“Sergeant Hernandez, Homicide.”
“Yes, I would like to speak with Detective Savarese, please.” I felt smug and couldn’t wait to tell him what I found out.
“Say that name again, please,” he said. I did. In the background, I could hear the man talking to someone else. “How do you spell that name, Miss?”
I was confused. For God’s sake, how big a department was it when they didn’t know each other’s names? “Savarese. S.A.V.A.R.E.S.E., Detective John Savarese. Maybe he’s off-duty.”
“Sorry, there’s no Detective John Savarese here.” It sounded as if he was asking others nearby, “Any of you hear of a John Savarese?”
After several seconds he came back on the line. “You’re sure it was San Francisco Homicide, Miss? Maybe he’s in another division. We pretty much know everybody and nobody’s heard of him. Can anybody else help you?”
“No. No, thank you.” Stunned, I hung up. I wracked my brain to remember exactly what happened two days before.
He told me he was with the San Francisco Homicide, didn’t he? No, he never actually said those words. He just showed up. He said he was with the police, but he didn’t show identification, and I didn’t ask for any. I just took it for granted…If he’s not with the Homicide Division, who is he?
The sound of my own thoughts kept me from hearing the footsteps behind me soon enough. I felt rather than heard them and whirled around. Midway something hard hit me on the side of my head directly above my right ear. In that split second, I felt intense pain and saw white lights behind my eyes, fragmenting my mind. I felt the force of the impact push me back into the glass of one of the doors and heard it shatter around me. I could hear and feel everything going on, but I was powerless to do anything but slide down into a world somewhere between reality and oblivion.
Before I hit the glass littered ground, I felt an arm reach out and pull me forward toward the deck and out of harm’s way. In my stupor, I looked up and saw it was the small, Asian man I had seen twice that day, on the boat and in the restaurant. There was a look of anguish on his face, as he tried to keep me away from the major portion of the deadly, jagged edges.
“You kill her. You kill her, Captain Chen,” I heard him say to a taller man, who had no look of anguish on his face, but one of grim determination. I looked helplessly at them, trying to move and speak but not being able to do either.
The taller man, Chinese-American and aristocratic, stared at the smaller one with contempt on his face. “Shut up, you idiot,” he rasped, in a lower tone of voice looking all around him. “Get inside and turn the alarm off before the sixty seconds are up, or it will go off.”
The other man, probably Cambodian, had wide cheekbones, darker skin and haunted eyes. He was a beaten down man, who had made the unfortunate choice to be born in a country war torn and devoid of opportunities. He was used to being given orders. He was used to being dealt with harshly by life. In other circumstances, he might have been a kind man. Odd that I could tell all of that, in the split second that he looked down at me, me bleeding from cuts on the head and a large gash over my right ear.
“You never say we do this kind of thing.” The small man shuddered, then stood up and ran inside through the broken section of the door toward the alarm.
The leader ignored his comment and roughly turned me over, going through my pockets. He picked the cell phone off the deck and found the camcorder in my pocket. He threw them into the inky water with a grunt and pulled out the keys to my car from the back pocket. He turned on his subordinate angrily when he returned. “You didn’t tell me she had a car. Where’s the car?”
“Car? Car?” the other stammered. “I see no car. I follow her from here to restaurant, and then I call you. I see no car.” His voice rose to a fever pitch, and his attitude was like that of a dog expecting a beating at the slightest disfavor of its owner.
“All right. All right. Keep your voice down. We don’t want anybody coming over here.” The man in command studied the keys and made a decision.
“To hell with it. By the time they find her car, we’ll be long gone.” He threw the keys into the water.
“We need to get her back to the ship. Then we’ve got to start unloading. This trip we had to bring all of them here, so it’ll take a while. We leave for China in four hours. We can’t stay here any longer, or we might attract the attention of the Coast Guard,” he said more to himself than the other man. “We’ll throw her body overboard when we get out to sea.” He looked around with sharp eyes and saw there was no one else was around. The smaller man of the two swallowed hard and nodded, willing to do what he was asked, but clearly unhappy.
