Fatal Hunt

by Kristy Walker

  He could hear the young woman crying as tossed her phone in her purse without hanging up.

  When they finally had Jack stabilized, they slid her onto the gurney and quickly wheeled her out to the waiting ambulance.

  “I’m riding in the ambulance.” Mike said with a look that said, ‘just you try to stop me’.

  “Of course, Mike.”

  The EMT nodded at him and they got in and left for the hospital. Mike texted Cindy with the information and told her they would meet her there. One of the guys had an extra shirt that they tossed to him and he put it on, tossing the blood soaked one onto the floor or the vehicle.

  Not once did he let go of Jack’s hand.

  They arrived at the hospital and Jack was immediately whisked into surgery. Now all Mike had to do was wait. He looked down at his hands and they were covered with half dried blood. He went to the restroom to wash them before Cindy could see them. As he walked out of the restroom, drying his hands, he almost collided into Jack’s daughter.

  She hugged him close to her and said, “What happened, Mike?” crying softly.

  “I don’t know, Cindy. I came to pick her up and she had left the door open for me, or so I thought. When I came into the house I saw her lying on the floor. She’s in surgery now and that’s all I know.

  He got Cindy settled into a waiting area and went to get them both some coffee. He dialed Kacey’s number as he walked.

  She didn’t answer, so he left a message. He found a coffee vending machine at the end of the hallway. As he was about to put his change in the slot, he heard someone calling out to him.

  “Detective Parker?”

  “Yes?’ he turned to a vaguely familiar voice. He recognized her instantly.

  “Rebecca! How are you? Is Katie OK?”

  “She’s doing very good considering. I think she’s doing better every day. We got her into therapy and once a month we all go. It’s really helping all of us.

  I started working here a little bit ago. Better hours and I can be home more for the family. Katie doesn’t like to be home alone and it will probably be awhile before she is comfortable there by herself.”

  It was one of the worst cases that Mike and Kacey had worked. Jeffrey Walters had left a string of mutilated young women across the bi-state area and they had discovered where Katie was being held just seconds before the man could end her life. It was good to know that the young woman was doing fairly well after the ordeal that she had been through.

  “There is a Keurig just around the corner in the Nurses’ Station. Let me get you a cup.” She turned on her heel and led the way.

  “Could I get two?”

  “Of course.” She answered him as she started the machine. “Why are you here? Is Kacey OK?”

  “She’s fine,” He hurried to assure her. “It’s my girlfriend. She’s in surgery.”

  “Jack? Oh, Detective! I’m so sorry.”

  “Thanks Rebecca. And please … call me Mike.

  She nodded as she handed him the second cup.

  “I’ll be praying for her, Mike. It was good seeing you, but I need to get back to my rounds.” She impulsively hugged him, avoiding the hot coffee, and Mike felt comforted. Katie was a lucky young woman to have Rebecca as her mother.

  “I appreciate it.” Mike left the Nurses’ Station and went to give Cindy her coffee.

  He sat down by her and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his coffee between his hands. Cindy had stopped crying, but every once in a while she would suck in her breath as if to control herself.

  They both looked up at the sound of clicking heels walking towards them. Mike stood up as Kacey came around the corner and hugged him.

  “How is she?” She asked breathlessly.

  ‘We don‘t know anything yet.” He gestured to Cindy.

  Kacey sat down next to the young woman and put an arm around her.

  “Oh, Cindy, I’m so sorry.”

  Cindy seemed confused as to why Kacey was being so kind to her. Didn’t she remember that Cindy had spray painted “Your wife is a whore” all over the side of Kacey and Dan’s house?

  She remembered how her mom had told her about Kacey’s forgiveness and how kind she had been ever since. Cindy leaned into Kacey and put her head on her shoulder and began crying all over again, wondering if she would ever have more conversations with her mom.

  “Why … why did this happen … to her?” she sobbed.

  “I don’t know, honey, but your mom is one tough lady. Let’s just keep good thoughts going her way.”

  Two hours later, an exhausted surgeon came out to speak with them.

  “The surgery went better than expected. However, Ms. Bishop is far from ‘out of the woods’. She is in a medically induced coma and is in recovery. At this time, only her relatives may see her. One at a time.” He looked at them and his face softened. “I wish I had better news. Right now, we just need to wait and see.” He shook their hands and went back to refresh himself.

  “Thank you, Doctor.” Cindy said.

  “I’ll go see Mom. Would you guys wait for me, please?”

  “Of course.” Mike spoke for both of them. “We won’t leave you alone.”

  Mike and Kacey sat down across from each other as the young woman went through the Recovery Room doors.

  “Mike, what happened?”

