The Reunion

by Suzanne Rossi

  “It’s still here. She didn’t take off,” Zach said.

  Meghan walked around toward the driver’s side. She gasped when her eyes caught sight of a blue-clad body partially hidden under a car. “Oh, God! It’s Suzanne.”

  Zach and Ray leaped forward and gently eased her from under the car, rolling her onto her back.

  Ray placed his fingers on the battered woman’s neck feeling for a pulse. His gaze met hers.

  “She’s alive!”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Suzanne was alive!

  Meghan’s heart hammered as she rushed forward to help the wounded woman.

  “Don’t touch her, Meghan.”

  Meghan ignored Ray’s order, gulped tears, and held Suzanne’s hand. Zach crouched next to her. Ray immediately called 9-1-1.

  “This is Sheriff Ray Armstrong. I want an ambulance sent to the parking lot of The Grandview Inn stat. I have a critically injured woman. Please alert the ER at the hospital to stand by.” He hung up from emergency services and re-dialed. “Jamieson, are you the only deputy still here? Call in Campbell and Thompson. We have an emergency in the parking lot. Someone’s assaulted Mrs. Crocker. She’s unconscious and bleeding bad. Get forensics out here… Screw Coryell’s room. Drug paraphernalia can wait a while. This one is hot—less than an hour old.”

  Meghan gagged. Suzanne’s beautiful designer dress was ripped and blood spattered. Congealing blood caked her red hair. Suzanne’s ankle and arm were twisted indicating broken bones. She shuddered at the sight of the stains marring the dress.

  Suzanne’s face bore no resemblance to the beautiful woman of a few hours ago. Meghan stifled a sob. The metallic stench of blood was overwhelming. She struggled not to throw up.

  “I guess there’s no mistake this time.” Ray said in a grim tone. “Dammit. Why the hell did she leave her room?”

  “I don’t know.” Guilt gnawed at her insides. “I should have stayed with her.”

  “Where’s that damned ambulance?” Zach snapped at Ray.

  “Take it easy. I just called. If you want to help, inform Nelson he’s got another victim.” Ray glanced at the overhead light several yards away. “Ask him if the hotel has security cameras covering the parking lot.”

  Zach left while Meghan continued to hold Suzanne’s hand, wincing at the sight of the woman’s grotesquely twisted limbs. She couldn’t just sit here. She had to do something.

  “Come on, Suzanne, hang in there. Help is on the way. You’re tough. You can do it.”

  She hoped the redhead heard the words of encouragement. Suzanne could be a real bitch, but she was also a fighter. She wouldn’t give up easily. Then a thought occurred.

  “Ray, she must have seen her attacker.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. He might have worn a ski or stocking mask.”

  “What about the weapon?”

  “A baseball bat? A tire iron? Even a hammer. I don’t know.”

  Meghan peered under the cars. “Do you think it’s still here?”

  “As soon as my men get here, we’ll search the parking lot and the garden. The attacker would want to unload it as soon as possible.”

  “If he attacked Suzanne in the parking lot, he must have returned to the hotel through the front doors.”

  “Not necessarily. He could have entered the garden, hidden the weapon in the bushes, and slipped in through one of many doors. This is a cool character. He’s familiar with the layout of the hotel.”

  Sirens wailed in the distance. Meghan breathed a sigh of relief. Help was on the way. It’s about time.

  The ambulance cut the noise when it entered the parking lot. Ray ran toward the entrance and flagged them down, pointing to the scene. Two police cruisers turned in a few seconds later. When the ambulance stopped, paramedics piled out.

  “I’ve got to go now, Suzanne. The paramedics are here and will take good care of you. Fight it. Don’t let the bastard win.”

  Meghan rose, picking up Suzanne’s discarded purse, car key, and shoes. She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest as the medical personnel swarmed around the victim. Already Ray had directed his men to the garden. That seemed the most logical place to stash the weapon.

  “Meghan, go back into the hotel. This is a crime scene. I’ll take those,” Ray said, pointing to items in her hands.