“Help me get her across to the dinghy,” the leader said, grunting under my dead weight as he pulled me up and over his shoulder. I tried to struggle and call out, but all that would come out was a low moan. I felt myself going in and out of consciousness and fought to stay awake.
“And then come back and get rid of the broken glass,” he ordered. “Put some cardboard in that door until we can fix it. You hear me?” He snarled at the other man, “And clean up that blood.”
The small man nodded again, afraid to speak and shaking with terror. His was the last face I can remember seeing.
Chapter Twelve
What’s A Nice Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This?
At first, I knew only of the intense pain in my head. I had never experienced pain like this before. It was so excruciating, I retched several times, but vomiting made my head ache even more. It was so very cold. I trembled and drew up into a fetal position trying to warm myself. My eyes wouldn’t open, and I couldn’t control the shaking of my body. I tried to lie very still and hoped my parents might find me.
I’m sorry I ran away from the picnic earlier, but Richard wouldn’t stop teasing me.
I smiled inwardly at the memory. No, that was long ago. Or, was it now? I was confused and frightened. Wasn’t I lost in the woods now? I felt muddled and wanted to think it through, but the pain prevented me. My mind drifted.
I was glad when they found me next to that big rock by Bridal Veil Falls. The waterfall was so loud it was painful to hear it, just like now. They’ll find me again. I’m here in the dark, just like before.
The dark was cold. I didn’t remember it being this cold the first time. I shivered uncontrollably.
Maybe they won’t find me! I felt a wave of panic. Maybe a bear will eat me.
I tried to move, but it made the pain worse and something blocked my way. I tried to cry out, to let someone know where I was, but my throat was too dry, and the pain got worse whenever I moved.
“Por favor, make the pain go away,” I prayed, and I must have lost consciousness.
I think some time passed. I was almost awake but drowsy, feeling very far away and disconnected. I heard voices in the distance but couldn’t focus on them. The cold had changed to numbness, so I didn’t mind it too much. My head still ached, but it, too, seemed far away. I didn’t mind that, either. Maybe my parents would find me again. Or, maybe they would leave Yosemite without me. I could just sleep now, and everything would go away.
I thought I heard my mother’s voice intermingled with other, strange voices. I wanted to yell out I was hiding under the rock, but my mouth wouldn’t move. I thought it would be my father who found me, but it was Mom. I couldn’t remember exactly when that was.
Was that then, or is that now?
I wanted to reassure Mom I was all right, just a little cold, but I couldn’t move, and I couldn’t open my eyes. I tried to squeeze her hand when it grasped mine but felt myself slipping away. I was sliding into some sort of darkness that was easy to go to, but wherever it was, I didn’t want to be there.
Chapter Thirteen
A Ministering Angel
It was just light enough to focus on the blinds at the other end of the room. I squinted and tried to move, but my head throbbed when I did. I put a cautious hand up to the source of the pain and felt fabric in
stead of hair.
Why am I wearing a hat? Where am I?
Slowly I moved my eyes, daring not to shift my head, and saw I was in some sort of bedroom.
No, not a bedroom.
There were instruments around, and my arm was hooked up to something.
Is this a hospital room? But when we left Yosemite, they took me straight home.
No, no. I’m confused again.
My mind cleared a little, and I forced myself to remember. I recalled the pier and the flash of light and the sound of breaking glass. That forced remembrance cost me a lot. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes. My head ached still, but it was more bearable than before. I touched my head again with guarded fingers and found the cloth was really a bandage. After about five minutes of lying perfectly still, I moved my head to the right and saw a chair and two doors. I turned it to the left and saw my mother slumped in a chair, eyes closed, head lolled to the side breathing evenly. She was covered with a cotton blanket. I was so stunned to see my mother sitting there that I called out to her.
“Mom!” My voice sounded hoarse, but was deafening compared to the utter silence.
