by Vella Day
No one appeared to be inside. Curious. Except for the glow of the emergency lights and the outside street lamps casting the room in eerie shadows, she couldn’t see much. As she ran her hand along the wall to find the light switch, a woman’s voice cried out from the far end of the room.
“Please. Please.”
Zoey’s senses sharpened. It was coming from the bathroom where light leaked from under the door. Was it a cry for help? Zoey flicked on the overhead light, rushed across the room, and pulled open the door.
“Fuck,” Gloria Sanchez shouted.
Zoey’s muscles froze. Ten times earth’s gravity encased her body and glued her feet to the floor. Not one signal she sent to her brain to get out of the Family Room was obeyed. What the hell was the chief medical officer’s wife doing in the bathroom with Dr. Avery Carson? Naked.
“Just get the fuck out of here,” the woman shouted, her face contorted with rage.
Dr. Carson wrapped his arms Gloria, whose nude body was plastered against the far wall, her legs around his waist. With his back to Zoey, her view of the woman was already blocked.
Heart pounding, Zoey finally was able to break free of her cement tomb and step back. Had he not been so protective of his boss’s wife, Zoey might have feared for Gloria’s life. “Sorry. I thought—” Neither would care the reason why she was there.
As quickly as she could, Zoey closed the door and blindly ran toward the exit. In her haste, her thigh caught the edge of a table, sending pain straight up her leg. “Fuck.” She massaged the wounded area as she reached for the exit door and stepped into the well-ventilated, lit hallway. She plastered her back against the cold cement. Did that really happen? Of all the people in the hospital to catch doing that, why did it have to be Dr. Avery Carson?
After overhearing his story about losing that little boy on the table, she’d begun to question Kara’s story. The irony wasn’t lost on her.
Christ. Zoey had just witnessed the chief medical officer’s wife having sex with the chief cardiovascular surgeon—her husband’s top man. Now the woman’s begging words made sense. Zoey placed a hand on her chest in an attempt to quell her rapid heart.
Two doctors waltzed through the ER doorway she’d innocently stepped through moments before. They glanced her way then returned their attention to each other. She needed to get out of there. The files in her office could wait. Attempting to appear calm, she kept her steps slow and even and her gaze straight ahead. It did nothing to lower her pulse, which was beating a rapid tattoo against her chest.
Sure, she’d heard stories of doctors doing it in the OR, in stairwells, and even in the chapel, but she never expected to walk in on someone actually having sex. What had they been thinking? If nothing else, Dr. Carson should have locked the damned door.
Once outside, Zoey dragged the cold air into her lungs, but that did little to settle her nerves. A siren sounded, followed by flashing lights coming toward the Emergency Room entrance. Zoey scooted out of the way of the oncoming ambulance and dashed to her car. Once she found her keys, she clicked the remote, but nothing happened. Damn. The battery was dead. What else would go wrong today? After a few fumbling attempts in the darkened lot to open her door, she succeeded and slid in. Thankfully, the engine started on the first try.
What had Mrs. Sanchez been thinking? Did her husband know she was on the first floor screwing around with a person he probably considered a friend?
It’s none of my business. It might not be, but that wouldn’t keep the image of Avery Carson’s pasty white ass from being forever burned in her brain.
Right now she needed a nice glass of wine and some sleep. Hopefully, tomorrow would bring some insight into what she’d witnessed.
* * *
At nine the next morning, when Zoey walked into the Valley Café. Thad didn’t like her washed out appearance. She looked fidgety and distracted. He hoped the pregnant woman Zoey had treated had made it.
Both he and Pete pushed back their chairs as she approached, and Thad held one out for her.
“Am I late?” she asked, her voice tight.
Thad appreciated how she was always concerned about not inconveniencing them, but he didn’t like that her worry seemed to add to her dismay. “No. We got here early. You okay?”
“Yes. Why?” She hesitated. Something was up.
“Because you look worn-out. Didn’t you get any rest after your hospital call?” He hated to think she’d been up all night.
