RAINEY DAYS

by Bradshaw, R. E.

  “It doesn’t make sense, Rainey,” Danny said. “He knew we were all over you. How did he know you would try to find Katie?”

  “I guess he thought I would have a strong sense of guilt, leaving her alone like I did,” Rainey answered. There was no way this guy knew about Rainey and Katie’s real relationship. The only person Rainey thought knew was Mackie, and he would not say anything.

  Danny went on, “Then the other thing that bothers me is he knew he wouldn’t have that long before we came looking. He had to know Mackie saw where you turned off of the highway. That limited the places we had to look. He would not have had the time to live out his fantasy with you.”

  “The amount of drugs he gave Katie was intended to kill her. She was a means to an end. He probably planned to use the opportunity of having me alone, to capture me and take me in the jeep to another location, his real lair.”

  Danny agreed, “That would make more sense, but he’s getting sloppy. He left DNA. He almost got caught.”

  Rainey added, honestly, “He almost got dead.”

  Danny had all he could get from Rainey. He peeked into Katie’s open door. He turned back to Rainey, “Let me know when she wakes up.”

  Rainey said, “I don’t think she’s going to remember much, but I’ll call you.”

  “I’m putting two agents outside the ICU doors. I guess you aren’t leaving her side, am I right?” Danny asked.

  “No, I am staying with her until she leaves the hospital. She will be going to my cottage when she is discharged.”

  Danny cocked his head and raised his eyebrows in a question.

  Rainey answered his silent inquiry, “JW is blaming me for Katie’s attack. He’s on the warpath, because Katie refuses to see him. Katie and JW are getting a divorce and she wants nothing to do with him. He’s at her house, so she’s coming with me.”

  Danny accepted her explanation, but Rainey could tell he did not think she was telling him the whole story. Luckily, Danny’s phone rang, so he could not ask her any more about it. Rainey listened as Danny took the call. He became increasingly excited as he listened to the voice on the other end.

  “I’m on my way,” he said, and hung up the call.

  Rainey asked him, as soon as he hung up, “What’s happening?”

  “We were able to trace the owner of the property through the caretaker. The owner’s name matched a name on the list JW gave us of his social circle,” Danny said, then continued, “It’s a lead, so I’m going over to his home address now to meet with the team. We’re going to question him at his house first, before we bring him in. It could be a coincidence.”

  Rainey smiled, “You don’t believe in coincidence. What’s his name?”

  Danny looked at the pad where he had written notes while on the phone. “His name is John P. Taylor.”

  Rainey recognized the name. She had gone to school with him. He was a year younger and hung out occasionally with Rainey’s crowd. “I know him,” she said, “or rather I knew him, in high school.”

  “There’s the connection,” Danny said, more excited, now.

  Rainey thought back to the last time she had seen John Taylor. It was at the graduation party JW’s parents had thrown for them. Rainey had danced with John, she remembered.

  “He’s the right height and build, or he was the last time I saw him,” Rainey told Danny.

  Danny was ready to leave, “Look, I’ll call you if I find out anything.”

  “I can’t have my phone on, in Katie’s room. Call the ICU nurses’ station, they will come get me,” Rainey said.

  “Okay, I’ll get the number. Stay here. I’ll let you know what’s happening, I promise,” Danny said.

  Rainey answered quickly and she meant it this time, “I’m not leaving Katie’s side until you catch this guy. I’ll be right here.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Katie slept peacefully for several more hours before she woke up. Her body had been flushing the drugs from her system at a steady rate, filling the bag beneath her bed. She was still very groggy, but aware of her surroundings, for the moment anyway. Katie looked at Rainey, who was standing leaning on the rail of Katie’s bed, still holding one of Katie’s hands.

  “What happened?” Katie said, in a weak voice, through the plastic mask and swollen lips.

  Rainey’s eyes were filling with tears, she was so happy to see Katie responsive. Rainey had to tell Katie what happened. She would probably have to tell her several times before she would remember asking. It was a side effect of the drugs, which almost killed her.

