Twisted Truth (Rogue Justice Novella Book 1)

by Melinda Leigh

  Behind Carly, rubber soles squeaked on the tile. Nurses shouted for security.

  The man turned the child, putting the boy’s back to his chest, but the boy continued to struggle as the man punched the button on the wall to open the door to the waiting room. He stepped back, waiting for the door to open, blocking a tiny fist headed for his groin.

  Carly hit a slippery patch of floor and careened for a few feet, her arms pinwheeling. She slammed into the wall, then regained her balance. The noise echoed down the hall. An alarm sounded, the bells echoing in the corridor.

  She’d lost ground, but he was stuck.

  Carly prayed the door was locked. Does this hospital have lockdown capabilities?

  He glanced back at Carly. Overhead light reflected off a pair of dark-framed glasses, obscuring his eyes. He slapped the metal square again, harder, angrier.

  More desperate as Carly neared.

  Twenty feet.

  His feet turned, as if he was contemplating running.

  The door swung inward, and he bolted through the opening, but Carly had gained ground. Carrying the wriggling child was slowing him down.

  He sprinted for the sliding glass doors.

  “Stop him!” Carly shouted, breathless.

  In the early hours of the morning, few people occupied the ER waiting room. A nurse came out from behind the counter. With one hard shove, he sent her sprawling.

  A guard in a tan-and-brown uniform stepped out from the corner and blocked the exit. “Hey! Stop right there!”

  Thank God!

  Carly put on the brakes.

  Slowing to a fast walk, the fake surgeon reached under his white lab coat and pulled a weapon. Without breaking stride, he aimed and fired it at the guard.

  Carly flinched, disbelief and shock chilling her.

  The guard’s body jerked, and then he froze. His chin slowly tipped down as he watched the red stain spread across his tan shirt. His gun fell from his hand and hit the floor with a clunk.

  He lifted his head, one hand clutching his shoulder, and held his ground.

  The fake doctor slowed his strides and pushed the wounded guard out of his way. But Carly was nearly on top of him. She reached for the collar of his lab coat. Her hand missed by an inch. She stumbled, falling to her knees.

  The double doors that led into the vestibule swooshed open as he strode onto the black doormat. Beyond the glass exit door, rain pounded the concrete and blurred the view.

  A second guard came running across the tile. A gun waved in his hand. But the weapon wouldn’t do him much good. There was no way he could shoot the fake doctor without risking hitting the child.

  As the fake doctor passed through the first set of doors, the child exploded. His flailing turned wild, his entire body bucking and thrashing as if he realized how close he was to being taken again. The child’s kicking heel struck the man between the legs, and the man’s grip faltered. The boy lunged and grabbed for the door frame. The sudden, unwieldy motion pulled the fake doctor off balance, and he dropped the child.

  Yes!

  The boy hit the black entry mat facedown and instantly curled into a fetal ball, like a threatened armadillo. Carly crawled toward him.

  The man bent to scoop up the boy. But Carly got one leg under her body and dove on top of the child, throwing her torso over the small, balled-up body and shielding him. The man would have to go through her to get the boy. Carly wrapped her arms around him, braced herself for a blow or shot, and willed more help to arrive before he hurt them both.

  Would he shoot her? He wanted the child alive, it seemed.

  She hoped.

  Alarms clanged. People shouted. Feet pounded in a cacophony of sound that seemed to swirl around them.

  Guard number two slid to a stop ten feet away, his gun aimed at the fake doctor. At least sixty years old, he wheezed. His weapon shook as he coughed.

  Ignoring the second guard, the fake doctor pivoted, ran through the second set of double doors, and disappeared into the downpour.

  Carly sat up, almost dizzy with relief. “Did you call the police?”

  “They’re on the way.” Guard number two panted. “Is the kid all right?”

  “I think so,” she said to the guard, then turned and touched the boy’s shoulder. “It’s all right now. He’s gone.”

  The child flinched and pulled away. Then he slowly lifted his gaze and looked around, his brown eyes big and searching. He blinked back to Carly, not meeting her gaze but staring at the floor in front of her.

