by Loren Teague
Rick hoped the cops had stayed with her as Brougham had instructed them. He couldn’t believe he had stayed right beside her for twenty-four hours a day and, for only twenty minutes he’d been away, she’d left the hospital room.
Rick raced toward the stairwell and, taking two steps at a time, he reached the second floor. A quick glance at the sign, told him the X-ray department was further along the corridor. He sprinted. The receptionist sat at the front desk. ‘Where’s Gina Rosselini?’
‘I think she’s gone back to the ward.’
That was possible, thought Rick, if they had used the elevator. The only way to check was to phone the ward. Rick reached over for the phone. Once he got through, he found out Gina had returned. ‘Is she in her room?’ asked Rick. His fingers tapped on the reception counter.
‘Just a minute, I’ll check,’ said the nurse. Within seconds she came back on the phone. ‘Ms Rosselini is having a shower. The two officers are still there, standing guard outside. All’s well.’
Rick heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Good. Tell the police I’ll be back in a few minutes.’
As he walked out the X-ray department, Rick thought about the man he had seen. An uneasy feeling came over him. It just didn’t gel. The man was dressed in white, but he carried a black bag. And where had the man disappeared to so quickly?
Rick decided to retrace his steps but found nothing. The pharmacy was situated on the top floor, the door locked. He rang the intercom and someone came to the door. But no one, of the description he gave them, worked in the pharmacy.
When he’d returned to Gina’s room, she was sitting up in bed drinking a cup of tea. Her bright smile warmed him. ‘Hello.’
‘Hello yourself. Feeling better?’
She nodded, then winced. ‘Oh, apart from my head. It won’t stop pounding.’
‘That’s to be expected.’ He sat down on the bed, and took her hand in his. ‘It’s going to take time.’
‘I know.’ She frowned. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘No … nothing.’ He said it too quickly and he had a feeling she didn’t believe him. He didn’t want to tell her about the man he’d seen earlier. It would only worry her and that was the last thing he wanted.
She sank back onto the pillows as her hand in his tightened. ‘You can’t be here twenty-four hours a day. I’ll be fine if you want to take a break. Go home, get changed. See your family. They’ll be worried about you.’
‘I will. Soon,’ he promised.
‘Now,’ she countered firmly.
He gave a grin. ‘You feel like arguing? You must be feeling better.’
She gave a smile. ‘I do have two officers outside. And in case you hadn’t noticed, they’ve got muscles like wrestlers.’
He knew she was right. He needed to get another change of clothes at least. If he went home, he could be back to the hospital within the hour.
After several days, Gina felt much better. A quick look out the hospital window convinced her that a short walk around the gardens below would lift her spirits. But when she suggested it to Rick, he refused immediately.
A worried frown etched his forehead. ‘Not yet. It’s still not safe.’
‘You can’t keep me locked up forever.’
But he still refused. ‘Maybe tomorrow. We’ll see.’
The feeling of being caged in didn’t sit well. A claustrophobic feeling swamped over her. If she didn’t get out of the hospital room soon, even for a short while, she’d go crazy.
The opportunity came when Rick went down to the café to buy lunch. ‘I won’t be long,’ he said.
‘Why can’t I come?’
He shook his head. ‘No. Best stay here. Fancy anything from the café?’
‘Uh-huh. Chocolate. Dark and rich with lots of nuts,’ she emphasized. ‘I have this craving—’
He stared at her. ‘You’re not…?’
She went forward, gave a chuckle, and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. ‘Just teasing.’ She didn’t tell him it could still be a remote possibility.
He breathed a sigh of relief. ‘For a moment, I thought—’
‘Don’t think. Just go eat.’ She gently pushed him out the door. Then when he was halfway down the corridor she shouted, ‘Better make that two bars of chocolate. Just in case.’
‘Gina,’ he growled, but she could see the amusement on his face.
‘It will give me energy,’ she added wickedly.