  Rainey said, “Katie, you are in the hospital, in the ICU. You were kidnapped and given an almost lethal injection of sedatives. The doctors are running fluids through your body to flush them out. You’re going to be okay, Katie.”

  Janet interrupted, “Katie, my name is Janet. I’m your nurse. Are you in pain?”

  Katie lifted the hand Rainey was not holding, slowly to her face, indicating she felt pain there. She whispered, “My head hurts.”

  Janet nodded, “Okay, I’ll go get the doctor and we’ll do something about that right away, sugar.”

  Katie’s tears were beginning to leak from her eyes, down the sides of her face. Rainey took some tissue from the table, beside the bed, and wiped the tears gently. Katie squeezed Rainey’s hand, letting her know she was glad she was there with her eyes.

  “You’re going to be okay, Katie,” Rainey repeated. “I’m not ever letting you out of my sight again, I promise.”

  Katie was getting groggier. She closed her eyes for a second then opened them again.

  “Catch him?” Katie asked, in a whisper.

  Rainey hated to tell her the truth, but she did, her expression of sorrow written all over her face, because she knew what Katie would feel, having been told the same thing by Danny, after her attack.

  She answered Katie, “No, he got away.”

  Katie closed her eyes and turned her face away, her hand tightening around Rainey’s fingers, as she processed the information. Rainey was patient, returning the squeeze and waiting.

  Katie opened her eyes and turned back to Rainey, “I don’t remember,” she said, and the tears came harder. She took a deep breath and quietly she asked, “Raped?”

  Rainey squeezed Katie’s hand and answered, “Yes.”

  Katie cried harder now. Rainey comforted her, wiping her tears, repeating, “It’s okay, Katie, it’s okay.”

  Katie only stopped sobbing when Dr. Marsden came in and introduced himself to her. He was concerned about her emotional state, but happy to see her progressing so quickly. He checked her vitals and looked into Katie’s eyes with a light.

  Dr. Marsden said, “Katie, you’ve experienced a tremendous trauma to your body and your mind. I am working on repairing your body so you can deal with the rest. The best thing for you right now is to sleep and let your body heal.”

  Katie took a deep breath and nodded that she understood.

  He patted Katie’s hand, saying, “You are doing very well, Katie. You should be out from under the influence of the drugs within twenty-four hours. I will give you something for the swelling and it should help with the pain.”

  “Thank you,” Katie said, weakly.

  Janet, who had come in with Dr. Marsden, stepped back out to the doorway with him. While they discussed the treatment plan, Rainey tucked the covers around Katie.

  “Are you cold, baby?” Rainey asked.

  Katie nodded yes, so Rainey pulled the folded blanket, at Katie’s feet, up to her neck, tucking it in over the others. As Rainey worked around the bed, Katie followed her with her eyes. Rainey kissed Katie on her forehead, the only place not swollen badly. Katie reached for Rainey’s hand again and held it tight.

  “Rainey, stay with me,” Katie said, as if Rainey had not told her repeatedly that she would.

  Rainey looked deeply into Katie’s blood shot eyes, and said, “Katie, I’m not leaving you, ever. Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m stay
ing right here, I promise.”

  Katie’s eyes blinked a couple of times. She was fighting to stay awake.

  Rainey smoothed Katie’s hair, saying, “Go to sleep, Katie. I’ll be here when you wake up.” Just before Katie slipped back under the heavy veil of slumber, Rainey said, “I love you, Katie.”

  Rainey let go of Katie’s hand and put it gently under the covers. She turned to go back to the other side of the bed, where the recliner sat. That is when she realized Janet had been standing there, she did not know for how long. It was clear, from the expression on her face that she had been there long enough. She smiled at Rainey as she walked back to the chair. Janet crossed the room to one of the tubes in Katie’s arm and inserted a syringe, slowly adding medication into Katie’s IV.

