mattheus agreed immediately,, wanting to make Todd comfortable.

Pleased, Todd led the way, talking fitfully to Mattheus as they walked along.

“You lit a bigger fuse than you can even imagine at the jazz festival last night,” Todd started. “Alana got the news that she’s been fired first thing this morning and is tremendously upset about losing her job. Not only Alana, Konrad’s storming around in his office like a volcano. You know the two of them are an item, don’t you?” Todd looked at Mattheus confidentially.

“I’d heard that,” said Mattheus as they all arrived at the palm tree and huddled around it together.

“Konrad’s crazy about Alana, mad for her,” Todd continued bitterly, “she’s totally ruined his judgment. Not that he’s the sharpest tack in the hut, anyway.”

“Don’t like Konrad much, do you?” asked Mattheus.

“I don’t like seeing someone get an important job he’s not qualified for,” Todd shot out. “I wouldn’t run things the way he does. And, I’d never have hired Alana in the first place. Anyway, I think you should know he’s got it in for you guys now, blames you two for everything. He says things only got worse because of your snooping.”

“Could be he’s right,” said Mattheus.

That didn’t sit well with Todd. “I wouldn’t take it so lightly either,” Todd said, suddenly sniffing the air like a lost dog. “I actually came here to let you know that Konrad’s trying to get an order against both of you to get you out of town immediately.”

“Really?” that seemed to surprise Mattheus.

“He’s got powerful connections, too,” Todd added, thrusting a quick, dark look at Mattheus.

“I’m not worried about it,” said Mattheus.

Todd quickly turned to Cindy, who couldn’t help but smile. “It’s alright, Todd, don’t worry about us. Nobody’s getting us out of here until our job is done. Better men have tried. We’ll be fine.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Todd was miffed. “Neither of you seem to sense any danger, but I want to make sure nothing happens to you. We really need what you’re doing, exposing the truth. Too many people get hurt in our hospital and it’s time it stopped.”

*

After Todd delivered his warning and scurried away, Mattheus immediately put a call in to Eric Holder, filling him in.

“Just stay on the alert,” Mattheus warned. “Alana’s tremendously upset at being fired. She might blow the lid off something. This could be our chance to find out what really happened.”

Feeling better after he spoke to the police, Mattheus stretched his arm out and let the breezes blow over him. “How about that walk you asked for on the beach now?” he turned to Cindy, warmly.

But Cindy wasn’t feeling as calm as Mattheus. She couldn’t stop thinking of Alana, how she would truly handle being fired. Cindy also worried about what Konrad would do now.

“I want to speak to Alana first,” Cindy replied. “I’m nervous about this, something doesn’t bode well. Strong forces are lining up.”

Mattheus grimaced, “What are you talking about?” he asked.

“I’ll talk to Alana and you’ll see,” said Cindy putting in a quick call to Alana. To her surprise, Alana picked up instantly. “Alana, this is Cindy Blaine,” Cindy breathed.

“Oh yeah, well you go to hell, go to hell,” Alana’s voice shook on the other end.

“Talk to me, Alana, what’s going on?” Cindy was troubled.

“As if you didn’t know, you bitch,” Alana shot back. “I thought you were my friend, and boy was I wrong. Wrong again and again and again,” her voice grew gruffer. “Well, you’re not my friend, no one’s my friend. I don’t know what you told Konrad, but he’s turned on me, too. I’m being thrown out of the hospital.”

“He hasn’t turned on you,” Cindy insisted, “he’s devastated.”

“Don’t you tell me what’s true and what isn’t,” Alana was spinning out of control. “How dare you tell me I’m lying to you?”

“Konrad loves you, Alana,” Cindy cried out.

“He loves me? Are you crazy? I’m fired aren’t I? Fired, fired,” Alana’s voice trembled.

“I’m sorry, so sorry,” Cindy started saying.

“Sorry are you? That’s a laugh, isn’t it? Well, I’m out of here right now!” Alana thundered.

“Where are you going?” Cindy felt a cold wave of fear wash over her.

“What business is it of yours?” Alana’s voice took on an ominous tone. “I’m going where I belong, that’s where I’m going.” Then she slammed down the phone.

Cindy felt the blood drain from her face. “Mattheus, we’ve got to find Alana fast,” Cindy could hardly speak. “Something’s terribly wrong, I feel it.”

“Okay,” said Mattheus, putting a quick call into the police. “Bring in Alana for questioning now,” he said bruskly. “I’ll tell you why later, just go find her and bring her in.” Then he hung up.