Once he’d gone, Gina went back into the room and sat down on the bed. She didn’t feel like reading, and there was nothing on television. She stood up, looked out the window again. The gardens were right below. If only she could go for a little walk. Surely there wouldn’t be any harm in that? She made a quick decision. Reaching for her silk dressing-gown, she put it on, and slipped on her sandals.
The two officers were outside the door talking when she approached. ‘Please, can you take me downstairs into the gardens? Just for some fresh air.’
‘Sorry but we’ve got orders for you to stay here,’ answered Constable Lowe.
Her chin lifted. ‘A short walk won’t do any harm. And I’ve got you two with me. Come on,’ she pleaded. ‘If you don’t, I’ll just go out myself. And you’ll have no choice but to follow me.’
Lowe swopped glances with his colleague, looking unsure. The other constable spoke up. ‘A short walk should be OK, I guess.’
Gina smiled. ‘Thank you. I knew you’d see it my way.’
Within minutes, she was outside breathing in the fresh air. It felt so good to see the blue sky. Sunshine belted down, warming her skin. The gardens were well kept, she noticed, with native shrubs and ferns. It was a peaceful place. Somewhere you could gather your thoughts. She needed that. Near the cabbage tree a garden seat beckoned. Gina made for it and sat down. The two armed uniformed officers stood nearby conversing amongst themselves. She leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifted. She had to try to put the nightmare of her abduction behind her.
‘We ought to be heading back upstairs, ma’am,’ said Constable Lowe. ‘We’ve already been away longer than we should have.’ He gave a worried frown.
‘Just another few minutes, please,’ she pleaded. She reckoned she had a few minutes more before Rick returned to the hospital room. And who could possibly get to her in the hospital gardens?
Rick cut short his lunch when one of the nurses, who was on her break from the ward came over to his table and said Gina had left the room.
‘Where did she go?’ he asked.
‘For a walk. I think she headed downstairs. The two uniforms were with her.’
Rick cursed. He should have guessed what she’d get up to. Dumping the rest of his lunch in the bin, he made for the windows where he could survey the gardens below. Gina sat quietly on a seat talking to the two officers. He breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe. All the same, it would be better if she came back inside where she wasn’t so vulnerable. He took out his mobile phone intending to phone Lowe, but then pocketed it. He’d head down there himself and talk to her. Chances were high she wouldn’t take any notice of him by phone anyway. If it came to it, he’d carry her inside.
He was just about to turn away when Rick caught the flash of something white at a window in the building opposite. A man wearing a white medical mask, stood there staring down at Gina. Something about the way he was looking at her sent alarm shooting up his spine. He took out his phone again and punched in a number. Lowe answered.
‘Get Gina inside, quick,’ urged Rick.
‘What’s up?’ came back the reply.
‘Never mind, just get inside. Now.’
Rick watched them. The officer bent over and said something to Gina. A stubborn look crossed her face.
‘Let me speak to her,’ added Rick.
Lowe handed her the phone. But Rick never got a chance tospeak. A shot rang out. He glanced upwards. The white figure held a rifle resting on the window ledge. Rick’s eyes widened. He swore in Italian.
Lowe swung around, pulling his gun from his holster. Rick heard him utter the words, ‘What the hell …’ and then another shot rang out. The bullet hit Lowe who was standing behind Gina. He staggered and fell forward. The other officer also whipped out his gun and grabbed Gina’s arm and pulled her down, trying to gain some protection from the wooden bench. Another shot was fired by the rifleman.
Rick heard Gina sobbing for help into the mobile phone.
‘Stay down,’ urged Rick. ‘I’m on my way.’ He had to get there and fast. It would take him five minutes at least to get to the bottom floor. Not bothering to wait for the lift, he barged through the swinging doors to the stairwell. Once he reached the ground floor, he shouldered open the fire doors and charged outside. He glanced upwards. The man in white had gone.
Gina shouted out to him, got to her feet and ran into his arms. He pulled her safely inside and held her tightly.
‘Are you hurt?’ he asked, his heart pounding.
‘No,’ she said trembling. ‘Just shaken up. Where was he shooting from?’
