Night Kill (Private Investigator Andrew Knight Mystery Series)

by RL Edinger

  “We need to go,” Chloe slid out and stood up.

  “Wait,” Lisa held up her hand. “There’s more.”

  “What more?” Megan asked drying her eyes.

  “Andrew is suffering from trauma-induced amnesia,” Lisa informed them. “The resident psychologist at the hospital, Dr. Straussman, told Peter that, as a result of Andrew’s near-drowning and heart attack, he has amnesia.”

  “I’m going to see my husband,” Megan nudged Lisa to move. Lisa obliged and Megan slid out of the breakfast nook. “I’m getting dressed.” Megan left to go upstairs.

  “Okay.” Chloe put away the food. “We’re going.”

  Talia and her two deputies stepped off the elevator. Their very presence overwhelmed those at the third floor nurses’ station.

  “What room is Andrew Knight in?” Talia demanded.

  “Room 322,” one of the nurses answered checking the charts.

  “Thanks,” Talia said. They left to the nurses’ relief.

  It was just a short walk down the hallway to Andrew’s hospital room. When they got closer, Talia saw a Bayport police officer standing guard at the door.

  She briskly walked up and brushed past him. Talia reached for the door knob, the officer grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her hand away. Talia blasted him with a stern look.

  “Sorry no one goes in,” he informed her.

  “Don’t you know who I am?” Talia barked. “I am Sheriff Delsmann from the Bayport County Sheriffs department.” She pointed to her two deputies, “We’re here to arrest Mister Knight.”

  “Sorry,” the officer said again. “I have my orders.”

  “Step aside,” Talia commanded.

  “Is there a problem here?”

  Talia turned on her heels and saw Detective Sergeant Roberts along with two other detectives, who she did not recognize.

  “I gave the order,” Peter said.

  “Why is that?” Talia balked.

  “Mister Knight is in the protective custody of the Bayport Police Department,” Peter informed her.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Talia shot back. “He interfered with an ongoing investigation. And after being warned once more, he violated that order.”

  “Mister Knight was working for a client at the time,” Peter returned the volley.

  “Step aside,” Talia growled.

  “Mister Knight is well respected by the Bayport Police, the community, and will be treated accordingly,” Peter now stood toe to toe with Talia. He glanced at the deputies and then back to Talia. “If you or your deputies take one step into that hospital room, all three of you will be placed under arrest.”

  “What about professional courtesy,” Talia retorted.

  “Like you did?” Peter said, with unmasked sarcasm.

  “This isn’t over.” Talia pressed her index finger against Peter’s chest.

  “He has amnesia,” Lindsey spoke up.

  “What?” Talia looked at her. “He’s faking it.”

  “You can’t fake amnesia,” a woman’s voice came from behind.

  Talia turned around to see a dark haired woman wearing a white lab coat. The other was a red-haired nurse.

  “And you are?” Talia asked.

  “Doctor Straussman,” Claudia replied. “I’m the hospital’s resident psychologist.” She gestured towards the nurse with her. “And this is my nurse, Veronica”

  “And your diagnosis is amnesia?” Talia scoffed.

  “Yes,” Claudia answered. She went on to say, “The amnesia he has is a direct result of the near-drowning and heart attack Mister Knight experienced. This is his mind’s way of protecting him from the recent traumatic events that Mister Knight experienced.”

  “May I talk to him,” Talia asked. She had calmed down now. Peter thought for a second, and said, “Okay, but we’re going with you.” The police officer stepped aside and allowed them all passage to the room.

  When they walked into the room, the person all of them knew as Andrew Knight had his eyes closed. He opened them with the noise from their footsteps.

  “What now?” He was perturbed at the intrusion.

  “I’m Sheriff Talia Delsmann,” Talia introduced herself to him.

  “Am I in trouble?” he asked.

  “No,” Peter winked.

  “Do you recall what happened at the Higgins home?” Talia went right into her questioning. She kept up the pressure. “At JFK Prep or at the lake?”

