A Deadly Secret

by Debra Sage

  “We found the identity of our victim from the other day,” he said. He couldn’t tell her who it was. Not yet. She’d find out soon enough.

  “Oh, how tragic. I heard about it. I do hope they figure out who did such a terrible thing,” she said, oblivious to the fact that the victim was none other than one of her coworkers.

  “Yeah, a real monster. It takes a loathsome creature to do something so obscene,” he answered. Change the topic. Change the topic. “How are things in the ER today? It was busy the other night with so much chaos.”

  “Thankfully, quieter. It comes in spurts, a mad rush, and then nothing. Then with flu season approaching, we’ll see a lot of people coming in with that. Did you get your flu shot? They’re giving them out at the hospital pharmacy if you need one.”

  “Thanks, but yes, I’ve had one.”

  “Great. I hear it’s supposed to be a rough year and a bad cycle.” She looked up at his deep brown eyes and lingered in his gaze. He was an attractive man, definitely her type. His thick, broad shoulders were attached to muscled arms, the kind that if he wrapped them around you, you’d feel safe even in the darkest alley next to the boogeyman.

  He sighed. “You must be a saint to work in the hospital around all these sick people. How do you not get sick?”

  “I wash my hands about five hundred times a day,” she said with a wink. “Anyway, I’d best get going. My break is almost over.”

  “It’s nice to see you,” he said. She was always a bright spot when he had to stop in at the hospital. St. Mercy Mead was rarely a stop for good news in his line of work.

  She bid adieu, then rambled down the hallway toward the emergency department.

  Alex watched her walk away, drawn to her feminine curves. Her hips swayed gently as she turned the corner. He lingered for a moment, then got back to the case at hand. He’d need to talk to the administrators and arrange to talk to some of Dawn’s coworkers. Had she recently talked about anything that might stand out? Was she fearful of somebody? Had she mentioned meeting anyone new of late? Anything he could pull out might be a detail that led them on a trail to the killer.

  ***

  A staff meeting was called in two groups. One covered the floor while the others were brought into the back to discuss what had happened.

  “Detective Ramsey has something to discuss with us,” Lee said grimly. He looked down and shoved his hands in his pockets. It would be a shock to all of them. When Alex showed up at his office door with the latest findings, he couldn’t hide his dismay.

  “No!” he gasped. “She’d been missing from work, but I never suspected…”

  “Yeah, tragic news. I’ll need to gather her coworkers and ask a few questions. The sooner we handle this, the sooner I’ll be able to find answers.”

  “Of course, anything you need,” he said. His hand rested on his stomach. It was as if he wanted to hurl, but forced himself to hold it back. Few things made his stomach turn in such a way, and even having worked the emergency ward couldn’t prepare him for something of this grisly nature.

  As news got out, and details were filled in, Alex asked each coworker for a few moments of their time. “I’d like to speak with each one of you at some point and see if there’s anything you can help me with. Lee has offered me his office for a short time. He’ll arrange for each of you to come see me, one by one. Until we know more, we request that you keep things as quiet as possible.”

  The whispering started amongst them before they even left the room. When one group finished hearing the news, they switched out with the other. The gossip that spread between them bubbled in spurts between patients.

  Once the staff was notified, Alex made his way back to Lee Brock’s office and started the interview process. He should have grabbed a bite to eat while he had the chance. He’d talked to Amanda, got sidetracked, then found himself up in the administrator’s office. His stomach grumbled, reminding him he’d skipped lunch.

  Chapter 5

  “What can you tell me about Dawn Lewis?” Alex sat with the first of many he’d interview.

  “She pretty much kept to herself,” the woman offered. “I didn’t talk to her that much. After all, it’s sort of like a caste system here. Doctors, nurses, aids, custodial, you know…”

  “Do you resent that?” he asked.

  The woman shrugged. “I do my job, I go home. I have kids to feed. I don’t get involved.”

  “Was Dawn ever rude or short with you?”

