Ignoring yet another slight of his choice of vehicle, Leo stayed on topic. Although quite eclectic in the styles of music he listened to, he could not pass up the opportunity to torment his straight-laced friend with all the heavy metal and hard rock he could get his hands on. At the moment, incessant screams and driving doom metal pounded at the men’s senses. Showing relative mercy, he offered a compromise. “If you want something lighter I could pop in AC/DC.”
Covering his ears, Seth glared at Leo, nodding in agreement to the music change if only to enjoy the few seconds of silence between tape changes.
As he turned off the stereo, Leo pointed up at a prominent overhead street sign. “Six hundred Highland Avenue. Here’s our turn.” With every long trip they completed with Gertrude, he seemed to celebrate simply for making it without incident.
Suddenly forgetting about his headache, Seth leaned his head out the window of the moving vehicle and announced their arrival jubilantly into the air. “We made it! Thank all that is holy!” Even as they pulled up to the parking ramp entrance, he waiting impatiently with his hand on the door release handle. They drove slowly up the circling levels of concrete until two adjacent open parking spots revealed themselves. As Leo maneuvered Gertrude in carefully, Seth pushed open the heavy car door and slammed his right foot on the ground as if he were Fred Flintstone trying futilely to stop a runaway brontosaurus.
Giggling like a child at his partner’s antics, Leo pushed the gear-shift forcefully into park, bringing the car to an abrupt, rocking halt. As he turned off the ignition, opened the door, and began to get out, the car began to roll slowly backward, forcing him to jump back into his seat and drive his heel hard into the brake pedal. “Whoa there!” he said as if calming a horse spooked by a rattlesnake. Taking aim at the steering column, he gave it a precision karate chop with his right hand. Clacking fully into park, the car made a short gasping sound like a steam engine releasing pressure. “That got it,” he said, looking pleased. Getting back out of the car, he reached under the driver’s seat and pulled out a triangular wedge of wood. After locking his door and slamming it shut, he walked to the rear tire and wedged it firmly behind it.
“You may want to invest in a new parking brake,” suggested Seth, still rubbing his right temple as he watched his friend play out the familiar ritual. With the fading of his headache, his mood steadily improved. “It’d probably double your car’s value.”
Shrugging, Leo kicked at the wedge of wood to make sure it was secure. “I should probably get new brake pads first.”
Putting one hand on the car, Seth lifted his right leg to look at the bottom of his loafer. “I think Bob’s getting tired to seeing my shoe requisitions, so yeah, please do,” agreed Seth. Putting his foot down, he leaned forward, placing his forearms on Gertrude’s trunk. He took a deep, labored breath as the combination of heat, dust, and exhaust in the parking ramp made it difficult to inhale. “Good lord, the heat is still rising!” Looking at his watch, he was pleased that they’d made good time. “At least we’ll be on our way home just as things begin to cool off.”
“Bro, you seriously need to spend some time where I grew up,” said Leo with an unsympathetic shake of his head. “I’d be happy to arrange something with my sister’s family in Mexico City for you. That’s if you don’t mind sharing a one-room house with eight kids, four dogs, and a goat for a couple of weeks.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I haven’t had to cohabitate with livestock since my frat days,” said Seth, still leaning listlessly on Gertrude. Straining wearily to push himself to a standing position, he thought better of wasting any more time. “Let’s just get this over with,” he said flatly. With the file Bob had given him in hand, he began walking toward the nearest exit.
Hanging back, Leo paused to make sure the car’s doors were locked. He kissed the palm of his right hand and tapped her hood, then turned and jogged to catch up with Seth, who was already exiting the parking ramp.
As the agents neared the main entrance to the University Hospital, a balding, broad-shouldered man tracked their approach. Looking them both over intently, he offered a welcoming nod and beckoned them in through thick glass doors.
Taking a deep breath, Seth smiled broadly as the cool, dry air of the hospital lobby encapsulated him. As the seemingly permanent layer of perspiration covering his entire being suddenly began to wick away, he shivered involuntarily. Relief was long overdue. “Ahhhhhhh, hallelujah!”
