Chapter 14
Fourteen
T he family gathered, waiting for the next visiting hours. Jackson, still in uniform, stood with them, explaining the situation. “We responded to an open line. She apparently called 9-1-1 before she collapsed. We had to take the door. Her apartment was filled with yellow jackets. She was stung everywhere. They were swarming her, and, on entry, they swarmed us. The police stayed behind to secure the door and try to find out where those wasps came from.”
Brad moved to a corner of the room. As he sat down, their conversations replayed in his head. Seeing her so ill, he realized his feelings for her ran deep. Did he wait too long? Would she want to explore a relationship with him? Why didn’t he say something?
Hours passed. Finally, Tristan emerged, entering the waiting room with the intensivist. Their expressions were serious but hopeful. “Isobel is stable. She was stung over one hundred times and had a severe allergic reaction. Once the swelling of her airway goes down, we hope to pull the tube. She’ll need to stay a few days for observation. We will know more by this afternoon.”
Relief washed over the family. Olivia clung tightly to Jackson, burying her face in his chest as she let out a shaky breath. Molly and her fiancé, Ethan, embraced, while Charlotte stood quietly, her hand clasped in Alex’s. With her free hand, Charlotte reached out to Ruth, who stood frozen. Sophie, red-eyed and exhausted, wrapped her arms around Tristan, whispering a thank you.
Brad approached Tristan next, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you… thank you for saving her."
Tristan placed a firm, reassuring hand on Brad's shoulder. His voice was steady. "Thank me when she goes home."
As her family took their turns visiting Isobel, Brad paced the sterile hallway. Each time he glanced toward the door to the ICU, anger bubbled inside him. This wasn't an accident. Someone had done this to her, and it was connected to the cases she was working on.
Returning to the waiting room, Brad sat down, elbows on his knees, jaw locked. After taking a sharp breath, he addressed the family, “Does anyone have Kathy’s number? I need to know if Isobel ever worked a case involving bees.”
Charlotte met Brad’s intense gaze. Despite the exhaustion on her face, her composure was unshakable. "You don’t need to call Kathy," she said, her voice firm. Her daughters exchanged glances, a silent confirmation passing between them. "It was the McMillan case," she continued, leaning forward slightly, pulling Brad deeper into the grim details. “At this point, it’s public record. The attack took place in Sioux Falls.”
Brad’s heartbeat quickened as Charlotte's words began to fill in the gaps. The antiseptic smell of the hospital sharpened in his mind as he pieced together the case.
“The original allegation was the husband ground up bees in his wife’s smoothie,” Charlotte said, her voice eerily calm. "She died within hours. The husband had an airtight alibi. No one could break it. But despite that, the police made arrests. The husband’s defense attorney paid Izzy to profile the family and expose any lies."
Brad’s face hardened, his eyes narrowing as Charlotte’s words settled over him. He could see where this was going—Isobel had broken through the family’s defenses and uncovered a dark, twisted truth.
“It wasn’t the husband,” Charlotte went on, her tone grave. "It was the victim’s brother. He had a history with the husband—old resentment, festering for years. He knew about her allergy and used it to kill her. Isobel figured it out."
Brad stood abruptly, his hands clenched into fists as he began pacing again. “This isn’t a coincidence,” he muttered, his voice laced with anger. "If someone’s coming after Isobel, they’re recreating what she solved. This time they used the McMillan case as a blueprint.”
His voice grew louder. “This wasn’t just about bees. It’s about power. But why now?”
He stopped, his eyes blazing. “We need to dig into this. Isobel’s work stirred up something—or someone. We need to figure out who could be behind this.”
The room fell into a tense silence. Charlotte, ever calm in the face of chaos, nodded and spoke with a quiet resolve. “I’ll make some calls, see if I can pull any case files involving Izzy. We need every piece of information we can get.”
Brad nodded in thanks, feeling a sense of purpose settle over him. “The more we know, the better our chances of keeping her safe.”
He glanced around the room at the faces of Isobel’s family, each etched with worry and fear. This wasn’t just about solving a case—it was about protecting someone they all loved. “We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Brad promised. "I won’t let anyone hurt her again."
As the group continued their anxious vigil, the door to the waiting room creaked open, snapping them all from their thoughts. Detective John Larson and another detective, Kara Taylor, entered, their faces set grimly.
Ethan rose, his towering presence unmistakable as he shook their hands. “Detectives,” he greeted coolly.
Brad stood up, his frustration still simmering beneath the surface, but he remained calm. “Who brought you in?”
Larson nodded toward Ethan. “Agent Hayes reached out. We’ve spoken with the officers who responded and Battalion Chief Crenshaw. They suggested we’d find Captain Reynolds here.”
Special Agent Ethan Hayes asked, “Captain Reynolds, why do you believe this was an attack? Couldn’t Dr. Everhart have accidentally triggered a hive nearby?”
