Vendetta

by C. M. Sutter

  I pulled out my badge in hopes that it would expedite getting to Jade. “Excuse me. We’re looking for a patient who was brought in from the I-43 pileup.”

  The woman behind the counter rolled her chair toward the computer. “What’s that person’s name?”

  “Jade Monroe. She said she wasn’t seriously injured, so I doubt if she would be in the emergency area.”

  “One moment, please. Yes, she’s registered. All accident victims come in through the emergency triage area. If they aren’t seriously injured, they’re checked out and cleared, and then they wait for somebody to pick them up in an exam room. I’ll have someone show you where she is.”

  Kate and I followed the emergency wing orderly through the double doors to a hallway with a dozen or so rooms lining the walls. Each room had a sliding glass door with a privacy curtain. We stopped at room eight, and the orderly pulled a chart from a wall rack.

  “This is it.” He knocked, then slid the glass door to the side. He pulled the curtain open just enough to peek in. “Ms. Monroe, you have company.”

  I heard Jade respond from the other side of the curtain. “Yes, please let them in.”

  The orderly nodded to us and opened the door fully.

  I thanked him, then Kate and I passed through. I closed the slider and curtain behind us. Jade reached for the remote and turned off the TV.

  “Thank God you’re okay.” I embraced her carefully, and Kate did the same. Her face was scuffed up and her nose was swollen, but otherwise she appeared all right. “What hurts?”

  Jade chuckled. “Everything, and it’ll probably hurt more tomorrow. Whoever invented airbags probably saved my life tonight. My head and shoulders were throbbing, but they’ve already given me something for that. I’m feeling better.” Jade reached for Kate’s hand and squeezed it. “Looks like Amber got to you before something bad happened. I’m so thankful you’re okay.”

  “I had to call the police department, Jade. I knew I couldn’t get to Kate in time. She had a ten-minute head start on me.”

  “And the police didn’t find anyone suspicious lingering around?”

  Kate spoke up. “No, but if I was being watched, that person likely saw the police pull up. I’m sure they left the area quickly after that.” Kate gave Jade a concerned frown. “But back to you. How did you get mixed up in that accident, and how did somebody end up with your phone?”

  Jade shook her head and blew out a deep breath. “I’ve had several hours while lying here to think through that very scenario. You guys, I don’t believe it was an accident.”

  I spoke up. “Of course it was. At least, that’s what crashes are normally called. Somebody was probably texting while they were driving and set the whole thing in motion.”

  “No, you don’t understand—I caused it. Please tell me nobody was killed.”

  “Jade! What on earth are you talking about? First, I don’t have that information, and second, why would you say that?” I scooted my chair closer to the bed she was sitting on.

  “My brakes failed. I mean, literally, I had no brakes at all. I think somebody tampered with my car. I just took the Mustang in last week for the seventy-five-thousand-mile checkup, and everything was fine, including the brakes.”

  “Shit. Have you called J.T. yet?” I reached in my purse and pulled out my phone.

  “No, he doesn’t know I’m here. But now, after my brakes failed then somebody tried to lure Kate away from the house by acting like a text came from me, well—”

  “Well?” I asked.

  She gave both of us a worried look. “I think somebody actually wanted to kill me and Kate tonight, but who and why?”

  I dialed J.T.’s number and handed the phone to Jade. “Tell him to find out where they took your car. He needs to have it towed to the FBI’s crime lab and have the brakes inspected. It’s the only way you’ll know for sure.”

  She took the phone and made the call. J.T. told Jade he would take care of everything and said he was going to inform their regional commander, Agent Spelling. Jade hung up and handed the phone back to me. “Sorry, Sis, but he’s going to have to reach me through your phone until I get a new one.”

  “Let’s have the tech department ping your phone and see where it’s at,” Kate said.

  “Jade, why don’t you work on getting a doctor to release you? I need to make a call. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  I left her room and found a quiet spot at the end of the hallway. I had to talk to Jack. He didn’t know anything that had transpired since we left work that day, and I wanted his private opinion about the manner of Marvin’s death.