  She shifted to her knees. “Can you get up?”

  He rolled to his hands and knees, then climbed to his feet.

  Carly inspected him. He looked the same. One underweight, grimy, little boy in pale blue hospital pajamas. He kept his face tipped toward the floor. The same blank expression masked his features.

  A shiver shook him. Cold, damp air filled the vestibule. She stood, her knees wobbling for a few seconds. She herded the boy back into the warmer waiting room.

  A nurse brought a blanket. More security arrived. Nurses scrambled to treat the guard who’d been shot. Carly walked the boy back to the exam room, away from the chaos in the ER.

  He stopped outside the room he’d been in when he’d been grabbed and shook his head hard.

  “It’s okay.” But Carly’s promise felt empty. She hadn’t kept him safe before. “I’m staying with you. I promise I won’t leave.”

  A doctor passed them in the hallway. The boy flew backward, flattening his body against the wall and trembling.

  The man who’d tried to kidnap him had been wearing a white lab coat.

  She crouched down to the boy’s level. His gaze touched hers for a few seconds. The fear that blazed through his eyes fractured Carly’s heart.

  “I know what just happened was frightening, and I’m sorry,” she said. “I won’t let it happen again. Do you think you can give me another chance?”

  He didn’t answer, and his body didn’t yield. She’d blown it. Now she’d have to prove that he could rely on her. But how?

  Carly reached for her phone and called Seth. She told him what had happened.

  “I’m already on my way there. Are you both all right?” Seth asked, his words clipped and tense. She heard the chatter of his vehicle radio in the background.

  “Physically, yes. But I need Bruce. Is there any way you can send him over to the hospital?”

  At the mention of her brother’s name, the boy looked up at her.

  “Hold on,” Seth said.

  Carly listened to the muted sounds of his voice and the squawk of his radio.

  “Bruce is going off duty,” Seth said. “He says he’ll be there in fifteen minutes. I’ll be there ASAP too. This attack must be tied to the homicides.”

  “Yes. Can you ask Bruce to stay in uniform?” Carly wanted her brother to look exactly the same as he had when he’d been with the child last.

  “I’ll tell him.” Seth hesitated, then said, “Take care, okay?”

  “I will,” Carly promised. “And thank you.”

  She appreciated not just the fact that Bruce was on his way, but that Seth hadn’t flipped out at her call. In the past, he would have lost it. But she knew it wasn’t easy for him. His natural instinct was to guard her at all times.

  “Just keep me in the loop.” His voice was hoarse.

  “I will.”

  Ironically, after last month’s case, Seth had more confidence in her than she did.

  “Love you,” he said.

  “Love you too.” She ended the call and turned back to the child. “Bruce is on his way.”

  The boy’s face brightened just a tiny bit, but enough to let her know she’d made the right call. It didn’t matter who the child trusted, as long as he trusted someone.

  She led him back inside the exam room.

  The nurse’s face was tear-streaked, and her cheek was red, as if she’d been hit. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  The boy scanned the ro
om, then slipped into the corner and pressed himself into it as if he wanted to disappear into the wallboard.

  The young resident hurried into the room. The boy startled. The resident stopped and smiled, her face tight. Kneeling on the floor, she checked the child over for injuries, then turned to Carly, her eyes relieved. “Physically, he seems to be fine.”

  “How quickly can you discharge him?” Carly asked. “I’d like to get him out of here.”

  Too many people came in and out of a hospital. They had no idea who was after the boy or why. Therefore, they wouldn’t recognize danger if it walked right into the room.

  Which it had.

  The boy cringed, retreating farther into the corner.

  “I’ll get the nurse to start the discharge paperwork.” The resident disappeared.

  Carly waited, watching the door and the boy. The child slid down the wall and sat on his butt, his knees drawn up to his chin. What was she going to do with him? She called the psychiatrist and was surprised—and pleased—to hear he had an office in Solitude and kept hours there two days per week. His schedule was full, but after Carly explained the circumstances, his receptionist gave her an appointment at four o’clock that day, after his regular hours were over.