Jackson shook his head firmly. “It’s highly unlikely. The building is new, and there’s no way a hive like that would go unnoticed. This doesn’t feel accidental.”
Brad nodded in agreement.
Before he could speak, Ethan continued, “Isobel’s handled numerous cases across the state. One involved bee venom. We need to consider that this was deliberate.”
Detective Taylor frowned slightly. “Is there any evidence to suggest the bees were introduced intentionally?”
Ethan exchanged a glance with Brad, who said, “Not yet, but given the recent history, I think there is a strong possibility. This wasn’t random. I’d search for a note as well.”
Larson’s brow furrowed. "Alright, we won’t jump to conclusions, but we’ll have our forensic team examine the apartment closely. If there’s evidence of foul play, we’ll find it."
Ethan nodded. “And we need to pull the files on the McMillan case out of Sioux Falls. There could be something we haven’t connected yet.”
Detective Larson glanced at his partner before agreeing. “We’ll get on it. If this was an attack, we’ll find the link.”
As the detectives left, the room exhaled, tension easing for just a moment. Brad’s fists unclenched.
Hours later, as the family continued their vigil, Detective Larson called back. The room fell silent as Ethan put the call on speaker.
“Hayes,” Larson began, “we’ve found something. The bees weren’t wild—they were introduced intentionally.”
Brad’s expression darkened. “This is Killian. How?”
“There was a device rigged inside the pipe leading to her showerhead. It released the bees when she turned on the water. This was deliberate.”
“And Forensics found something else—written on the bathroom mirror: The hive buzzes, and the queen falters. Control is fragile. You see the cracks, don’t you? I see you. ”
Brad spat, “The bastard was in her condo. This has to be tied to the McMillan case. We need to cross-check her cases, and as soon as she can speak, we need to see if there were any previous attempts we might have missed. Whoever did this is escalating.”
“We’re already on it,” Larson replied. “We have personnel reviewing her recent cases. We’ll find the connection.”
Brad’s teeth ground. “Good. I’m staying here until she’s stable. I won’t let them get away with this.”
He hung up, the situation pressing down on him as he gazed toward the ICU. His promise echoed in his mind. No one would hurt her again—not while he was here.
The waiting room was also filled with families waiting on other patients as the day wore on. Brad looked up as the intensivist entered, his face a mix of professionalism and sympathy. He headed toward Charlotte and the rest of Isobel’s family.
“Isobel isn’t responding as quickly as we hoped,” the intensivist began, looking from face to face. “She’s sustained over a hundred stings, and her body is still processing the venom. It’s taking a toll on her body’s systems. The ventilator is helping her breathe, but we’re keeping a close watch on how her lungs, heart and kidneys are responding.”
Isobel’s family exchanged worried glances, and her sister Olivia shifted nervously in her seat. Brad’s gaze locked on the floor, unwilling to let the fear take root.
The intensivist’s voice softened. “I understand how hard this is for all of you. But she’s stable for now, and we’re doing everything we can. I’d recommend everyone head home and get some rest. You’ve been here for well over eighteen hours. We’ll call immediately if there’s any change.”
The words were met with hesitation, but after a few moments, Isobel’s family reluctantly agreed. But Brad wasn't about to let her stay unprotected, vulnerable in this impersonal space. After a discussion with Ethan and Alex, they also agreed leaving Isobel alone was not acceptable. Two officers from Brad’s command were on their way, but until then, it was just him and her.
The family said their goodbyes, lingering a little longer for a chorus of “Are you sures?” before finally leaving the hospital.
Hours later, long after the hospital had quieted down, Brad couldn’t resist the pull any longer. With the nursing staff’s permission, he slipped into Isobel’s ICU room, his heart aching as he quietly shut the door behind him. The dim lighting made the glass-enclosed space glow. The only sounds were the steady rhythm of the ventilator and the occasional beep of the IV pump.
Brad stood at the foot of her bed, his eyes tracing the outline of her still form. The area of her face not stung was pale, the tubes and wires overwhelming in contrast to the strength she always carried. He approached slowly, pulling a chair closer to her side, his breath catching in his throat. Her eyes were covered with cool compresses, and her fingers, those delicate fingers were wrapped in bandages, swollen and fragile. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and shield her from everything, but he knew he had to be gentle. He sat down.
“Belle,” he whispered, though he knew she couldn’t hear him. His hand hovered over hers before finally settling on top, his thumb brushing over the bandages. “I’m here. Just… fight, okay?” He closed his eyes.
His eyes opened to a gentle touch. It was Isobel’s sister Olivia. He wasn’t aware she had stayed. “Your protection detail is here. Come on home with Jackson and me. You need to sleep in a real bed. Izzy is heavily sedated. We will know more in the morning.”
Brad placed a gentle kiss to Isobel’s head. “See you later, sweetheart.”