Night Kill (Private Investigator Andrew Knight Mystery Series)

by RL Edinger

  Leslie was still wearing her fuzzy slippers and bathrobe. Her ash blonde hair was swept up and held in place with a red banana clip. She finally had a day off from work at the hospital. On those days it was always her turn to make breakfast.

  Leslie had just finished whipping up the scrambled eggs when her daughter Hannah threw open the kitchen door and rushed inside. She was all flushed and panting to catch her breath. Hannah brushed her brown hair out of her eyes.

  “Mom,” Hannah gasped, trying to catch her breath from running.

  “What is it?” Leslie asked.

  “I…I was feeding the horses when this man came stumbling into the barn,” Hannah finally blurted out. “He looked at me and just fell down in the hay.”

  “What?” Leslie stammered.

  “His lips were blue and his clothes looked wet,” Hannah said.

  “Show me,” Leslie said. Before they left, Leslie grabbed the portable defibulator from underneath the sink. She had bought just in case there was ever an emergency and for the fact that they lived out in the country far away from the hospital in Bayport.

  When they got to the barn, Hannah led her mom to where the man was laying in the hay on the floor. He wasn’t moving.

  Leslie knelt down and put her cheek over the man’s mouth. He wasn’t breathing. Leslie checked for a pulse. There was none. “Go call 911,” Leslie immediately ordered Hannah. She took off like a shot back to the house.

  Chapter 5

  The airport courtesy van turned into the circular driveway. There were already several cars there. The people from those cars were waiting for the single passenger in the van to arrive home from her trip.

  Megan recognized Lisa’s car along with two unmarked squad cars. Megan saw Lisa, Peter, and another woman whom she didn’t recognize waiting for her. She started to panic and it was hard to catch her breath. Something was wrong. Something was wrong about Andrew. Megan started to cry just as the van pulled up along side the other cars.

  Lisa walked briskly up to the van and slid open the side door. She saw that Megan was already crying. Lisa grasped hold of Megan’s hand and helped her exit the van. Lisa looked at the Peter and Talia with a nod to retrieve Megan’s luggage. She held on to Megan, whom was trembling uncontrollably with tears just streaming down her cheeks.

  “Let’s go inside,” Lisa insisted. Megan just nodded.

  Lisa opened the front door and walked Megan into the family room. She had Megan sit down on the sofa. Lisa grabbed a box of tissues from the fireplace mantle and brought them with her back to the sofa.

  Peter carried Megan’s luggage into the foyer and set it down. Talia followed closely behind him. Soon the both of them joined Lisa and Megan in the family room.

  Lisa had her arms around Megan, whom rested her head on Lisa’s shoulder. From time to time she dried her eyes, but the tears kept coming.

  Peter looked at Talia first, then said, “Um, uh, Megan we have some bad…” Peter couldn’t finish he words. He broke down. When Lisa saw her husband, the usually tough guy crying, she started crying too.

  Talia sighed deeply. It was up to her to tell Andrew’s wife what happened.

  “Missus Knight,” Talia began. “I’m here to inform you that your husband is…” Talia paused. How could she tell Andrew’s wife that he died while begin pursed by her and her deputies. She didn’t force him to do it. Talia pressed on, “That your husband fell through the ice on the lake by JFK Prep. He was there because…” Talia stopped again to collect her thoughts.

  “Why was he there?” Megan finally spoke. Talia glanced at Peter and Lisa. The looks they had on their faces told Talia it was up to her to answer, not them.

  “Two deputies and I were at JFK to investigate the disappearance of six teenagers on the property,” Talia explained. “We were just coming out of the dormitory when Mister Knight was spotted. He took off running.”

  “Why did he run?”

  “I had issued an arrest order,” Talia answered.

  “Why?”

  “Mister Knight had interfered with a previous investigation,” Talia said in her defense. “The orders were if Mister Knight were caught anywhere on the premises of a Sheriffs department investigation, he would be placed under arrest.”

  “Why?”