She smiled, and the light in her eyes returned to almost normal. “I arrived home a little after midnight, but if you must know, my insomnia was because I spent the night reliving the shower experience, and then the aftermath.” She winked. “My sleep pattern was interrupted a bit, but it was for a wonderful cause.” She grinned and Thad relaxed, even though he suspected she wasn’t being totally honest.
Pete placed a hand on hers and smiled. “You lost sleep thinking about us, huh?”
“Well, you two are exceptional men.”
Leave it to Pete to ask, though his roommate had never been concerned before about getting some mythical ten ranking from a woman. With Zoey, it had been different. Pete had talked non-stop about her all last night and again this morning. Thad couldn’t remember a time when they’d both connected with the same woman, which was why he didn’t want to get his hopes up that Zoey might be the woman for them. If things turned sour, the pain would be debilitating.
Claire, their waitress, came over. “Hey, Zoey. What can I get you?”
“Um.”
“Need a minute?”
Zoey shook her head. “Have you two ordered?”
“Just our coffees,” Thad answered, “but go ahead if you know what you want.”
“I’ll have coffee, too. And two eggs scrambled, whole wheat toast, and orange juice.”
“You got it.” Claire looked over at Thad. “Your usual, detective?”
“You bet.”
“Make it two,” Pete said.
The bell over the door rang and to his surprise, Cade Carter rolled in with Stone Benson and Amber Delacroix. Thad motioned to Zoey. “Look what the cat dragged in.” His comment wasn’t far from the truth. Cade hadn’t shaven and his shirt was rumpled like he’d slept in it. Amber appeared withdrawn, too. Only Stone seemed fresh.
Zoey looked over at them and waved. “Hey, guys.”
They tossed their coats on a nearby booth seat and came over, but their somber mood had his gut tightening. When Cade’s gaze zeroed in on Zoey, the color drained from her face.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Cade’s lips thinned. “Someone was murdered at the hospital last night. I’ve just come from there.”
Oh, shit. Since last month’s serial killings at LACE, there hadn’t been another homicide—until now. Zoey reached out to Amber and clasped her hand. “Who was it?” Zoey’s voice shook.
Cade had mentioned that Amber had gone to Zoey a few times after the mercy killer had struck the hospital. Amber had lost her brother to this killer and Cade feared his fiancée might be affected by any subsequent murders. Thad studied Amber for her reaction, but to her credit, she seemed to be holding up well.
“It was Gloria Sanchez,” Amber said.
A strangled cry erupted from Zoey’s throat, and she clasped a hand over her heart. “Oh, my God. I saw her last night.”
Thad cupped her shoulder. “Who’s Gloria Sanchez?” From the trembling in Zoey’s voice, she appeared to be a friend.
“She was the chief medical officer’s wife. She volunteered at the hospital all the time, and even ran the Christmas party for the sick children.” Zoey’s voice shook. “She’ll be missed.”
Thad noted Zoey hadn’t said that she’d personally miss Gloria. He could only hope they were just acquaintances.
“We need to talk,” Cade said as he dragged a neighboring table over to theirs. Stone retrieved their coats from the empty booth then brought over three chairs. All three of them sat. Cade pulled ou
t a small pad of paper and a pen. “Do you remember what time last night you saw her?”
Zoey pressed her lips together. “A little after eleven.”
“Where?”
She bit her lip. “I’d rather not say.”
Cade let out a breath. “Zoey, this is a murder investigation. There is no patient confidentiality here.” Thad had known Cade a long time. When he was in his detective mode, he didn’t have a lot of patience.
“I wasn’t her therapist.”
Claire came over with their drinks and halted. “Oh. More people.”
Cade looked up at her. “We’ll order in a minute.”
“Sure.” Claire set the coffees on the table and left in a hurry, as if she’d understood she’d come at a bad time.
Zoey clutched her hot drink. “I was called in to help calm one of my patients who’d been in a car wreck.”
Thad nodded. “We were both with Zoey when the hospital notified her. It was a little after ten.”