“Why did you tell them to arrest her? It’ll just make everything worse,” said Cindy, upset.

“No, it’s good,” Mattheus disagreed, “they’ll keep her and anyone in her path safe until she calms down. Then we’ll talk to her together. She’ll be at the point of spilling the beans.”

Mattheus words made sense to Cindy rationally, though deep down she felt dark winds blowing, taking them all in a direction they never expected.

“Let’s take that walk on the beach now,” Mattheus smiled, giving Cindy a little hug. “After the police take Alana in, we’ll go join them.”

“I can’t do it right now, I don’t feel like it Mattheus,” Cindy said in a strangled tone.

“You love the beach, a few minutes ago you said you wanted to walk on it,” he urged.

“But not now,” Cindy insisted. “Let’s wait here where we are until we hear from the police. We can go later after everything’s been resolved.”

“Nothing’s going to be resolved any time soon,” Mattheus finally said, resigned. “Don’t worry about Alana so much.”

“But I do,” said Cindy fretful.

“Look, the way I see it,” Mattheus went on, “this is a good deal for Alana. It’s better for her to be fired on a charge of drugs, not something bigger.”

“Like murdering Tara?” Cindy asked.

“Yeah, this could be Konrad’s protecting Alana by agreeing to fire her like this,” Mattheus conjectured.

“And it could be Konrad’s the one who put her up to killing Tara,” Cindy couldn’t let go of that thought.

Mattheus was about to respond when his phone interrupted once again. “Yeah,” he picked up instantly. “Okay, I hear you. Where are we? We’re a few blocks from the entrance of Jolin Court Beach, sitting under a bench. Yeah, of course, we’ll go right there now.”

Cindy stared as Mattheus hung up.

“Police said Alana’s not at her home. Someone in the neighborhood said they saw her flying down the street, looking crazed, laughing out loud to herself. The police are out there searching for her as we speak. A car will pick us up in a few minutes to join the hunt.”

“Oh God,” said Cindy, afraid.

“If she’s fleeing there’s a reason,” said Mattheus, “could be we’re closer than we think to the case coming to an end.”

Chapter 19

A cop car arrived in a few moments, picked up Cindy and Mattheus, turned on their sirens and fled to join the crew of police cars relentlessly searching for Alana. Brusque messages barked over walkie talkies giving the suspect’s supposed whereabouts. Cindy held Mattheus hand tightly as their car swerved back and forth, up and down narrow streets, following leads that lead nowhere.

“Suspect’s probably leaving town,” the cop who drove the car barked his message back to others.

“All roads leading to the airports are blocked,” came an immediately reply.

Cindy couldn’t imagine Alana leaving Jamaica. Where would she go?

“Does Alana have friends in town she could hide out with safely?” Cindy asked loudly, her voice joining the fray.

The cop driving the car answered, “That’s being checked out now. We got Konrad at the station, and are grilling him. He’s just been fired too.”

My God, thought Cindy. The two of them thrown out like dead meat.

“This looks good for your client,” the cop driving the car shot back to Cindy and Mattheus. “Takes the heat off him, makes these others look bad.”

“Reasonable doubt for sure,” Mattheus whispered to Cindy.

That was true, and Cindy didn’t know why she didn’t feel good about it. She should have been thrilled that Owen would be getting off.

“Will Owen be released soon?” Mattheus asked the cop, alerted.

“Depends on what we get from these two suspects,” the cop commented, “can’t see how they can hold him after this.”

Suddenly an abrupt message from the police barged in, interrupting their conversation.

“Suspect spotted at the Tinderball Bridge. Get there immediately!”

“Finally,” the cop driving exclaimed. “This creep could have lead us on a wild goose chase all night long.”

The car did a sharp U turn, spun across the road and headed fiercely towards Tinderball Bridge about a mile from where they were.

“What’s she doing at Tinderball Bridge?” Cindy called out to no one in particular.

“Who the hell knows?” the cop replied. “Could be she’s on crack and has plans to blow the bridge apart. There’s all kinds of drugs down here that fry the mind. We can’t take any chances.”

Dear God, give her a chance to calm down and talk to someone sanely, thought Cindy, as the car drove up the unpaved road that lead to the bridge.

The car arrived in a few seconds. As soon as it stopped Cindy flung the door open and ran towards the bridge. Even from a distance she could see Alana standing on it, high up near the railing, flinging her arms back and forth desperately.

“Hold on a minute,” a cop tried to stop Cindy as she got closer.

“I’m a detective on the case,” shouted Cindy, pushing the cop back and plunging closer, running up to the very edge of the bridge.