  “As I said, he was interfering,” Talia answered. She was angry at being questioned by Megan. It was Knight who was breaking the law that day, not her. How dare his widow have the indignation to question her? Talia shot back, “We gave pursuit and Mister Knight chose to invade us by going across the lake. He was unaware of the sign warning about thin ice. It was not our fault. We broke off the chase. Mister Knight chose to continue.”

  “Why?”

  “Why do you keep asking me why?” Talia growled.

  “Why are you still here?” Megan screamed back. Talia found no support from either Peter or Lisa. It was strange at how, in a room full of people, one could be so alone. She rose to her feet. “I’m truly sorry.” Megan did not answer, but sought out instead, the comfort of Lisa’s embrace.

  Talia walked out of the family room and the house. She got in her car and slammed the door shut. They hadn’t recovered Knight’s body as of yet. According to the fire department, the lake at JFK Prep was a spring fed and 30-40 feet deep at the center. With the depth and freezing temperatures of the lake, Knight would only have minutes to get to land and possibly survive. Even then, hypothermia would set in and he’d be dead anyway. Although Knight had shed his coat and he may have been a good swimmer; he would have to get on land and find a way to keep from freezing to death. It sounded too impossible to even believe that Knight could do that. Since they couldn’t locate Knight’s body, Talia had sent a request to have special imaging equipment brought in from the State Crime Lab. Hopefully they would be able to find the body. Unfortunately, it would be weeks before the equipment would arrive, since it was being used by another law enforcement agency in Marathon County. So for now the search for Knight’s body would just have to wait. Talia knew it was rather morbid to just sit by and do nothing, but what else could she do in this case? Talia started the car and drove out the circular driveway.

  Leslie tore open the man’s icy shirt. She figured that he must have fallen through the ice on the lake at JFK Prep because it was the only water near her horse ranch. He was in great physical shape and that was probably the only reason he made it this far. She opened the kit and attached the pads and wires as shown by the directions. Leslie turned on the power and waited for it to charge. As soon as the screen indicated it was ready, Leslie hit the button. The man’s body convulsed for a several seconds and then lay still. Leslie felt for a pulse, still none. Leslie charged it again. She stopped to look at the open barn door. There was no sign of Hannah or the sounds of sirens. When the unit was fully charged, Leslie hit the button again. Again, the man’s body rose from the lifesaving charge and quickly fell again. Leslie checked, still no pulse.

  “Damn it,” Leslie said. If it didn’t work next time, she would start CPR. There was no way she was going to let this handsome stranger die in her barn. Leslie charged the unit again and when ready, hit the button. This time he gasped for air, his eyes opened and started coughing. He closed his eyes again. Leslie felt for a pulse. There was one and his was breath was shallow. Leslie got up and grabbed some horse blankets. She returned to the man and covered him up. Hannah finally entered the barn.

  “I called 911, Mom,” Hannah announced.

  “Good honey,” Leslie hugged her daughter.

  They heard the approaching sirens.

  The first responders swarmed the barn. They checked the man’s vital signs and stabilized him. They wrapped him in a thermal blanket to maintain his core body temperature. With one swift movement, they had him on the gurney and ready for transport to the hospital. Hannah hung onto her mom tightly as they wheeled the man out of the barn. They followed behind and watched them load him into the ambulance.

  “Is he going to be okay mo
m?” Hannah asked, worriedly.

  “I think so honey,” Leslie answered.

  The ambulance took off with sirens blaring as it headed to Bayport Memorial Hospital.

  Megan was sitting in the family room. She was paging through their wedding album, looking at photos of her and Andrew. Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes welled up with tears. Megan closed the album and tossed it aside. She grabbed some tissues just as the doorbell announced a visitor. Megan got up and went to answer the door.

  When Megan opened the front door, she saw Chloe, whose eyes were red from crying. They quickly rushed into an embrace and didn’t let go. What didn’t help was that they started crying again. Several minutes later, they parted and Megan led Chloe inside the house. They went to the family room. They sat down next to each other on the sofa. Chloe saw the wedding album.

  “Why are you torturing yourself,” Chloe asked holding up the album.

  “I really don’t know,” Megan muttered.