  “No,” he was a bit miffed at her barrage. “I only recall waking up in the emergency room, which was full of strangers. There was also Leslie Sommers and her daughter Hannah that came to see me. She told how she revived me in the horse barn.” He muttered, “I don’t know what JFK Prep is, who are the Higgins and nothing either about the lake. Don’t you understand?”

  “So you have no memory beyond that,” Talia moved closer and stood at the side of his bed. She stared at his face and eyes. Talia was looking for any kind of recognition or reaction to her or her questions. She finally realized that it was like staring at a blank canvas, which was waiting for the painter to give it life. Talia stepped away and left the room.

  “Like I asked,” he said. “Do I need to worry?”

  “No.” Peter reassured him.

  “Thanks,” he said and closed his eyes again. All he wanted to do was get some rest. They walked out quietly so he could do just that.

  As soon as Peter exited the room, Talia pulled him aside so the others could not hear their conversation.

  “Listen,” she spoke softly, and ardently, “If Knight ever does regain his memory or even comes near one of our ongoing investigations, and I will have him arrested. This I promise you.”

  “Now it’s your turn to listen,” Peter got up in her face. “You do not want to be on Andrew Knight’s bad side, trust me.” Peter walked away.

  Talia waved her deputies over and then they left. As they walked along, Talia thought that this thing with Knight was far from over. One way or another she would have his head on a platter.

  The car ride to the hospital couldn’t have been any longer as far as Megan was concerned. She kept checking the speedometer to see how fast Lisa was driving.

  Chloe was sitting in the back seat and was just as impatient. She just kept biting the nubs of her fingernail tips which were long since gone. She tried not to think about her dad at the moment because it would have just started her crying again.

  Lisa kept thinking about Andrew as she drove them to the hospital. What would she say to him? She thanked God that Andrew was still with them, among the living. It truly was a miracle.

  Bayport Memorial soon came into view as their car rounded the curve and over the bridge that spanned the river. Once they were over the railroad tracks, Lisa turned the car onto the street that ran in front of the hospital. Minutes later they were in the visitor parking lot. Once Lisa parked the car, they quickly exited and walked up to the hospital.

  The circular door didn’t move fast enough for them, nor did they bother to talk to the receptionist at the main desk. They just breezed past and to the elevators.

  Chloe pressed the button and again, they had to wait. Megan felt the baby kick and she gently caressed her belly. The elevator finally arrived, the doors opened and they all stepped inside. Chloe pressed the button for the third floor, the doors closed, and they were finally on their way.

  Megan was the first one off the elevator when the doors opened to the third floor. She took off quickly as she could with Lisa and Chloe not far behind. When they got to the room they saw the police officer on guard. He saw them coming, recognized Lisa, and stepped aside. Megan drew a deep breath, exhaled slowly and walked into the room with Lisa and Chloe.

  The only sound in the room was the man’s snoring as he slept. Megan walked over, bent down, and brushed his cheek with a kiss. He awoke somewhat startled. There were three women standing in the room. Their faces were sad, yet unrecognized. This couldn’t be good he thought.

  The
woman standing beside him with the black hair looked really pretty in her purple maternity blouse and black slacks. The others, the red head and brunette were dressed more casually in jeans and sweatshirts.

  “And who are all of you?” He asked as he looked at each one in turn.

  “Lisa Roberts,” the red head was the first to start. “We went to high school together. Now we sometimes work together on cases.”

  “Right,” he nodded. “I’m a private investigator.”

  “I’m Chloe,” Chloe took her turn. “Chloe Hawkins, your daughter. I’m also a private investigator too.”

  “And that would make you…” Andrew looked at Megan.

  “Your wife,” Megan finished his sentence. “And we’re going to have a baby.”

  “I see that,” he said. He looked from one to another. “This is a bit overwhelming and I’m sorry, but I just don’t recognize any of you.”

  “But D..,” Chloe abruptly stopped, rethought her next words, and said, “We’re here to help you, not here to force anything on you.”

  “Chloe is right,” Lisa agreed. “We’re here to help, because we love you very much.”

