Deadly Christmas Duty

by Virginia Vaughan

  He pressed the knife farther into her neck, and she cried out again. “I want justice,” he told her.

  “No!” she cried again. She’d survived too much already. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

  She slung her arms and feet, trying to find something, anything, to grab to fight back with. If only she could make enough noise, maybe Noah would hear it and come back in.

  “Settle down,” he sneered, pressing the knife into her neck again. She felt something warm run down her neck and knew he’d drawn blood. “Now, we’re going to walk out of here real calm-like. No screaming, no alerting anyone, or I’ll slice open your throat. Got it?”

  He grabbed her arm and moved the knife to her side, pressing hard enough to make her flinch. “Follow me.” He pulled her from the room, walking briskly enough that she had to double her steps to keep up. There were no police and no security at her door, only Noah who was occupied at the nurses’ station. She willed him to turn around and see what was happening. But by the time her attacker pressed the down button on the elevator, Noah still hadn’t seen them.

  The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Her attacker pushed her inside. As the doors slid shut, Melinda knew she was in real trouble.

  * * *

  Noah thanked the nurse who’d promised to contact the doctor to exam Melinda and expedite her discharge. He walked back to Melinda’s room. It was empty. A custodial cart was there, and her clothes from the bag were spread out on the bed.

  He saw blood on the floor, and his heart jerked.

  Melinda was gone.

  He’d turned his back for only a moment, but it had been long enough for someone to waltz in and steal her away.

  He ran from the room and called to the nurses’ station. “Call security! Melinda’s been abducted!”

  One of the nurses quickly made the call. Noah spotted another drop of blood on the floor and realized she was leaving a blood trail. The fact that she was bleeding meant he’d already hurt her, but it must not have been badly enough that she couldn’t walk. Surely, someone would have noticed him carrying her out of here. But shouldn’t they have noticed a woman in a hospital gown walking out too? The blood trail led to the elevators.

  He ran to the stairs and down to the first floor, assuming he would want to leave the hospital. He knew he was right when he spotted blood spots on the floor again by the ground floor elevator. He scanned the crowd, trying to find her dark hair in the group. Finally, he spotted her, being pulled along beside a big, burly man in a baseball cap.

  “Hey!” Noah hollered, grabbing everyone’s attention.

  The attacker stopped and turned, too, then took off running, pulling Melinda along beside him. Noah ran after them. They were a good twenty feet from the front sliding doors of the hospital when he spotted the man reach up and pull the fire alarm. People around him began to panic and rush for the front. Melinda became harder to see, but Noah pushed through the people now, all rushing toward the front doors.

  He ran through the doors and saw a white van screech to a halt. The side door opened, and they headed for it. Melinda struggled, pulling away from him, trying not to be dragged into the van.

  Noah rushed for them. When he was close enough, he tackled them, knocking Melinda free of the man’s grip. He and Noah went down, but the man jumped to his feet and dove into the van, which took off before Noah could even get up.

  He spun around and saw Melinda on the ground a few feet away. Her neck was cut and bleeding and her knees were scraped, but she seemed to be okay. He helped her up and she fell into his arms, sobs racking her body.

  “He was going to kill me, Noah. He had a knife and he was going to kill me.”

  “He’s gone now,” Noah assured her. “He’s gone.”

  He cradled Melinda in his arms as he helped her back upstairs. The hospital was still on alert from the false fire alarm, but Noah saw a security guard and informed him of what had happened. He radioed his supervisor, who promised to send someone upstairs to Melinda’s hospital room once the fire alarm was confirmed false.

  It didn’t matter how long they took to get someone up there because Noah wasn’t leaving her alone again. He phoned Peterson and informed him of what had happened, and he actually arrived at the hospital as the doctor was finishing stitching up the gash on Melinda’s neck. She’d flinched at the numbing medicine, but now she was calm as he worked. The doctor left the room, and the nurse stayed behind to care for the scrapes on Melinda’s knees and elbows.

  Noah was thankful a gash on her neck that needed stitches was the worst of her injuries. He’d imagined much worse when he’d seen the blood on the floor.

  “Did you get a good look at him?” Peterson asked.

  Noah shook his head. “Not at his face. He wore a ball cap down low to hide his face. What about you, Melinda? Did you get a look at him? Was it someone you recognized?”

  “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “It all happened so fast. He claimed he was a custodian there to take out the trash and sweep up. I didn’t really pay that much attention to him. I saw the coveralls, and I believed he was who he said. Then when he grabbed me, I was more focused on the knife at my throat and then my side to really look at him closely. In addition to the cap, he was wearing dark-rimmed glasses, but that’s really all I remember about his appearance.”

  “Did he say anything to you?” Peterson asked.

  Her hands shook as she tried to recall the incident. “Yes. He said he wanted justice. I don’t know what he meant by that, but that’s the only thing he said besides telling me he would kill me if I didn’t go with him or if I tried to alert anyone.”

  “Justice?” Noah said. “That makes me think it’s someone you prosecuted, or their family. Someone who believes they or their family member was unjustly convicted.”

  Peterson nodded. “My thought exactly. Did you have an opportunity to look through that list I gave Noah?”