Rick pointed. ‘Up there. On the third floor.’
Within seconds, the medics arrived to see to the injured police officer. Rick turned to an orderly standing nearby. ‘How do I get across to the building over there?’
‘I’ll take you. I know a shortcut.’
Rick knew by the time he got there, Gallagher was likely to have moved on and he was right. The room where Gallagher had been was empty. It looked like a storeroom. Rick ran back out to the corridor, and then down the stairwell to the next floor. He peered over the railing to see if he could see anyone descending the stairs. He saw a flash of white. Rick started after him. He’d almost caught up with him on the basement level and jumped the last remaining steps. He gave a tackle which would have impressed a rugby team but Jason twisted round and lashed out with the butt of the rifle catching Rick on the side of the head. The blow stunned him. Rick let Gallagher go as he dealt with the pain. He staggered to the side, clutching the railing with one hand and his forehead with the other. He watched furiously as Gallagher disappeared through a set of swinging doors to yet another corridor.
Rick stood gasping, trying to ignore the pain thundering through his temples. He straightened up, took a few steps forward. No way could he let Gallagher get away now, not when he was so close. He drew his Glock, and peered carefully through the small window of the swinging doors in front of him. The first thing he saw was the sign of the morgue. Loath to enter with all lights blaring and knowing he’d be a target the minute he walked through the door, Rick found the light switch and flicked it upwards. An emergency light came on, giving out an eerie amber glow.
Although he knew the actual corpses would probably be in one of the refrigerators in the back room, he couldn’t help the unease which crawled up and down his spine as he made his way past some empty trolleys, parked side by side, obviously ready for use at a minute’s notice.
With the Glock held in front of him, he lowered himself to the floor and squatting down he made his way along the green marbled floor until he reached a large desk in the reception area. A noise like a bottle clinking had him swinging around but he couldn’t see anything. His gaze roved along the line of tall cupboards and shelves opposite, stacked full of black folders. Nothing moved. He crawled around to the other side, checking out the room fully from behind the rim of the desk. Still no sign. Gallagher had to be hiding but it was obvious it wasn’t in here. That meant he had to have gone through one of the four doors in front of him. But which one? Taking a gamble, he chose one that said the laboratory. He moved forward slowly and tried the door handle. It opened. He pushed it ajar slightly. Then kicked it open fast. Nothing happened. He stepped inside. An emergency light glowed in the corner of the room. Shadows from the trolleys threw dark thick lines across the polished floor. Rick gripped the automatic tighter, sweat pouring down his temples. Another noise. He swung round quickly, both hands holding the gun steady. Then he realized where the noise had come from. Pipes ran across the ceiling making gurgling sounds. Gallagher had to be in one of the other three rooms.
Rick tried the door handle of another room but it was locked. Had Gallagher locked it behind him? He moved across to the next one. It was only a large cupboard. Finally, he faced the fourth door. It opened with a slight creak.
The first thing that hit him was the smell of the place. An odd odour wafted nearby, making him want to hold his breath. He saw the stainless steel sink and the opened bottles sitting on the bench. Medical instruments lay side by side, along with some cameras on tripods as if some sort of macabre movie was about to take place.
He jolted. A body lay on the trolley. He stared at it for a few seconds, his gaze taking in the length of it. A label hung from the big toe. He wasn’t easily perturbed, having seen death many times before, but there was something pretty horrible about a body lying so still with a pure, white sheet draped over it. He went closer to have a look. A quick glance at the label said it was a female. He stood for a few seconds looking around, wondering if there might have been an exit he might have missed. But no, there was nothing. He was just about to leave, when his gaze was drawn back to the body again. There was something strange about it. He went closer and flicked the tag. One dead female. He looked curiously at the feet. They were big for a female, he noticed. He would have sworn they belonged to a male.
