by Nia Arthurs
“Excuse me,” she looked up at him, “a-are you really a doctor here?”
Instead of answering he stabbed the syringe into her arm and emptied the contents.
All For The Paper
Benjamin
He stared at the traffic jam that went on for miles. For such a tiny country, Belize sure had a lot of vehicles on the road. The sun blurred the horizon and the heat wave tearing across the treetops seemed to have it out for him.
The scent of wet asphalt and gasoline rode the still waves of the humid air and swirled like a suffocating flock of vultures. Everyone was sweating bullets and he was no different.
Benjamin pulled his shirt away from his chest. “Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?”
“Don’t worry, Benny. We’ll find him,” Ricky said, climbing into the back of the pickup truck and sitting beside Benjamin in the bed. He held a stack of papers in his hands.
The face on the top sheet was a blown up image of Denman Orchard, an ex-con from California who served ten years in prison for bludgeoning a man with a paperweight. He’d gone MIA since then until Rick had pointed him out on the dash cam footage.
Benjamin had no idea how such a man had gotten tangled up with him. He was just as eager to realize the connection between them, as he was to finally capture the guy and see him to justice.
“He looks like someone who’d make trouble,” Rene said, her hands fanning her face. “I don’t usually like to judge a book by its cover, but man… I wouldn’t want to walk down a dark alley and see him at the end of it.”
“He’s not the low level, find ‘em in an alley type. Not anymore. He knew exactly how to avoid the resort’s cameras and even scouted the ones that were broken. That night when he called you, he knew what route to take in order to escape without leaving a trace. I ran around and around that clearing and found no signs of him.”
“Do you think he’ll use the main road with all these cops crawling around?” Benjamin asked. “It’s been an hour already.”
“Have patience, man. He’s not going to walk to the police station and turn himself in because we’re hot and uncomfortable. Chasing criminals isn’t as exciting as they paint it on TV.”
Rene shook her head and climbed out of the truck. Her pink lips extended so far it could probably knock a car down. “I can’t keep sitting here like this. Maybe Najah will let me help her with the passenger inspections.”
Rick watched Renesha as she walked off. “She’s cute.”
“She’s got a live-in boyfriend.”
“You sound so much like Kelly…”
Like a magnet, his thoughts returned to his girlfriend and the bomb the nurse had dropped on him. Was the child in her stomach… Clayton’s?
“I hope she’s okay.” His fingers absently tapped his thighs as a dark feeling swept his chest. The sensation stemmed from more than her pregnancy. “I feel uneasy about leaving Kelly alone. I can’t decide if it’s guilt or instincts.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, Ben. You want to catch this guy more than I do. It makes sense that you’re out on the ground. She understands why you can’t be beside her right now.”
“Yeah, but what good am I really doing? We’re at the main road, but he could have taken a less known one. Or he might be in one of the buses that they let pass by with only a cursory glance.”
“Don’t think like that. He’s smart, but there’s only so many ways to get out of this district. If we don’t find him today, we’ll widen the search. You know I won’t rest until we have eyes on him. I know his name and his face. He’s cornered.”
Benjamin rubbed his eyes. “I just don’t get why he would come after me and my people. I’ve never heard of Denman Orchard, and I’ve never seen him before either.”
Ricky cleared his throat. “I… have a theory about that.”
“What is it?”
“I didn’t want to tell you out here, like this.”
“Stop beating around the bush, Rick.”
A car honked and the sound of chugging motors filled the silence that bubbled between them. Benjamin could tell that his old friend was struggling, but he wasn’t in the frame of mind to cajole him.
“Come on, man! Kelly’s life is on the line!”
“It’s your mother,” Rick blurted.
“What?”
“I took the liberty of snooping into Orchard’s personal accounts and saw a deposit for ten thousand dollars.”
“So he was a hired hand.” Benjamin’s eyelids fluttered. “There’s someone higher up pulling the strings—a disgruntled employee, a company competitor, anyone but my mother.”
“You think I’d fling this kind of mud if that was the only evidence I had?” Ricky raked his fingers through his hair. “The date of your mother’s withdrawal coincided with the date of Orchard’s payment. It was too much of a coincidence for me, so I dug a little deeper.”
Benjamin closed his eyes, almost too afraid to hear. He didn’t have a relationship with his mother, nor did he particularly want one. She was callous and calculating, but she wasn’t a killer.
“Orchard had another sizeable deposit dated six years ago.”
“Stop.”
“Right around the time that you and Kat got serious and started talking about marriage.”
“Rick…”
“Right around the time her brakes stopped working and she lost control on that highway.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I know you’ve mourned Kat and moved on. I know you’re happy with Kelly now and I hate to bring this up. I hate to be the one to break the news, but you have a right to the truth.”
“Why would my mother do that?” Benjamin asked, his hands shaking. Emotions lumped in his throat as he relived the agony of driving to the hospital, hearing Kat’s death pronouncement, and throwing dirt on her casket days later.
“The Guardian Account.”
“The money in that account is hers for a lifetime. Dad made sure of that.”
“Your father set up two accounts—one for your mother’s daily expenses and another for her to oversee in your stead. The second account was filled with stocks, bonds and company shares in your name.”
