Authors: Renee Andrews
“Yes?”
“The doctor is back and will see you now. You did say it would only take a few minutes, right?”
“Right.”
“No one out here in labor?” she asked the women in the chairs.
“Not yet,” one of them answered, and they all laughed.
The nurse smiled. “Then we’ll get you back as soon as we can.”
“No problem,” one of the moms-to-be responded. “We’ll watch a few more births and get ready for our big day.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m ready right now,” another said.
While the women continued chatting, John followed the nurse, clad in turquoise and purple scrubs covered in teddy bears, to the back of the building. They found Doctor Yvette Weatherly sitting at her desk looking tired, but cheerful.
“Good morning, Doctor. I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice.”
“I want to do whatever I can to help you catch Ms. Jones’ killer, Detective. She’d been surprised at her pregnancy, even though she said she’d already taken a home test, but still, she’d seemed pleased. However, it isn’t Ms. Jones you’re looking into, right? You said you wanted to talk to me about my staff?” She looked concerned. “I have to admit I’m curious why.”
“May I?” He indicated a chair.
“Oh, yes, of course. I’m afraid I’ve had a busy night and sometimes forget common courtesies when I’m running on two hours’ sleep.”
Knowing how she felt, he sat down and smiled, then noticed her loose jacket, and the belly protruding beneath.
She patted her stomach. “That’s right. I’m not only the doctor; I’m a patient. Baby’s due in ten weeks.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you. And this little fellow makes me even more anxious for you to stop that maniac. I can’t stand the thought of him killing those women, and of those children never getting the chance to experience life.”
“I agree.” His attention moved to her hair, short, bobbed and brunette.
“I know. Even if I wasn’t married, I wouldn’t fit the bill.” She pointed to her hair. “Kind of makes me want to tell all my blonde, single patients to dye theirs.”
“It isn’t a bad thought, but we’re going to get him. We can’t let women continue to be scared to live, to leave their houses alone. It isn’t right.”
“So how can I help?”
“I need the names of all male staff members, with those who worked on Friday noted.”
“I can’t give you any names. I’m sorry.”
John frowned, but continued, “I have a warrant signed by Judge—”
“It isn’t that, Detective. We don’t have any men on our staff.”
John closed his eyes. He’d suspected as much from viewing all the nurses as he walked through, but he’d still hoped. “Doctor, did she mention anyone when she was here on Friday? A man? A friend? Anything?”
“I’m sorry, but no, she didn’t. It was my first time to see Ms. Jones. She was new to the area and hadn’t been to the office before.”
“Can you think of any way this guy learned she was pregnant within one day of her finding out? Assuming he wasn’t a friend, and she didn’t voluntarily tell him.”
She shook her head and looked sorry she couldn’t help. “I’m afraid not.”
“Have you heard about our profile for the killer?”
“On the news. I’m sure most of Macon has either seen it on the news or read it in the paper.”
“Well, if you do see any men hanging around fitting that description, or hear of your patients being approached by strangers, or anything that seems the least bit odd,” he withdrew his card and handed it to her, “please call me.”
“I will.”
He stood, and the black-haired nurse rushed in from the hall and nearly barreled into him. Her
eyes were wide with excitement.
“Mrs. Schuler’s water just broke in the waiting room.”
Doctor Weatherly smiled. “Never a dull moment. I should’ve expected it, though. It’s a full moon.”
“Full moon?”
“More babies are born on full moons.” The nurse grinned. “No idea why, but it’s been proven.”
“That so?”
“That’s so,” Dr. Weatherly agreed.
They followed the nurse to the front, where all the women who’d been waiting were gathered around the lady who’d brought her husband along for the ride.
“Okay, Mrs. Schuler, I need you to go on down the street to the hospital and get checked in. The staff there will set you up in a birthing room and get everything ready for us. I’ll be there shortly.” She smiled at the women surrounding the “lucky” lady. “I’m going to let each of you see Nurse Langston today, but we’ll reschedule all of your appointments with me for later this week, if that’s okay. If not, just let my receptionist know what works best for you.”
They all nodded, their eyes as excited as the nurse’s had been. John didn’t blame them. Excitement pulsed through him as well, and he’d never seen Mrs. Schuler before today.
“Can you drive her down there?” The doctor looked to the husband, who’d turned a bizarre shade of pale green.
“I—don’t know.”
John stepped toward the shaken man. “I’ll take you.”
“This is Detective Tucker from the Macon Police Department.” Dr. Weatherly had a small smile in place as she spoke. “I’m sure he can drive you to the hospital, and then you can return later to get your car. I’ll be there momentarily.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Mrs. Schuler seemed much more at ease than her husband, who nodded.
“Come on, let’s get her to the car.” John snapped his fingers in front of the man’s blank face. “I think we should hurry.”
