Chapter 14
Two days later, David gritted his teeth.
The stubborn woman claimed her injuries had healed enough and was determined to go to work today.
Intending to keep his promise of supporting her, he opened the passenger door and helped Jennie into his department-issued vehicle.
He’d drop Zoey off at school and Jennie at the hospital.
He slid into the driver’s seat. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He handed Zoey a brand-new cell phone. “Since your phone is monitored, the guys pitched in and got you a new one with a new number. I’ve added your contacts too.”
Zoey squealed from the backseat. “Awesome! Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome, munchkin.”
Jennie’s jaw dropped. “You didn’t need to do that.”
“I know. But she needs to be able to have private conversations with you without the department reading everything you talk about.”
He shifted to face Zoey. “I’ve added my number and Brandon’s to your contact list. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you need to.”
Zoey nodded and smiled while she explored her new device.
“That’s really sweet.” Jennie’s eyes filled with tears. “Please thank everyone for us.”
“Will do.” He gave Jennie Zoey’s new number, and she added it to her phone. “Now, how about getting you ladies to school and work?” He turned the key and pulled away from the house.
After depositing Zoey at school, he drove to the hospital. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Of course I am. It’s only a few scrapes and a few stitches. I’m perfectly capable of doing my job.”
“I know you’re capable…” He clamped his mouth shut. No need to make the woman mad. He parked in front of the hospital’s employee entrance. “I’ll pick you up after work. Have a good day, and if you need anything, call.”
“I will. Thanks.” She stepped from the car, closed the door, and waved.
David’s stomach churned as he watched Jennie walk up the sidewalk and disappear into the building.
Why had a storm cloud of dread suddenly surrounded him?
***
The familiar Iodoform odor tickled Jennie’s nose. How a disinfectant smell could be so soothing, she’d never know. Running a hand over her blue scrubs, she checked in and joined her fellow coworkers for their informational meeting before starting her shift.
“Feeling okay, Jennie?” Tiffany rested her hand on Jennie’s shoulder.
“Been better, but I’m good.”
“Good. I hated hearing what had happened to you.” Tiffany leaned in. “Did they catch the guy?”
Jennie sighed. “Not yet.”
“I hope they do soon.”
“Me too.”
A request for help came from the ward clerk so she and Tiff veered to the left and headed for bay two.
Five hours later, Jennie finally had the opportunity to grab a bite to eat. She slipped into the staff room to retrieve her wallet.
Hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed.
She gasped for air, but none came. Clawing at the man’s fingers, she wiggled and fought to get away. The hot rancid breath on her cheek made her gag.
“Stop fighting me. You know you deserve this.” Her attacker tightened his grip even more.
Spots flickered on the edge of her vision. If she didn’t do something soon, she’d be dead and no one would know until her coworkers found her body later in the day. She summoned her last bit of strength and kicked out connecting with a metal shelf.
The metal slammed against the table and chairs crashed to the floor.
The door squeaked open.
“What’s going on?” Dr. Bennett’s voice boomed in the small room.
Her attacker released his grip, and her body dropped to the tile.
Something smashed into the wall and the door slammed shut.
Her eyes refused to cooperate. Would her attacker come back and finish the job?
“Jennie?”
The deep male voice sounded through her tunnel of thoughts.
She had to get up.
She tucked her arms beneath her torso and pushed.
Falling back to the floor, the last thing she heard was Dr. Bennett yelling for security and a gurney.
***
David slipped into the driver’s seat of the sun-warmed car parked in front of the home of the latest child they’d rescued. Sweat trickled down his back while his stomach threatened to revolt. How could people be so evil.
He stared out the windshield. “At least he’s alive.”
“Yeah. Too bad we didn’t find him sooner.” Brandon rubbed his temples with his index finger and thumb.
“It makes me sick to think what happened to that child. But the father is going away for a long time and the little boy is being placed in his grandmother’s custody.”
“He’ll need counseling.” David slid on his aviator sunglasses.
“Don’t they all?” His partner slouched in the passenger seat. “I just keep thinking about my own kids. I don’t know how I’d handle it if something so horrible happened to them.”
“That’s why we do this, man.” He rolled his neck.
Brandon grunted.
“I’ll admit, I’ll be seeing that four-year-old in my sleep for quite some time.”
“You and me both, brother.”
David’s radio crackled. “Unit 5, dispatch. Code 12-16”
David sighed. Great. An accident. “10-4.”
Three minutes later, David pulled up to the accident scene and stepped out of his vehicle.
A petite elderly woman stood next to her car wringing her hands. “Officer. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Detective David Whitman, ma’am.” He held out his hand and she placed her delicate fingers into his. “Could you tell me what happened?”
The hipster thirtysomething man barged over. “I’ll tell you what happened. She wasn’t paying attention and plowed into me.”
“Excuse me, sir, but I was asking the lady.” The lack of manners, not to mention the guy’s attitude, put David on edge.
“Fine. You want to listen to her drivel go right ahead. But I’m late for a meeting. You need to take care of this quickly.”
The muscles in David’s back and neck tightened. He clenched his fist. The guy was a jerk. “Listen here, buddy!” David seethed.
Brandon rested a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from saying something that might get him in trouble. He’d have to remember to thank his partner later.
The guy mouthing off might be a jerk but had no way of knowing he’d just left a scene where a four-year-old’s father had done unspeakable things to the boy.
One of the many things he wished people understood about his job.
It might be a horrible moment in other people’s days, but often times he’d seen things ten times worse before responding to the accident.
He inhaled and said a quick prayer for patience and proceeded to take care of business.
Accident taken care of, David slipped back into his car.
