Fractured Eden

by Steven Gossington

  Preston managed to speak a few words at a time. “He knows the dealers … I guess he was worried … about me.”

  “I’ve got to get you to a hospital.”

  Preston crumpled to the ground and wailed. “I should be dead. I don’t deserve to be alive.”

  Brad gave a short report to the police officer, and then he helped Preston into his truck and drove him to the hospital.

  Chapter 28

  Aaron awakened every few hours that night. At one point, he rubbed his eyes and stumbled to the bathroom. He stood in front of the mirror and ran his fingers along the deep scar that deformed his jaw.

  Maybe a plastic surgeon can make this look better.

  At the clinic registration desk the next morning, Stella dabbed her eyes with tissue.

  “What’s wrong?” Aaron said.

  “Rocky Donnigan died last night.”

  “Rocky is dead?”

  “He was shot. He jumped in front of Preston.”

  Aaron stared out the window, then he walked back to his office and closed the door.

  An hour later, Stella knocked on his door. “Sorry to bother you, but your first patient is here. Do you want me to reschedule today’s list?”

  “No. Give me a few more minutes.”

  “No problem.”

  After a while, he sighed. Is there anything I could’ve done to prevent Rocky’s death? He slapped the desk. Back at my old hospital, someone questioned my medical competence. He stood and shook his head. Will this nag at me until I die?

  Near noon, Stella brought Aaron a report that had been faxed from the testing lab. Aaron read the results: the powder from the Taggett’s house was thallium sulfate.

  He shot out of his desk chair and hopped up and down with his hands in the air. “I got something right.”

  Stella stepped back. “What in the world are you shouting about?”

  “Sorry about that. I just guessed correctly this time, and I’m all in now.”

  “Okay, good. You guessed right. What’s thallium?” Stella said.

  “It’s a poisonous chemical used to kill rodents, and sometimes people.”

  “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘you’re all in’?”

  Aaron pounded his fist into his hand. “I’m into doing some good in this town. That’s what I’m here for.”

  He called Constable Greevy. “I have my proof that Wanda Taggett is poisoning Sid. She’s feeding him thallium, and he’s dying. She’s slowly killing him.”

  “How did you find that out?”

  “I removed some powder from their home.”

  “Okay. Wanda didn’t give it to you. So, you must’ve broken into the house when Wanda wasn’t there. Am I wrong?”

  “She wasn’t at home, but Sid let me in. Anyway, we’ve got to figure out what’s going on in that house. Maybe I can get him back to the hospital. I’ll bet we’ll find thallium in his blood and urine.”

  Keller sighed. “All right. Try to get him to the hospital, but now I’ve got my own reason for a search warrant.” Keller told Aaron about his encounter with Race Taggett.

  Several hours later, Stella motioned to Aaron. “Keller Greevy would like to talk to you on the phone. Do you have time?”

  “Sure.” Aaron walked to his office and picked up the receiver.

  “I got a warrant,” Keller said. “I’m going to visit the Taggetts. You can come along and get Sid to the treatment he needs.”

  Constable Greevy and two other officers stopped by the clinic late that afternoon, and Aaron followed the police car to the Taggett’s house.

  They stepped out of their cars and walked toward the house. Aaron noticed Keller’s bandage. “Is that where Race’s knife cut you?”

  “You got it. Maybe you can take a look at it later?”

  “I’d be happy to.”

  “Any more threatening notes from your machete guy?”

  “No.”

  “We’re still looking for him.”

  As they walked through the straggly front yard, Aaron sighed. “It’s sad about Rocky Donnigan.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Keller looked down. “I guess he had some good in him after all, didn’t he?”

  They climbed the front steps, and the wooden slats creaked under their feet as they crossed the porch to the door.

  “Wanda’s car is out front, so she’s got to be home,” Keller said.

  “Has Race been found?” Aaron said.

  “Not yet.”

  A shiver shot through Aaron’s chest.

  Keller punched the front doorbell and then pounded on the door. After a few minutes, the door squeaked open a crack.