The wrinkles around John’s mouth coalesced into a lopsided grin. Meaty hand outstretched, he offered it to both men. “It looks as though you could use a minute to cool off,” said John, introducing himself. “I’m John Fillion, a Captain in the Madison Police Department. You must be agents Alexander and Alejo.”
“Nice to meet you, sir,” said Leo politely for himself and on behalf of his partner, who was continuing to catch his breath.
“Bobby…eh…Agent Simpson told me to expect you,” said John appreciatively. He raised an eyebrow at Leo. “I thought he was pulling my leg about the car, though.”
Oblivious to the poke, Leo beamed with pride. “She’s not for sale, so don’t even ask.”
His energy returning as he basked in the crisp air of the brightly lit hospital lobby, Seth instinctively scanned the long room’s blue and white motif. Although there were dozens of people sitting in chairs, standing, or pacing around, the area was quiet, looking almost empty. It appeared that hundreds of people could have been accommodated in the vacuous space should the need arise, but it struck him as strange that there was just one, spartanly decorated reception desk. “This place must be worse than the DMV when it gets busy.” Shaking his head as he visualized one person frantically pointing for people to sit down and wait until their number is called.
“I hear it runs pretty smoothly,” replied John. “I can’t say from experience though. I’m too busy to get sick.” Breaking from the trio, he pulled open one of the tall glass entry doors for a young woman preparing to leave. As the door opened, a nauseating mixture of heat, asphalt, and cigarette smoke charged in like a rhino, hitting Seth square in the face, forcing him to raise his arms in a futile attempt to shield himself. John tilted his head and scrutinized the young Agent’s reaction. “Looks like someone can’t take the heat.”
Hanging his head for a moment, Leo expressed embarrassment for his partner. “Tell me about it.”
Throwing his arms up defensively, Seth had recovered enough to hit back. “Hey, this is Wisconsin, not Tijuana. It’s not easy getting used to the heat in a place where the average temp is twenty for half the year.”
“The temperature never bothered me much. All I know is that if I stand here much longer I’ll get an earful from the local doorman’s union.” Directing them into the main waiting area, he pointed out a rectangular coffee table surrounded by empty chairs.
The men arranged themselves around a table covered with outdated parenting magazines and a single, heavily battered Highlights Magazine. A grey-haired man wearing a baseball cap swept the floors nearby, but no one else was in the vicinity. John placed a file on the table in front of them, opening it so that Seth and Leo could see a significant portion of the contents.
Recognizing several of the photographs from the file Bob had given him, Seth held up his copy. “That looks familiar.”
Though he had seen them a thousand times, John glowered disgustedly at the images. “What you’ve got there is just the tip of the iceberg. I add more to the pile almost every day.”
Hoping to get any new details in the shortest time possible, Seth moved the conversation along. “Would you mind bringing us up to speed?”
Frowning, John had been a cop for too many years to not know when he didn’t have someone’s full attention. “I can tell you that your work’s cut out for you. The majority of the staff have been tight-lipped.” Well-earned creases across his forehead deepened as he made clear that this wasn’t a simple milk run. “My gut tells me that there’s a lot going on here
, but some on all sides of the void would have you believe that nothing unusual is happening.” Holding up one of the more vivid photos of a battered and bruised woman holding her newborn baby, he flipped it down in front of the agents.
Seriousness wasn’t a common description for Leo, but the photo lying in front of him transformed him in a mere moment. Picking up the photo, he stared painfully into the woman’s swollen eyes. “Yeah, nothing unusual here.” He put the photo carefully down on the table as if he wanted to avoid injuring the woman further.
Placing his file on the table next to John’s, Seth could see that his was considerably thinner. “It looks like we’ve only seen a summary,” he admitted, pointing to the difference. “What’s the focus of the investigation? Spousal abuse?”
