by Diane Bator
Fabio paused at the doorway to hand Gilda one of the cups. "Thank you, Mick. I need you to stay with Kane and Thayer. I'd like to speak to Gilda alone."
Mick sputtered and looked around wild-eyed. "What? No, she needs me."
"It's okay." Fabio placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take good care of her. I just need to speak with her alone right now. Take a seat. Thayer's got a few questions you might be able to help him with."
"Oh boy," Mick groaned. "This should be fun."
Thayer narrowed his eyes. "Don't start with me or I'll…"
Fabio cleared his throat. "You boys play nice. Gilda and I won't be long."
She sat on one of the chairs in front of a metal desk, expecting Fabio to sit behind the desk with a barrier between them. Instead, he sat next to her and sighed. Gilda waited for him to speak as tears welled in her eyes and the lump in her throat grew.
"Did you already see him?" she asked.
"Yeah," Fabio said at last. "Gary has several broken bones and might need someone to help him out for a few days. I've called his daughter and ex-wife."
"Are they coming to see him?"
He shook his head. "Too many hard feelings. Neither of them could be bothered to come. They're both done with him. His ex even asked me to pull the plug and just get it over with."
She gasped. "He's not on life support, is he?"
"No. He's bruised and has a few broken bones, but that's the worst of things."
Gilda blinked back her tears. "So when his family wouldn't come, I was your next logical thought."
Fabio nodded. "The two of you seem to have grown close over the past few months. I guess I hoped you'd return the favors he's done for you lately."
"Yeah, of course." She took a sip of her latte while she collected her emotions. "I'll do what I can to help him out."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate that."
Gilda faced him. "What did Gary tell you that no one was supposed to tell me?"
Somber, he met her gaze. "It wasn't a deer he saw in the road. It was a woman."
"A woman?" Her breath caught in her throat. Aislin? How else could she have known about Gary's accident right before Mick called her? "What did she look like?"
"That's where it gets really weird." Fabio frowned. "He said he saw Miss Claudia standing in the middle of the road."
"Miss Claudia?" Her mouth dropped open. "But she's dead. Marion and I found her body. You saw her, and the medical examiner did the autopsy."
Fabio reached over to pat her arm. "I know. I don't understand it either. I sent the crime scene boys out to look for clues. If there was someone else at the accident scene, they'll be able to find something to point to who it was he saw."
"Unless he was hallucinating or drinking." She paused. "He wasn't, was he?"
"They're doing a toxicology screen as a precaution."
Gilda bowed her head. "Do you think he was impaired?"
"There was a bottle of Scotch on the floor of the car." Fabio hesitated. "He smelled like he'd been drinking, but…"
Silence fell like a smothering wool blanket over them until Gilda said, "But you think someone might have tried to kill him then doused him with Scotch to make it look as if he'd been drinking."
Fabio held up one hand. "I didn't say that."
"But it is plausible."
He sipped his coffee. "Yes, it's plausible."
Gilda blinked back tears. "That's horrible! Who would do something like that?"
"Whoever killed Miss Claudia, would be my guess."
She sat back and blew out a long breath. "Why didn't you want Mick and Kane in here?"
Fabio smiled. "Because I know you. You would have held back all your questions until everyone else left the room anyway. This way we get everything out in the open right away." He hesitated. "For the record, Mick and Kane don't know about the Scotch, and I prefer it stay that way."
Gilda nodded. "The less people who know, the better. I get it. You don't suspect one of them did anything to hurt Gary, do you?"
"No. My concern is one of them will say the wrong thing to the wrong person and compromise my case." He glanced at Gilda. "You might do the same thing, but you'll be more likely to slip up and somehow get more information than you realize. Besides, everyone knows you like to play Sherlock Holmes. You do come up with some outlandish theories. They'd probably think this was just another one of those."
"Outlandish?" she gasped. "Really?"
"Sometimes." Fabio shrugged. "Usually, you seem to find the right track, and we can use all the help we can get to solve this one quickly before anyone else gets hurt."