“Well, he was a nice guy.” Brandon rolled his eyes and closed his door.
“A real peach.” He started the car and headed toward the station. “Time to take care of the paperwork. I have to pick up Jennie soon.”
“It’s nice you’re taking such an interest in her.”
David glanced at his partner. The man’s smirk lit up his face. “What’s that supposed to mean? The woman’s in danger. Am I just supposed to ignore her?”
Brandon chuckled. “No. But you’re going above and beyond the call.”
David gripped the steering wheel tighter.
“Relax. I think it’s nice you’ve taken an interest in a woman. Thought maybe your fiancé’s death had soured you for good.”
Whether David wanted to admit it or not, the man had a point. He liked Jennie a lot. It wasn’t as if he’d sworn off women. He just wasn’t sure he was competent enough to take care of one he loved.
“Okay. Okay. I admit it. I like her,” he grumbled.
“Now see, was that so hard?”
“You’re a pain you know that?”
“What are partners for?” Brandon chuckled.
“Unit 5, dispatch.”
Brandon picked up the mic. “Unit 5, go ahead, dispatch.”
“Tell Detective Whitman to head to the hospital.”
David flipped a U-turn. Gritting his teeth, he threw a glance at his partner. “Why?”
“Mind telling us why, dispatch?”
“There’s been another attempt on Jennie Nielson’s life.”
David flipped on the lights and siren and sped through town.
“Copy that. ETA…” Brandon glanced at the speedometer, “three minutes.”
“Or less if I can help it.”
Horns blared as he barreled through the intersection two blocks from the hospital.
Brandon braced a hand on the roof of the car. “I’d like to get there in one piece.”
“And I want Jennie safe. Guess we both might be disappointed.”
He jerked the wheel and pulled up next to the Emergency Room entrance. He slammed the car into Park, jumped out, and rushed through the door, with Brandon on his heels.
Skidding to a stop at the intake desk, he leaned over it and got in the ward clerk’s face. “Jennie Nielson. Where is she?”
“Calm down, Whitman.” Brandon stood beside him, hands on the counter.
“Where is she?” His face heated and pulse skyrocketed.
“Detective. Take a breath.” The clerk glared at him.
He squinted and caught a glimpse of the woman’s nametag. “Look, Sheila. I need you to answer my question. Where is Jennie Nielson?”
The slide of a curtain and a deep voice captured David’s attention.
“Whitman, would you relax. Ms. Nielson is going to be fine.” Dr. Bennett’s words almost took David to his knees.
“She’s alive? She’s okay?”
“Yes, but okay is a relative term. She’s going to be sore and hoarse for a while. And I’m sorry to say she pulled her stitches out, so we had to fix that, but all in all, she’s fine.”
David swallowed past the lump in his throat and took a few steps toward the doctor. “May I see her?”
“Of course. But David…”
He stopped and stared at Bennett.
“Get it together before you go in there. She doesn’t need you wigging out.” The man clutched his bicep. “The bruises on her throat are not a pretty sight. So, hold it together. Don’t react. She’s a strong lady, but she needs your strength right now.”
David nodded and slid the curtain aside.
Jennie lay on the bed. Her face pale against the purple and red marks on her neck. If the doctor hadn’t told him otherwise, he’d have thought she was dead.
He entwined his fingers with hers. “Jennie? Honey, can you wake up for me?”
Her eyelids fluttered open. “David,” she croaked.
“Don’t talk. I just needed to see those pretty blue eyes.” He brushed the hair from her forehead.
She smiled, then grimaced.
“What can I do for you?”
The look of pain tore a hole in his heart. He should have been here and kept her safe.
“You can stop blaming yourself,” she whispered.
His heartbeat thundered in his chest. He’d only known her a short time and she had him pegged.
She reached for her water cup.
“Here, let me.” He held the cup and straw for her while she took a sip.
Her eyes filled with tears.
He set the water back on the roller table and wiped her tears away with his thumb. “I know it hurts, and I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault.”
“I don’t want to make you talk, but are you up to telling me what happened?” He had to get her statement.
She laid her fingers across her neck and nodded. “As long as I can whisper.”
“You can do anything you want.”
She chuckled, then groaned.
He glanced over his shoulder.
Brandon stood at the opening, pen and tablet in hand, ready to listen to her account of the attack.
He’d have to thank his partner for the backup later. If his swirling thoughts of anger weren’t enough to tell him he’d miss pertinent information, the pain in his heart would solidify the concept.
He gazed into Jennie’s eyes. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Jennie spent the next five minutes going over every detail she could remember. The fact she understood that they needed anything and everything she could think of didn’t get past David. Because of Kenny, the woman knew to remember details.
When she finished, he cupped her cheek with his palm. “You did good.”
Her eyelids drifted closed, then opened again. “Sorry. I’m fading on you.”
“Go right ahead and sleep.”
“Will you be here when I wake up?”
“That’s the plan. I need to talk with Dr. Bennett, but I’ll be back.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He sucked in a breath as he watched the woman he was falling in love with.
Her eyes closed and her breaths became even.
He squeezed her hand, not wanting to let go.
Brandon cleared his throat. “Let’s go interview the doc so you can get back in here.”
David slipped his hand from hers and followed his partner down the hall.
He stopped in front of Dr. Bennett. “I can’t thank you enough for saving Jennie’s life.”
“Honestly, detective, it was pure luck or divine intervention. Something. If I hadn’t decided to grab my wallet from my locker when I did, I truly believe she wouldn’t have made it.”
The truth hit David like a sledgehammer. Jennie had come far closer to losing her life than he’d imagined.
What if the attacker succeeded next time? And he had no doubt there’d be a next time.