  Jack answered the phone on the third ring. From his gravelly hello, it sounded as if I woke him up.

  I tried to keep my voice low since I was close to patient rooms. “Boss, we need to talk.”

  “What’s wrong, Amber?”

  “Everything. Jade got into an accident tonight, somebody is out to get Kate, and now we’re sitting at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital.”

  “Jesus, Amber, what the hell are you talking about?” Jack sounded fully alert now.

  “We think somebody cut the brake lines on Jade’s car. She caused the pileup on I-43, and she was right in the thick of it. Thank God she’s okay and should be released soon, but the Mustang is totaled. Boss, I believe it’s all related. If her brake lines were actually cut, then somebody was out to get both her and Kate tonight.”

  “Explain how Kate was involved.”

  I heard Jack’s refrigerator open and close.

  “Hang on. I’m getting a soda. Okay, tell me why you think Kate is in the middle of it.”

  “Jade’s phone disappeared from the accident. I haven’t gotten that far with her yet, but somebody at the scene stole her phone from the car. The weird thing is, they texted Kate and pretended to be Jade. They told her to meet them at the Washington House.” I took a deep breath and continued. “Boss, Jade called me right after Kate left. She told me what happened and that she didn’t have her phone. I swear the hair on my arms stood straight up.”

  Jack let out an anxious groan. “Holy shit.”

  “I tried Kate, but she didn’t pick up. I got the PD involved to find her before the person who texted her did. Thank God the police got to her within minutes of my call. Kate is with me here at the hospital, and she’s fine too. The police searched up and down Main Street but didn’t see anyone suspicious lurking around.”

  “Why would somebody be after Kate and Jade? What’s the connection?”

  I sighed. “Remember when we were at Kate’s old apartment and Chief Sanders asked why anybody would cut Marvin’s throat twice? Then Lena said it was done postmortem?”

  “I do remember that.”

  “You do realize that Kate has two scars on her throat too, right?”

  “Well, yeah, but that’s only because Robert Lynch wasn’t successful on his first attempt. Kate was fighting for her life. Marvin was already dead when the cuts were inflicted, as if the perp did it simply for the pleasure of it.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. Remember when I brought up the dream Kate had Sunday night? She said somebody was trying to slit her throat, but he didn’t look like Robert.”

  “Because Robert is dead and the only other person involved was Tony, and he’s in prison.”

  “Sorry, boss, I’m just voicing what I’m thinking. I wanted you to know what was on my mind. Is it just a coincidence that Marvin was murdered earlier that day and had his throat slit, and then Kate had a nightmare that same night of someone trying to slit her throat?”

  “I understand where you’re coming from, Amber, and it’s food for thought.”

  “Okay. Well, no matter what, I wanted you to know what happened tonight too.” I looked down the hallway and saw a doctor enter Jade’s room. “Oh good, it looks like Jade is about to be released. We should be heading home soon.”

  “I think I should stop by later. We need to sort this out as soon as possible. Who knows? Yo
u might be on the right track. This could go much deeper than a former landlord’s unexplained murder.”

  Chapter 25

  Eight o’clock had come and gone, but we were finally home safe and sound.

  “Jack is stopping by soon to go over tonight’s events with us. Meanwhile, I need a glass of wine.” I draped a blanket over Jade as she snuggled deep into the couch.

  “I need one too.”

  “Sorry, Sis, you’re on drugs, but I will make you a cup of green tea.”

  She agreed with a disappointed frown.

  I looked over my shoulder at Kate. “Wine or tea?”

  “I definitely need wine.”

  My phone rang on the coffee table, and Jade popped up to take a look. “It’s J.T.”

  “Go ahead and answer it, then.” I poured water into the teakettle and turned the stove-top burner to high heat. After filling two wineglasses, I handed one to Kate then got comfortable on the recliner. Kate sat on the love seat while we listened to Jade’s side of the conversation.