  She raised her eyebrow. “You insinuating something? Look, Officer, I didn’t go getting mixed up in nothing nasty like killing someone. I’m here to do a job and I do it.”

  “Do you know of anyone that might have had an issue with Ms. Lewis? Somebody that might have taken offense or wanted to do her harm?”

  “I keep to myself. I don’t know nothing about anything. I push my broom, I clean up after these slobs, and I clock out.”

  “Thank you for your time. If you think of anything that might provide useful, please contact me or one of my fellow detectives.” He handed her a card and had the next person come in.

  A solid man with a stocky build walked in. He wore scrubs much like the ones Amanda was wearing earlier. There was a color coding system in place so that patients knew who was who based on the color of their uniform. Surgeons wore teal scrubs or a white lab jacket when visiting patients, senior nurses and RNs wore navy blue, LPNs wore purple, and maternity staff wore pink. Therapists wore gray, and everybody else wore a standard light blue scrub with the imprinted logo of the hospital on it.

  “Name?”

  “Greg Stevens,” the nurse answered, then sat in the chair across from the detective.

  “I’m with the Mason Ridge Police. As you heard earlier, there was a homicide. One of your coworkers was killed. I’m looking for any information you can offer as to who might have wanted to do her harm or if you knew of anything suspicious going on.”

  Greg rolled his eyes upward. “Who didn’t have an issue with Dawn is more like the question. Queen Bee liked to let it be known that she was near the top of the chain, if you know what I mean.”

  “Top of the chain?” Alex asked.

  “She had more seniority, knew more people, had connections. All I know is that she got the shifts she wanted and the overtime she put in for. Only some chosen few are taken care of if you get my drift.”

  “Sounds like you resented her position,” he said, nudging Greg to continue his train of thought.

  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m shocked that she’s dead. I mean, the girl doesn’t show up for work for days at a time? Kind of out of character. She lived for the job. She was always pushing for that adrenaline rush, wanting to take the biggest, most traumatic cases that came through the door. Fine by me, I’ll take the mundane little old ladies who complain and cough too much. Low drama suits me.”

  “What else can you tell me about Ms. Lewis?”

  “So, this is the case that made the papers, huh? I can’t even fathom what it must have been like. Do you think she was tortured, or more like she was already dead when they decapitated her?”

  Alex measured his reaction. He was still pissed that the paper let out more details than the police department wanted. At least they didn’t mention the necklace. They liked to hold back a couple of details as it made catching suspects lying or witnesses enhancing bits and pieces easier to read. “Greg, how long have you worked with Ms. Lewis?”

  “Couple of years at best. I transferred in from another hospital when I relocated with my wife. That must have been something to see, huh? I mean, I’ve seen a lot at the emergency room, but that…wow, that must have been something else.”

  “Do you know of anybody who would want to harm Ms. Lewis?” Alex asked, steering the conversation back on track.

  “Well, obviously somebody wanted to harm her,” he said. “Look, I don’t really know what to tell you. You don’t think it was somebody she knew, do you? Somebody she worked with? Wow, I didn’t even
think of that angle.”

  “We’re looking at all options and leads at this point, but I’m not able to say any more on the topic.”

  “Sure, sure. Dear God, I hope they get the person. I mean, it’s not like we need some whack-job out there cutting people’s heads off.”

  “Mr. Stevens, if you think of anything that may be of use to us, please give us a call. Here’s my card. You can reach me anytime. I check my voicemail multiple times through the day if I don’t pick up. If you’d be able to send the next person in, I’d greatly appreciate it.”

  He nodded, then stood. “Dirty, little secrets get people killed. I bet she had a dirty secret.”

  Alex cocked his head. It was an odd thing to say before leaving.

  When Amanda walked through the door, Alex found himself pleasantly surprised. “We meet again.”

  “I just can’t believe what happened.” Her eyes were red and tearstained. “I can’t stop crying. I’m trying to stay professional in front of my patients, but this is such big news.”