  Keller held up his search warrant. “You’ve got to let me in, Wanda.”

  “No.”

  “I’ll break the door down. Let me in, now.”

  After a minute, the door opened wide. “Why are you here?”

  “I need to search your house. Race assaulted my wife, and we’re looking for him. Is he here?”

  “No. I haven’t seen him.”

  “Do you know where he is?”

  “No. So, you can leave now.”

  “I want to talk with Sid.”

  She raised her voice. “You leave him alone.”

  Keller and his protuberant potbelly pushed sideways past Wanda, his hand poised on his holster. He was followed by the other two officers.

  Keller shouted back at Aaron, “The coast is clear. Come on in.”

  Aaron stepped through the door. It smells like she’s used a room deodorizer. He stopped and looked around the room. I wonder if Wanda had new plans for Sid.

  Keller and Aaron walked up to Sid’s bed. He was asleep and taking deep, regular breaths. Wanda walked to the other side of the bed, her arms crossed.

  She’s not giving in, Aaron thought.

  “Sid,” Keller said as he shook Sid’s shoulders.

  Sid opened and closed his eyes, and Keller shook him again.

  Aaron looked at Wanda. She must be sedating him, too, with drugs.

  Sid’s eyes opened and he tried to lift his head.

  “It’s me, Constable Greevy. The doc and I want to talk to you.”

  Keller helped Sid sit up in bed. Sid grabbed his arm. “I’m sick. Take me to the hospital.”

  “We will. Where’s Race?”

  “Race? I don’t know.” He took several breaths. “I haven’t seen him in a while.”

  “Stay here a minute. We’ll have a look around.”

  With gloved hands, the three officers searched the house room by room. Aaron led Keller to the cabinet with the crumpled box. Keller opened the cabinet door and looked in. There was no sign of the box.

  Wanda stood behind them with her hands on her hips.

  Aaron turned to her. “Will you unlock the kitchen cabinet?”

  “Sure, but I don’t see why.” Wanda went to her purse and pulled out a key chain, then she walked to the cabinet and unlocked it.

  She looks smug. She’s not worried. “Why do you lock it?” Aaron said.

  Wanda spat the words at him. “Because it’s nobody’s business. I want to keep everyone but me away from Sid’s medicines.”

  Keller found several small pill bottles labeled as various vitamins and supplements. He placed the bottles into separate baggies.

  It looks like she cleaned up the cabinets, Aaron thought. Maybe Race came by so she was expecting a visit from us.

  “What in tarnation is this?” Keller stood in a room nearby, staring at an object in his hand. It appeared to be a small, black cloth doll with a frown on its face and a pin stuck through its head.

  “Looks like a voodoo doll,” one of the officers said.

  “Crap.” Keller’s hands flew back, and the doll fell to the floor.

  Leaning over it, the officer nodded. “Yep, I’m sure it is. I had an aunt that was into the voodoo religion, and she had dolls like that.”

  Wanda snatched up the doll and wagged it at Keller. “I curse you. I curse you.”


  Keller shook his head and walked away.

  After thirty minutes or so, the officers packed their baggies and a few other impounded articles into a briefcase.

  Aaron stood at Sid’s bed, holding up a cloth pouch he’d pulled out from under Sid’s pillow. He turned to Wanda. “What’s this?”

  Wanda grabbed it from him. “It’s my gris-gris. Don’t ever touch it again.”

  Keller stared at the pouch. “So that’s what a gris-gris is. I’ve heard they’re used in voodoo, for good or bad.”

  She held the pouch close to Keller’s face. “Like I said, you’ve been cursed.”

  Keller snorted and stepped back. “Sure, whatever you say.”

  He looked at Aaron. “Do you want to check Sid into the hospital?”

  “Yes,” Aaron said.

  Wanda held up her hands. “Wait a minute. You can’t just take him from me. I know my rights.”

  “This man is sick. He needs a hospital checkup,” Keller said.

  “He’s already been there, several times. They can’t help him.”