  Meghan handed them over, and then secured her bag firmly over her shoulder by the slender strap. Blood streaked her arms. She gazed at the men working to save Suzanne.

  “BP’s eighty over forty, respirations eight and shallow, pulse sixty, thready, and dropping. Come on guys, we’re losing her. God only knows what kind of internal injuries she’s sustained.”

  “Fight, you bitch, fight.” Meghan hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud.

  “Meghan, please,” Ray insisted.

  “No. I want to stay with her. I’ll just stand here.”

  The paramedics stuck an IV needle in Suzanne’s unbroken arm and slapped an oxygen mask over her blood covered face. Meghan held her breath and waited while the men applied air casts on the broken bones. Suzanne never moved.

  “Ninety over sixty,” the paramedic monitoring vital signs called out. “Pulse and respirations are up, too.”

  Way to go, Suzanne.

  Meghan jumped when an arm draped over her shoulders. “How’s she doing?” Zach asked.

  “Not so good, but better than a minute ago.”

  Ray joined them. “What did Nelson say?”

  “There are no security cameras anywhere in the hotel.”

  Meghan jerked her head around to stare. “No cameras? What kind of hotel doesn’t have security?”

  “According to Nelson, they had cameras, but turned most of them off two years ago in a cost cutting move. What’s there now are used as a decoy, a deterrent.”

  “Didn’t work, did it?” she snapped in a tart tone.

  “Instead the guards patrol on foot.”

  “What guards? I haven’t seen any all night. What the hell were they doing? Playing Liar’s Poker in a back room?” Meghan spat out.

  “Relax. There are only two of them. They stroll around the outside, including the parking lot and the garden, once an hour. Most of the locked offices are on the alarm system.”

  “Are any of the cameras still working?” Ray demanded.

  “Nelson admitted he didn’t know. He said he hasn’t looked at a monitor in six months.”

  Ray took off his hat, ran his hand though his hair, and grimaced. “Damned jackasses. I hope The Grandview Inn can cover all the lawsuits heading their way.”

  The paramedics lifted Suzanne onto the gurney brought out of the ambulance. She looked pitiful, barefooted and in the tattered remains of the bloodstained designer dress. Tears gathered in Meghan’s eyes. She sniffed. She didn’t consider Suzanne Crocker a friend—wasn’t even sure she liked her, but no one deserved this.

  “BP’s one hundred over sixty. Pulse steady and stronger at sixty-five. Respirations improving. Let’s transport,” the paramedic ordered.

  “I want to go with her,” Meghan said.

  “Let the hospital personnel do their job,” Ray told her.

  “Please, let me go with her,” she begged.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” one of the paramedics finally told her. “We have work to do, but you can follow us to the hospital if you want.”

  “I want. How long before I can see her?” Meghan persisted as the last paramedic climbed into the ambulance.

  “Can’t say, ma’am. Could be an hour, could be longer. Take your time. No sense in sitting in a hospital waiting room.”

  “Is she going to live?”

  “She’s in bad shape, but her vitals are improving.”

  He slammed the door, and the ambulance shot out of the parking lot.

  “That didn’t tell me a damned thing!”

  “Come on, Meghan. I need a drink,” Zach said.

  Their retreat was halted when Ray turned his attention to one of his d
eputies returning from the garden. “Find anything?”

  “Nothing. The lights are too dim and flashlights don’t come close to penetrating all the foliage.”

  “Well, keep looking. The killer wouldn’t leave the damned thing lying on the path. Check behind the bushes,” Ray snapped.

  “Don’t forget the koi pond,” Zach suggested.

  “I hadn’t thought of that,” Meghan murmured. What better place to hide something than in the depths of dark water?

  “Don’t worry, we’ll check everywhere,” Ray replied in an impatient tone. “Why don’t the two of you go back inside? Nothing for you out here.”

  Zach steered her across the parking lot. Nelson met them at the front door. “Is she going to make it?”

  “Too soon to tell. We’ll be in the bar if the sheriff wants us,” Zach informed him.

  The night manager nodded, his expression far from happy.