Placing both hands on the table, John pushed down with his fingertips until they turned white. His hands looked like two meaty tarantulas preparing to spring at unsuspecting prey. With a lengthy exhale through the nose, he vacillated his gaze between the two agents to ensure they were focused on him. “Let me start from the beginning, as far as I know where that is,” he said, flattening his palms and leaning forward. As if weaving a ghost story to boy scouts huddling around a campfire, he began the tale. “Over the last year, there’s been a substantial rise in the number of spousal abuse calls originating from this hospital, with a significant escalation over the last four months. When I tried to conduct follow-up interviews, no one would talk to me. And I mean no one.”
“You were denied access to staff?” asked Leo in a hushed voice.
Shaking his head, John eased back into his chair. “Oh, they would meet with me, but every last one of them gave wishy-washy or rehearsed answers to basic questions. One question, in particular, seemed to spook them.”
“What question was that?” asked Seth, squinting at John and contemplating what the answer would be.
With the intensity of a star about to go nova, John answered Seth’s question. “No one would tell me what caused the issue in the first place. They made it seem like things just went from sunshine to shitsville in no time flat.”
Something seemed fishy to Leo as well. “A man doesn’t just go haywire in a delivery room for no good reason.”
Hoping he could find some avenue that may have been overlooked, Seth turned his focus away from the perpetrators and toward the victims. “I can understand the assailant not wanting to talk, but what about the women involved?”
For effect, John leaned forward again, resting his hands on his knees as he spoke. “The victims said even less.”
Having seen a fair number of abusive relationships, Leo went for the most obvious answer. “The cowardly bastards were probably threatening the women or playing all lovey dovey afterward. It can be a vicious cycle.”
Pursing his lips, John bit at the inside of his cheeks as he mulled it over. “No, I don’t think that’s what’s going on in most of these cases.” “I could see that they were genuinely confused by what had happened.” Placing one hand atop his head, he rubbed as if trying to massage the answer from his brain. “I suspect that money has changed hands in some sort of settlement and the ambulance-chasers have them on some sort of damn gag order.” As a cop sworn to enforce the law, it was easy to understand his cynicism toward those who use the law itself to get around justice.
For a fleeting moment, Seth let himself believe that this would just be another case of roadblocks put up over-zealous lawyers. “That sounds like a pretty straightforward answer to me. Why do you need the bureau’s help?”
“Normally I wouldn’t, but I’ve encountered enough odd behavior to warrant a closer look by an outside source.” With all the gravity he could muster, John laid it on the line. “I’d rather keep digging myself, but politics are pulling back on the leash. The Police Chief’s a good guy, but he won’t let me keep kicking up dirt that might get all over him.”
Tilting his head to one side as he put two and two together, Seth could see why John had called in old favors from Robert. “Feds can cut through the red tape surrounding sovereign entities, like this university. All the dirt gets on us, not the local authorities.”
Slapping the table with a smile, John pointed at Seth. “Give that man a cigar. Now you’re gettin’ it.”
Still somewhat confused by the lack of information, Leo gave John a sideways look. “There must be more to it than that. What about the doctors and nurses?” He brought his hand to his chin in a gesture reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes grasping his meerschaum pipe.
Pleased that the young agent was paying attention, John nodded. “Staff who had been willing to talk to me when I called clammed-up by the time I got to them.” His voice rose slightly in frustration. “Not only that, but several doctors suddenly went on extended vacations or took sabbaticals.” Picking up the Highlights Magazine, he squeezed it into a tight cylinder with one hand. He used it to swat at the table as if striking at some unseen pest. “Something is very wrong, but I’ve hit a wall,” he growled.
Still rubbing his chin, Leo nodded at the frustrated police captain. “Somebody got to them. Somebody, they’re afraid to cross,” he agreed.
Far less willing to buy into conspiracy than his partner, Seth pushed the conversation in another direction. “Has the trail gone cold?” He watched the helpless magazine begin to disintegrate as John squeezed it still tighter.
