Chapter 26
Nikolai was fiddling with the pen in his hand. It had taken him about thirty seconds to realize he liked Agent Ramirez but most likely would leave Agent Green to bleed to death in a ditch if the chance ever presented itself. He was an ass, and he couldn't say Frode's name without sneering.
Even Isaac lost his temper with him.
They'd gone through everything they had several times. It was bordering on absurd, and Nikolai was more than ready to get out of here. He wanted to check on Frode. He'd sent him a text but hadn't gotten a reply. Which most likely meant Frode was sleeping.
It was good, he needed to rest, but Nikolai wanted to be there to make sure he had everything he needed.
"So what you're telling us is you have the murderers, but you haven't brought them in for questioning?" Green looked between Isaac and Nikolai.
"We were about to bring Altman in, but then Lieutenant Medlin told us you'd be taking over, so we figured we'd let you make the call." Isaac kept a pleasant smile on his lips. Nikolai didn't think Green realized it was faked.
"And what did you plan to talk to him about?" The mocking tone made Nikolai want to punch him, and he suspected Ramirez was a mind reader because he grimaced and took a step forward.
"What Agent Green means is--"
"Mr. Neace confirmed he sold the rug to Altman. Our plan was to ask him about it." Isaac's tone was still pleasant, and he ended the statement with another faked smile.
Nikolai had had enough of this. "Since you know best, we'll leave you to it." He dropped the pen on the table and stood. "I have better things to do."
"Better things than to catch a killer?" Green glared at him.
"Better things than to entertain your pathetic dick-measuring competition. You're here. Do your fucking job. We've handed you the names of the killers, if you want to let them continue to carve up women, then it's on you." He calmly pushed his chair in. "Isaac?"
Isaac stood, allowing the plastered-on smile to melt away. "Oh, thank fuck." He bounced a little and stepped closer to Nikolai. "If I have to endure another second of this posturing, I fear the fragile masculinity will rub off on me." Isaac shuddered exaggeratedly. "What do you want to do?"
"Check on Frode. These idiots won't do anything to keep him safe."
Green growled, but the loudest sound in the room was Ramirez sighing.
Isaac ignored them both. "I'm fine with checking on Frode. Did you call him?"
"Texted, but he didn't reply." Nikolai grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open. Medlin was standing outside with a cup of coffee in his hand. He raised an eyebrow at Nikolai when he walked out.
"How's it going?"
Nikolai closed the door behind him to keep Green and Ramirez from listening. "It's not. We're going to go check on Frode. I'm worried and they've kept us here far too long despite me having expressed my concern about him."
Medlin nodded, glanced at the closed door, and grimaced. "I'm sorry."
It made Nikolai hesitate. "About what? It's not your fault they're here."
"Nah, but I dragged it out, and I think they're punishing me by sending Green."
Nikolai barked a laugh. "Would they?"
Medlin shrugged. "I should've handed the case over the moment we knew we had a serial killer on our hands, but I didn't. They don't take too kindly to something like that. My only blessing is that the press haven't connected the dots yet."
It was strange they hadn't, wasn't it? "Why haven't they?"
Medlin took a sip of coffee. "We've managed to keep the details within these walls. They've reported on women having been found murdered in their homes, but the slit throats, the rugs, them living alone, and so on have been kept quiet." He looked between them. "Maybe it's time to let them know."
Nikolai narrowed his eyes. "Would it help the case?"
"Do the press ever help?"
He was shaking his head before he could consider the question.
"But it could buy us a favor with the media in the future. Do you have a connection with any reporter or journalist in town?"
Nikolai glanced at Isaac, unsure of what Medlin was talking about. "No, I've been gone too long." He hadn't known any reporters before he'd left either, not unless he counted his cousin, but since he no longer was part of the Nesterova family, he would not reach out to her.
"Elmore?" Medlin glanced at him.
Isaac nodded. "Willow Addis at Berg Daily."
Nikolai didn't recognize the name, but Medlin nodded.
"Should you leak anything, I wouldn't get angry at this point."