Zoey picked up the paper napkin and wiped her palm. “After I helped Kayla relax a bit, I wanted to stop by my office for some files. As I was passing the Family Room, I heard a moan.” She took a deep breath then squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.
Cade sat up straighter. “Go on.” He jotted more notes.
Thad placed a hand over Zoey’s. It hurt him to see her struggle like this. “You can tell us.”
“I went in, saw a light under the bathroom door and heard a woman pleading with someone. I pulled it open thinking she was in trouble.” She shook her head. “I wish to hell I’d minded my own business.”
“Who was in the bathroom with her, Zoey?” Cade’s voice turned hard, probably because Zoey seemed to have regained her control.
“Gloria Sanchez was with Dr. Avery Carson.”
Amber sucked in an audible breath. “Both were there?”
“I’m afraid so.” She detailed their naked positions. “Gloria screamed for me to get out while Avery tried to shield her body from my view.” Zoey glanced to the ceiling. “I truly could have lived the rest of my life without seeing that.”
Thad leaned back in his seat, relieved she hadn’t come across a dead body or watched Gloria bleed to death. That would have shaken anyone for life. If Zoey had witnessed a murder, he would have hoped she would have called him or Pete right away.
“What was the cause of death?” Thad asked Cade.
His coworker inhaled. “The coroner’s report will be more precise, but someone sliced her carotid artery. The cut looked very clean and precise. I’m guessing she didn’t last long after that.”
“Time of death?” Thad’s job might not entail murder investigations, but he was still a cop.
“The coroner’s preliminary time of death was at half past eleven, but we all know he can be off by half an hour or so. Dr. Avery Carson might have been the last person to see her alive.”
Shit. Thad’s mind swirled. “It’s possible he was the one who killed her.” He couldn’t help but add what everyone must be thinking.
Cade speared him with a glare. “I deal only in facts.”
“Then you need to find some.” As long as it didn’t involve Zoey, Thad would be fine.
Chapter Eighteen
After an unsettling breakfast, Zoey hugged Amber goodbye. “I guess I’ll see you at Gloria’s service,” Zoey said.
“I’ll be there.”
Cade wrapped an arm around his fiancée’s waist. “All three of us will be there.”
Amber looked up at him with a mixture of indecision and love. “You don’t need to come. I’ll be fine.”
Zoey thought about Cade’s reasoning, and a shiver snaked up her spine. “Do you think the killer will be there?”
He glanced down at Amber then to Zoey. “Not to bring up bad memories, but the man who killed Amber’s brother gave the fucking eulogy, so yeah, it’s possible.”
Acid bubbled in Zoey’s stomach. Chris’s death, along with several others, had rocked the entire hospital, as well as the town. Zoey would always mourn those who’d died.
Cade never came out and said a person with medical knowledge had killed Gloria Sanchez, but given how her throat had been slit across a main artery, it seemed likely. Zoey might have even passed this murderer in the halls. A chill slid up her spine. She couldn’t help but wonder if Dr. Avery Carson had made love to Gloria then killed her. At the horrendous thought, pressure built in Zoey’s chest.
Too bad HR would never grant her access to hospital personnel files. If they would, she’d spend every waking moment trying to see who was sick enough to want Gloria dead.
Thad moved closer and placed a hand on Zoey’s back. “Pete and I will be escorting Zoey, too.”
She loved that they wanted to protect her, but as much as she appreciated their support, they didn’t need to disrupt their day to go to a wake. “You don’t have to bother. Even if the killer is there, he has no reason to target me. I’ve already outed Avery Carson. Besides, Cade and Stone will be there to make sure nothing bad happens.”
Thad looked at Cade. “I trust when you excused yourself a little while ago, you called the precinct and asked for Carson to be brought in for questioning, right?”
“You got it. Given the sensitivity of the case, Hartwick said he wanted to conduct the interview. And just so you know, before we came to breakfast, I spoke with Gloria’s husband, who claimed he was home all night.”
