CHAPTER 17
DONATELLA
After an almost three-hour drive to Indiana, Lincoln pulled up to the iron gate that secured his parents’ Zionsville estate. He tapped a code into a panel and waited for the gates to separate.
Donna had taken a few days off work so she could be by her sister’s side.
Her parents were on their way as well. She’d tried to tell them to stay put and that she’d keep them up to date on Bella’s progression, but they would hear none of that.
Hell, her mother was in the car before their phone call had ended.
Lincoln drove through the gates and followed a road lined with trees. Through the trees was a large pond, illuminated by the moon and stars. “This place is incredible.”
“Yeah, my parents love it here. We all love it here. I can’t believe it took something so horrible to finally get you here.”
“I know, right. My schedule sucks.” Donna squeezed his muscular thigh. “And so does yours, Colonel.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
Lincoln pulled to the left of the Creeds’ home.
The massive structure’s log-cabin design gave the house a warm, outdoorsy feel.
He pulled in front of a large barn and shifted into park.
Donna grabbed her bag from the back seat and exited the car.
She took a deep breath and noted how different the air was from the city.
Lincoln got out, grabbed his bag, then walked around the car. He kissed Donna’s forehead and took her bag. “This way, my love.”
Donna followed him to the house. They reached the front doors just as the two ambulances carrying Bella and Lucas began their approach. Dr. Creed stepped out with Senator Creed on her heels.
“Hello, sweetheart,” Dr. Creed greeted, caressing Lincoln’s jaw.
She turned and hugged Donna. “I’m glad you're here,” she whispered. “I know it's late, but I had some food prepared. It’s gonna take a while to get Bella and Lucas situated. Why don’t you guys go on into the kitchen and get something to eat?”
“Okay, Mom.” Lincoln pressed his hand to the small of Donna’s back. “Come on, babe. Let’s get some food in you so I can put you to bed.”
Donna pulled out of his grasp when her twin was lowered from the ambulance on a gurney. “No,” she breathed.
She couldn’t leave if she wanted to. Donna needed to lay eyes on her sister.
So, she waited against the doorjamb as they wheeled her toward the house.
When they reached the door, Donna exhaled a breath that she didn’t even realize she’d been holding.
Anger whipped through her like a tornado.
Bella was still unconscious. Her face was bruised and swollen.
She looked like she’d been hit by a train.
Donna gritted her teeth. Rage forced her nostrils to flare.
Had Dr. Creed not killed her sister’s attacker, she would’ve made him suffer, over and over before killing him.
Lincoln slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. “She’s gonna be okay, sweetheart.”
Donna nodded. “I know,” she replied, just as Lucas was being rolled into the house. “So is he.”
“Yeah. So is he,” Lincoln repeated.
Donna could hear the trepidation in his voice. She hooked her arm around his waist and pulled him across the threshold. “Come on, baby. Let’s get something to eat.”
They entered a large, circular foyer with what could have been a twenty-foot ceiling and natural stone flooring.
Had they not been in Hoosier state, Donna would have sworn she’d just stepped into a palace.
Even more so when a well-dressed man approached and spoke to them with a British accent.
“Good evening, Ma’am. Good evening, Lincoln. May I take your bags, Lincoln?”
“Yes, thank you.” Lincoln handed him their bags and grabbed Donna’s hand. “This is Detective Donatella Deveraux,” he announced with a smile. “But we all call her Donna.”
Andrew nodded and carried the bags out of the room. They were soon joined by Lincoln’s parents. “Donatella, sweetheart, do you have a taste for roast beef?” asked Dr. Creed.
Donna’s stomach had been tied in knots since she’d found out her sister had been hurt. “Thank you, ma’am. But I’m not hungry.”
Tabitha Creed caressed her face before pulling her into a hug. “I know you’re worried. But if you’re going to find out who’s trying to kill my children, you will need your strength.”