  Probably thinks we’re going to get blind drunk on his tab. Serves him right if we do.

  Meghan ignored the tables and grabbed a stool. Zach slid around the bar and lifted the brandy bottle.

  “No, not brandy. Wine.”

  He opened the fridge under the counter, extracted a half-empty bottle of chardonnay, and poured, then using a glass, scooped ice from the bin. Glenlivet crackled over the cubes.

  She sipped, then shoved the glass away and buried her face in her hands. “We should never have left her alone.”

  Zach pried her hands loose. “And what would she have said if you suggested staying with her?”

  “She’d have probably told me to go to hell.”

  “And you’d have walked away. No one could predict she’d take off. The only person who should feel guilty is the killer.” He released her hands and sipped on the scotch. “The bastard obviously thought she was dead or at the least, dying. If she makes it, and got a good look at him, she may be able to provide an ID.”

  “Assuming he didn’t wear a disguise of some sort. I would. To shield my face and clothing from blood spatter if nothing else. Zach, a thought occurred to me earlier.” She fiddled with the stem of her wine glass. “What if the killer is a cop, or even one of those security guards? Suzanne would have opened the door to someone like that.”

  Zach frowned. “I can’t think of why anyone in the Grandview Police Department would have a vendetta against these people. Ray and Ron Campbell are the closest in age to us. Ron was a member of the Methodist Church and president of the youth league when I was a teenager. I think he graduated two or three years before us.”

  “Maybe it doesn’t have to be a real cop. Someone could be running around with a fake uniform and badge. Would Suzanne know the difference? Would you? Would I? Would anybody?”

  Zach shook his head. “But why would she leave with him? Why even open the door? She was scared and pissed.”

  “And she wasn’t forced to leave. She’d have screamed the house down. Plus, if the killer had a knife to her throat or a gun stuck in her ribs, why attack using a blunt instrument?” She glanced at her watch. “Do you think they have any news yet?”

  “Honey, it’s only been a few minutes. They’re probably just arriving at the hospital. Come on, drink your wine.”

  “I don’t want to drink the goddamned wine. I want to be with Suzanne.”

  “Why? She’s been nasty all night.”

  “Guilt maybe? I should have stayed with her whether she wanted me to or not.” She rubbed her fingers over her forehead, choking back a sob. “Oh, God, I don’t know why. I don’t even like the bitch. All I know is I want to be with her.”

  “And do what? Sit in the hospital waiting room? It’s going to take a while to set the broken bones, get a CAT scan, and stitch those head wounds. Don’t cry, honey, and don’t feel guilty.”

  “At least there would be someone with her, someone who showed some interest in whether she lives or dies.” Her voice rose.

  “Meghan, calm down,” Zach ordered in a quiet voice.

  “I don’t want to calm down either. I’m mad as hell. I want this maniac caught. I want to know why he’s killing off our classmates. These are no spur of the moment events. This took planning.”

  “There’s no need to shout. I want to know, too.”

  She struggled to lower her voice. “And what if the killer is someone who doesn’t have a grudge against the Fearsome Foursome? What if he just hates everyone in the whole freaking class? Am I next? Are you? And can Ray do a damned thing about it?”

  “I’m asking myself the same question,” Ray said from the doorway. He entered and took the stool next to her. “Forensics is going over the parking lot, but hasn’t found anything. And it’s too dark to get much accomplished in the garden. This killer is either very smart, or I’m a lousy cop.”

  Meghan bit her lip. “Two murders and an attempted murder in less than eight hours are apt to put everyone on edge.”

  “Maybe I deserve it. I haven’t got much in the line of clues, and unless I come up with something, this place is going to empty out tomorrow morning like an erupting volcano, and then the killer could be gone.”

  “Ray, you look like you could use a drink,” Zach said. “Are you still on duty or can I pour you something?”

  “I’m still on duty, but go ahead and hit me with whatever you’re having.” Zach served him. Ray took a long swallow. “Thanks, I’m about at the end of my rope.”

