Chapter 5
Billy
“It’s been THREE days.”
“Yeah, it might be another three before she wakes up, maybe more,” Doc replied with a shrug. “You never know with situations like these.”
“But you said she’s improving.”
“She was. She is. That infection really took a toll on her, but right now, her vitals are looking good, her wounds are healin’, and the fever broke. Now, it’s just a matter of her deciding it’s time to pull out of this thing.”
This whole thing was bringing back memories that I’d spent years trying to put behind me. I could feel all those old feelings of guilt resurfacing as I asked, “And if she doesn’t?”
“Then, maybe it’s for the best.” Viper was quick to add, “You said yourself that you don’t know much about her.”
“No, I don’t.” I glanced back over at the young woman, and as I thought about everything she’d been through, I simply couldn’t believe that it was all for nothing. “But there was something about the way I found her that didn’t feel right.”
“None of this feels right.” Viper sounded more than a little displeased as he said, “This girl could really fuck you over, and us, too.”
“I won’t let that happen.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
I’d known Viper a long time. I knew he put his brothers and their club above everything else, and he’d put an end to anyone who put them in harm’s way.
I had no doubt the same would hold true for me.
Sensing the tension building within the room, Doc interjected, “It’d help if we knew something about her.
I mean, anything would help at this point. ”
“I agree.” Viper took out his phone, and then stepped over to the girl and took a couple of pictures. “I’ll get Menace to try that facial recognition computer bullshit again and see if he can find anything on her.”
Menace was the Sinners’ computer hacker.
He’d already run a picture of my wounded guest but hadn’t come up with anything.
He also took some time to look into Antonio and discovered the Italian mafia boss was looking to expand his business to Nashville.
While that was not new information to me, he also learned DeLuca was rubbing shoulders with some of the city’s most influential politicians and was making a real name for himself.
While Viper thought it was worthwhile, I had my doubts that the second search would uncover anything on the girl, but said, “Hopefully, he’ll have better luck this time.”
“Certainly hope so.”
I was just as concerned about her identity as Viper was, but I was even more concerned about her wellbeing. It was that concern that led me to turn to Doc and ask, “So, what do I do about the girl?”
“Not much to do. Just give her the last round of antibiotics later tonight and wait. If she happens to wake up, give me a call, and we’ll go from there.”
“Good deal. I really appreciate it.”
“Hope you feel the same when your girl wakes up.”
He gave me a pat on the shoulder, then started out of the room. Viper and I followed him outside and over to their bikes. Viper had just gotten on his when he spotted my Harley Street Glide parked in the garage. “You taken her out lately?”
“It’s been a while, but I’m hoping to get back out soon. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get the chance once all the dust settles.”
“You know you’re always welcome to come out to the clubhouse and ride with the boys and me.”
“I might just take you up on that.”
“Hope you do.” He started his bike as he said, “The invitation’s always open.”
He gave me a quick nod, and then he and Doc started down the drive. I waited until they were both out of sight before I headed back into the house. I made me a bite to eat, and after a quick shower, I went down to check in on my guest one last time.
As expected, she was sleeping soundly. I walked over and checked her vitals like Doc had showed me, and once I was certain nothing had changed, I went upstairs and crawled into bed.
As I laid there staring up at the ceiling, I got to thinking about my guest in the basement.
Other than the time I’d helped out Menace and Aubrey, I hadn’t had a woman in this house since Kiersten’s mother.
Never really planned to.
But I learned a long time ago that things rarely go as planned.
Just like on the day I lost her….
“I don’t like leaving you like this.” I sat down on the edge of the bed and placed my hand on her shoulder. “I can call Gary and have him cover my shift. That way I can stay…”
“No,” Grace muttered. “I don’t want you missing work over one of my stupid headaches.”
“I can tell it’s one of your bad ones, sweetheart.” I loved my wife dearly. She was my world, and I hated seeing that pained look in her eyes. “I can get your heating pad and make you some tea.”
“Oh, Billy. You’re always so good to me, but you know how I am when I get a migraine like this.
” She closed her eyes and nestled into her pillow.
“I’m just going to lay here in the dark and sleep.
There’s no sense in you missing work to just be bored out of your mind.