From what Amber had told Zoey, Cade wouldn’t make any assumptions until he had proof, but Zoey hoped he found nothing to incriminate Dr. Sanchez. He was such a nice man. She’d never forget how after her episode with Garrett McDonald, Dr. Sanchez had checked up on her when he didn’t have to.
Zoey ran a palm down Thad’s chest, absorbing his strength. “Are you coming to the wake because you think Dr. Carson will be so upset at having been brought down to the station that he’ll verbally abuse me?” She refused to think Carson would harm her.
“I don’t know the man, so I can’t say what he’s capable of. What I do know is that we can’t be too careful.” Thad leaned over and kissed her forehead. “You know the old saying. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
She loved his protective nature. Truthfully, she’d feel more relaxed having them close by. “Then thank you.”
Amber nudged Cade. “It’s a shame your boss is interviewing Dr. Carson instead of you. You’d have gotten the truth out of him.” Zoey actually chuckled at Amber’s attitude.
Cade looked down at her with a lot of love. “Like I did to you?”
Amber smiled. “I had nothing to hide if you remember.”
“He might not either.”
After Zoey hugged her friend goodbye again, all six of them left the Valley Café. Once Zoey’s friends left, she was in too big of a funk to sit at home and think about how one minute Gloria Sanchez was making wild, passionate love, and the next she was dead. “You know what saddens me, besides a vital woman being murdered?”
“What?” the men asked in unison. She almost smiled at how both seemed to want to know what she thought. In her line of work, that didn’t happen often.
“To know I work in a place where something like this could happen.”
Pete stepped up next to her and twisted a long strand of her hair in his finger. “Bad things sometimes happen for no reason.”
Zoey had made the same comment after the Garrett McDonald incident. “I appreciate you trying to sugarcoat the terrible event, but I’m betting there was a reason for this woman’s death. If she was found in a room that wasn’t being used, the killer must have thought the body wouldn’t be found for a while.”
“I can ask Cade, but the killer should have suspected the cleaning staff would be through there.”
“I bet you’re right. My mind is fried.” The men escorted her toward the parking lot located behind the Valley Café. “Here’s something else I’d like to know. Was Gloria’s death premeditated or one of passion?”
Pete tugged her cl
ose. “Ah, yes. The sixty-four thousand dollar question.”
Thad guided her around a car oddly parked in the lot. “I’m surprised Cade didn’t ask if you had any idea who might have killed Mrs. Sanchez.”
“I didn’t know her very well. Other than the obvious suspects of the lover and the husband, I have no idea. Amber might have a better idea as she hears more than I do. I’m betting she told Cade her suspicions.”
Pete shielded his eyes against the bright sun. “Dwelling on Gloria’s death isn’t going to do any of us any good. What do you say we shelve the topic for a while? Anyone up for an outing?”
Thank you, Pete, for trying to cheer me up. “That sounds great,” Zoey said. “What do you have in mind?” She glanced between the men.
Pete nodded to Thad. “Got any limitations?”
He hadn’t worn his sling this morning so he must be feeling better. “Other than rock climbing or driving a motorcycle, I’m good with whatever you two want. I have an appointment tomorrow with the doctor, and I’m expecting him to clear me for duty. If I pass my psych eval, which should be easy, I’ll be back on the streets by tomorrow afternoon.”
She was thrilled for him. “Watch out, gang members.”
They both laughed. “Whatever we decide,” Pete said, “do you mind if we first stop by the women’s home I’m building? I want to check that the drainage pipe was installed properly this time.”
“It’s Sunday,” she said. “Are your guys even working today?” Not that she minded, but everyone needed some down time—even Pete.
“No, but the days of the week aren’t all that important to me when I have a project. This is for my mom, and I want to make sure everything is perfect.”
She rubbed his arm. “You’re a good son.” If Zoey had to guess, the project was actually more to impress his dad than to help his mother. Zoey had learned long ago that some people would never change, and she got the feeling that Russell Banks was one of them.
“I try to be.”
“Do you normally work seven days a week?” A “no” came from Pete and a “yes” from Thad. She raised her brows. “You do know the old saying about all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy?”