Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as Knox pulled into the parking lot of Blackwater Key General.
He glanced up at the modern glass and brick building before sliding a look toward Everleigh.
She sat in the passenger seat, while her mother was ensconced in the back, both of them eerily silent.
“Everleigh?”
She turned at the sound of her name, and he offered a soft smile. “You ready?”
“Sure.” She nodded, but there was no hiding the apprehension in her eyes.
In the three days since Beaumont had been admitted, he hadn’t seemed to make much progress.
He knew it was weighing heavily on both Everleigh and Celia, and he didn’t know what to do.
It was a touch-and-go situation, out of anyone’s control.
Though they’d treated him to counteract the effects of the poison, there was apparently a good chance he’d sustained trauma to his internal organs.
He hoped for their sakes that he’d pull through, but for now, they just had to be patient and continue to hope for the best.
He scanned the parking lot as he exited the car and held the door first for Celia, then Everleigh. They made their way into the hospital, but he wouldn’t be staying. When Celia entered Beaumont’s room, he grasped Everleigh’s elbow and pulled her to a stop.
“Can I talk to you for a sec?”
A pair of big blue eyes peered up at him, and he couldn’t help but pull her close. He wanted to be there for her, but there were other things he needed to deal with at the moment. “As much as I’d love to stay, I can’t. I told Cade I’d come by.”
“Did they find something?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged, wishing he had more answers. “He wasn’t able to tell me anything over the phone, only that he wanted me to come take a look at the footage they got from the country club.”
She bit her lip. “Should I come, too? Maybe I can help. If someone is on there…”
He ran one hand lightly up and down her spine as she trailed off. He didn’t know exactly what was on the video, and he didn’t want her to have to witness her father’s incident all over again. “I’ll see what he needs first. We can always go back later if need be.”
“Okay.” Relief flooded her eyes, and he brushed his lips over hers.
“I’ll be back in just a few hours.” He slid his hand into hers and squeezed, then gestured with his chin toward the man who stood sentry next to Beaumont’s hospital room. “I’ve got Zane here if you need anything. Just stay here ‘til I get back.”
“We will.”
She looked sad, almost defeated, and he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. She clung to him, her tiny body feeling frail as she leaned into him. He pressed a kiss to her head, then dipped lower to speak next to her ear. “Everything will be okay,” he reassured her. “I feel it.”
Her head tipped up and she locked gazes with him, tears sparkling in her eyes. “You think so?”
God, he hoped so. He would do anything to take away her hurt. He framed her face with his hands and kissed her lightly. “I believe that, yes. He’s a fighter, sweetheart. He won’t give up.”
A tear broke free and slid down her cheek. He gently swept it away and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I love you. Whatever happens, remember that.”
She nodded. “Love you too.”
“I’ll be back soon.” With one last kiss, he reluctantly released her, watching as she disappeared into the room.
He tossed a look at Zane, who, until now, had been doing his best not to eavesdrop. “Keep an eye on them. I need to meet with Sullivan at Blackwater Key, then head to the office for a bit. Call me if you need anything.”
“You got it.” Zane gave a curt nod, and he forced his feet to move toward the elevator before he could second guess himself and turn back.
He really didn’t want to leave Everleigh, but he needed to know what Cade had found. Cade hadn’t gone into detail, but the tone of his voice when they’d spoken earlier told him he wasn’t going to like it.
Fifteen minutes later, Knox walked into the police station and nodded to Ford Whitaker. “Hey, Ford. Cade around?”
“Sure is.”
Not wanting to deal with security at the hospital, he’d left his sidepiece locked in the car. As soon as he was buzzed in, he headed back to Cade’s office. Cade’s attention was fixed firmly on the computer screen in front of him, but he must have heard him coming, because he waved him in. “Hey.”
He sank into the chair across from Cade, studying the dark circles beneath his eyes. “Long day?”
“You have no idea.” Cade gave an abbreviated shake of his head. “I’ve got bad news.”
Cade grimaced, and he stiffened, immediately wary. “What?”
“Your photographer—Tate—is dead.”
“How?”
“Single gunshot to the chest. Miami PD found the body two days ago and made a positive ID.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Any idea on time of death?”
“Several days, more than likely. His landlord went in to check, since Tate owed him money. ME is estimating he was there for several days before anyone noticed.”
Well, that explained why Cade hadn't been able to touch base with him. “And no one heard anything?”
“Not that was reported.”
“Well, where are we on the video front? Any good news there?”
“Maybe,” Cade hedged. “Angle's not great, but we've got the guy’s profile.”
“Let’s take a look.”
Cade opened up the file, and he pulled up a chair next to the desk and settled in.
On the screen, the country club bar was highlighted from the camera’s position high in the corner of the room.
A few people milled around the dark wooden bar top, holding drinks and talking.
A bartender manned the drink well, taking orders and cleaning up after the patrons.
He watched as the waiter moved behind the bar and passed an order to the bartender.
The waiter disappeared, presumably to check in with the kitchen staff.
The bartender pulled a bottle of whiskey from the shelf, then poured several fingers into a glass and set it aside for the waiter to pick up on his way back to the table.
For several seconds it remained unattended. Then he saw him.
Dressed in a long white coat like the rest of the kitchen staff, the man moved around the bar.
He exchanged words with the bartender, who bent to retrieve something for him.
While she was occupied with her task, the man passed his hand over the glass of whiskey.
Just as quickly, it returned to the side.
He couldn’t tell what he’d had, but the item in his hand disappeared into his pocket before he accepted the bottle from the bartender. Then he was gone just as quickly as he’d come.
The entire thing lasted less than fifteen seconds, and he heaved a sigh as he leaned back in his chair. “What are we going to do with that?”
“Let’s take another look, go frame by frame,” Cade suggested.
The second time around, they got a quick glimpse of the man as he turned. He squinted at the screen, the man’s features obscured by the grain of the video. “Stop.”
Cade paused the video, and he could feel Cade’s gaze on him. “You recognize him?”
He studied the black and white screen intently, then slowly shook his head. “No, but...”
No one at the country club recognized him, so he assumed he didn't move in Beaumont’s circle. Who was this guy? “Something about him looks familiar.”
“We’ll circulate his picture, hope someone can put a name to the face,” Cade said with a shrug.
Maybe Tate had been contracted to take photos of Everleigh as a way to blackmail Beaumont. But for what? Aside from the photographs, there hadn’t been any additional evidence in his office that he’d seen. Still, it was the only thing that made sense.
He didn’t believe for a second that Tate’s death was a coincidence. Yeah, people died all the time, but a gunshot wound to the chest at almost the same time Beaumont was poisoned? There was no question in his mind that someone had tried to eliminate both of them. But why?
He nodded noncommittally, his brain still spinning with possibilities. “Let me know if you need anything else. And thanks.”
He extended his hand for Cade to shake, then left Blackwater Key. The man’s face hovered at the forefront of his mind as he drove toward Vantage, and a chill swept over his body. He had a feeling he was missing something—something big.