  “Any news about Dad’s body yet?” Chloe stuttered a bit. It felt surreal to even ask. How could his life just end like that, drowning in a lake? She had read all his case files and was amazed that he had survived all of those dangers. And he died because of an accident?

  “Did you call Maggie and Sam?” Chloe asked.

  “Lisa called them for me,” Megan answered. “They will be here tomorrow.”

  “What about Father Michaels?” Chloe said, blowing her nose.

  “He’s coming over later to discuss the memorial service,” Megan replied.

  “I still can’t believe he’s gone,” Chloe sniffed. “I…I finally just got to…” Chloe broke down sobbing. Megan put her arms around Chloe and held onto her.

  Doctor Granger and his team were waiting for the ambulance to arrive. They had everything ready to treat the patient’s hypothermia. Now it was just a waiting game. They did not have to wait too long.

  The ambulance pulled into the drive-thru portico of Bayport Memorial Hospital. The crew unloaded the patient and rolled him into the emergency department. Doctor Granger and his team took over moving the gurney into room two.

  Leslie and Hannah arrived a few minutes later at the hospital. Leslie wore a heavy winter coat over a pair of jeans ripped at the knees and a cardigan sweater. Hannah was also dressed with her favorite down coat, jeans and pink turtle neck. Both had on matching brown winter boots. Leslie parked her car in the employee parking lot and after getting out, they both headed for the emergency department. When they got inside, Leslie with Hannah in tow, walked up to the check-in desk.

  “Hi Janice,” Leslie said to the nurse on duty.

  “Hi Les,” Janice answered. “I thought you had off?”

  “Yeah I did,” Leslie answered. “But the man they just admitted was from my place.”

  “The cute one,” Janice replied.

  “Yeah him.” Leslie searched the admitting charts.

  “He is in ER Room Two,” Janice informed her.

  “When can I see him?” Leslie bit her lip.” “I…I mean to make sure he’s okay.”

  “As soon as they put him in a regular room,” Janice said. She noticed the nervousness in Leslie’s behavior. “I’ll let you know as soon as he gets in a room.”

  “We’ll be back.” Leslie led Hannah that away.

  One of the nurses’s hooked the man up to the monitor for his vitals. Another started an IV as Doctor Granger removed the thermal blanket and checked the man over. Fortunately there were no external signs of frost bite. Another nurse checked the man’s clothing for identification. She didn’t find any. Doctor Granger placed a call to the Bayport Police department to inform them that they had an unidentified male and to send over a detective to talk to the man. Thirty minutes later they had the man stabilized and moved him into a regular room.

  Detective Salerno was the investigator on call that afternoon at the station. She took the call about the unidentified male patient. Lindsey gathered her briefcase with the papers she needed to interview the man, along with a camera.

  Leslie and Hannah were just finishing up eating some lunch, when they heard the page. She rushed over to the cafeteria phone and called the emergency room desk. Leslie listened and quickly thanked Janice for giving her the room number. Hannah smirked as she watched her mom straighten her hair and adjust her sweater.

  From the cafeteria they took the elevator to the third floor. Once they had gotten off, Leslie and Hannah headed down the hall to room 322. The door was slightly open. Leslie felt nervous and her hands were sweating. Hannah let go of her mom’s hand while making a yucky face. She had never seen her mom this nervous before.

  Leslie exhaled deeply and with Hannah close behind, entered the room. The man was awake and was lying in an elevated position on the bed. He looked at her strangely.

  “I’m Leslie Sommers,” Leslie introduced. She gestured toward her daughter, “And this in my daughter Hannah.”

  “Nice to meet you,” He now smiled back. “Do I know you?”

  “My mom saved your life!” Hannah blurted out as an eleven year old would do. Leslie blushed and was about to scold her daughter.

  “Then I owe you a great deal,” He smiled.

  “I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Leslie walked up to the side of the bed. He had nice looking eyes. No wedding ring either.

  She smiled and went on. “It was touch and go for a while there. I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it.”

  “Thank you,” He stretched out his hand. Leslie was hesitant at first, but then placed her hand in his. “Thank you Leslie.” He looked past her and smiled at Hannah, “And you too, Hannah.” Hannah grinned.