“I know all of this. Both accounts are in her name. The stocks replenish as much as she spends.”
“No, only one is in her name. What you didn’t know is that she’s only allowed full access to an amount for her daily expenses. The rules are different for the bigger account. The contract allows the money to flow to you and to your guardian.”
“Mom.”
“No, Benjamin. That doesn’t apply to your mother. The stipulations were written arbitrarily. There’s no ‘set’ guardian.”
His head was reeling and he couldn’t seem to get the point. “I’ve reviewed that contract a hundred times. I was furious when I found out. I’m certain that my mother’s name was on the dotted line.”
“You must have missed it. You only saw one person that fit the definition your father outlined in the contract, but there was someone else who could access the money, someone who could kick your mother out of her spot at the watering hole.”
“Who? Kat?”
“Your wife. The minute you marry, your spouse becomes your guardian with legal rights to your inheritance and your estate.”
He staggered against the wall of the pickup bed. “My mother did this for money?”
“It’s just a hunch,” Rick said. “But I’ve been in this business for a few years now. My gut has never steered me wrong.”
Panic seized his chest. “Kelly!”
Rick nodded. “I haven’t seen you act this way about anyone. Not even Kat. You two were so alike, but Kelly… she brings out something in you, man. My theory is that Bianca went home and mouthed off about what she saw between you. Your mom acted fast.”
“No!” Benjamin shot to his feet and jumped out of the pickup. “If Mom’s that determined, Kelly’s not safe.”
“What are
you doing?” Rick yelled when Benjamin started the car. “Hey! This is a police vehicle!”
Benjamin slammed his foot against the gas pedal and charged on the grassy knoll, narrowly missing the officers that were stationed there. He heard their cries as if they were a hundred miles away.
You’ve got to be okay, Kel. Just hold on until I get there.
Ricky knocked on the glass of the tiny window at the back of the pickup. Benjamin had forgotten that his friend was still there. All he could think about was rushing to Kelly’s side before anything happened.
If Ricky was right, if his mother had been behind Kat’s death, he would bring her deeds to the light and step aside as she was punished by the full extent of the law. He had lost his girlfriend, his peace of mind, and his will to live after what happened six years ago. He’d thrown himself into work just to give himself purpose.
Benjamin had no idea how he’d carry on if the same thing happened again.
The Taste Of Doom
Adrenaline pulsed in Kelly’s veins as the contents of the syringe filled her system. The ‘doctor’ turned swiftly on his heels and walked with purpose toward the door. Kelly’s mouth opened in a scream, but no sound came out. Blood rushed in her ears and her muscles seized.
“Hey!” The trembling croak of the grandmother a few beds over filled the air. “Help that girl!”
There was silence in the hospital as every person looked to where the grandmother pointed. Kelly choked, the sound shattering the silence. The killer burst into action and ran, the move cementing the suspicions of a few men visiting their ill family members.
She lost sight of him as her eyeballs rolled back in her head and her body convulsed. Darkness claimed her horizon and everything tilted into black.
***
Benjamin
Adrenaline pounded in his veins as he and Ricky tore into the hospital’s front doors and skated in the direction of the general ward. Patients and doctors alike scrambled to get out of his way. They made the right choice. Benjamin would barrel through walls to get to Kelly.
In the distance, he heard a shout and spotted a group of men in T-shirts and jeans chasing a solitary figure. The stranger’s lab coat fluttered behind him and the mask on his face came undone, dangling on one ear.
Time slowed as Benjamin recognized the image of the man on the posters in real time. He skated to a stop and Rick followed suit. Without sharing a word, both men joined the hunt.
Anger blinded him to anything but Denman Orchard’s capture. He nearly stumbled into a row of waiting chairs and bumbled over an empty baby carrier in his pursuit.
Up ahead, Orchard made a steep turn and headed into the emergency exits. Benjamin pumped his arms and flew ahead of the pack, taking the stairs two at a time. Orchard looked back, his dark eyes glinting.
Tired of the chase, Benjamin grabbed the railing and leapt over, falling hard on his feet. His knees shook, but he ignored the angry sensation rattling his bones and waited for Denman to round the corner.
The thug spotted him and came to a screeching halt. His head swiveled, going from the pack—led by Rick—and then moving on to Benjamin who stood directly in front of him.
“Nice of you to show your face,” Benjamin said, his voice breathless from the run.
Denman Orchard grinned and flung a solid right hook. Benjamin stumbled backward, but had enough presence of mind to grab Denman when he tried to scramble past.
He hugged the man tight, but the weight of him flung them both down the stairs. Benjamin’s head banged against a step and stars danced before his eyes. Striking pain started at the base of his neck and moved downward.
He groaned, checking his limbs to see if he could move. When he turned his head, he found Denman Orchard lying still on the stair below him. His body was slumped over and his eyes were closed.
The thunder of footsteps joined the rushing in his head and Benjamin looked up into Rick’s concerned brown eyes. His best friend offered a hand and helped him to sit.
“Ben, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he said, his voice gruff. “Just a little banged up.”
“Looks like Denman’s out cold.” Rick jerked his chin toward the man.
