Secure Again

by R L Dunn

  He flashed the ultrasound picture and the CT scan films next. "Dr. Reed, please recuse yourself from commentary."

  She listened to the skilled workers rip apart Viola Dufour's initial work-up and praise the resuscitation attempt as an extraordinary effort. In the end, her death was voted preventable. Dr. Knox and the initial care team violated the acceptable standards. The committee decision would be forwarded to the Iowa State Medical board for sanctions against Horizon. The hospital and staff could defend themselves at that time.

  Weariness took over her body after the meeting adjourned. Elizabeth was resting her head against her steering wheel when Reverend Brookfield knocked on the glass. "Dr. Reed, are you all right? This was a rough end of a difficult day."

  "Thank you. I'm fine." She put her car into gear.

  Chapter Seven

  Clay Jenner's eyes blazed. "You idiots. A ditch. What the hell is wrong with you people?"

  "Calder choose Tuesday to build a new hog pen. We got rid of Frable and Pitts. It caught us unprepared, so we headed back with the kid, and his entire crew was digging in the area. We put the kid in the ditch and went back to pick up Price. The radio chirped they found the kid. Things became more favorable, and we dumped Price. The plan was to move him into the new pen after dark," Lieutenant Irvin Lamb said.

  "Price died only after you arrived, and the kid is alive. Trip, Ralph, what the fuck? Why didn't you put one right between his eyes? You better hope Austin Bailey dies," Clay said.

  "Hey, the kid's not on me; I took your word. After you did your thing, I don't understand how she lived," Corrections Officer Boyd Thomas said.

  Ralph looked haunted. "Trip and I went back to move Price; Bailey met us in the road."

  "Fuck you, Jenner. I grew up with Austin, and his wife is expecting their first kid. I can't shoot a guy who's had my back. Next time you make the kill. You said to give him a warning, and we did," Trip said.

  "Calm down. We need to hold the course. No more kids for a while. Kids bring attention. The shortage will build demand," Thibodaux Spooner said. "We need to talk about Elizabeth Reed."

  "What happens to the lady doc is my decision to make," Clay said. "All you medical people must do a better job with the injured."

  "Whoa, the jail isn't equipped to handle the injuries you and your people inflict. Two residents moonlight in the infirmary. Besides me, we have three attendings. I'm working on recruiting more. Stop using the damn flashlights. Elizabeth isn't the only one who figured the bruising out. She's the only one who's forced the matter. The other is willing to stop," Craig Hillinger said. "Randy, damn it, you colossally fucked up with Dufour's kid. The medical examiner filed a complaint. The consequences are out of my hands."

  "Too late to go back. What does the boss want to do?" Alden McAllister asked.

  "Like Tibby said, hold the course. We took care of the last Fed, and the earmarked investigation is stopped due to lack of direction," Clay said. "The high-priced superstars Homeland pays hit a brick wall." Jenner's mouth pinched in a scowl. "Meeting adjourned. Everyone, keep your pants on."

  A corner in Austin's room became Martin's office. Pete, awaiting his personnel, watched Austin with the help of an ICU nurse. The advice Martin got from Julian refreshed his mind and body—sleep and food. After a family dinner, he took time to call Todd Duran from Homeland.

  "Found an FBI agent dead." Todd’s voice cracked.

  Martin's gut twisted, agreeing with Todd a leak existed. This convinced him Austin saw something. After reading and rereading every file, he outlined a level dark undercover operation for the jail.

  Thursday, July 11th

  The trip to the hotel from the hospital after dawn was short. Martin spoke with Mike Johnson, second to him in the command structure and Bravo team's second squad. A new dark operation was outlined and would start ASAP. Troy volunteered for the role of prisoner, refusing to put anyone under his command in that level of danger.

  Unable to sleep, Martin sought some air to clear his head. He got in his rental car and headed to his childhood home as the sun crested the horizon over the pond.

  "What did you step into, Austin? Sunshine, you saved him." His body's reaction to thoughts about her reminded him of when she was his. Her red hair still surrounded her face like a halo, and her eyes, eyes he'd never seen the likes of, were still the color of violets. Her body was thinner, frailer than he remembered, but she was as beautiful as ever.