  There was a light knock on the door. A willowy woman with black hair walked into the room. She appeared to be one of the staff with a white coat over a shiny blue blouse and black slacks. The only thing that seemed out of place was her black pumps and not more casual looking shoes.

  “I’m Doctor Claudie Straussman,” she introduced. “I’m the resident psychologist here on a consult from Doctor Granger.” She looked at Leslie and Hannah. “May I have some private time with the patient?” Leslie and Hannah reluctantly left them alone. Once they were gone, Claudia walked over, pulled a chair up to the bed, and sat down.

  “Could you tell me your name please,” Claudia began. He thought for a minute with a perplexed expression on his face. “Do you know your name?” Claudia asked, noticing the look on the man’s face. “No,” he replied. Claudia read over his chart.” Claudia was about to go on, when there was a knock at the door. She told him she would be right back and went to answer it.

  Claudia saw a young woman professionally attired upon opening the door.

  “I’m Detective Salerno,” She announced showing her identification. “I’m here to interview the man Doctor Granger called us about.”

  “I’m in the process of doing just that,” Claudia was a bit miffed at the intrusion. “Does it have to be now?”

  “Yes,” Lindsey insisted.

  Claudia stepped aside and allowed Lindsey inside.

  Lindsey moved the curtain aside and was shocked. “Mister Knight,” Lindsey gasped.

  “Who?” he answered.

  “You’re Andrew Knight,” Lindsey insisted.

  “I don’t know you,” He grew angry. “The last thing I remember is waking up in a horse barn. That’s all!”

  “They have been searching for your body in the lake at JFK Prep,” Lindsey told him. “Everyone thinks you are dead. Detective Sergeant Roberts and Sheriff Delsmann went to see your wife earlier this morning.”

  “Wife?” He rebuked, and looked at his ring finger. He raised his hand for her to see, “I’m not married.”

  Claudia finally joined them after listening to their verbal exchange. Lindsey looked confused at her. “Why doesn’t he remember?”

  “As I earlier suspected, Mister Knight is suffering from trauma-induced amnesia,” Claudia explained. “It is a direct result of the near drowning
and subsequent heart attack that he suffered. His mind is trying to shield him from those traumatic events.”

  “How long will it last?” Lindsey asked.

  “It could be days, months or even years,” Claudia answered.

  “Hello there!”

  They turned around to face him.

  “I am a real person,” He chastised. “Not some stupid psychological test subject. If you’re going to talk about me, at least do it to my face.”

  “I’ve got to tell Detective Sergeant Roberts about him,” Lindsey announced. She immediately walked over to the room phone and placed the call to the Bayport Police Department. She waited and then spoke, “This is Detective Salerno. I need to speak to Detective Sergeant Roberts immediately. Yes, it’s very important. She waited until Peter was on the other end, and blurted out, “Andrew Knight is alive!”

  Talia was ready to leave for JFK Prep to continue the search for Andrew’s body. Fortunately, the State Crime Lab had located another set of imagining equipment and it was being delivered to the lake in an hour. The phone rang and she stopped to answer it. Talia let the receiver slip from her trembling hand. Andrew Knight was alive! She quickly recovered. She thanked the caller. Talia hung up; she knew exactly what had to be done.

  Megan was sitting at the breakfast nook. Chloe was making pancakes on the griddle. The fresh brewed coffee added its own to the plethora of aromas wafting about the kitchen.

  The front door bell rang. Chloe removed the pancakes and took off her apron. She was about to go answer the door, when Lisa rushed into the kitchen. She slid next to Megan and gave her a big squeeze. “He’s alive,” Lisa blurted out. “Andrew is alive!” Chloe slid in on the other side of the table.

  “But how, when?” Megan stammered.

  “Peter called me at the office this morning,” Lisa told them. “Andrew turned up at a horse ranch near the JFK Prep grounds. The woman and her daughter found him in the barn. Peter told me that Andrew had to be revived from a heart attack.”

  “Dear Lord!” Megan cried out.

  “It’s okay Megan,” Lisa hugged her again. “The woman is a nurse and she had a portable defibulator.”