“Hey!” One of Denman’s original pursuers bent over and gulped in large breaths. “Who are you guys? You…” He pointed a finger at the fallen criminal—“with him?”
“We’re here to bring him to justice,” Rick said.
Benjamin slowly got to his feet and stared at the men. “Why were you chasing him?”
“He posed as a doctor and gave one of the female patients something funky. She started seizing up and foaming like one of those extras in the horror movies. Someone pointed him out so we—”
Benjamin did not linger to hear the rest of their explanation. He stormed up the stairs, ignoring the wooziness that threatened to overtake him.
Kelly…
A crushing headache drove him to his knees, but Benjamin crawled up the rest of the stairs and managed to return to the main hallways of the hospital. A nurse spotted his labored journey and stopped in front of him.
“Sir… sir are you alright?”
“I’ve got to get to her,” he said, the pain crunching his words together. “Kelly…”
She stooped and her brown eyes widened. “You’re bleeding! Sir, wait! You shouldn’t move!”
He ignored her and squirmed across the floor. His hands shook and his breath hitched, matching the erratic thumping of his heart. The general ward was a few meters away. He could make it.
Benjamin was suddenly hauled back as two burly orderlies picked him up off the ground. His body lurched and he fought for his freedom. In his weakened state, the men easily overpowered him.
“Sir, you have to calm down,” the nurse said. “You’re hurt.”
“My girlfriend,” he mumbled, his tongue heavy in his mouth. “Her name is… Kelly Banner… she needs me.”
“You’re of no help to her if you pass out, which is what you’re going to do if you don’t stop fighting us.”
The orderlies—who seemed to have missed their calling as nightclub bouncers—hauled him into a wheel chair and pushed him in the direction of the general ward. It was the only reason Benjamin allowed them to cart him away. Well, that and the fact that spots were beginning to dance before his eyes.
He held himself together as they wheeled him to the ward. His eyes darted straight to the bed where he’d left Kelly hours earlier.
It was empty.
He made a frantic sweep of the rest of the room, but she was nowhere in sight.
“Set him here,” the nurse said. She brought her arm up to fan his hair away from his face and Benjamin lost the upper hand against the pain that had been nipping his heels since his takedown of Denman Orchard.
“Sir? Sir!” the nurse shrieked, but her voice sounded as if it was coming from a great distance. Gravity pulled Benjamin down and, as the objects and people around him faded, he saw Kelly walking toward him.
“Kelly!” he yelled. “You’re okay.”
“I’m here,” Kelly whispered, placing a whisper-soft touch on his forehead. Her long brown hair fell over her shoulder and her beautiful eyes locked on his. “I won’t ever leave you.”
“You better not.” He glared at her. “I know about the baby, Kelly. I know about everything, but don’t you dare use that as an excuse to pull away from me. Whatever the future holds, whatever decision you make, I’ll be here for you.”
She smiled and his heart stuttered in response. The woman took his breath away.
“He’s losing consciousness!” the nurse yelled, her voice growing fainter and fainter. “Call the doctor!”
***
Kelly hurled something unsavory into the toilet as the nurse held her hair back. The scent of charcoal and bile rose in the air, causing her to bend over and unleash the remaining liquids in her stomach.
“That’s it, Kelly,” the woman said with a smile. “Just let it flow. You s
hould thank your body for rejecting the drugs so quickly or we’d be having a different type of conversation right now.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said hoarsely and wilted against the toilet bowl. Never in a million years did Kelly imagine she’d be so intimate with a public toilet. Now, the porcelain throat felt like a best friend.
“Oh,” the nurse produced a handkerchief and stuffed it against her nose, “you’re bleeding.”
“Thanks.” She sighed, her voice sounding muffled through the cloth. “Did they catch the guy who did this?”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t heard anything.”
At that moment, the door to the bathrooms burst open and another nurse rushed to their stall. “Are you Kelly Banner?” she asked, her brown eyes wide and desperate.
“Unfortunately,” Kelly moaned.
“She’s not in any shape to go anywhere right now, Lisa,” the nurse said. “Excuse us. She’s new here and still has a lot to learn.”
“I’m sorry,” Lisa said with a head bop. “I just… they brought in this guy who keeps calling for you.”
“Is he really handsome and tall with blue eyes?”
Lisa nodded. Kelly sprung to her feet.
“Wait! Miss! Where are you going?” the nurse yelled.
“Wah!” Lisa nearly stumbled backward as Kelly brushed her aside to get through the door as quickly as possible.
Kelly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and slipped into the hallway. Consumed with thoughts of Benjamin, she flew into the general ward, her head whipping back and forth until she spotted a huddle of male orderlies and a female nurse scrunched over a tall man.
Benjamin!
She rushed to his side, overcome with the strength of her emotions. She nearly froze as one certainty pounded through her head.
Kelly loved this man. More than anything.
Hopefully, it wasn’t too late to confess.
The Fall-Out
Benjamin
From this day forward, he officially hated hospitals. Hated the small beds that were certainly not made with someone of his length in mind. Hated the smell of bleach and cleaners. Hated that he and Kelly had spent nearly twenty-four hours in and out of a cot.