"You know Mick will tell me to keep my nose out of things. He always does." Gilda grimaced.
"And do you listen?"
"No, even when I try to butt out, I get dragged right back in, so…"
"So why fight fate? I get it." Fabio chuckled and patted her leg. "Give in to the dark side, Gilda. I need you to help me catch whoever killed Miss Claudia and is trying to set up Gary."
"Why me?"
"People talk to you." He sipped his coffee. "And because the people who work on Armadillo Street have seen you with Kane at his shop. Since most of our suspects are the shop owners there, who had a huge grudge against Miss Claudia, I'm hoping they'll think you're on their side."
"I am on their side." She frowned. "I think Miss Claudia was wrong in trying to get rid of all those shops." When Fabio raised his eyebrows, her cheeks burned. "Not that I'd ever set foot in half those stores, but they have every right to be there."
"I agree, but we still have to suspect one of them of her murder. You're able to go chat with them and make friends, which means you'll be able to gain their trust more easily than I can, so they're more likely to tell you all kinds of things without a second thought."
"Aha." Gilda sat back. "So that's why you wanted to talk to me in here alone. You were worried Mick and Kane would object to me actually helping you."
"Partly." He sipped his coffee then met her gaze. Before he could tell her any other parts, someone knocked at the door. He shrugged then leaned over to open it.
"Doc's here." Mick peered inside.
Fabio waved them all inside. "It'll be a bit cramped, but we'll have more privacy."
Once Mick, Kane, and Doc had shuffled into the office, Kane shut the door then folded his arms across his chest and leaned against it.
Mick stood behind Gilda. When he placed both hands on her shoulders, Kane met her gaze and frowned.
Doc sat on the desktop, rather than behind it, and blew out a slow breath. "Gary's condition is stable, and I've given him something for the pain so he can get some rest. You'll have to give him a few hours to sleep off the effects before you can have a decent conversation."
"Did he say any more about what happened?" Mick asked as he gave Gilda's shoulders a slight squeeze.
"No." Doc rubbed his chin with one hand. "He just kept insisting he'd seen Miss Claudia. First she was standing in the middle of the road and he had to swerve to avoid her, then she spoke to him."
"What did she say?" Gilda asked.
He shrugged. "Gary wasn't clear on that part, just that he was convinced it was really her and he was scared half to death."
Mick moved around to stand beside Gilda, presumably so he could see everyone's lips move. Some girlfriend—she'd already forgotten about his damaged eardrums. She reached for his hand as tears filled her eyes. How was she supposed to stay rational when her emotions were rising like the tide?
Gilda raised her eyebrows. "Do you think Gary really did see Miss Claudia on the road?"
Doc met her gaze. "If you mean do I think he's drunk, I'd have to say no. He's coherent, rather than slurring his words. He's in pain, rather than being numb, and he hasn't been belligerent or rude to my staff. If I had to give my professional opinion, I'd say he was as sober as you or I right now."
She sighed in relief. "Then he really did see something or someone."
Fabio gave a small,
barely-there nod. "But what?"
"Or who." Gilda could think of only one person who knew about Gary's accident before anyone else did. Aislin. She clenched her teeth. "I have to go. I'll be back in a while to check on Gary. Should I bring him anything when I come back?"
Mick shook his head. "No way. You're not leaving."
"Actually, I think Mick's right. You should stay with him now. He'll need a friendly face when he wakes up." Fabio placed his hand on hers. "I know what you're thinking, and I don't think it's a good idea."
"How could you know what I'm thinking?" Gilda stared. "I never even told you about Aislin's prediction."
Kane's mouth dropped open. "Aislin predicted Gary's accident? When was that?"
"She stopped by my house and left right before Mick called."
Tension surged through the room like a heat wave as Kane's jaw tightened. "I think I need to go have a chat with our resident psychic. It seems she's known an awful lot of things before they happened lately."
Fabio stared. "I think that's why she's called a psychic."