Besides, I know you have that big case you’ve been working on. ”
“No case is as important as you.”
“Billy,” she complained.
“Okay. Okay.” I leaned down and kissed her on the temple. “Can I get you anything before I leave?”
“Maybe some tea and my pills from the medicine cabinet?”
“You got it.”
I stood, then went to the kitchen to make her some tea. Once it was ready, I grabbed crackers and some fruit and carried everything into the bedroom. I placed it on the table beside her, then went to the bathroom to grab her pills. By the time I returned, she was on the verge of falling asleep.
I knelt down beside her as I whispered, “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”
“I’m good, Billy. Just go.”
“Okay.” I kissed her once more as I warned, “Be careful with those pills. You know…”
“I know.”
I stayed there for a moment, watching her sleep as I battled the thoughts racing through my head. I needed to go to work and finish my forensics report, but the thought of leaving my beloved wife in such a state had me riddled with guilt.
Grace sensed my trouble and placed her hand on mine as she whispered, “I’ll be fine. Go.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can, and Kiersten will come straight home after school.”
She nodded, then rolled over, signaling that it was time for me to leave. I waited a moment longer, just long enough to make sure she wouldn’t change her mind, and then I gathered my things and headed to the car.
My guilt weighed on me as I left the house and drove into the office, but the second I got to work, I dove into my case, and everything else was forgotten.
That’s how it was with my work.
Once I started trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, I would become obsessed with finding the perfect match and naming the perpetrator behind the crime.
And this particular case was a tough one and had me running in circles.
Everyone knew that Ace, the Red Kings’ gang leader, was behind the rape and murder of a sixteen-year-old, but there wasn’t much evidence, and the DA was counting on me to find a way to prove it.
I don’t know how long I’d been at it when my cell phone rang. I grabbed it out of my pocket, and when I saw that Kiersten was calling, I immediately answered, “Hey, doodlebug. I’m sorry that I’m running late, but I should...”
“Daddy, there’s something wrong with Momma.”
“What do you mean?”
“She won’t wake up.”
“I’m sure she’s just really tired, sweetheart,” I explained. “She had one of her bad migraines and...”
“I know how she is with her migraines, Dad. This is different.” She sounded like she was on the verge of tears as she said, “Something’s really wrong. I’ve tried everything, and she won’t wake up. She won’t even move.”
Kiersten was thirteen and old enough to know if something wasn’t right, so I didn’t question her further. I simply said, “Call 911. I’m leaving now and will be there as soon as I can.”
I hung up the phone, then ran out of the lab and got into my car.
My heart was pounding, and I could barely think as I raced to the house.
When I pulled up, the ambulance was there, and Kiersten was waiting for me on the front porch.
As soon as I reached her, she wrapped her arms around me and sobbed, “I’m so scared, Daddy. ”
“I know, sweetheart, but I’m here now. Everything’s going to be okay.” I glanced over at the door as I asked, “How’s your mom?”
“I don’t know.” She sniffled as she looked up at me and said, “They told me to come wait out here.”
“Okay, I’ll go in and see if I can find out what’s going on.”
She nodded, then watched as I disappeared through the front door.
When I got to the bedroom, I found the paramedics standing over Grace with somber looks on their faces.
I knew right away something was terribly wrong, but I didn’t know how bad it really was until one of the paramedics said, “I’m sorry, sir, but she was gone when we got here. ”
“What?”
“She’s gone, sir.”
Refusing to believe that I’d lost her, I rushed over to the bed and pulled her into my arms, cradling her against my chest as I rocked back and forth. “I need you to wake up, sweetheart. Do you hear me? You gotta wake up!”
“Sir, she’s not going to wake up. She’s gone.”
“No!” I bellowed. “She’s just sleeping. She’ll wake up! She has to!”
“Sir...”
“Just give me a minute!” I loved this woman to my very core, and I couldn’t imagine living without her by my side.
I could see that she wasn’t responding to me, but I continued to cradle her lifeless body against my chest as I cried, “You can’t leave us, Grace.
You hear me? You can’t leave us. I can’t do this without you.
You know that. Please, baby. Just wake up. ”
Again, no response.