  “I can imagine it was shocking to hear. I’m sorry it had to be the case, but sadly…”

  She nodded.

  “Is there anything you can tell me about your coworker that stands out? Had she had a falling out with anyone recently? Talked about a problem at home? Anything at all? Anybody you know that would want to hurt her?”

  Amanda sat and thought. “It’s been a couple of days since she was last here, but I do recall her and Greg getting into an argument over a scheduling conflict last week. Normally, she blows things off easily, but he kept nipping at her and wouldn’t let it go. She finally had enough and laid into him. He was angry that she lost her cool with patients nearby. She’s usually professional and would have stepped aside, but it was another one of those busy nights.”

  “Okay, good information. Anything else?” he said, jotting a note down. He couldn’t see somebody killing and decapitating a coworker over a scheduling conflict, but if there was an ongoing issue of resentment that built inside of somebody, the question became how long would it take for them to have snapped?

  “I wish I could tell you more, but I really can’t think of anything. And the comment about Greg…he’s a nice guy. I can’t see him killing her. It was just a spat, you know?”

  Alex nodded. “I understand. Did Ms. Lewis talk about her home life? A husband, a partner, or anything of that nature? Was there anything that she might have said that concerned you? Maybe an abundance of stress or money troubles?”

  Amanda shrugged. “Not that I can think of. We talked pretty regularly, but…”

  Alex pushed a box of tissues closer.

  “Thank you,” she said, pulling one out, then another. The tears wouldn’t stop. She’d known Dawn for a long time, and just like that she was gone. Amanda said a small prayer that Dawn didn’t suffer or feel any pain. Whoever, whatever monster did that to her deserved to rot in Hell.

  It was an inappropriate time to notice, but the tears made Amanda’s blue eyes shine even brighter. Alex discreetly pinched his thigh under the desk. Now was not the time to be thinking like that.

  After they finished their question and answer session, he continued his line of questioning with the rest of the staff. At the end of the evening and between every interview, his mind went back to Amanda. Her dark brown hair had been pulled off her face and drawn behind her in a neat ponytail. He wanted to pull out the elastic band and watch her hair frame her face, then pull her in closer…right. Not now, old boy. She’s just lost a friend and coworker. Another time, another day.

  Alex thanked Lee for lending him his office. “What about you? Is there anything you can tell me about Ms. Lewis? Anything that stands out?”

  “I wish I could help more than I can. She was a great employee, warm and kind, and always at the top of her game. She was always good about continuing her education, and her patients adored her. She always had a nice word and made them a priority.” He stopped, rubbed the back of his neck, then continued. He wiped a lone tear away. “I can’t believe she’s gone. I’m going to miss her.”

  “Were there any odd relationships between the staff? Resentment, animosity over seniority or special treatment?” Alex asked.

  “We treat our staff equally here, whether people choose to believe so or not. Some are more vocal about their complaints, but often they are perceived as being treated unfairly when they most certainly are not.”

  “Had Ms. Lewis mentioned any concerns? Was she fearful of anyone, or have any patients that might have been upset with her? Or maybe stalked her? Had she said anything to you?”

  “I wish she had. Then I’d be able to help you find the creep that did this to her,” he said. “Honestly, I’m not sure what else to offer. If I think of anything, I’ll let you know.”

  Alex handed him his card. “I appreciate your time, and I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Lee nodded. As much as he wanted to take time off and let the staff mourn, life kept moving in their world. The emergency room didn’t shut down, and more patients poured in. He’d need to deal with the shock of it all later.

  Chapter 6

  Cam Parker studied the latest report and waited for Alex to return. He’d been talking with Bryce about the case, but was curious what new information came out at the hospital interviews.

  When Alex returned, he was worn down. He tossed a brown paper bag on his desk and dropped into his chair. “I’m freaking starving.”

  “What’s for dinner?” Cam asked.