"I got that, thanks, mate." Kane frowned. "I just meant she seems to have a lot of visions about the people we know who keep having a lot of odd accidents."
"I agree." Gilda met his gaze. "I didn't think you'd be so suspicious of her, though. I thought you were wrapped around her little finger."
Kane gave a wry grin. "I guess you're starting to rub off on me, love. Yeah, she's cute and all, but…there's something odd about her I can't put my finger on."
Thayer scoffed. "Like maybe the fact she's a psychic?"
"Give it your best shot." Doc chuckled. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to check to make sure our patient is settled. Gilda, if you'd like to see him in a few minutes, I'll make arrangements. He may not be coherent, but at least he'll be happy to see you."
Once Doc had escaped the cramped office, Gilda scrubbed her face with both hands and moaned. "Marion said she got a reading from Aislin at the town's birthday celebration. Maybe we need to try to tap into Aislin's special abilities to solve this case. That way we can also keep an eye on her and see if she's up to something."
"Did I just hear you right?" Mick raised his eyebrows. "You want the police to work with Aislin? I thought you suspected her."
Fabio covered his eyes with one hand. "I am not working with a psychic."
"Me neither." Thayer grunted.
"I'm not saying you have to work with her directly, or even believe every word she says." She scowled. "I just think one of you should get a reading and see what she has to say about what's going on around Sandstone Cove."
Fabio shook his head. "Not a chance. Why don't you do it?"
"That won't work. She knows me. She might only tell me what she thinks I want to hear, but she doesn't know all of you guys yet, does she?"
Thayer raised his eyebrows. "Do you think that would be an issue?"
"Maybe." Gilda shrugged. "For all we know, she could be causing these accidents then giving us clues to them later."
"Yeah, well I'm sure she's seen us hanging around Armadillo Street all week," Fabio said. "It doesn't matter who gets a reading from her."
Kane twitched and opened his mouth, but someone rapped on the door before he could speak. His nostrils flared as he reached for the doorknob then stepped back when Doc poked his head inside.
"Gary wants to see you, Gilda," Doc said.
Mick took her hand. "I'll go with you."
Doc shook his head. "Not right now. He was very insistent she see him alone."
"It's okay." She smiled, giving Mick's hand a squeeze.
"No, it's not. I don't think you and he should be alone." Fabio scowled.
"He's harmless," Gilda assured him. "You guys said he has broken ribs and probably a broken collarbone. What's the worst he could do to me?"
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Gilda pushed the door open and was instantly assaulted by the scents of antiseptic cleaners mingled with the stench of vomit. The bed to her right was hidden behind a closed, faded blue curtain with torn netting at the top. Behind the curtain, a man heaved twice then vomited.
Gary lay on the bed to her left, his face pale and bluish in the dim light. Bruises and abrasions covered his face and arms. Both of his hands gripped the raised rails along his bed. His eyes remained closed, yet his lips moved as he muttered to himself.
Doc said the air bag had saved Gary's life, but he never commented about the few thousand dollars’ worth of plastic surgery he'd need to get rid of the scars that would add a lot more character to his face as they healed.
Gilda walked toward Gary's side, away from the vomiting man in the other bed. She drew close to his bed and touched his right hand, careful to avoid the crisp, white bandages.
"Hey, you." She spoke softly, sure the other man's moans drowned out her voice.
Gary's eyes, one ringed with angry reds and purples, fluttered open. He gave her hand a slight squeeze then croaked, "Hey."
"I hear a tree jumped out at you on the highway."
Only half his mouth turned up into a small smile. "Damn thing should have stayed in the woods where it was safe."
Gilda choked back tears as a laugh threatened to burst from her throat. "Doc said you swerved to avoid something on the road."
His eyes widened as fear flashed across his puffy features. "Yeah. Something."
She leaned against the rails of his bed, her knees weakened by his haunted look. "What was it? A deer?"
"You already know what I saw." Gary narrowed his eyes. "Doc told you."