  Martin opened the one file he had been ignoring. Elizabeth's medical license picture was clipped to the corner of the first sheet. Chase Security's technical analysis department was thorough. He reviewed her education transcripts. A year after she completed her high school degree at home, she began work on her bachelor's degree in nursing from Columbia University in New York. Why did you homeschool?

  Four years later, she entered Johns Hopkins Medical School and stayed working in Maryland until eighteen months ago when she moved back to Silverton. In 2013, she took a leave from Hopkins to volunteer in Gaza for Doctors Abroad. An irrational protective urge niggled at him.

  The next pages were an overview of her financials. An investment account at Silverton Financial was never touched. The opening date corresponded with the time of her mother's death. No extravagant purchases. Her driver's license was current. She had auto, homeowners and her own malpractice insurance. Her home had a manageable mortgage. She also carried disability and life insurance. The beneficiary was Doctors Abroad.

  Martin turned the page to find stellar references about her surgical abilities. The file concluded with her medical records. He felt voyeuristic but not enough to stop.

  Physical exam reveals a palpable scar and indentation along the occiput. A thick, vertical abdominal scar secondary to an emergency cesarean section performed at age seventeen is white and bumpy. Elizabeth reports one pregnancy and one live birth. Infant succumbed one hour after birth from complications related to prematurity and blunt trauma to the mother.

  Martin swallowed hard when he found copies from Mary Greeley Hospital in Des Moines. Martin sorted through the pieces.

  April 24, 1999, 17-year-old female, 32.5 weeks pregnant, admitted unconscious and unresponsive after a twenty (20) foot fall under suspicious circumstances to a marble floor. Possible victim of marital violence. The patient sustained an occipital skull fracture with subdural bleed. Positive Grey Turner's and Cullen's signs.

  Martin reached out to Pete. "I need some answers. What's a Grey Turner's sign and a Cullen's sign?" he asked without a preamble.

  "Austin has them, but it's expected. By the way, our guys landed." At Martin's silence, Pete continued, "Those are signs of abdominal bruising, Grey Turner's is the flanks; Cullen's is around the belly button. From severe internal bleeding. Who else has these?"

  "No one important. If a person is pregnant, what would that mean?" A sour taste filled his mouth.

  "Disastrous to the mother and fetus. Life-threatening. Martin, what's going on?"

  "Don't worry. One more question: someone falling twenty feet, where would they hit their head?"

  "Jesus, Martin. I wish you would tell me what's going on. Generally, jumpers go feet first, so destruction travels up the spine. People who are thrown land headfirst. Any help?"

  "Yeah, a lot." He disconnected the call. "Who did this to you?" He kept reading.

  Parents consented to life-saving procedures. Father adamant about sparing mother first. Exploratory laparotomy performed. Damage to liver, large intestine, and a uterine artery was repaired. Craniotomy performed to relieve a moderate subdural hematoma and repair of a fractured occiput. The patient gave birth via cesarean section to a live, 3 lb. 2 oz. baby girl in respiratory arrest. A four-inch diameter hematoma caused placental abruption. Despite prolonged resuscitation attempts, baby girl Reed was pronounced dead 4/24/99 23:21.

  Martin felt ice cake over his body. The baby had to be his. He scanned the next pages. A social worker's note made the ache deeper.

  4/28/89 El
izabeth awakened from coma X 72 hrs. She remains agitated and uncooperative. The patient is refusing to eat. She sobs, begging for forgiveness, broken only by sedation. Asked from whom she wants mercy, she repeats “Queen Mab.” (A fictitious Shakespearean fairy.) A psychiatric consult is pending.

  Martin closed his eyes. "Oh, Sunshine." He was Queen MAB, a Shakespearian fairy discussed in their English class. Elizabeth started calling him that as a joke. His full name was Martin Aaron Bailey.

  The final page in the file included a copy of her divorce dated 4/26/99. If the dates were correct, she was comatose at the time of her signature. He needed to speak to Elizabeth—now.

  Martin sped to the address listed in the file. The home was located on well-kept dead-end street. Her traditional-style stone house and the landscaped property were the last on the block. He parked his truck and jogged up the flower-lined white pebble path before clanging the antique brass doorknocker.