  Janet looked over at Rainey and said, “I know you’re worried sick. I would be, too, if someone I loved was lying here, but I promise you Dr. Marsden knows what he’s doing. She’s going to be fine.”

  Rainey was shocked at Janet’s remark about Rainey loving Katie, but was so appreciative that Janet understood. It felt better somehow that Janet grasped their real relationship.

  Rainey said, “Thank you.”

  Janet looked at Rainey, cocking her head, and then she said, “You are the FBI agent from that article in the paper Saturday, aren’t you?”

  Rainey simply nodded yes.

  “This has to be extra hard on you, knowing what she’s been through,” Janet said, sympathetically.

  “Yes, it is,” Rainey, answered plainly.

  Janet looked at Rainey hard for a minute and then made up her mind to take care of Rainey, too. She said, “You have to remember to take care of yourself. She’s going to need you strong. Let me order you a tray from the cafeteria. It’s really good food. It’s chicken breast and roast tonight. Which will it be?”

  Rainey could tell from Janet’s expression, that she was not taking no for an answer. Rainey said, “Roast will be fine, thank you.”

  “Okay,” Janet said, finishing with the syringe and dropping it into the biohazard red box on the wall, “Roast and potatoes, coming up.”

  She left Rainey alone with Katie and the beeping monitors. Katie was sleeping soundly again and Rainey sat there, just watching Katie breathe, until Janet returned. When Janet came back with Rainey’s tray, she ate hungrily, not having realized she missed dinner. She thanked Janet profusely for the food. Once they were alone again, Rainey drifted off to sleep in the recliner.

  Rainey slept lightly, opening her eyes each time Janet came in the room. Janet brought Rainey a pillow and a blanket, still looking after both her patients. Rainey opened her eyes several times to check that Katie was still sleeping and then faded back into sleep. The stress and excitement had taken its toll. Janet was right. Rainey needed the rest, so she could be there for Katie when she needed her.

  Three hours later, Janet woke Rainey to tell her there was a call for her at the nurses’ station. Again, she promised to stay with Katie while Rainey was out of the room. Rainey rubbed her face to wake up and went out to take the call.

  “This is Rainey Bell,” she said into the receiver.

  “Special Agent Rainey Bell to be exact,” Danny said, sounding happy on the other end.

  “You know something, don’t you,” Rainey said, getting excited.

  “It turns out our John P. Taylor is a veterinarian, giving him access to the drugs used on you and Katie. His wife is out of town, and it seems she goes out of town once a month on business, stays a week in New York, some design business she’s into,” Danny said.

  Rainey’s heart picked up the pace. “Have you talked to the wife?”

  “Yes, she gave us the dates she has been out of town for the last three years. All of the murders and attacks have happened when she’s been in New York,” he said, more excited now.

  Rainey joined his excitement, “How about the rest of the profile?”

  Danny checked off his list, “He’s wealthy. His parents left him tons of money. He’s good looking, dark hair, married, he knows both you and Katie and to top it off, they moved to Chapel Hill from Raleigh, right after your attack last year. He lives just a few blocks from the Wilsons.”

  “What about the farmhouse? What’s his connection?”

  Danny was checking his notes, she could tell. After a moment, he said, “Belonged to the family for years. He inherited it and a trust takes care of it. Says he hasn’t been out there since he and some buddies used it as a party pad, when he was in high school. He used to play in the house as a child, when an aunt lived there. He was aware of the trap door. Said his aunt put it in because she was scared she’d get trapped upstairs in a fire.”

  “Does he have an alibi for the time of the attack?”

  Danny almost giggled, “Nope, he was alone from four thirty in the afternoon until we knocked on his door. Said he was working in the yard at home and then he watched TV all evening.”

  Rainey could not believe it, “Is it him, Danny?”

  “I think it is, Rainey. I want to see how he reacts to you, but I think it’s him. We are taking him to the station now.”