  “I can see that,” he answered, his voice sounded sad. “It’s just that I don’t know you.”

  Megan touched his hand, he drew it back. “You feel nothing.” Her eyes welled up with tears.

  “I’m sorry,” he turned away from her. Megan left the room bawling. Chloe left to go after her. Lisa remained behind.

  Lisa approached and sat on the bed. He didn’t move, which was a good sign.

  “What would you like to know?”

  “Who am I really?”

  “You are Andrew Knight, a private investigator. You are adept in martial arts; know several languages, and your investigative skills are unrivaled. That is what you do, not who you are.”

  “Go on.”

  “You are a husband, father, friend, and are loved by all those around you. You are kind, loving, caring, and would do anything for anyone, at any time.”

  “Sounds like an obituary.” He commented. “This is all good and such, but it still doesn’t help me.”

  “The Andrew Knight we all know is in that head of yours. You just have to find him.”

  Lisa got up, smiled a little, and left him alone.

  Chloe finally found Megan. She was in one of the family waiting rooms staring out the big picture window. Chloe joined her on the floral sofa. Megan grabbed another tissue.

  “What we do for a living is not necessarily who we are,” Megan shared her thoughts. “I believe they are our workself and our homeself.”

  “True, but sometimes they overlap, influence us, and guide us in what we do whether at work or at home,” Chloe added. “My dad just can’t stop being a detective one minute and a husband the next. That’s who he is.”

  Megan stood up and walked back over to the window. Chloe stayed on the sofa and did not follow.

  “Andrew is my husband, my lover, my best friend. But I don’t know how much more I can take of what he does. It’s too much of a strain for me to deal with right now.”

  “All I know is that the Andrew Knight we all love and care for is buried some where in the mind of the man in that room. We have to wait and see if that man rises from the ashes, or if it will be someone new.”

  Chloe finally joined Megan over by the window. The subdued colors of the winter sun stretched their way across the azure skies. The day was near an end; a new one was waiting to be born.

  Chapter 6

  Roxanne sang along with the music from the MP3 player as she rode to her bookstore. Riding her bike was Roxanne’s way of going green and protesting the high gas prices, plus it was a beautiful scenic ride on the trail along the lake and through downtown Bayport. The song finished just as Roxanne turned into the lot behind her store. She parked and locked her bike in the bike rack and grabbed her backpack. Roxanne took her keys out and unlocked the door going inside. She closed the door behind her.

  Roxanne set down her stuff behind the counter and went about turning on the lights and making some fresh coffee for her customers. She straightened the tables and chairs and then walked through the book racks. Roxanne straightened all of the books that were messed up or out of order. Roxanne would from time to time still bury her nose in a book, taking in a deep whiff of its pages.

  Roxanne checked to see if the coffee was done; it was. She poured herself a cup. It was a special aromatic blend called ‘Jamaica Me Happy’ that she’d bought from the Red Bank Cafe. The coffee tasted good and warmed her up nicely. So Roxanne scooped up the morning paper one hand and with a cup of coffee in the other, she sat down on one of the comfortable sofas by the front windows. Roxanne started to read the newspaper when the door bell announced an interruption to her quiet time.

  Chloe entered the quaint little book store. As she stood in the doorway, Chloe saw a woman, about her age. Her corn silk colored hair and dark brown eyes flattered a face that was well defined, with strong cheekbones and a slender, button-like nose. She wore a pair of chocolate slacks and a floral pheasant top.

  Roxanne got up from the couch when she saw a woman about her age. Her coal colored hair was cut in a very flattering way, and her eyes were dark brown. She wore a burgundy pant suit.

  “I’m not open yet,” Roxanne announced.

  “I need your help,” Chloe announced back.

  “You need my help?” Roxanne repeated.

  “Andrew Knight is my dad,” Chloe further explained. “I read about the case you worked.”

  “You’re Andrew Knight’s daughter?” Roxanne was puzzled. She walked over and asked, “May I hold your hands.”

  “Hold my hands?” Chloe made a strange face.

