Chapter Thirteen #2
“Yeah, I thought about that.” Lexi ran a hand through the top of her hair. “At least I may have had a fighting chance. Eleanor was obviously not so lucky.”
“Maybe she’s luckier—and tougher—than you think,” he suggested, from what he knew of her. “Let’s just wait and see what the doctor has to say.”
“All right.” Lexi gazed at him endearingly. “Thanks for coming.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” Cooper told her in earnest. “I consider Eleanor a friend, and I owe her for playing a role in bringing us together.”
“Yes, we owe her such gratitude,” Lexi concurred. “Hopefully, we’ll both get another chance to pay her back.”
He lowered his chin. “Yeah, we’ll count on that.”
Just then, they watched as a slender fortysomething female doctor—with blond hair slicked back in a high bun and green eyes, wearing white medical scrubs—approached them.
“I’m Dr. Shailene Serrano, an emergency medicine physician,” she said, and regarded Lexi. “I understand that you’re the one who found Mrs. Palakiko unconscious?”
Lexi nodded. “I’m Lexi De La Garza, her next-door neighbor. And this is Cooper Reid.”
Cooper added, “I’m an FBI special agent and a friend of Eleanor Palakiko.”
“I see,” the doctor said, thoughtful.
Lexi took a breath, glanced at Cooper, and back to the doctor. “Is Eleanor going to be okay?”
Dr. Serrano put a slight smile on her face.
“Yes, she’ll be fine. Mrs. Palakiko sustained a concussion—apparently from hitting her head on the floor—and a slightly sprained ankle, probably also from falling down.
But there were no broken bones or internal injuries, and she should make a full recovery. ”
“That’s wonderful news!” Lexi breathed a sigh of relief. “When will she be released?”
“Due to her age, we’ll need to keep Mrs. Palakiko overnight, and possibly a little longer, for observation,” Dr. Serrano answered. “If everything goes well, she should be able to go home after that.”
That’s assuming the police investigation has been completed and Eleanor can feel safe returning to her residence, Cooper told himself. He asked the doctor, hoping Eleanor could provide some information on her home invasion, “When can we see her?”
“That will have to wait,” she replied noncommittally. “The patient’s resting right now.”
Lexi wrinkled her nose. “I’d like to be there when she wakes up—”
Dr. Serrano sighed. “There’s really nothing more either of you can do right now. I suggest you go home and check back later when she’s been moved to a hospital room.”
Though eager to speak with Eleanor, Cooper deferred to the doctor’s recommendation as he eyed Lexi and said, “She’s right. No need to hang around here. Eleanor’s obviously in good hands. We can visit her later when she’s able to talk.”
“Okay,” Lexi acquiesced. “We’ll do that. I’m just glad she’s going to be all right.”
“We both are.” Cooper cast his eyes at her He admired Lexi’s dedication to her neighbor—and Eleanor’s health and well-being—which gave him another reason for feeling about Lexi as he did.
But he and the police would still need to question Eleanor eventually about what happened, in trying to recover whatever was stolen and otherwise hold whoever was responsible accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
WHEN THE CALL came in two hours ago about a probable home invasion and possible attempted murder on East Camelback Road, Hallie met at the residence with Detective Robyn Henstridge.
The victim, identified as an eighty-two-year-old widow, Eleanor Palakiko, survived the violent encounter and was currently hospitalized.
Based on the condition of the home, which showed definite signs of a home burglary, Hallie and Robyn were in agreement with the brutal nature of the crime—as were the crime scene investigators currently on the scene to take photographs and collect evidence—and eager to get justice for the elderly victim.
The detectives hoped to take her statement as soon as the patient’s doctor gave them permission to speak with her.
Till then, Hallie was content to interview Eleanor’s neighbor, Lexi De La Garza—the architect who reported the crime.
“What’s your interest in this case?” Hallie had to ask Cooper first, as she and Robyn sat on mid-century modern chairs in Lexi’s great room. As an FBI special agent, this would not normally be under his jurisdiction.
Cooper, who sat on an upholstered beige sectional beside Lexi, answered, “Eleanor’s part of my widowed support group.” He paused and turned to his right. “Same with Lexi.”
“I see.” Hallie accepted this. She also could tell that the FBI agent’s involvement with the pretty architect went beyond that, which was not Hallie’s concern. She regarded Lexi and asked, “Can you tell us how you came to discover that your neighbor had become a victim of a home invasion?”
“I’ll try.” Lexi drew a breath. “I’d just returned home from a run when I saw that Eleanor’s front door was open, along with her garage door—and noted that her car was missing. I wanted to make sure she was okay…”
Robyn leaned forward. “And that’s when you went inside and discovered the victim on the floor in the living room?”
“Correct,” Lexi replied. “I felt for a pulse, found one and called 911.”
“Did you see anyone else?” Hallie asked, and added, “Even before you finished your run—either before or after you got to the victim’s house?”
“There was no one at the house. And I didn’t see anything unusual during the run itself that captured my attention.” Lexi sat back thoughtfully. “There was something…but it may or may not mean anything—”