  "Coming." The sound of the shifting bolt preceded the creak of the oak door. Martin stood dumbstruck. Elizabeth's hair fell in waves around her face. She wore a sheer, white blouse over a flowing pair of bright-colored palazzo pants, her manicured feet bare except for a toe ring. "Marty, what are you doing here?"

  "No one told you not to open your door without asking who's there?" The admonishment came out of his mouth like a harsh order. Elizabeth pressed her weight against the door, stopped by Martin's shoe. "I'm sorry. Elizabeth, I need to talk to you."

  "I'll be back at the hospital tomorrow. We can talk then." Elizabeth shoved the door against his ankle. "Steven Keys or your own people will be happy to assist you until then.”

  "Elizabeth, please."

  "I have nothing to say, Marty. They awarded your man, Patrick Hedges, full surgical privileges. Austin doesn't even need me." Her voice quivered. "I won't be in your way anymore."

  "Why, Elizabeth?"

  "Why what, Marty?" His eyes locked on hers, and she gazed up to the sky. "Please, neither of us needs to be hurt again rehashing memories that should stay buried."

  "What needs to stay buried? Please, talk to me," his voice softened.

  A marked patrol car parked in front of her house as they spoke. Two uniformed officers walked up the path. "Elizabeth Reed?" one of the officers requested.

  "Yes, I'm Elizabeth. May I help you?"

  "Yes, ma'am. I'm Officer Pellegrino, and this is Officer Forrester. Detectives Paul Young and Daniel Logan asked us to escort you to the station to speak with them.”

  Both men had flicked open the latch keeping their weapons in their holsters. Eager hands twitched.

  “Gentlemen, what is this in reference to?" Martin stepped between them and Elizabeth.

  "Who are you?" Forrester moved closer to Elizabeth.

  "I'm Martin Bailey, Sergeant Austin Bailey's brother," Martin spoke, his voice taking an authoritative tone. Elizabeth cringed.

  "Mr. Bailey, this is not about Sergeant Bailey. Please step back. Dr. Reed, you need to come with us." Forrester stepped between Martin and Elizabeth.

  "I need my purse, phone, and keys." She turned to walk into her house. When Pellegrino placed a restricting hand on her upper arm, Elizabeth looked from his hand to his face. "I'm barefoot. At least let me have my shoes?"

  "Officer Forrester will bring them to you," Pellegrino scowled.

  "They're inside the door. Officers, why do the detectives want to speak with me?" She grew insistent.

  "No one told us. Now, please come with us." She turned pale when she was unable to free her arm from the cop's grip.

  Forrester, growing impatient, started to reach for handcuffs. "Dr. Reed, you need to come with us now."

  "Elizabeth, go with them. Don't say a word. I'll meet you there with your stuff," Martin said.

  Elizabeth's face transformed from anger to acceptance when Martin held her gaze and gave her a soft smile. "I'll go." Elizabeth walked with the officers to the car, turning her head to peer back at him, fear filling her eyes.

  Forrester turned to lock up the house. "I'll secure the house." Martin waved him off. He wanted to give her home a once-over anyway.

  After watching the car pull away, Martin called Julian. "Julian, SPD just detained Elizabeth Reed. Detectives Young and Logan think she's involved in something. Can you find out what's going on?"

  "Sure, where are you?"

  "Elizabeth's house." Martin heard the curiosity in the silence between them. "I'm heading to the station when I'm through. I promise we'll talk later." Martin ended the call. The request became personal the minute he called Julian by his given name.

  Elizabeth's house was decorated in bright, airy colors and filled with natural light. A console table along one wall of a center hall held photographs of her with a tall blonde woman and an older, dark-haired woman in graduation robes. Photos of her in khaki trousers and an olive t-shirt with young children brought out a smile. Another was of her standing in front of a hospital bed speaking to an injured soldier. Absent were pictures of her parents.

  The bay window overlooked a big back yard bordered with more flowers. Bird feeders swung from the lower-lying branches of an oak tree, and a bird fountain trickled water below. A pair of Adirondack chairs sat at a vantage point.

  He mounted the polished, natural wood steps to find a luxurious master bedroom and attached bath. A vision of sharing the spacious soaking tub with her flashed in his mind until he scrubbed the image away.