He stepped forward intending to whip off the sheet. Before he had a chance, the body leapt upwards. Two hands grabbed him by the throat. The move was so violent, Rick dropped the Glock and it clattered onto the floor. Staggering back, he swung his arms upwards dislodging Gallagher’s deathlike grip. It worked. As soon as Gallagher let go, Rick swung his fist round and caught Gallagher on the jaw, snapping his head back. Gallagher fell backwards hitting the trolley. He didn’t go down. Instead, when he righted himself, he grabbed the trolley and swung it round hard in Rick’s direction. Rick caught it with his left hand and deflected it, where it crashed heavily against a cupboard. A whole line of dark-coloured bottles toppled over smashing heavily onto the floor. Liquid pooled near his feet, making the floor slippery. Fumes choked his throat, making Rick cough and his eyes water.
When Gallagher saw the automatic lying on the floor, he made a dive for it but misjudged the distance. Rick leapt forward, kicking the gun away, out of reach. While Gallagher tried to scramble to his feet, Rick tackled him, wrenching the man’s arms behind his back. Now, he had him in an arm lock.
‘Move and I’ll break your arm,’ said Rick, roughly.
The door swung open and Dave Brougham stood there, his mouth agape, as he took in the chaos before him.
‘About time,’ Rick said, gasping. ‘Where the hell have you been?’
Brougham gave a smile. ‘Why rush? I knew you would take care of it.’
Gina hadn’t seen Rick yet since he was still at police headquarters giving his statement. The only thing worrying her now was facing Rick after what he had done for her. She’d heard all about it, in great detail, from the police officers on duty outside her room. How he had tackled Jason in the morgue. Put his own life at risk. Good people had been brought into this whole horrible episode. All because Jason had gone stark raving mad determined to have his revenge on her and her family.
The nurse, seeing her packing her belongings, called the doctor. He arrived within a few minutes, casting her a disapproving look.
‘What’s all this about Ms Rosselini?’
‘I’m leaving.’
‘I think you should stay in longer,’ he reasoned. ‘Besides, we have strict instructions you were to wait for Mr Caruso to pick you up.’
She said adamantly. ‘I’m going down to the police station to find him.’ She calmly finished packing her things and lifted her bag, before turning around to face the doctor again. ‘I don’t want to make a fuss, but I really do feel OK.’
It was obvious the doctor still didn’t believe her. ‘You’ve been through a lot. I don’t thi
nk you should leave the hospital alone. Let me call your grandparents first. They can come and collect you.’
‘No,’ she said sharply. ‘I don’t need them to come and get me. I’ll make my own way.’
Thankfully, two police officers escorted her to a waiting squad car and offered to give her a lift. She had just thrown her handbag into the back seat, when to her surprise Rick drew up in his wagon. She paused, her hand on the door. She watched him climb out and make his way over to her.
‘Going somewhere?’ he asked softly.
‘Rick,’ she murmured, moving forward. She stopped, unsure what to do next.
He stood there, within an arm’s length, just watching her. She noticed he had showered recently, his hair slightly damp. He wore faded jeans that clad his thighs, emphasizing strong, muscled legs. His shirt, a soft white cotton, offset his tanned skin.
Her gaze lowered fractionally as she tried to think what she was going to say, but instead her gaze kept being drawn back to his eyes looking at her so intensely.
‘Gina. Don’t be afraid.’
And the more she looked, the more the doubts faded and she knew that she loved him. She saw the fresh cut on his forehead and before she realized what she was doing, her fingertips touched it ever so softly. ‘You’re hurt.’
‘It’s only a scratch,’ he said reassuringly, ‘nothing to worry about.’
‘I want to thank you,’ she said simply. ‘I know you went after Jason singlehanded and I know in doing so, you risked your life for me. It’s something I can never repay.’
His finger tilted her chin upwards. ‘Gina, you owe me nothing. Forget the past now. There’s a whole new future out there waiting for us both. It’s up to you to take that chance.’
‘Do you really think we can?’ she asked. ‘You don’t think what has happened with Jason will taint everything? Maybe even us eventually?’
‘No, I don’t believe that.’ He paused slightly as if searching for the right thing to say. ‘As far as I’m concerned I’m in love with you. Nothing can ever alter that.’