  “Good to hear, and they’ll have their findings tonight? No, I’m okay, just sore. All right, if he insists. Thanks, partner, and call me back as soon as you hear something.” Jade clicked off and set the phone back on the coffee table.

  I took a sip of Merlot and cupped the glass between my hands. “What did J.T. say?”

  “The Milwaukee police told him where the Mustang was towed. It’s being taken to the evidence garage right now.”

  Kate rose to the sound of the whistle. “I’ll make the tea. Go ahead, Jade. I can hear you from the kitchen.”

  Jade nodded. “He also said Spelling insists that I take the rest of the week off. I imagine he’s right. My body will probably ache more in the next few days.”

  I agreed. “Spelling is a smart guy, and he’s absolutely right. You need to lie on the couch and recuperate.”

  The doorbell rang minutes later. Jack had called earlier and said he was on his way. I welcomed him in and took his coat.

  He crossed into the living room and took a seat at Jade’s side. “How are you doing, partner?”

  “A bit scuffed up. My neck and shoulders are beginning to hurt again, though. I bet my feel-good meds are wearing off.”

  “How about some ibuprofen?” I asked.

  She gave me a thank-you smile as I went to retrieve them.

  “And Kate”—Jack turned toward her—“you’re okay?”

  “I hate to admit it, boss, but I had no idea anything was wrong. I truly thought I was on my way to meet up with Jade. I feel guilty for not answering Amber’s call.”

  I handed Jade the ibuprofen and a glass of water. “That’s because you were still upset with me.”

  “I know, and I’m so sorry for being stubborn. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She smiled at Jack and Jade. “That goes for all of you.” Kate walked over and embraced me tightly. “I know you were only trying to help when you brought up my dream.”

  Jack raised a questioning brow and glanced at me. “Speaking of that dream, I think it’s time we get down to some serious business.”

  “Before we begin, do you want something to drink, Jack?”

  “No more wine for you guys. We need to put on our thinking caps. How about making a twelve-cupper?”

  “You got it.” I went to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.

  Ten minutes later when we were gathered around the kitchen table, each with a cup of coffee in front of us, Jack began. “Are you comfortable, Jade?”

  “Yep, I’m good.”

  “Okay, take us through your day.”

  I sat opposite Jade and took notes as she spoke.

  “I went to work, just like always. We had a lot of paperwork to do as well as follow-up calls to make. Valerie and Maria left at noon and brought back carryout lunches for all of us. Cam left for the federal building downtown a short time after that. I didn’t go anywhere until my workday was over.”

  I wrote down that all was well until Jade headed home.

  “Did you notice anything off with your brakes right away?” Jack blew on his coffee and took a sip.

  “Actually I remember being a little pissed off. They seemed kind of squishy, like they weren’t fully engaging.”

  “Why did that piss you off rather than cause concern?”

  “Because I took my car to the Ford dealership for its seventy-five-thousand-mile checkup and oil change just last Saturday. Paul Crane said everything was fine, including the brakes.”

  I looked at Jack. “Maybe that’s something I can check into tomorrow. He’d definitely have a receipt and an inspection report.”

  “Jade, you said the Mustang was taken to the FBI evidence garage?”

  “According to J.T., it’s there now. He told me he’d call with the findings tonight.”

  Jack nodded. “Good to know. Then we definitely need Paul’s report. There’s a big difference in the appearance of normal wear and tear and lines deliberately being tampered with. So what happened next?”

  “I merged onto I-43 north and drove in the madness of traffic like everyone else. It wasn’t until I closed in on the bottleneck at Brown Deer Road that I realized I had a serious problem. About a half mile from there, I began to pump my brakes. They grabbed for a second and then nothing. I had the pedal pressed to the floor, and the car didn’t slow down.”

  I held my face in my hands. “That had to be terrifying. I can’t believe you escaped serious injury.”