  The contents of her closet made him chuckle. Each pair of shoes was boxed and labeled, outfits organized by shade and purpose. The anomaly stood out: a gray metal box put away in haste. He placed it on the queen bed covered with a quilt his mother had made as a gift for Elizabeth's sixteenth birthday. His hand came up to his lips at the sight of the framed photograph on her night table—a candid shot taken of them the summer before he left. Standing on tip-toes with her arms around his neck, she smiled up at him. Love was the only word to describe his expression.

  "Sunshine."

  His mantra to never ask a question he didn’t want an answer to rang in his mind as his gaze fell upon a pink envelope addressed to Elizabeth on top of the nightstand. Inside was a picture of a tiny newborn with wispy blonde hair swaddled in pink.

  He stared at the face of the teeny girl. He needed to find out what happened. The box contained the deed to a funeral plot for baby girl Reed and letters—their letters. He picked up the stack he never received yet were postmarked. She had written to him every day, just as she promised. He realized the extent of the interference when her tone turned desperate.

  October 9, 1998

  Marty,

  I am getting worried. I asked Daddy to find out if you are okay. I called the base, and they told me recruits cannot receive calls unless it is a life and death emergency, and then they would go through the chaplain's office. Marty, I miss you. Daddy insists I go out with Lewis James. Please, Marty, I hope I hear from you soon.

  Sunshine

  The last letter ripped him apart.

  Election Day, 1998

  Dear Marty,

  I am confused. Daddy said you abandoned me. He said he spoke to your folks, and they told him you wanted a clean break. I don't understand why, but I guess this note will be enough. Tomorrow, the polls say Daddy will be elected Governor. We will be moving to Des Moines.

  Marty, I'm pregnant. I'm not quite sure why the condom didn't work, but since you’re gone, at least our baby is a piece of you I can hold on to. Daddy is very angry and insists on homeschooling me. He told me I can't keep our baby, not unless I get married. Momma cries a lot. He said the publicity will be terrible, and I'm an embarrassment. A conservative governor's daughter cannot be an unwed mother. The thought of giving our baby away makes me sicker to my stomach than I already am.

  So, I planned, by Thanksgiving, if you refuse to reach out to me, I will agree to marry Lewis. The thought of him touching me makes me sick. He promises to give our baby a name in return for a job working for my father. I feel so hopeles
s. Tell me what I did to make you hate me. I'll never stop loving you.

  Elizabeth

  Hatred toward Talbot Reed filled his heart. A small trunk rested tucked behind a pile of shoe boxes. He crawled into the back of the closet and opened it. Grouped by date were years of diaries. His organized Sunshine made things easy. His Sunshine. The feelings he denied all these years bubbled up. He dated women but never wanted to make a permanent commitment. Warning bells went off in his head picking up the books from 1998. His own eyes became damp hurting for her. Pain morphed into fury again. This time, he wanted to kill Lewis James.

  December 15, 1998

  Yesterday was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but it was a horrible scary dream. I married Lewis in Judge Harrison's chambers. His parents and mine took us out to dinner. Both families bought us a beautiful home in Des Moines as our present. Lewis walked into my bedroom and grabbed me, and when I fought, he punched me. He reminded me I am his wife now, and I must forget about Marty fast. He pushed my face down and forced me.

  Martin relocked and replaced the book. The most recent edition was under her pillow. He rifled through the pages, starting from around the time of Alma Reed's death.

  January 10th

  Joyce showed up on my doorstep today and threatened to kick the door in. I had not showered in days. She almost drowned me in the tub. I should’ve let her. Death is better than this. I showed her Momma's letter, and she wants me to try to find Marty. Time doesn't go backward. I hurt enough for both of us.

  Martin couldn't read any more; he needed to fix this. As he put the diary back inside the chest, his phone rang. Julian had information to give him, and he listened in silence.

  "Mon frère, Dr. Randall Knox was murdered between 21:00 and 24:00 hours. They found him naked in bed, his throat slit by a thin, straight, sharp blade. The search turned up a bloody scalpel, a straw marked with red lipstick, a latex glove, and a pair of woman's panties. They also found biological material under his nails.