  “I did, but none of the names stood out to me. One more thing about today, though. That van. It had some kind of writing on it, like a decal that had been peeled off. I didn’t get a good look, but it seemed familiar.”

  Peterson nodded. “I’m going downstairs to the security department to look at the hospital surveillance. The camera might have gotten a view of it or possibly a license plate we can follow up on.”

  “And there was someone else driving the van,” Noah said. “I didn’t see the person, but someone is definitely working with him.”

  “Maybe the video captured an image of the driver.”

  “I want to go with you and look at the footage,” Noah stated, then realized he couldn’t leave Melinda alone again.

  She must have seen his hesitation. “Go ahead,” she told him. “I’ll be fine.”

  He started to open his mouth, but the nurse interrupted him. “I’ll watch out for her,” she told Noah. “I was a nurse in the army. I’ve seen my share of combat, and I know how to protect myself and her if needed. She won’t leave my sight until you return. That’s a promise.”

  He liked knowing the nurse was former military. It gave him the confidence to go.

  He followed Peterson and the head of security downstairs to the security office, where monitors were set up capturing video from cameras all over the hospital.

  “Play the surveillance video from an hour ago by the west entrance doors,” Peterson said, and Noah watched as the image played.

  He saw the attacker pulling Melinda out, then Noah tackling them and the man hopping into the van.

  “Stop there,” Noah stated as the image of the van came into view. “Melinda was right. Look at the outline on the side of the van. It does look like a decal that’s been removed and left behind an impression. But I can’t make it out.”

  “We don’t have a good image of the driver, either,” Peterson stated. “What about the license plate of the van?
Did your cameras capture that?”

  He moved the footage a few seconds forward, and Peterson wrote down the plate numbers. Then he took out his phone and dialed his office. “Morris, I need you to run a plate for me. HML 473. I’ll wait.” He placed his hand over the speaker and spoke to the head of security. “I’ll need a copy of this footage.”

  “No problem,” the man stated, then proceeded to make the copies.

  Noah stared at the image on the screen, wishing they had a better angle on the van. He could almost see the person in the driver’s seat, but not quite. It was frustrating to believe there were people out there who were perfectly fine with helping someone else kidnap and kill a woman. But perhaps this was a family who’d been wronged, and they all wanted justice. Either way, Noah knew this perpetrator had at least one other person helping him.

  “Thank you,” Peterson said, then disconnected his call. “The van is registered to Danbar Bakery. That’s owned by Trey and Robin Danbar. And, get this. Ten minutes ago they called in and reported the van stolen from the alley behind the bakery.”

  “Robin Danbar? Isn’t that the woman Melinda had lunch with just before the bombing at her office?”

  “It is. But I’ve known Robin and Trey for years. I find it hard to believe they could be involved in any of this.”

  Noah thought he was about to give it the brush-off, but then he continued. “I’ll go talk to them.”

  Noah headed back upstairs, thankful to see nothing bad had occurred in his absence. He thanked the nurse for her assistance.

  “My pleasure,” she responded. “Your girl here is going to be fine. Those stitches will dissolve in a week or so.”

  “But when can I leave?” Melinda asked her.

  “In a rush, are you?”

  “Yes, I am, actually. I want to go see my son and assure him I’m okay.”

  She nodded. “That’s a good reason. The doctor gave you the all-clear, so I’ll go get your discharge paperwork.”

  When she exited the room, Noah turned to Melinda. “Are you sure you want to go?”

  “Absolutely. I’m ready to get out of this place now.”

  He took her hand and held it, guilt washing over him. “I’m sorry, Melinda. I promised to protect you and I didn’t. I should have been here when he attacked you.”

  She pushed aside his apology. “It wasn’t your fault, Noah. None of this is. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even be here, and I don’t mean in the hospital. I mean I wouldn’t be alive.”

  He appreciated her words, but it didn’t alleviate the guilt he felt when he spotted the bandage on her neck and knew it was his fault for leaving her alone. “I won’t let you down again,” he promised her. And that was a promise he meant to keep.

  * * *

  Melinda was released from the hospital with a clean bill of health. But she hadn’t wavered in her determination to check on Dawn. First, though, she needed to see her son.

  She allowed Noah to help her outside to his rental car. Her head was a little dizzy, but she supposed that was normal after the whack she’d taken to it.

  It was unlike Dawn not to contact her, and that worried her even more. She would feel better once she saw her and knew for certain her friend was safe. Jay had told her that no bodies had been found inside the building after the explosion. Why, then, hadn’t she called her or come by? After two additional attacks on her life, Dawn’s absence was frightening.

  They stopped first by the Campbells’ house, and Melinda introduced Susan to Noah. She saw the admiration in Susan’s face and knew her friend would likely tease her later about a possible romance between Noah and Melinda. She would quickly put a nix on that kind of conversation. Her life was far too busy for romance and after what she’d gone through with Sean, she was still struggling to trust.

  She hugged Ramey and assured him she was okay, despite the cuts and bruises and the bandage on her neck.

  “I want to go home,” he told her, and Melinda hugged him to her.