  “Hoagie.” Alex tore into the paper bag and unrolled the sandwich from its wrapper. The Italian hoagie’s scent filled the room. Raw onions, lettuce, and tomato were piled on top of the various meats and cheese. He pulled chips from the bag along with a bottle of soda. Popping the top on his drink, he drew a big swig, then slammed the bottle down. “Damn, that’s good. I was going to eat before I started, then got off track. My stomach’s been growling at me for hours.”

  “I was looking at the report that came in,” Cam started. “I can’t help but wonder where the suspect disposed of the other body parts.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been thinking on that. Would make it easier if we saw them intact, saw how the body was left. A lot of the time it can clue you into how the suspect felt about the victim, if they were covered up, or an expression. The killer might want to disassociate themselves in some ways, while others want to leave a mark or might leave a signature behind of some sort.”

  “Ah, the modus operandi,” Cam said, remembering what he’d learned previously.

  “The modus operandi is the special way they carry out the murder. His signature is something that matters to him. It might not be necessary for the murder, but it’s how he or she gets satisfaction from the act.”

  “Oh, right, you mentioned while they were similar, they were actually two different things.”

  Alex took another bite of his hoagie. The monster in his belly took solace in his offering. He wanted to transcribe some of his notes while they were still fresh in his mind. It was a long day, but he’d gotten something out of it. And for certain he’d go back and talk to Greg Stevens again, and see if there was more to the story of their argument. Had he let it go too far? Had he been seeking to punish her?

  They discussed what he’d learned, what different people had noted, and that truly only one person felt like a potential suspect. With not much to go on, he’d need to follow whatever lead he could.

  “Do me a favor and see if you can find any information on a Gregory Stevens. See what we have on file. He works as a nurse over at St. Mercy Mead.”

  Cam nodded. “Will do.”

  “I’m going to see about getting a search warrant. We need to go through the victim’s home and scrape together whatever information we can pull from it. I’m hoping there will be something that gives us another lead. Now that we know who the victim is, we can put the wheels in motion.”

  He wolfed down another bite of his hoagie, then chased it with his drink. After
swallowing, he snapped his fingers. “Now that we have an ID, we need notify her next of kin.”

  “Do you want me to make the call? Finish eating. I’ll handle it.”

  “You don’t mind?” Alex asked. “Thanks, man.”

  When all was said and done, Cam got the information and made the call to her parents. They were living in Florida and hadn’t expected the news. Alex always hated making calls like that. Nothing good came out of them, and hearing the pain in the voices of those left behind was heart-wrenching.

  “We’ve got a body, but missing body parts. We’ve got a pendant and chain. I’d like to try to track down where the piece was made and see if the jeweler recognizes the symbol that’s been engraved. It looks like a custom piece. Let’s put it under a magnifier and see if we can get a maker’s mark. We’re also looking for a blunt instrument of an unknown origin. Dr. Toma, the forensic pathologist, noted that the victim’s windpipe had been crushed by a blunt instrument. Then, we’re still scanning for video surveillance that might have seen a car near the park during the night her body was dumped. I didn’t see any shoeprints. I’d like to go back and try again, see if we can find something we might have missed.”

  Cam nodded and absorbed the information coming at him. With so many things to think about and remember, he was grateful he was only working on one case at a time. Any more would swarm him with too much information. It was a different world, but one that fascinated him. Alex and Bryce were both welcoming, and he appreciated the help as he acclimated to his new position.

  Bryce made his way back to the office. He’d stepped out just as Alex came in. “Sorry I had to run out. Promised the wife I’d pick up the dry cleaning and I almost forgot. She’s got a meeting tomorrow. She would have been pissed if I didn’t bring her suit home. What have we got? Anything new?”

  “Hen-pecked,” Alex teased. “Mustn’t make the wife angry.”

  Bryce mocked a laugh, then deadpanned, “You’re a riot.”

  “You saw about the windpipe? Blunt instrument. Something else to locate. I’m going to sweep her house tomorrow. I’ll put the paperwork in for a warrant before heading out. Would be good for us to pick up another possible lead. I’ll be here late tonight. Any new information come in on the tip line?”