  “I would just like to do a reading,” Roxanne smiled. “Um, sure,” Chloe stretched out her hands.

  Roxanne took Chloe’s hands in hers. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, and cleared her mind. Roxanne saw a myriad of images flash before her mind’s eye.

  “I see a large building surrounded by woods. There is a woman giving birth, but she has her eyes closed,” Roxanne said.

  “I was born at Evergreen Sanitarium,” Chloe answered. “My mom was in a coma.”

  “I also see a battle, a civil war battle,” Roxanne continued.

  “My dad’s last case involved civil war reenactors that were being murdered,” Chloe said. She was distracted by the wonderful smelling coffee.

  “I see you and your father standing before a grave. He is tracing the name with his finger tip,” Roxanne finally opened her eyes. “There was someone watching the both of you. I couldn’t see them clearly. The anger they felt shrouded their identity from me.”

  “We will get back to that later,” Chloe quickly shrugged it off. “I came here for your help on a case that my dad started working on.”

  “Please forgive my lack of manners,” Roxanne apologized. “Would you like some coffee or perhaps tea?”

  “That coffee smells wonderful,” Chloe said.

  “Would you like a cup?” Roxanne asked.

  “Yes, please.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Roxanne said. “Please sit.”

  Chloe sat down on the sofa where Roxanne had just been. Just as she settled in, Roxanne returned with a cup of coffee for her. Roxanne sat down.

  “A case he was working on?” Roxanne asked. “Did something happen?”

  “A few days ago my dad fell through the ice on the lake of the JFK grounds,” Chloe took a sip of the wonderful brew. She continued, “He survived and turned up at a horse ranch nearby. He had a heart attack,” Chloe inhaled and exhaled quickly so as not to start crying again. She went on, “He survived, thank God. Because of the near drowning and heart attack, my dad has trauma-induced amnesia.”

  “Oh my God,” Roxanne tearfully moaned.

  “We as a family have to deal with,” Chloe answered.

  “So, urn back to the case,” Roxanne said. “Are you taking it over?”

/>   “I was in my dad’s office looking through the case file,” Chloe said. She held up her cup for a refill. Roxanne laughed and took Chloe’s cup. She went to fill it. Roxanne returned shortly and retook her seat.

  “While on the computer, I read through the rest of his case files.” Chloe took a sip. “When I got to the case he worked on with you, it came to me that your psychic abilities would be able to help find the missing teenagers, and possibly the person who attacked the Higgins Family.”

  “So did you talk to the client?” Roxanne asked.

  “I set up a meeting for tomorrow,” Chloe said. She finished off the coffee and put down the cup. She looked forlorn, “I was hoping that you would join me on the case.” She brightened up a little, “Besides there was a note in the case folder stating that my dad was going to contact you anyway.”

  “You really are his daughter,” Roxanne laughed.

  “Will you help me?” Chloe asked.

  “I will help you,” Roxanne answered.

  “Great!” Chloe exclaimed.

  Chloe rose from the sofa. She thanked Roxanne again as they shook hands. Chloe said good bye and left. A frightening feeling washed over Roxanne as she looked at her hand. It was a sensation of death. But whose death was it?”

  Chloe arrived early at her dad’s office building earlier the next morning. His new assistant, Amanda, in business attire and with closely cropped blonde hair, was just unlocking the front door.

  “I’m Chloe Hawkins,” she said to Amanda.

  “I know,” Amanda answered. “Missus Knight phoned me at home last night. She explained that Andrew’s daughter would be taking over the Collins case.”

  Chloe followed Amanda inside and closed the door behind them. Amanda put her stuff down on the desk and went to make coffee. Chloe went into her dad’s office and pulled the Collins’ case file. Roxanne should be arriving soon. Chloe put the file folder on the desk and walked out into the reception area. Amanda was now seated at her desk.

  Chloe straightened her burgundy pant suit. The front door opened and two women, one older and one younger, walked into the main reception area. Chloe smiled at Roxanne, and the other woman, who she presumed was Nedra Collins. They walked over. Chloe turned in their direction when they came up to her.