Chapter 41
When Mom and Dad arrived, the happy relief was palpable. The whole floor seemed brighter. Elation pushed away Lainie’s fatigue.
She hugged them both and the tears began again.
“You’re sure it’s her?” Mom asked.
“I wouldn’t have had Mike bring you out here if I wasn’t.”
“It’s answered prayer.” They all hugged again.
“Where is Archie?” Lainie asked her mother.
“He stayed at home with the boys. We wanted to assess the situation with”—she cleared her throat—“before bringing the boys. They can’t visit anyway until she’s moved to a normal room.”
Lainie nodded. Mom was right. Still, it was the most joyous day Lainie could remember.
She introduced them to Dr. Hardin, then left them so he could explain to them what she’d already heard. After cheerful emotions wore off, she recognized that she needed to get some rest.
Yawning now was fast and furious. Someone tapped her on the shoulder. Detective Shea said, “You must be exhausted.”
“I am,” Lainie agreed.
He smiled. “Good call you had, coming down to keep an eye on her.”
“I thought she was another suspect that I wanted to be certain didn’t get away.”
“Whatever works. Isaacs was a big help as well.”
Lainie stiffened. “How so?”
“He spent a couple hours with security and me before he left, going over all the camera feeds. They sent me a good still with a picture of our guy before he pulled his mask up.”
Shea showed her a photo, a clear maskless shot of the man who’d been at Evie’s bedside with a syringe.
Lainie felt a jolt of adrenaline.
“That is one of the men who was up here with Vine earlier. I knew he had to be a Vine goon.”
“Yep, you were right. We’re working on identifying him.
Gardner thinks he may be a joker named Tom Thornton, a local ex-cop who was fired for extortion.
He’s been working private security. Gardner said it would not surprise him to hear that he was working for Dallas Vine.
Everyone else missed it but Isaacs. He’s got a good eye. ”
Probably working to assuage his guilty conscience, Lainie thought but said nothing.
“How’s your hand?” Shea asked.
“It’s not stinging anymore; it’s actually itching a little now.”
“Quick thinking, knocking the syringe out of his hand. We’ve got things covered from here on out. You should go get some rest.”
“I agree. I’m on my way home, thanks.”
Lainie said goodbye to her parents and took the elevator down. She walked slowly, flexing and unflexing her hand, anger at Isaacs still percolating. Why in the world would he endanger Evie like that? It was unforgivable.
She stopped at a convenience store to get some coffee, hoping she could stay awake for the drive home. It helped but so did the fact that her mind churned in anticipation of catching Dallas Vine.
When she got off the freeway, at the last minute, before turning off for home, she decided to stop at her folks’ place to check on Archie and the boys.
They only lived a few blocks from her. As she turned the corner and drove toward the house, she saw a black SUV parked in front that she did not recognize.
Worse, the license plate was covered with black tape.
Instantly alert and awake, thinking of the vehicle that had picked up the man who tried to kill Evie, Lainie pulled over in front of the next-door neighbors’ house before she reached her parents’ house. Archie’s car was in the driveway, so he was home, but that didn’t make her feel any better.
Am I too paranoid, or just too tired?
She punched in Archie’s number on her phone. It rang five times before he answered. “Lainie?”
“Yeah, what’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
The call sounded as if she’d been put on speakerphone, and Archie’s voice was strained. Lainie decided to pretend she was still at the hospital.
“I just wondered how the boys are doing. Seeing Mom in the room with Evie is wonderful.”
“You’re still at the hospital?”
“Yeah, Evie should wake up soon. I’m praying she can tell us all of what happened to her.”
“Me too. Ah, ah, has she said anything?”
“No, technically she’s still in a coma.” Lainie carefully unlocked her glove box. “She is showing signs of coming out of it. The doctor is optimistic.”
She had placed her gun inside the glove box because she didn’t think she’d need it in the hospital. Once her gun was in hand, she climbed out of her vehicle.
“As soon as she does wake up, I’m sure Mom or Dad will call you.”
“Great, great, I can’t wait for that.”
Lainie heard sirens in the distance, fire department sirens. There was a subtle but distinct difference between the tones of fire and police sirens. It made her look around, take in her surroundings, but nothing seemed amiss on this street. Other than the obvious black SUV.
“All right, Arch, talk to you soon.” Lainie disconnected and walked toward her parents’ back gate, cutting across the neighbors’ property. The drapes in the back of her folks’ house were usually open. Maybe if she got in the backyard, she could see what was going on.
She was about to jam her phone into her back pocket when it buzzed with a call. It was the dispatch center number.
Keeping her voice low, she answered, “Jensen.”
“Lainie, thank God, where are you?” Charlie, the dispatch supervisor, asked.
“At my parents’ house, why?”
“We just got a 911 call from your neighbor; fire has been dispatched to your house.”
“My house, why?”
“It just exploded into flames.”