  “I can’t leave Katie,” Rainey said, immediately.

  “I’ll bring him to you if I have to. Right now, we’re going to get his DNA and have it hand delivered to the lab in Quantico in a couple of hours. I’ve asked for a push on the results, should take less than seventy-two hours. I’m going to let Johnny cool his heals in lockup until his lawyer comes to get him. Then I’m going to blanket his ass with surveillance, talk to his friends and neighbors and basically make the son of a bitch as uncomfortable as possible.”

  “That sounds like the best plan at this point,” Rainey said, lost in her own thoughts.

  “It’s him, Rainey. It’s got to be,” Danny said, again.

  “Okay, call me when something breaks,” Rainey said. She needed to hang up. She felt sick.

  Danny sounded concerned, “You okay, Rainey?”

  “I have to go now,” she said, and hung up. She ran into Katie’s room, went into the bathroom and threw up. Rainey did not know why she was throwing up, she just was. It felt like all the ugliness she had seen in her life was leaving her soul. Janet came in and turned on the water in the sink. She pulled Rainey’s hat off and helped her to the sink. Janet wet a washcloth and handed it to Rainey. She patted Rainey on the back until Rainey had regained control.

  “Thank you,” Rainey finally managed to say.

  “You go sit down in the recliner and I’m going to get you some Sprite,” Janet said.

  Rainey made her way to recliner. Her legs were weak and she felt like shit. Rainey marveled at her body’s reaction to what Danny said. They might have the guy in custody right now. This could all be over soon. It was the day she had prayed for, and yet, she was sick from the thought of coming face to face with the man responsible for so much pain, not only for her, but also for his other victims. Rainey began to cry softly, not sobbing, just releasing the pent up emotions from all that she had been through in the last three days, the highs and lows of it all.

  Janet returned with the Sprite and a small cup containing a pill. She did not comment on Rainey’s tears, she simply said, “Here, this will help settle your stomach, it’s just an over the counter antacid.”

  Rainey took both items from Janet, took the pill, and chased it with some Sprite. “Thank you, Janet, for everything.”

  “I’m going to turn the lights down, so you two can get some rest. I’ll be right outside if you need me.” Janet walked to the doorway. She turned the lights down and looked back at Rainey, paused and said, “That must have been one hell of a phone call.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Rainey slept until daybreak. When she awoke, Katie was awake and looking at her. The bruising had taken on darker shades of black and blue. The swelling had not increased, but had not receded much either. Katie’s eyes peered out from the bruising, focused on Rainey. Rainey sat up.

  “Hey,” s
he said softly.

  “I was watching you sleep,” Katie said, better able to form the words now.

  “I’m sorry, I wanted to be awake for you,” Rainey said. She stood up and moved closer to Katie’s side.

  “Tell me what happened,” Katie asked again.

  Rainey knew the drugs had erased their previous conversation. She took Katie’s hand and repeated what she told her previously. She left out the rape, but Rainey could tell from Katie’s reaction that she already knew that it had happened. This time Katie did not cry, she steeled herself and said nothing for a few minutes, just absorbed the information.

  Rainey waited for Katie to settle down and then asked, “Do you know John Taylor?”

  Katie was confused, “Yes.”

  Rainey needed information. “Katie, do you remember anything?”

  Katie’s eyes started to puddle, now. “I only remember getting ready for the program. I was arguing with JW backstage, that’s it.”

  “Do you remember seeing John Taylor at the school?” Rainey persisted.

  “No. Why are you asking me about John?” Katie asked with more confusion in her eyes.

  “He’s being questioned about the murders and your kidnapping,” Rainey said. “I just need to know if you’ve seen him around at all.”

  “Not John, he’s so nice,” Katie said.

  “How well do you know him?” Rainey asked.

  “He was in our wedding, we’ve known John and Ann for years, JW has known him even longer,” Katie was growing agitated, the realization that she had been intimate friends with a man, who may be a killer, hitting her hard.