  “I had another theory,” Meghan suggested, and told him about the possibility of a police or security guard impersonator. She stiffened her spine as another thought crossed her mind. “Ray, you said the killer used his knee on the victim’s backs to gain leverage. I’ve watched those reality based cop shows on TV. Isn’t that how an officer subdues a fleeing suspect so he can handcuff him?”

  “Yes. That’s an effective way to maintain control. It isn’t easy to throw off a grown man who’s kneeling on your back.” He ran a hand over his face. “Ah, hell, Meghan, it couldn’t be one of my guys. There were too many people here tonight who know us on sight. A stranger in a Grandview police uniform would’ve been noticed and mentioned during questioning.”

  “What about the security guards? Would they have had the same type of training?” Zach asked.

  “Probably. I’ve never thought to ask. It’s worth checking out. I’ll talk to Nelson and the guards.”

  Meghan tapped her finger against her lips. “Ray, suppose one of our classmates from out of town is a cop or a former cop? Or even a security guard?”

  “If that’s the case, no one admitted it during questioning, at least not to my knowledge. None of my deputies mentioned it either. I’ll ask.” He finished his scotch. “By the way, I took your advice and called the police over in Muncie.” He shook his head. “Never underestimate the deductive powers of women.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “I mean, Clara Sylvester’s death is listed as suspicious.”

  “I knew it! Those dates are just too close together. And why a teacher? What was her connection to the Fearsome Foursome?”

  Zach shot a quick look at Meghan. “What happened, Ray?”

  “According to one of the nurses, she had given Clara her medications and was sitting with her when an emergency in another room called her away. She was gone about an hour. She peeked in on Ms. Sylvester when she returned and found her dead.”

  “What’s suspicious about that?” Zach inquired.

  “There was an extra pillow on the old woman’s bed, one the nurse is pretty certain wasn’t there when she left. The coroner found cloth fibers in the nasal passages and lungs during autopsy.”

  “She was smothered?” Meghan said.

  “That’s the conclusion.”

  “Could it have been an inside job? Someone who worked there?” Zach wanted to know.

  “At the moment, the officials are investigating if a staff member may have had robbery on his or her mind. However, as far as they know nothing was taken. Her watch and rings, along wit
h ten dollars and a bunch of change were in plain sight on the nightstand. Clara also had defensive bruises on her arms. The theory is the person entered the room thinking the old gal was asleep and panicked when he realized she wasn’t.”

  “And he just happened to bring a pillow with him?” Meghan wondered.

  “The nurse was pretty sure about the pillow not being there, but stops short of swearing to it.”

  “The police may be right on this,” Zach said. “The killer is so scared after she dies, he runs without taking anything. Why would our killer take out Clara Sylvester?”

  “No, this was no inside job. There has to be a connection,” Meghan insisted.

  Ray ran his hand over his face. “I have no idea why anyone would want to murder poor old Clara, nor do I understand her connection to students who graduated twenty years ago. We were related, you know.”

  “You and Clara?” Meghan replied.

  “Yeah, her mother and my grandmother were sisters. Made us some kind of cousins, I think. I just thought you’d like to know your hunch was right.” He set the glass back on the bar and slid from the stool. “Guess I’ll go talk to Nelson. I understand the general manager of the place is on his way in from his weekend cabin on Lake Shafer. You going to the hospital?”

  Meghan nodded. “As soon as I change clothes.”

  “Good idea. I’ve been in this suit a lot longer than I’d planned,” Zach added.

  “I’ll stop by the ER in a little while,” Ray remarked as his phone rang. He answered, listened for a moment, and then heaved a sigh. “All right, I’ll send a couple of deputies over. Any fatalities…Well, that’s a blessing at any rate.” He hung up.

  “Something wrong?” Zach asked.

  “Three car accident on the highway. Several people hurt, but no fatals. I’ll send a couple of guys out to deal with it while I finish up here. It never rains, it pours.” He shook his head and left the bar.

  Zach finished his drink. Meghan eyed the rejected wine. Might not be such a bad idea after all. She tilted the glass, drinking until it was empty. They walked side by side to the elevators.

  “What floor?” Zach asked when they entered the car.