  “Doc here has some other ideas. Do you want me to call an ambulance, or will you go along in a car?”

  Wanda didn’t answer, and Keller looked at Aaron.

  “He can go by car. I can take him,” Aaron said as he made a phone call to a hospitalist at a nearby hospital to arrange for inpatient admission.

  Keller turned to Wanda. “I’m done in here for now. We’re going to search around outside the house. I expect you’ll be going along with Sid.”

  “I’ll follow him to the hospital. Then I have to find my son.”

  “So, you do know where he is.”

  “No, I told you no.”

  Keller shook his finger at her. “You’d better let me know if you find him.”

  Wanda packed a bag for Sid, and then she and Aaron supported Sid as he stumbled to Aaron’s car.

  “They’ll do a lot of tests, and they still won’t know what’s wrong,” Wanda said.

  After Sid was situated in the car, Aaron looked at Wanda. “You’ve had a lot of stress on you lately. I think you need to see a doctor—a psychiatrist—to help you deal with your stress.”

  Wanda glared at him. “There’s nothing wrong with me.” She stormed away to her car.

  Aaron drove away to the hospital with Sid lying down in the back seat and Wanda following in her car.

  Aaron brought a wheelchair to the car and pushed Sid through the hospital entrance doors and then checked him into an inpatient room. Wanda stood in the room with Aaron and the nurse until Sid was resting comfortably in bed. He fell asleep after a few minutes. Wanda flung her hands at Aaron and stomped out of the room.

  “What’s wrong with her?” the nurse said to Aaron.

  “She’s having a bad day.”

  The nurse nodded and looked up as the hospitalist walked in and introduced himself to Aaron. He then stepped to the bedside and studied Sid. “This man is emaciated, like you told me.”

  He turned to Aaron. “I’ve reviewed his recent hospital records. There may be something we’re missing. You said you had some ideas?”

  “Check for thallium,” Aaron said.

  “Thallium? That’s used sometimes as a poison.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about. We found thallium powder at the house, and his wife may’ve been feeding it to him.”

  “Interesting. I’ve never seen a case of thallium poisoning. I’ll research it.”

  Aaron stepped to the bedside and pointed. “See how he’s lost his eyelashes and lateral eyebrows?”

  “You’re right.”

  “That’s one sign of thallium poisoning.”

  Soon after Aaron left, the hospitalist started treatment for a presumptive diagnosis of thallium toxicity.

  Chapter 29

  Constable Greevy locked his briefcase in his car, and then he and the other two officers searched around outside the Taggett’s house. They inspected two large garbage cans and sifted through several piles of trash at the edge of the back yard. While walking along the perimeter of the yard, Keller came across a small trailhead between two trees.

  Keller motioned to the other officers. “Let’s go in. Stay alert. Race Taggett is dangerous.” They headed off into the pines along a narrow trail that traveled in the general direction of the path that Keller had followed the day before to find Valerie bound and gagged.

  I’ll bet Race has used this trail, Keller thought.

  By his watch, they’d walked for about twenty minutes when they came to an intersecting path. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and he wiped his burning eyes with a handkerchief to clear his vision.

  This looks like the same trail I found yesterday.

  They turned on the path in a direction away from the road that ended at the Taggett’s house. Soon Keller came to the familiar clearing with the tent and campfire pit. He stopped and listened and heard nothing sinister. The officers looked inside the tent and around the periphery of the clearing. They were alone.

  Near the tree to which Valerie had been chained was another small trailhead. Keller merged into the trees and followed this new trail about twenty yards to another clearing, larger than the first one. He stopped and caught his breath. Along the perimeter of the clearing were three trees with chains around their trunks, and the ground had been disturbed in the middle of the clearing. He winced at the smell of rotten meat.

  Looks like two graves. Cupping his hand to his mouth, Keller turned and yelled. “I’ve got something here.”