The edge of the bridge was surrounded by cops speaking through megaphones.

“Get down now,” one megaphone called to the desperate woman.

But why would she listen, thought Cindy as she grabbed a megaphone and put it to her lips.

“Alana, this is Cindy,” she called through it. “I’m here and I want to help you.”

It was hard to make out what Alana responded, but if you listened carefully you could.

“I’m innocent,” Alana was wailing. “I didn’t steal drugs, I didn’t kill Tara, I didn’t kill anyone. I’m not a killer. I’m a nurse.”

“She’s claiming she’s innocent,” the cop next to Cindy translated. “She’s been yelling that since we got here.”

“I believe you, Alana,” Cindy called back.

“You don’t believe me,” Alana’ voice grew more desperate. “No one believes me, no one wants to give me a chance.”

“I do,” Cindy begged through the megaphone.

“No, you don’t, you’re against me,” Alana began sobbing. “I’m innocent and no one will listen. I never stole drugs, I didn’t harm Tara or any other patient.”

“Come down, Alana,” a policeman called through another megaphone.

“I believe you, Alana,” Cindy insisted, “I truly believe you.”

“You’re lying again, I can’t trust you.” Alana’s head dropped down as her hair blew wildly in the wind.

“They all claim they’re innocent,” the cop with the megaphone near Cindy stepped closer to her.

“You’re important to us, you have important information,” Cindy’s voice grew deeper through the megaphone as she called.

Suddenly Alana raised her head and stared straight down. “You’re right, I have important information,” she shrieked in the wind at the top of her lungs, “but you’ll never get it. Not now.”

Then she spun around and without warning, flung herself off the bridge into the fierce, merciless currents below.

“Jumped! Jumped! The suspect’s jumped,” the cops announced through their megaphones as they started running together to the water’s edge.

Cindy ran with them, trembling and sobbing as she got to the water and watched the ruthless current carrying Alana with it wherever it liked.

“Suspect down, suspect down,” the megaphones resonated as Mattheus ran up beside Cindy.

“She’s dead, she’s gone,” Cindy was sobbing.

Mattheus put his strong hands on Cindy’s shoulders. “There was nothing we could do, nothing,” Mattheus said softly.

Cindy turned and buried her face in his chest. “The ocean’s taking her away,” sobbed Cindy.

“The ocean knows best,” Mattheus whispered somberly. “Who are we to hold the currents back?”

*

In a few minutes a crew of police jumped into boats and piled out onto the water searching for Alana’s body. Mattheus and Cindy got back into the police car and drove with them to the station. A terrible silence filled the car as they drove.

“I’ve seen it before,” the cop driving finally spoke. “It never makes sense.”

Mattheus held Cindy’s hand more tightly.

“Let’s hope she’s at peace now,” Mattheus said, looking at Cindy sadly.

Impossible, thought Cindy. How can someone be at peace dying that way?

The car drove a little further and parked in front of the station.

“We’ll just stay a little while,” said Mattheus as he helped Cindy out of the car. “Then we’ll go back and unwind.” Despite his trying to stay strong for Cindy, she could see that Mattheus was shaken as well. Cindy was grateful that Mattheus was there, and grateful for his being the person he was. What more could she ask for, especially at a moment like this.

*

The police station was filled with a flurry of cops and reporters all trying to sort things out.

“We hear the administrator of the Ranges Hospital, Konrad Dalskin has been fired as well,” a reporter was shooting questions at one of the policemen.

“Correct,” the officer replied.

“Fired for what?” the reporter probed.

“According to what I’ve heard,” the cop continued, “the hospital administrator’s been implicated in the drug scheme as well.”

Cindy raised her eyebrows as she listened to this story. She didn’t believe a word of it, but it certainly took the focus off Tara’s death.

“Where is the hospital administrator now?” the reporter pursued.

“Konrad is presently in custody,” the cop went on. “He’s just been informed of the death of Alana and is momentarily out of control.”

“I’ve heard the two of them were in a personal relationship,” the reporter couldn’t stop.

“That’s what we’ve heard, too,” the police confirmed it.

“Will charges be placed against him?” the reporter continued.

“That’s yet to be seen,” the policeman was growing tired of the questions.

“And what about Owen Danden, suspect in his wife’s murder?” the reporter threw the cop a left curve then.

Cindy leaned in closely to hear what he said.

“Charges against Owen Danden are being dropped,” the cop announced briskly. “We have enough on the nurse who jumped now. It’s clear she’s responsible for the death of the comatose patient as well.”