  “Kace, it was horrible. I went to pick her up and the door was open. I just thought she had it open because she was expecting me. I walked in and she was just spread out on the floor. A screwdriver sticking out of her stomach. She was awake and clutching it. She lost consciousness as I was kneeling beside her. I thought she was dead!” Mikes eyes teared up as he tried to get control of his emotions.

  Kacey reached out and grabbed his hand. Mike held on for dear life.

  Chapter 47

  Captain Wells and Detective Boaz were at Jack’s house with a full contingent of CSI and officers who were securing the scene and looking for evidence. They couldn’t be sure yet, but it seemed like Officer Bishop was the sole survivor from the “Spouse Murders”. While not technically a spouse, it was common knowledge that she and Detective Parker were seriously dating, which made it seem that the killer had close knowledge of the detectives and their personal lives.

  A photographer was taking pictures of each tagged piece of evidence. She was fairly new and it was clear that the blood was bothering her. No one said anything to her, giving her some privacy. It was just something they all had to learn to deal with. Most compartmentalized it and just shoved it to the back of the mind until they were able to deal with it. Some would joke and treat it like a get together. That was the one that bothered Captain Wells the most. He understood it and even could accept it, but it seemed so disrespectful to the victims and their families. As he looked around, he was struck at how well everyone did their jobs and how well trained and qualified their county was to handle these cases. He was proud of them, but now wasn’t the time to start handing out accolades.

  As he walked back towards the door to look for anything that would show forced entry, he spotted a piece of paper that had fallen under a side table. He pulled it out and he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

  It was a hit list. There were several names written down: Dan Yates, Marsha Denard, Emily Wilkenson, Jacqueline Bishop. But the one that stopped him cold was right in the middle of those names and ten more … “Linda Wells.” His ex-wife.

  He took a picture with his phone and called a tech over to bag it. He stepped out of the house and called his ex-wife.

  “Abe?” Linda answered the phone. Her ex-husband never called her, so she was immediately alarmed. “What’s up?”

  “Lin, I need to talk to you in person.”

  “Oookay. It must be important, so … name the place and time.”

  “Right now, and you’re right … it is important. Meet me at my office.”

  “Be right there.”

  Captain Wells hung up and went inside to t
ell Detective Boaz that he was going back to the precinct and would get his report later.

  Detective Boaz frowned a bit at the sudden departure, but nodded.

  He got in his car and sped to the station as quickly as he could. Linda must’ve been fairly close because she was right behind him in the parking lot. Captain Wells got out of his car and waited for her to pull in. He opened her car door for her, grabbed her elbow, and rushed her into his office. He sat her down, shut the door, and went to sit beside her on the couch.

  “Linda, I don’t know how aware you are of this, but Kacey Yates’ husband, Dan, was killed a few months ago. Two weeks ago Marsha Denard, Detective Denard’s wife was killed in their home. Last week one of our newlywed officers lost his wife to a stabbing. Today, Officer Jacqueline Bishop, who is dating one of our detectives, Mike Parker, was stabbed in her home. She is the only survivor and she is fighting for her life right now.

  “This is why I wanted to see you right away.” He handed her the phone with the photo he took of the ‘hit list’ he found.

  As Linda read, she realized exactly what she was looking at and the blood drained out of her face.

  “Is this a hit list, Abe? Am I next?” He hated seeing the fear and insecurity on her beautiful features, as she handed his phone back.

  “It looks like it.

  “Linda, I like to think that we are still friends, and I hope you know that I will always have your back, so here’s the thing.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I would like you to move in with me for a while.”

  “Are you kidding me right now?” She was absolutely incredulous. “Uproot myself?”

  “Actually, yes. Please think this through before you say ‘no’.” Abe was pleading now. “I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me. Because, make no mistake, the spouses of our men and women in blue are being assassinated and it would appear that you are next.”

  “Well, if you put it like that.” Linda smiled at him. “Might be a little weird, huh?”

  “Might be.” The Captain smiled back at her. “I’ll follow you home and you can pack a bag and get whatever you need to make yourself at home.”

  “Thanks, Abe.”

  He followed her home, wondering what was going through her head. He hoped she knew this was not an attempt at reconciliation, but that he was genuinely worried about her. As he pulled up behind her in the driveway, he was flooded with feelings of déjà vu. He had been happy here once.

  “Why don’t you gather your stuff, and I’ll wait out here.”

  He did not feel comfortable going into the house that held so many good and bad memories. The man she had cheated on him with was long gone, but he knew that at one time the “other man” had lived there.

  “Don’t be silly, Abe. Not much has changed.”

  He went inside and waited for her. Ghosts of their relationship were all over the living room. She had their wedding photo out, still on the mantle where it had always been. Vacation photos were everywhere. He couldn’t believe it! She still had the matching digeridoo! He laughed and went over to pick it up.