“Hell no. There’s plenty of smoke, but like I said, the Chief isn’t going to let me keep searching for the fire much longer. The mere thought of Doctor Kemp getting her way gave him the last bit of frustration he needed for the hapless magazine to fold under the strain of his grip. “I know these cases are just scratching the surface. This whole thing goes a hell of a lot deeper.”
“If the investigation is closing, then why are we here?” asked Seth, glancing at his watch—a move he instantly regretted after reading John’s bitter expression.
Sensing Seth’s desire to be elsewhere, John stood up and leveled a stern glare at the young agent. “You are here, Agent Alexander, because an old war buddy of mine, who also happens to be your boss, felt like he owed me a favor,” said John without batting an eye. “I’m going to catch hell for calling in the FBI without the authorization of my superiors, but I’m not gonna worry about politicians who are more worried about publicity than a group of battered wives and girlfriends.” Now crumpling the once-glossy magazine with both hands, he raised his voice, gaining the attention of several people scattered about the large room. “Not to mention that I am tired of losing sleep as I wait for the next call about a woman getting beat up in her hospital bed!” John’s face contorted in anger.
Owning his mistake, Seth held his hands up apologetically. “I meant no disrespect, Captain—my partner and I will help in any way we can.”
Opening his hands, John let the crumpled children’s magazine drop onto the table. Like a broken baton, it was time to let someone else finish the race. “This case is under my skin, boys. I can’t be objective anymore, not like the Bureau can. Not like you can.”
Still kicking himself for failing to recognize the Captain’s passion for this case, Seth nodded respectfully. “Just point us in the right direction and we’ll take it from there.”
Cringing noticeably, John looked at both men apologetically. “I hate to do this to anyone, but you need to start with a certain administrator. Her name is Virginia Kemp.” He spat the name from his mouth like bitter poison. “The little bit…eh…bureaucrat has been an uncooperative pain in my posterior since day one. I’m sure she’s behind threatening the staff to keep quiet. However,” he said, grinning with an almost perverse sense of satisfaction, “I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you both.” Though reveling in the chance to send FBI agents her direction, he made sure they didn’t underestimate her. “Don’t let her appearance fool you. She’ll chew you up and swallow if you’re not careful.”
Having regained his genial tone, Leo grinned. “Sounds like fun.”
“Where can we find her?�
� asked Seth.
Pointing to a set of elevators, John made sure they knew where they were going. “Second floor. Take the third left, and follow the smell of brimstone. You can’t miss it,” said John, handing Seth his card. “If you gentleman need anything, call—regardless of the hour.” Dark circles beneath his eyes promised that his interest in the case would not end just by handing over the reins. Shaking the agents’ hands firmly he stood up and moved to the exit. He paused, placing his hand on the warm glass as he looked out into the sunlight. “I know Bob would never admit it to you, but he said you’re his best team,” he confided, eyes staring straight ahead. “I’ll accept whatever your conclusions may be.” Pushing firmly on the tempered glass door, he marched into the crushing heat of the afternoon.
Seth and Leo looked at one another with astonishment. “No way Bob said that!” exclaimed Leo, punching Seth in the shoulder.
Rubbing his sore arm absentmindedly, Seth found himself pondering what John had said. “Keep track of which arm you hit last, man. I’m getting lopsided bruises.”
Grabbing Seth’s wrist to look at his watch, Leo whistled. “Uh oh, I think you’re going to miss your dinner date tonight, bro.”
In one motion, Seth punched Leo hard in the shoulder and moved toward the elevators. “We better get a move on then,” he said, skirting out of Leo’s reach.
Rubbing his arm as he followed his partner toward the elevator, Leo smiled. “I guess I deserved that one.”
As they entered the small enclosure, each man took a defensive stance to protect from further contusions. Seth pushed the second-floor button without taking his eyes off Leo. Following a soft chime the door closed.
Chapter 8
Saving Face
“HURRY IT UP! We don’t have much time,” whispered Virginia frantically, shoving a stack of office records into her office assistant’s hands.
“Doctor Kemp, I don’t understand what—”
Sequence 77 Page 7