Cindy’s heart started pounding. What was clear about it? This was a trumped up story concocted to close the case and get reporters off their back.

“There’s nothing clear about it,” Cindy said to Mattheus.

“Shhhh,” Mattheus said, “it’s over. Let’s hear what else they have to say.”

The rest of the interview covered basic details. The cop was not at liberty to say when Owen would be released, but it would be very soon, most likely today.

“How does Owen feel about it?” the reporter continued.

“Elated,” the policeman reported, “vindicated. Owen praised the wonderful detective work of C and M Investigations as well.”

Cindy flushed all over when she heard that. What wonderful work was he referring to, their getting Alana killed?

“We’re coming to the finish line,” Mattheus whispered.

But the image of the current racing away with Alana’s body would not leave Cindy’s mind. Had Alana deserved a fate like that? And there was something else Alana had to tell them? What could it have been? Now they would never know.

“Okay, that about sums it up for today,” the cop held his hand up towards reporters. “We’ll have another press conference later on, when we have more information. Right now the headline is that the suspect is dead, Owen is being released and big administrative changes are coming in the hospital administration. All’s well that ends well.”

Ends well? Cindy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How could he say this ended well? A young woman was dead, floating in murky waters. The man who loved her had lost everything, his beloved, his job and his grip on life. What exactly had ended well?

“Owen will most likely be released today,” Mattheus leaned closer to Cindy.

“Okay,” Cindy echoed.

“We’ll go see him at the Villa after he’s free,” said Mattheus.

“One thing after another,” Cindy murmured, dreading going back to the Villa, not wanting to see Tara’s family again.

“What are you saying?” asked Mattheus.

“I don’t know exactly, I’m just devastated,” Cindy mumbled.

“Devastation’s part of the job,” Mattheus concurred. “We’ve got to take devastation along with everything else that comes our way.”

Chapter 20

When Cindy and Mattheus entered the Villa, the family was gathered around Owen, hugging him, talking, sighing. Despite the awful events there was almost a sense of gaiety in the air. Tara’s brother, Hank, held onto the back of Owen’s jacket and Tara’s mother, Isabelle, clung to him fiercely. It was all she had left of her daughter now.

“Thank God, thank God you’re,” she said as Owen patted her on her back.

“It’s okay now, Isabelle, it’s okay,” Owen said, “we’ll make it through.”

“That horrible woman, that horrible nurse,” Isabelle responded. “I didn’t like her from the minute I saw her. I never trusted her.”

“Alana was a problem from the start,” Owen agreed.

“She flung herself at you, didn’t she, Owen?” Isabelle demanded.

“She was half crazed,” Owen said softly, “lots of the help down here are.”

“I didn’t see anything wrong with that nurse,” Ralph cut in. “You don’t trust anyone, Isabelle,” and he threw Owen a strange, side glance. “What about you, who do you trust, Owen?”

“Owen paid no attention to Ralph’s comment. “I kept urging the police to investigate her,” he went on. “Why did it take so long?”

But Ralph wouldn’t let it go. “What did she do? I never saw her fling herself at you!”

Owen smiled sadly then. “Alana was preoccupied most of the time and eager for the case to be over. Once she even said to me, this can’t go on forever. It’s not fair to your wife, stringing her out like this between life and death.”

“She had her right to believe that,” Ralph barked.

“She was unprofessional,” Owen insisted.

“So, why did you keep her on then?” Ralph’s face grew red.

Owen brushed his hands through his well-coiffed hair. “It wasn’t as if we had so many other choices,” he mumbled. “My entire attention had to go to Tara, not to finding new nurses or aides.”

“And why are you so upset about it, Ralph?” Isabelle jumped in. “You agreed that Tara would be better off gone than in a coma for such a long time.”

“Yes, I thought so,” Ralph replied. “But that was our decision to make, not some nurse.”

“Who said Alana made the decision?” Jenna, Tara’s sister, joined the conversation swiftly. “Who knows who egged Alana on?”

“That’s what I think,” Owen shot back. “If you ask me, it looks more and more like the hospital was involved. But Alana was part it anyway, no question about it.”

“The hospital wasn’t involved,” a raspy voice uttered as Loretta suddenly entered the room.

Cindy was stunned to see her, thought she had left Jamaica ago. Loretta still stood apart from the family, glaring at everyone.

“Come in Loretta,” Ralph tried to welcome her.

Loretta would have none of it though. “I’m in,” she quipped nastily, “I don’t have to be invited. I belong here, too. After all, it’s my mother who’s just been killed.”