  Linda chose that exact moment to walk back into the room.

  “I can’t believe you still have this.” The Captain said and then he told her how Kacey always tried to be so sneaky when she looked at the matching one in his office.

  “She probably wonders if you have ever played it. Remember those disastrous lessons?”

  The two laughed until they were out of breath remembering the sheer awfulness of the noises that they made during those lessons, and how the instructor had kicked them out and locked the door soundly behind them, silencing their laughing fit.

  “Ok. Enough of this.” The Captain grabbed her suitcase for her and she grabbed her purse and her book bag which contained her latest favorite authors and the needlework pattern she was working on.

  The couple got into the captain’s car and he drove them to his gated townhome. It would be very difficult for anyone to get past the gated community and the security guard who was posted behind the bulletproof guardhouse.

  “Wow. This is really nice.” Linda said.

  “I like it just fine. I’m not here that much, but it suits me since it’s so close to work.

  He let her in, gave her a key, and left her to settle in. On the way out, he stopped to fill in the security guard, who solemnly listened and promised to keep a sharp eye out and inform the other guards at their morning meeting.

  “Thanks, Chuck.” The guard saluted the Captain and Abraham drove to the hospital to see how Officer Bishop was doing.

  Chapter 48

  Kacey and Mike looked up as Cindy came out of ICU, her eyes were bloodshot and she had dark circles under her eyes. Mike stood and walked to her.

  “How is she?” Mike asked with a concerned frown.

  “I don’t know. They can’t tell me anything for sure. It’s just a waiting game. They need her to be calm and heal. I think they are afraid she would need restrained.”

  “Probably wise.” Mike smiled gently at Cindy, thinking that Jack would most definitely need to be restrained.

  Cindy laughed a little and Mike was rewarded with a small, sad smile.

  “All we can do is just keep praying.”

  “Mike, they are keeping her this way for 24 hours and they are confident there will be no changes. So I’m going home to get some things, then I’ll move into her house for now. It’s a lot closer.”

  “That makes sense, Cindy. If you need anything, let me know. I’m going to stay a little while longer. And don’t think I didn’t notice that your 30 minute drive only took 15 to get here.” Mike teased.

  Cindy hugged Mike and Kacey once more before turning to go back to her car and to her mother’s house.

  The detectives both sat down again and Kacey leaned over and put her hand on Mike’s arm.

  “It’s not awful news, Mike. She has a very good chance of pulling through.”

  “I know Kace. What’s going on? First Dan, then Marsha, then Elizabeth, and now Jack. No way this isn’t related. Someone is targeting our significant others. What if Sandy and the kids get mixed up in this?”

  “Mike, Captain Wells and Detective Boaz are working this case. They are both very, very good at what they do and we need to keep out of it. I tell myself that all of the time. My whole being wants to jump in and interfere, but I know that would NOT be helpful at all. We are both too close.”

  “You’re right.”

  Mike stood up and held a hand out to Kacey. She was definitely showing and it made him feel very protective of her. She took his hand and let him pull her up into a standing position.

  “Thanks.” She said with a chuckle. “I think I’ll really need your help as this basketball gets bigger and bigger.”

  “I’m happy to help you anytime, Kace. I'll walk you to your car and come back up to wait until the Captain gets an officer at Jack's door.”

  The pair walked to the parking lot that was situated by the Ambulance Entrance and Mike walked Kacey to her car.

  As he opened the door to her car for her, they heard yelling.

  “Stupid, stupid, stupid!”

  Both detectives looked towards the noise. It was coming from two rows over. They couldn’t see who was saying it, but the sound stopped as a car door slammed.

  “Someone must’ve dropped their keys.” Mike said with a chuckle.

  “Take a chill pill, dude. At least they weren’t locked in the car.” Kacey murmured. This had happened to her multiple times, much to Dan’s chagrin.

  She told him she would be praying for Jack and got in her car to drive away.

  Just as she was pulling forward to get out of her parking spot, a rusty pickup truck sped by with a squeal of its tires. He missed her by an inch at the most.

  “Idiot.” She muttered.

  She pulled out and went home.

  Chapter 49

  Bill Front pulled into Kacey’s driveway and reached behind him to gr
ab his clipboard and estimate. He was just walking up to the front door when he heard Kacey calling his name.

  “Bill! We’re in the back.”

  He made his way down a cobblestone path that ran beside the house, ducked under a pagoda and walked through a gate that separated the front yard from the back.

  She made a very sweet picture on her rare day off. She was wearing dark brown leggings and a beige sweater tunic that went past her hips, almost like a dress. She was wearing knee high tan boots and had wrapped a bright pink and purple scarf around her neck.