Nikolai almost laughed.
"I'll call her from the car."
The door opened behind them, and Nikolai hurried along. He didn't want to get pulled into another conversation with Agent Dickhead. "Let's go." He shot a look at Isaac, who flashed him one of his grins.
They jogged down the stairs and out onto the street.
Isaac had his phone pressed to his ear when Nikolai unlocked the car.
"Willow? Hi, this is Detective Isaac Elmore.
" He fastened the seat belt with one hand, then proceeded to tell Willow about the serial killer in Berg while Nikolai steered them toward Frode's house.
* * * *
Nikolai turned into the gravel road leading to Frode's house and had driven about three hundred feet when he noticed headlights coming toward them. He cursed. The road wasn't wide enough for two cars.
Isaac looked up. "The road is a little wider there." He pointed out the windshield, and Nikolai drove ahead, maneuvering the car, so two wheels were on the road and two were in the grass next to it. He stopped to allow the other car to pass.
When they were side by side, he raised his hand to wave and froze. Saylor was driving.
Isaac cursed. "What's he doing here?"
Nikolai couldn't speak. His blood froze to ice. It took him a second before he could get the car rolling. He drove as fast as he dared at the same time as he called Frode's phone. "Fuck."
"No reply?"
He shook his head.
Isaac braced against the glove box when the car hit some potholes. "Get us there in one piece."
Nikolai didn't reply; he drove as fast as he could, and if it meant it got a little bumpy, then so be it.
Frode's house was dark except for the window lamps set on a timer. The ball in Nikolai's gut wound itself tighter.
Gravel sprayed as he turned in on the long driveway leading up to the house.
Isaac was out of the car before they'd come to a stop.
"Call an ambulance!"
Fuck. Nikolai got his phone out and called as he ran to where Isaac was crouching.
The landing was drenched in blood, and Frode was curled up on the side, unmoving.
"Is he..." Someone was talking to him on the phone, but he couldn't concentrate on them. "Is he alive?"
"He's breathing but not responding. I think he's stabbed in the stomach. His shirt is soaked."
The world shook under Nikolai's feet. "We need an ambulance.
" He rattled off Frode's address before the poor woman on the other end could ask him any questions.
"A man's been stabbed in the stomach, breathing but not responding, there is a lot of blood, the suspect is on the run, we passed him on the way here.
" Nikolai was in a bubble. He couldn't take in what was happening.
"Ambulance is on the way." The woman asked something, but Nikolai lowered the phone and neared Frode. "Frode, baby?" He took his hand. Thankfully, he had his gloves on.
Isaac was talking on the phone, Nikolai realized.
Frode's breaths came in shallow puffs. Was it good or bad? Nikolai gently turned him over on his back, lifted the drenched shirt and looked at the seeping wound on his stomach. No protruding organs, which had to be a good sign. Apply pressure, right?
He fitted his hands over the wound and pressed. Frode made a pained sound.
"I'm sorry, honey. The ambulance is on the way."
Frode didn't move, didn't speak, and didn't open his eyes.
It took an eternity before the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.
"Nikolai." Isaac touched his shoulder, making him believe he might have called his name more than once.
"Yes?"
"The car keys?"
Nikolai looked at his bloody hands pressing down on Frode. "Right pocket." He nodded toward his right, and Isaac stuck his hand into his pocket.
"I'll move the car to give them more room."
Nikolai nodded, glad Isaac was thinking ahead. "Thank you."
Isaac squeezed his shoulder. "We'll get him."
He didn't give a fuck. Or he did. He'd tear him to pieces when he found him, but the important thing right now was to get Frode to a hospital.
A minute later, blue lights reflected against the windowpanes, and Isaac was guiding the ambulance into the yard. Nikolai didn't move until the paramedics told him to, and once they had Frode on a stretcher, he jumped into the ambulance to go with him.
No one argued.
"I'll meet you there." Isaac waved right before the door closed. Nikolai did his best not to be in the way of the paramedic who rode in the back with them, but he held on to Frode's hand the entire way to the hospital.
* * * *