Lila jerked her head upright, looked at me and ran to my bedside. “Oh, thank God,” She cried.
“Where am I? What happened?” I struggled to form the words. My mouth had never felt so dry. “Water. Can I have some water?”
“You’re going to be fine, just fine,” Mom said, as she reached by the bedside and poured water from a pitcher into a cup. She inserted a straw into it, talking all the while, her voice shaking almost as much as her hands. “The doctors said if you woke up within seventy-two hours, it meant you would be just fine.” She smiled at me.
“Doctors? What happened? Oh, my head.” I murmured with difficulty. I closed my eyes and tried to stay very still. “Is this a hospital? How did I get here? How badly am I...?”
“I’ve got to ring some people, and let them know,” Lila interrupted me, as she pressed the call button by my right side. “They told me it could be up to seventy-two hours before we knew, and here it is, just a little more than twenty-four. This is wonderful news, my darling.” She kissed me very gently on the forehead.
“I know this is serious if you’re calling me your darling and kissing my forehead, Mom. You haven’t done that since I fell off the horse at camp and broke my leg,” I managed to say. I tried to move my legs and arms one at a time to see if they still worked. They did, but the effort cost me. My head was starting to pound.
The door to the room swung open and a nurse entered. She was a small, thin woman, originally from Pakistan I was to find out later, and spoke with a soft accent. “I see our little patient has awakened. This is excellent.” She looked at an incongruously large, silver watch on her minuscule wrist.
“Five forty-five a.m. The doctor will be in around eight o’clock, and he will be pleased to know this.” She crossed over to the bed and looked at the I.V. and other indicators of my health.
“Look at this; her pulse and temperature are almost normal. I am so relieved.” She smiled at me and turned to my mother. She crossed her arms in front of her bird-like chest and scowled.
“And you, my friend, must go home now,” she said. Lila began to protest, and the nurse, used to strong personalities, spoke over the protestations. “Or, at the very least, you must go to the visitors’ room down the hall and lie down on the sofa. You have been up too many hours. You will get sick.” She shook a slender finger in Mom’s face. “You will be of no use to anyone if you become ill yourself.”
Lila smiled and looked at me. “I’m not tired. My daughter needs me. You want me to stay, Liana, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t, Mom,” I contradicted her, closing my eyes. “I want you to go get some sleep. How long have you been sitting here, anyway?” My head throbbed, but I forced my eyes opened and looked at my mother with concern.
“Too long,” answered the nurse before Lila could speak. “Now, you both must rest.” She forcefully escorted Mom to the door. “You know where the visitors’ rest center is. Your family has been there most of the time.”
“Yes, but first I must call Richard and tell Mateo.” Lila furrowed her brow and began to fret as the nurse pushed her out the door. “Richard will want to...”
“Do not call your son yet,” the nurse’s firm voice overrode Lila’s, much to my surprise. “He needs his sleep, too. There is time enough in the morning. His friend, Victoria, telephoned about an hour ago and told me to tell you he had finally fallen asleep. Your brother-in-law? He is waiting for you in the visitors’ lounge. He is a light sleeper. He will wake when you go in, and you can tell him all is well, Mrs. Alvarez. Now please rest. Everything is taken care of. We are all starting to worry about you. Go get some rest!” she scolded, as she shut the door in Lila’s face.
The ministering angel, who had just delightfully humbled the mighty, paused and hurried back to me. She fixed the bed linens and looked at me fondly. The woman was a born caregiver. “You are doing much better than we thought. This is good. Now go to sleep.”
“But I,” I protested weakly, finding my mind starting to wander. Bizarre thoughts flitted in and out, such as the colors of scented day lilies, Wayne Newton’s best song, and Chelsea Clinton’s marital status. My eyes opened suddenly. “Tugger. Has anybody been feeding Tugger?”
The nurse bent over and said into my right ear, “If Tugger is your cat, then we know your uncle has been taking care of him whenever he has not been with you in the hospital.”