  Keller called the medical examiner’s office, and the three men, vigilant and with guns drawn, walked back to the Taggett’s house. In less than an hour, a forensics van pulled up in the cul-de-sac in front of the house. Keller and the two other officers led the forensics team to the site with the disturbed dirt, where the team arranged their equipment, examined the scene, and began to dig with shovels. Within a short time, two decaying bodies were exposed in their graves.

  “Two females,” one of the team said.

  “The work of Race Taggett,” Keller said. He looked toward the trees. “I wonder where the hell he is.”

  Feeling nauseated from the sight and the stench, Keller turned and walked away.

  He returned to the Taggett’s house and waited. The forensics team loaded their van with the bodies and other evidence collected from the burial site and then left for the morgue. In the dim moonlight, Keller could see no clear details around the house. He heard the hooting of an owl from trees nearby.

  Damn, this place is spooky.

  He jumped as his phone rang. “Hello.”

  “We think we’ve spotted Race Taggett,” a deputy said. “He’s running in the direction of his house. He’s less than two miles from the house now.”

  “I’m at the Taggett’s house. We’ll wait for him. Keep tailing him.”

  The three officers walked to trees at the perimeter of the yard and close to the street.

  After a short while, Keller saw the headlights of a fast-moving vehicle coming from the direction of Dr. Rovsing’s clinic. Another car slowed to a stop at the intersection of the Rovsing clinic road and allowed the speeding car to pass in front of it and through the intersection. Flashing lights split the darkness and a siren shriek erupted from the stopped car, which turned left and sped after the first car, and the two vehicles closed in on the Taggett’s house.

  The three officers stepped out from the trees and walked toward the road and the cars. Keller stopped and caught his breath as he saw something leap out into the road in front of the cars. Tires screeched as the driver of the lead car slammed the brakes and tried to avoid contact. Keller heard a thud as the lead car struck the figure, which was propelled over the hood and into the windshield and then over the vehicle, bouncing and skidding on the road before coming to rest. Swerving and braking, the police car managed to steer clear of the first car. Keller jogged to the scene as people jumped out of the vehicles and into the street. He recognized Wanda’s sc
reams.

  “No, no.” Wanda ran up to the heap in the road. She kneeled and cradled a head and torso in her arms, crying and rocking back and forth.

  “Oh, my son, my son. I’ve killed my son.”

  Keller crouched next to Wanda. Race took feeble breaths in her arms, his eyes closed. Keller noticed blood splattered over Race’s hair, face, and shirt.

  “Lay him flat. We may need to breathe for him,” Keller said. He called 911 and reported the injury. “An ambulance is on the way,” he said to Wanda, who continued to wail and rock back and forth with her son in her arms.

  Keller stood and turned to the officer standing next to him. “How did you find him?”

  “A report came in. A woman thought someone was acting strange outside a bar. You were busy, so I was dispatched to the scene. When I got there, he ran off.”

  Keller pointed at Wanda. “I wonder why she’s here.”

  “Maybe she has a police scanner,” the officer said.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised. I know she was out looking for Race.”

  “Well, she found him all right.”

  Keller watched Race. He still took feeble breaths and appeared unconscious.

  After about ten minutes, Race was still breathing. Keller heard a siren up the street. He and the officers walked past the cars to direct the ambulance with their flashlights.

  They led the paramedics to park at the side of the road, and then Keller walked back to Wanda. “What the …”

  Wanda and Race were gone. Keller looked up and spotted Wanda dragging Race around a back corner of their house. He motioned to the paramedics, who ran behind Keller and the other officers toward the back yard.

  Keller turned the corner out of breath. Wanda sat on the back steps, and he hurried to her.

  Light from the moon cast a grayish pall over her body. She stared up at the moon, and Keller caught a flicker of a smile on her face.

  “Where’s Race?” he said.

  She pointed to the trees, without lowering her eyes from the sky.

  “How could he be gone? He looked nearly dead.” Keller jogged toward the forest, and he and the others searched around the border trees without finding anything.

  Keller returned to Wanda. He heard her giggle and mumble, as she gazed up at the moon.