  The boy barely moved, but the second Bruce walked through the door, the boy’s demeanor changed. He flung himself at Carly’s brother, wrapping his arms around Bruce’s waist. Bruce squatted and returned the hug, then lifted the boy onto his hip.

  “Did Seth tell you what happened?” Carly asked.

  Bruce nodded. “He did.”

  “Thanks for coming. I know you’re off duty, and you have to be exhausted.”

  Bruce looked insulted. “Of course I came.”

  “I didn’t expect any less,” Carly said. “But I still appreciate it.”

  “Are we taking him to the farm?” Bruce asked.

  “Maybe.” Carly’s mother, Patsy, had been approved as an emergency foster parent in the past. Carly’s late father had been the police chief of their hometown of Solitude for forever. Together, Patsy and Bill Taylor had been pillars of the community. There wasn’t a judge in the county who wouldn’t approve of Patsy Taylor looking after any child in need.

  What else could Carly do? He couldn’t go to a foster home. She would not put other children or foster parents in danger. What were her options? Put a six-year-old in juvenile detention?

  The rural community of Rogue County didn’t have any sort of protective custody.

  “Give me a few minutes.” Carly stepped out into the hall and called her mom, who took less than a second to agree. Then she called Seth.

  Seth picked up on the first ring. “I’m pulling into the hospital right now. Where are you?”

  “In the ER hallway,” Carly said.

  “The boy is all right?”

  “Yes.” Carly glanced through the doorway into the exam room. Bruce was talking to the pretty nurse, and the nurse was smiling at her brother in a very different way than she’d smiled at the child. “I hate to tell you this, but I want to take him to the farm. Bruce is the only person he’ll respond to, and I don’t have anywhere else to send him where he’ll be safe.”

  “I had a feeling this was coming.” Seth sighed.

  “Do you have any other ideas?” Carly asked.

  “No,” Seth said. “But I don’t want Brianna in danger.”

  “Me neither,” Carly said. “I’ll call James and see if Brianna can stay at his house tonight.”

  Carly’s older brother was the mayor of Solitude. He and his wife had two little boys who Brianna loved to boss around.

  “Good idea,” Seth said.

  As much as Carly wanted to protect this boy, she wouldn’t put her own daughter at risk.

  Someone was clearly out to get the boy. Just having him at the farm would bring the danger home.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Seth rushed into the ER, nerves on edge, his gaze searching for his wife. Relief hit him like a blow to the back of his knees when he spotted her.

  Carly stood in the hallway, her phone pressed to her ear. He waited for her to finish her call. She slid the phone into her pocket and looked up. As soon as their eyes met, hers went misty. Seth choked up, strode to her, and hugged her tightly against him.

  Every time she was in danger, he needed to touch her to believe that she was whole and unharmed, as if his body demanded proof of her survival on a cellular level.

  “I’m fine, Seth.” But she hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face into his damp coat for a few seconds before lifting her chin.

  The dark circles under her eyes told him she wasn’t fine. Two highly stressful cases right on top of each other were wearing on her. She’d been devastated when the child had died, and she’d had no downtime to recover. Seth knew how that felt all too well, and his wife’s heart was even more tender than his.

  But in their lines of work, sometimes stress overload couldn’t be helped.

  He released her and held her at arm’s length. “Tell me what happened.”

  She gave him a succinct summary.

  Hearing the story from his wife’s lips was different from taking a stranger’s statement.

  The violence hit closer to home.

  It became intimate.

  Personal.

  “Can you describe him?” Seth took his notebook and pen from his chest pocket.

  “I couldn’t see his hair because of the surgical cap.” Carly closed her eyes and pursed her lips. “The light reflecting on his glasses kept me from seeing his eyes. He was at least six feet tall, and he moved like he was fit. The skin on his hands was light. His body seemed thicker, more filled out and mature than a very young man.” She opened her eyes. “And he wore black boots. I’m sorry I can’t give you a better description.”