“But...but...” I said groggily hardly able to form the words. “How much weight has he gained? Is he growing into his ears?”
“Shhh. Time for questions in the morning.” The answer came just as I fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Alice At The Tea Party
I felt myself jerk awake with an abruptness that startled me, but I wasn’t half as startled as the three anxious faces leaning in, studying my every move. Lila let out a gasp, Tío said something like “ay carrumba,” and Richard dropped his can of soda, which after hitting the floor with a “clunk,” made hissing noises, carbonated soda spilling out under the bed. Then all three of them started talking at once. Finally, I waved my arms in the air, hoping they would shut up. They did and stared at me, grinning. I opened my mouth and tried to form words, but I was a little the worse for wear. Nothing much came out, save a dry, reedy gurgling sound.
“Shhhh!” Tío said to my mother and brother. “Liana is trying to speak, but her voice is soft. Let us listen well.” They all leaned in, and I felt a little like a heroine in the third act of a bad melodrama. The part right after the villain was caught but before she went to spa for a makeover.
Mom thrust a glass of water with a straw in it into my hand. I slurped noisily, as my family hugged and kissed me, careful to avoid the area around the top of my head and the water glass. It was nice, the water and the attention. I felt amazingly well, considering the fact I knew something serious had happened to me. Besides, hugging and kissing always makes one feel better. It’s a scientific fact.
When I finally felt sufficiently lubricated for speech, I asked, “What time is it?”
Tío looked from my mother to Richard. “This is the first question? ‘What time is it?’ What kind of a question is that, mi sobrina? Not what happened? Not how am I? Not am I going to be all right?”
“Of course, she’s going to be all right,” Mom interjected and turned to me. “This has been very trying on your uncle, on all of us, so try to ask a question worthy of the situation, Liana.”
“I’m sorry,” I stuttered and thought for a moment. “So do you think the U.S. HMO model has international application for improving cost utilization outcomes?” They stared at me. “Never mind. Just kidding.” I handed the glass back to Lila and made an effort to sit up. Richard, meanwhile, found a towel and mopped up the spilled soda on the floor.
“Lay back, Liana. Don’t try to sit up yet,” Mom ordered. “An
d stop making jokes.”
“Listen,” I said, “I just want to get a handle on how long I’ve been here.” I did take Mom’s advice, though, and stopped struggling. Aside from a tightness over my right ear and the feeling I was wearing about sixty-pounds of plaster of Paris on my head, I felt pretty good. There was no point in pushing it, however, so I lay my head back on the pillow.
“Is anybody going to tell me what time it is?” I asked again. “And what day it is?”
“It’s five minutes after three on Saturday afternoon, to answer your question, you ninny,” my brother said, laughing. “I see there’s been no major damage. It’s the same old Liana Alvarez.”
“Not so old,” he and I said in unison and laughed.
He grasped my hand and squeezed it hard before going on, “You were brought in late Thursday night, stayed in a coma for a little more that twenty-four hours, and you’ve been sleeping ever since. As for what happened before that, it’s an awesome story, Lee, totally awesome,” Richard added.
I made a face at him, or I tried to. It was hard to move my features with so much constriction on top of my head.
“I know you hate it when I use that Valley Girl vocabulary, but the word “awesome” is the palabra simpatico. Our mother was awesome, Lee.”
“Now, stop taunting your sister, Richard,” Lila said, nonetheless preening a little.
“I just did what any other mother in that situation would have done.”
I held my breath. I didn’t like the sound of this. “What did you do?”
She walked to the other side of the bed and gently sat down on it. She took my free hand. “How much do you remember, Liana?” Mom asked.
“Nada,” I said.
“Do you remember anything about the Coast Guard or your mama rescuing you?” asked Tio, stepping in front of Richard and caressing my shoulder.
For the first time in my life, I was speechless. “Mom,” I finally sputtered. “You rescued me? How did you do it? How did you know where I was? Actually, where was I?”
Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries Boxed Set: Books 1-3 (The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries) Page 14