  “It was only because I swerved right and avoided a direct hit to the car in front of me. The guy behind me did the same thing to the Mustang. We all had crunched cars, but the Mustang got it on both ends.” Jade shook her head. “If it weren’t for the airbags—”

  Kate squeezed Jade’s hand. “But they did what they were meant to do, and you’re okay.”

  “We need to know who took your phone and why they didn’t turn it in to the police. Do you think it could have fallen out of the car and some random person picked it up?”

  “I was so stunned, Jack, I don’t remember if the doors popped open or if the windows blew out.”

  “Who came to your aid?” Kate asked.

  Jade rubbed her forehead. “I remember seeing a woman, and then there was a man who said he was a doctor. He pushed someone aside so he could check on me—probably that woman. I recall being helped into the ambulance. I saw a lot of flashing red lights and sirens, and then I was at St. Mary’s.”

  Jack sighed. “This isn’t adding up. A random person wouldn’t know Kate from anyone else on Jade’s contact list, and they wouldn’t know you guys live in North Bend either.”

  I gave Jade a worried glance. She nodded.

  Jack caught our actions. “What’s going on between you two?”

  I spoke up. “I have a confession to make. Yesterday morning, Spaz got loose. I went outside to look for him before Kate and I went to work. I saw a strange shape in the snow alongside the window well that looks down into Kate’s bedroom.” I swallowed hard. “It was shaped like a person’s body. There were also footprints that led in and out from the street.”

  “Why the hell didn’t you tell me that yesterday when you brought Spaz back inside the house?”

  I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t get a pass on that one. “Kate, you’d just had a horrific nightmare six hours earlier. Do you really think I was going to tell you I thought someone was peeping into your bedroom window?”

  “If it’s any consolation, Kate, Amber told me. I had all intentions of having motion sensor lights and cameras installed outside. I was actually going to look into options online tonight and make an appointment for installation in the next few days.”

  Jack tapped his fingertips against the table’s surface. “I think you still should. The alarm system protects you guys inside the house, but it doesn’t tell you if someone is prowling around outside.”

  Kate’s eyes pooled with tears. “So somebody wants to harm me again, but who, and why go after Jade too?”
/>   Jack shrugged. “That’s the million-dollar question.”

  I filled Kate’s coffee cup. “I hate to say this, but I believe the only reason Marvin was killed on Sunday is because the perp thought you still lived above the hardware store. He went there to find you and came face-to-face with Marvin instead.”

  “But if that was him lying in the snow outside my window Sunday night, he already knew where I lived.”

  Jack spoke up. “Or he got it out of Marvin before he killed him.”

  “Then the killer had to be following Jade on the freeway earlier. He’s the one who took your cell phone and coaxed Kate out into the night.” My cell phone rang and made us all jump. “Damn, that scared the heck out of me.” I looked at the screen and slid the phone across the table to Jade. “It’s J.T.”

  Jade picked up and pressed a button. “I have you on Speakerphone, buddy. I’m back home and sitting here with Jack, Kate, and Amber. Tell us what they found.”

  “First off, hi, everyone, and I hope you ladies are doing better now that you’re back in the safety of the house.”

  “We are, thanks,” Kate said.

  “Okay, here goes. The crime lab technicians said the brake lines had definitely been slit and punctured. Making small cuts like that won’t alert you immediately that you don’t have much left of your brakes, but once you clamp down and need to stop, the pressure on those weakened areas would make them burst. That’s when you’d lose all braking power.”

  “Which is exactly what happened,” Jade said.

  J.T. continued. “I took it upon myself to go back to work and inspect the parking lot where your car sat today. The asphalt had small amounts of fresh brake fluid on it. Whoever did this was brazen enough to tamper with those lines in broad daylight. I want you ladies to know how serious this is. An attempt to kill an FBI agent—and do who knows what to a county sheriff’s office detective—took place tonight. My guess would be that he intended to take your life as well, Kate.”

  “I don’t understand why, though. Jade and I never actually worked together. I wasn’t on the force before Jade left for the FBI. Amber and I started at the sheriff’s office at the same time, and nobody is after her.”