  She wanted to go home, too, but they no longer had a place to call home. It was nothing but ashes and ruins now. But hopefully, they would be able to recover some of their belongings and start over again in a new home.

  She thanked Susan again for keeping Ramey.

  “No, please,” Susan told her. “It’s no problem. Jason loves having him here. Besides, I’m glad he wasn’t there when the fire started.”

  Melinda didn’t bother correcting her that it hadn’t been a fire as much as a firebombing.

  “You need something better to wear,” Susan commented, and Melinda didn’t argue. She’d borrowed a pair of scrubs from the hospital, but she’d been in only her pajamas when the fire started. She didn’t even have any shoes.

  She followed Susan to her bedroom and borrowed a pair of blue jeans, a shirt and sneakers. She and Susan shared a lot in common. They were both single moms, widows and thankfully, about the same size in clothes.

  Susan also provided her with an extra pair of clothes and a jacket. Melinda was thankful for her friend and gave her a big hug. “Thank you,” she told her. “Thank you for everything, but especially for taking such good care of Ramey.”

  “I’m glad to do it,” Susan protested. “Take care of yourself, and let me know if I can do anything else.”

  “I will.”

  She kissed Ramey goodbye then walked back out to Noah’s car. Now that she knew Ramey was safe, it was time to make sure Dawn was, too.

  She gave Noah directions to Dawn’s apartment complex, then watched as the town slid past her. This was her home, the place she’d chosen to raise her child, but now it all seemed so foreign to her. Daytonville had its share of petty crime just like any other city, but bombs? Explosions? Murder? It was all so surreal for this little town.

  Noah pulled the car into the parking lot and stopped. Melinda got out and glanced around. Dawn’s car wasn’t here. That didn’t bode well. She walked up to the second floor apartment and knocked.

  There was no answer, so Melinda searched for a key and found one hidden in a planter. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, calling Dawn’s name as she did. Fear rushed through her at what she might find, and she was glad Noah was by her side. She felt him tense as they stepped into the apartment.

  “Dawn? It’s Melinda. Are you here?” The apartment was neat and tidy—and appeared to be unoccupied. She called again, hoping someone was behind the closed bedroom door. “Hello? Dawn?” No one responded, and Melinda heard no movement. She opened the bedroom door and again saw no one.

  Nothing in the apartment gave her any indication whether Dawn had been there recently or not. Had she even returned home since the bombing?

  A shiver ran up her spine as she realized something was really wrong with this situation. Dawn would have contacted her in some way by now if it was possible.

  “Maybe her neighbor saw something,” Noah suggested, motioning to the door across the way from Dawn’s.

  Melinda walked out and knocked on the neighbor’s door. A young woman holding a baby answered, and Melinda introduced herself. “I’m wondering if you’ve seen Dawn lately. I haven’t been able to contact her.”

  “No, I haven’t, and I was starting to get worried. I heard about the bomb threat at her office.”

  “Have you seen her or anyone inside the apartment since the day of the bombing?”

  She shook her head. “I haven’t, but then again—” she motioned to the baby in her arm and the toddler at her feet, who had just wandered over “—I’ve been pretty busy. She might have been there and I just didn’t notice.” Her eyes widened. “You don’t think something happened to her, do you?”

  “I’m sure she’s fine,” Melinda said, trying to reassure them both. But inside, her fear that something was terribly wrong was growing. “If you do happen to see her, would you have her call me?”

&nbs
p; “I will.”

  Melinda thanked her then pulled Dawn’s door shut until it latched. “This doesn’t feel right,” she told Noah. “This isn’t like Dawn at all. I’m very worried.”

  “Did she have any friends or relatives she might go to?”

  “No. She didn’t have anybody. Her parents moved to Florida years ago, and as far as I know, she wasn’t dating anyone. She was happy to work all the overtime I could give her because she wanted to fly to Florida to see her parents for New Year’s.”

  She hadn’t been imagining it. Dawn wasn’t here. Dawn wasn’t anywhere to be found. She would have contacted Melinda if she’d been able to. “No,” she told him. “Something is very wrong. I think Dawn has gone missing.”

  * * *

  Chief Peterson sat down and glanced at the report Melinda had made reporting Dawn’s disappearance. “When was the last time you saw her?”

  “I told you, the morning of the bombing. We were both working. When I left for lunch, she was still there. When I returned, she was gone.”

  “And you haven’t heard from her since then?”

  “No. At first I thought it was because my phone was destroyed, but I should have heard from her by now. Her car is also missing. It wasn’t in the parking lot at the office, and it’s not parked at her apartment, either. In addition, her neighbor hasn’t seen her. I worry whoever placed that bomb there might have harmed her.” It was an idea she hadn’t wanted to consider, but she had to. Dawn had had plenty of time to contact her if she was okay. In this case, her silence was not good news.

  “We’ve already got a Be-On-the-Lookout alert for her car, and we’ve got her financials and phone records to see if there’s been any activity. So far there hasn’t been.”

  “What do you mean you’ve already checked her financials? Why?” She recalled the questions he’d asked her after the explosion. “You think she’s involved in this, don’t you?”