The guy in the next bed coughed violently several times, vomited again, then fell silent.
Gilda averted her gaze. "Actually, Fabio told me."
"The cop." Gary snorted. "Figures."
"Oh, knock it off. I know you guys are actually friends." She studied an odd bruise on his bare bicep that looked more like a hand and fingers than impact from an airbag. "Who did that?"
"Did what?"
"The bruise." Gilda touched his arm. The handprint was a bit larger than her hand. "It looks like someone grabbed your arm pretty hard."
He shook his head. "Probably a paramedic. I hear they had to pull me out of the car."
A logical explanation and she might have been comforted by it if not for the sudden downturn of his mouth.
"You don't remember?"
"Let's just say I was a little distracted." He flared his nostrils. "That woman…"
"What did she say to you?"
"Nothing." He averted his gaze and seemed to look around the room for something.
Ghosts, perhaps? Gilda took a quick glance around as well. "If the person you saw told you something about Miss Claudia's murder…"
"They didn't." Gary flared his nostrils. "I told you. It was Miss Claudia I saw, and she didn't say anything about the murder."
"Okay, okay." She wanted to push for more information but didn't like how agitated he was growing. "Can I get you anything?"
Gary pointed to a blue plastic cup of water on the table with a straw already sticking out.
"Mick and Doc said you were asking for me." She made sure he had a drink before she set the cup aside.
He met her gaze and frowned. "I don't remember."
The man in the other bed began to snore, the sound similar to the rattling noises from a rusty muffler.
Gilda tilted her head. "You don't remember asking for me or don't remember why?"
"Yes to both." Gary made an odd gesture toward the cupboard, where she guessed his clothes and belongings were stored. "I guess I was in shock."
"Do you need something from the cupboard?" she asked.
He shook his head.
Her heart raced. "You think there's someone hiding in the closet."
"The boogeyman," he whispered. "She won't leave me alone."
"What do you mean? Who's the boogeyman?" Gilda's heart seemed to leap into her throat. She thought at first Gary must have hit his head. Then she remembered who he thought he saw on
the highway. "Do you mean Miss Claudia?"
"She came back. She said you need to stop trying to find her killer." He paused and gasped for a deeper breath, his hands shaking. "Miss Claudia's not dead, and she won't leave me alone."
Gilda gave him another sip of water. "Why won't she leave you alone? Did you do something to her?"
"She grabbed my arm and threatened to kill me." Gary glanced toward the bruise on his arm. "It looked like she wanted to kill me there and then, but a car came by. She ran into the woods and watched them cut me out of the car and put me in the ambulance. I'll bet she even followed me here and knows what room I'm in. She's going to come to kill me."
"You could still see her after the ambulance arrived?" Gilda sat on the mattress beside him, her legs unable to support her weight. The Gary del Garda she knew never let anything rattle him. Whomever he'd actually seen after the accident had made him paranoid. "Did you tell Fabio what she said to you?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
If he had, Fabio hadn't said anything to her.
"All I remember are those eyes," Gary said. Then he closed his eyes.
Gilda sat and listened to the harsh whisper of his breath. She'd done the same thing when her father lay dying, sat next to him day and night until the harsh whisper stopped and her tears flowed freely.
"You're not going to die on me too, Gary." She stroked the small part of his face that wasn't battered. "I'll catch her. Whoever the Miss Claudia is who caused your accident, she's not getting away with this a second time."
Whatever "this" was. Gilda still didn't have a clue as she wiped the trickle of tears from her cheeks. She needed to convince Fabio to keep an officer at Gary's bedside. Next, she needed to get to the library and find out more about the building Miss Claudia fought so hard to get from Malcolm Vines. Solving this one might require her to take a few days away from work. She hoped Mick and the others would understand.
A nurse walked into the room a few minutes later and checked on Gary's medication and charts. "Time for you to let this man rest, young lady. Doc says you can come back to see him in a couple hours. Until then, we'll take good care of your dad for you."