Chapter 47
The next morning Lainie, wearing borrowed jeans and a T-shirt from Sara, drove by her decimated home on her way to the station.
“Do you think he’s trying to intimidate you?” Sara had asked.
“If he is, I’m not intimidated, I’m angry. I don’t have time to be anything else.”
That was doubly true, she thought as she observed what was left of the structure she’d resided in for ten years.
She didn’t even have time to be sad. Only the garage stood, seemingly undamaged.
Maybe her Christmas decorations survived.
The rest of the house was flattened, blackened, nothing salvageable.
A fire captain had called her and gone over the preliminary report.
He’d said that the fire’s cause was an incendiary device thrown through the front window.
From the timing he’d outlined, and the description of the vehicle seen fleeing from the scene, Lainie guessed the two guys who terrorized Archie and her nephews were probably the ones who tossed the devices into the houses.
They all lived close, and the reports said that Evie’s home went up first, then Lainie’s, then the goons went to her parents’ home. According to Archie, they tied the boys up first, then started tearing the place up. They were in a hurry to find the book.
Lainie didn’t drive by Evie’s home, but she figured it was probably the same. She shook her head, heart breaking that her poor sister would not have a home to return to when she got out of the hospital.
She left the shell of her home and drove to the station. Since both cases appeared related, Evie’s abduction and the assault on the boys, Shea and Collins were also handling the case concerning the men who’d ransacked her parents’ home.
Though preoccupied with current issues, at one point Lainie felt as if she was being watched. It was an odd feeling; the hair on the back of her neck rose.
Stopped at a light, she turned left and right and then looked in the rearview mirror. There was a black SUV behind her, just like the one that had been at her folks’ house.
A troubling thought tiptoed through her mind: Am I being followed?
The light changed and Lainie accelerated, keeping an eye on the vehicle. It turned right while she continued straight.
Taking a breath, Lainie relaxed. She was still tired and maybe a little loopy.
She arrived at the station and went straight to the homicide office.
“Hey, great work yesterday,” Collins said. “You saved the day.”
“I only did what I had to. My family means everything to me. What’s the status of everything now?”
“Tom Thornton lawyered up,” Shea said. “The other guy, we ID’d him as Davis Compton, is in stable condition at County General, but neither is talking.”
“They both work for Vine. Doesn’t what happened yesterday give you some probable cause to bring him in?”
“Yes and no.”
“What does that mean?”
“The men work for Quartz Enterprises. They both denied working directly for Vine.”
“Then why were they at my house searching for a journal?”
“Like I said, they are not talking.”
“Vine owns Quartz.”
“Yes, so we tried to get a hold of him,” Shea said, “and we can’t locate him.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was. He’s off the grid. Not sure if he left the country. We have the Feds checking into that. The only real good news is that the DA was able to put no bail holds on them both. Maybe if they realize Vine—or Quartz—can’t get them out, they’ll decide to talk.”
Lainie sighed. “I won’t hold my breath.”
“Humph. How’s your sister doing?”
“I’m on my way to the hospital now. I’m optimistic she’ll wake up soon.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Any chance I can have my gun back?”
“We’re way ahead of you.” Collins handed her a bag. “Already examined. You just need to reload.”
Lainie made it to the hospital around noon. She and her father drove together and brought Mom a change of clothes. Before they’d left, Mom had called and updated them with the news that Evie had regained consciousness in the early morning hours and that she’d been moved to a normal room.
Lainie took the stairs two at a time; she didn’t want to wait for the elevator. She beat her dad to the room, and when she got to the door, she stopped. An officer in uniform sat outside the door, and she nodded to him. “Thanks for hanging out.”
“Not a problem. Glad to hear that she’s improving.”
“Me too.” Lainie took one step into the room and stopped again.
It felt as if her heart would burst. Her mom sat on the edge of the bed, holding Evie’s hand.
The bed was elevated slightly. Evie was sitting up and there was a healthy color in her cheeks and a smile on her face. Her father stepped in behind her.
Wiping the tears that suddenly formed, Lainie continued into the room. “Evie!”
Her sister’s face brightened. “Lainie.”
With her father there as well, the reunion was tearful. Evie sounded weak but good, a little muted maybe, but she didn’t appear confused or disoriented at all.
“How do you feel?” Lainie asked.
Evie sipped some water from a straw. “I feel tired, but Mom tells me I’ve been sleeping for a week.”
“Not quite a week.” Mom patted her hand.
“I’m a little stiff and sore. And I itch a bit. The doctor said he would raise my head slowly. I’d kind of like to stand and go to the bathroom by myself, but they tell me to take it slow.” Evie frowned.
“What’s the matter?”
“I only just realized: Where’s Stan?”
“You don’t remember the crash?” Lainie asked.
“Crash? Was Stan hurt?” Evie got agitated.
“Oh no, honey, no.” Mom patted her hand again. “Stan is fine. He’s . . .”
“He’s taking care of business,” Dad finished for Mom.
Evie yawned. “I’m so tired. The doctor said I might be in and out.”
“You can rest, Evie. We’ll be here when you wake up.”
Evie’s eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.
“The doctor said this might happen,” Mom said. “She still has coma drugs in her system.”
“Did she say anything about the crash?” Lainie asked.
“No, I don’t think she remembers. She was more confused earlier. I told her that the boys were with Archie.”
Lainie gave her mother the change of clothes she had brought. “I’ll sit with her if you want to go change and get something to eat.”
Mom gave her a hug. “Thank you. I think everything will be all right now.”
She stepped into the restroom to change.
“I wish I could be as optimistic as she is about everything,” Lainie said to her father.
“Our faith gives us reason to be optimistic, Lainie, don’t you agree?”
“I guess I’m getting back to that, Dad. I would feel better if Dallas Vine were in jail.”
Later, after Mom and Dad left for the cafeteria and Lainie sat with Evie, she bent her head to pray.
What a roller coaster the last few days had been. She was so very glad Evie was going to be okay, but a killer still roamed free.
Lainie stood and paced for a bit, yawning. She was still bone-tired; she hadn’t been this sleep-deprived since she worked graveyard patrol. And she was younger then.
Evie began to stir a little and Lainie went back to the bed.
Her sister frowned and her eyes opened. “Lainie?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
Evie seemed worried, her eyes closed, and the frown deepened.
“What’s the matter?” Lainie asked.
“My brain is so foggy. My thoughts are bouncing around. Did I call you?”
“Yeah, you did, but you didn’t leave a message.”
Her eyes opened again. “I had something to tell you, I just can’t remember what it was.”
“It’s all right. I’m sure it will come back to you in time.”