  Seth looked up from his notes. “It’s actually impressive considering his hair and face were covered. You are such a cop’s daughter.”

  Her face was so tight, her attempt to smile should have cracked it. “We both know how inaccurate eyewitness descriptions can be.”

  Seth nodded. “I’m headed to interview the other witnesses and view the surveillance tapes. Bruce will stay with you and the boy.”

  “I wish we had a name. I hate calling him the boy over and over.”

  “Give him some time. He’ll tell us.”

  “I know.” Carly massaged her forehead. “I’ll take him home. Mom can work her magic with food and love and furry creatures. I cleared it with my boss. And we have an appointment with a child psychiatrist at his office in Solitude this afternoon. I’m dropping Brianna off at James’s house on the way.”

  “Sounds like a sensible plan. Please be careful. Trying to kidnap a child from a hospital ER is a ballsy or desperate move,” Seth said. Neither one boded well for the child—or since the boy was headed to the farm, for Seth’s family.

  But since he’d married into the Taylor family, he’d learned that the Taylors didn’t turn their backs on those in need. Animals, children—anyone who needed help was welcome in their home. This child would be no different. He’d be folded in their embrace and healed with their love.

  “The sheriff has cleared Bruce to stay with the boy for the next twenty-four hours,” Seth said. Though it had taken some convincing on Seth’s part.

  “All right.”

  “I’m going to head downstairs to the security office now.” He pressed his forehead to his wife’s. “I wish I could stay with you.”

  “I know, but the sooner you solve this case, the sooner we’ll all be safe.” Carly moved back a few inches.

  “No pressure.” A wry smile tugged at Seth’s mouth. He didn’t want to leave her.

  “We’ll be all right.” Carly wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself. The vulnerability in the gesture killed him. “You take care.”

  “Back atcha.” He leaned over and kissed her, then stepped away.

  One of the hardest things
Seth had to do was walk away from his wife and trust her to keep herself safe, especially when she was so fragile.

  But he had to trust her to do her job. Carly would protect the child, even if it hurt her in the long run.

  Seth left the examination room and spent the next hour interviewing witnesses and hospital staff. All accounts agreed with Carly’s statement. When he was finished, he found the office of hospital security. An older man in a guard uniform stood behind a bank of monitors like Captain Kirk on the bridge of the Enterprise. Seth knocked on the door frame.

  The older man waved him in. “I’m Todd White.”

  Seth introduced himself. “What do you have?”

  “Plenty.” Todd turned back to his monitors. “We have him on at least five different feeds. Here he is, getting off the elevator in the ER hallway.”

  Todd pressed a button, and the image froze on the screen.

  Seth leaned closer. The image was black and white and slightly grainy. Carly’s description had been spot-on.

  “Too bad he’s wearing a mask.” Todd moved his mouse, and Seth watched the attacker enter the ER exam room, emerge with the boy, and racewalk back down the hall. The nurse staggered from the doorway. Seth’s gut clenched as he watched Carly give chase. Todd changed camera viewpoints as the pursuit continued to the final showdown at the entrance to the ER. The would-be kidnapper managed to keep his face turned away from the camera at all times.

  “Do you know how he got into the hospital?”

  “I do.” Todd clicked through a few computer windows. “He walked in through the emergency entrance.”

  On the screen, the man walked through the sliding doors of the ER. He wore a parka over scrubs. His hood shadowed his face as he walked to the doors that led into the ER, scanned a badge, and went through.

  George worked his mouse and pulled up the video from the other side of the door. They followed the fake doctor all the way to the doctor’s locker room. When he reemerged into the hallway, the parka had disappeared, and he wore a surgical mask, cap, and glasses with thick, black frames.

  “Whose badge did he use?” Seth asked.

  “A resident who had just gone off duty.” George wrote a name and phone number on a sticky note. “I talked to him a few minutes ago. He stopped for a hamburger on his way home, and his car was stolen. The badge was in the front seat.” George switched the camera view to the parking lot. “This clip shows the car parking in the employee lot.”