Donna relaxed as she rubbed reassuring circles into her back. “I’ll find out,” she promised with a whisper.
Tabitha took a step back and cupped her cheek. “I know you will. Come, darling. Let’s eat.”
***
A knock at the door snapped Donna awake, not even realizing she’d fallen asleep.
After Lincoln had brought her to the bedroom, which was more like a suite, she’d taken a long shower and dressed with every intention of going to check on Bella.
For a second, Donna had nearly forgotten where she was, but a quick scan of the room helped to jog her memory.
Lincoln opened the door. Andrew spoke from the other side of the door. “Please let Detective Deveraux know that her parents are here and they’d like to see her.”
“She’ll be right there,” Lincoln assured before closing the door.
Donna threw on a pair of sweats and she and Lincoln went downstairs.
She followed him through the massive house until she heard her parents’ voices.
As soon as she entered what looked like a big family room, she was nearly tackled by her mom.
She pulled Donna into a suffocating embrace a whispers small prayers, thanking God that she was safe.
“Ma,” Donna grumbled. “I can’t breathe.”
“Oh, shoot. I’m sorry, baby.”
After another tight squeeze and a kiss to her cheek, Donna was released from her mother’s hold. Donna kissed her mother’s cheek and moved to hug her dad.
“Have you seen Bella?” Donna asked after they embraced.
“We have,” her dad responded.
The pain in his voice caused her to take a step back. Donna looked up and saw the sadness in her dad’s eyes. “Dad, she looks worse than she is. With a little time, Bella will heal.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
Donna turned to Lincoln’s mom. “In the meantime, is there a way to put another bed in there with her?” “I'll arrange for that immediately,” Tabitha Creed assured.
“Thank you, Mrs. Creed.” Donna had no intention of leaving her sister’s side until she was better.
“Okay, now that that’s settled,” her mother began. “Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on here?”
Lincoln cleared his throat. “To be perfectly honest, Mrs. Deveraux, we’re not sure.
All we know so far is that my brother and your daughters were attacked simultaneously.
Thankfully, the twins got away, taking down one of their attackers.
But my brother was gunned down in a public restaurant.
Personally, I have a hard time believing it was a coincidence. ”
“Then, there was the attack at the hospital,” Senator Creed chimed. “One of the attackers somehow got into Lucas’ room. He was about to kill my son, but Bella stopped him. He was beating her pretty badly when Victor and my wife entered the room. Victor intervened and then my wife…”
Tabitha plopped down on the sofa and covered her face.
“She shot him.”
“Good Lord,” Donna’s dad said through a heavy breath.
“Well, who is he? Is he someone she arrested?” her mother asked.
“Mom, we’re looking into that.”
The fear in her mother’s eyes caused Donna to feel helpless.
Lincoln put his arm around her. While massaging her shoulder, he said, “Well, that’s all we know so far.”
Donna shook her head. “No. There’s more.”
Lincoln looked down at her with confusion. “More?”
“Yeah. Niyah was performing and autopsy on the man we shot. But when she stepped out of the room to research his tattoos. Somebody entered the morgue, killed her intern, and stole the shooter’s body.”
“What?” Lincoln blasted.
Donna nodded. “Yeah. And right before it happened, Niyah collided in the hallway with a doctor she’d never seen in the hospital before.”
Donna exhaled a frustrated breath. “So far, all we have to go on is the fact that they were all Asian. According to witnesses, Lucas’ shooter was Asian.
The shooters in the van, the mysterious doctor in the morgue, and the attacker in Lucas’ room were all Asian, which suggests an Asian organized-crime syndicate. ”
“Yakuza?” Lincoln asked.
“Yes. Well, maybe. I’m not sure.” Donna took a deep breath. “Now, I haven’t come to blows with any Asian gangs in my career. When Bella wakes up, I’ll ask her if she has.”
“That’s encouraging,” Senator Creed offered, lifting a sifter filled with something brown to his lips. “At least, now, we have a place to start.”