“Right.” The guy surged to life, then grinned. “This is it, Anna, isn’t it?”
“Yes, honey, this is it.” She took his hand and led him along with Tucker.
“I’m going to mess up your seat.” She indicated her wet pants.
“Doesn’t matter.” This was the most exciting, most thrilling thing that’d happened to John in a long time. And that included catching killers.
Within three minutes, and with his lights flashing, he’d herded Mrs. Schuler and her dumbfounded hubby into the Family Ties Birthing Center at Coliseum Medical Center. After giving the nurses his card and asking them to call with information regarding the birth, he left her in the capable care of the hospital and the semi-capable care of her husband.
John pulled out of the emergency parking area. He wanted to stay, to see what had started at that doctor’s office come to fruition and to witness the miracle of a child’s entrance to the world. But that was something meant for the doctor, the expectant mother and the eager father.
The brutality of Abby’s murder, of losing his wife and the child she carried, sucker punched him once more. He had never experienced what took place in that hospital now. Then again, he wouldn’t have experienced it with Abby anyway, since the baby she carried in all probability belonged to Ed Brooks.
He pulled into the parking area at the police department, parked the car and thought of Lexie.
With all the pent up anger from what happened fourteen years ago beckoning for release, he focused his attention on the one good thing in his life right now. The inquisitive news reporter with big green eyes, soft blonde hair and a smile that had the power to melt his hardened heart.
The task force wasn’t scheduled to meet today, so she’d be at the TV station preparing for the evening broadcasts. She’d need a break for lunch. Or dinner. She might even need someone to guard her tonight while she slept. He withdrew his cell phone and dialed WGXA. The newspaper’s switchboard operator answered.
“Lexie McCain,” he requested.
Three rings, then it went straight to her voice mail. He hung up without leaving a message and dialed Paul.
“Kingsley.”
“How’s it going?”
“Fine. Any news on the case? You checked things out at the doctor’s office yet?”
“Struck out. There aren’t any men who work at her clinic, and she hasn’t noticed anyone fitting the profile loitering.”
“Well, you tried. Something else will come up, though.”
“It better. Listen, I’m trying to reach Lexie. She off on a story?”
“Nope. I kind of figured she was with you, helping to find answers.”
“She’s not with me.” An uneasy feeling slammed John’s senses. “She didn’t come in?”
“Called and left a message that she was taking a personal day. Like I said, I figured she was trying to find answers for the Sunrise Killer story so she could prepare for the next segment.”
“Not unless she’s working on it on her own.” John tightened his grip on his cell. “You don’t think she’d do that, do you? Chase a lead by herself?”
“She’s been known to before. That’s the best way to one-up the other guys for the lead story, and Lexie likes getting the lead, but she’s not stupid. She wouldn’t go chasing this guy.”
“No, she isn’t stupid, but she might think she can handle him, that she’s smarter than him.” John tried to remember if she’d said anything last night, hinted to anything that would give him a clue what path she’d taken this morning. If anything happened to her...
“I’ve got her cell number.”
“Give it to me.”
Paul recited the number, then added, “But it won’t do you any good.”
“Why’s that?” John saved the number to his contacts.
“I’ve been trying to call her all morning. No answer. She must be in a dead zone.”
John winced.
“Bad word choice.”
“I’ll say.” John stared at the number. “You know of any areas where a signal won’t pick up in the city limits?”
“No.”
“Why were you calling her all morning?”
“I have a lead on another story and I wanted to see if she was interested.”
John knew better. “How about the truth?”
Paul groaned. “All right. I’m afraid she might be doing something stupid. She tends to be a little too brave and determined for her own good.”
“I’m thinking the same thing.” John straightened to relieve the tension causing the muscles in his neck to bunch. What had she done? Where had she gone?
“So what’re you gonna do?”
“I’m a detective, right?”
“That’s what I’ve been told.”
“Then I suppose I should be able to detect where she headed.”
“Any idea how you’re gonna do that, if she doesn’t want to be found?”
“I’ll find her.”
“Good. And John?”
“Yeah?”
“Call me when you do. I want to know she’s okay.”
“Will do.” He disconnected, climbed out of his truck and stormed into the police station. If he did his job right, he’d soon know where Lexie McCain had gone.
He prayed he found her before she did something she’d regret.
It should’ve taken Lexie two and a half hours to make the trip from Macon to Valdosta. She made it in two.
After parking beneath an aged magnolia, she climbed out of her car, retrieved her overnight bag from the trunk, then headed up the familiar rock pathway leading to Murrell’s Assisted Living. She had visited the large pink Victorian house for the past twenty-eight years, but her stomach still twitched each time she stepped on the wooden slats of the front porch. Not nervous from fear. Nervous from hope. Hoping for something that never seemed to occur, something that never would occur, according to the doctors. Nevertheless, as she entered the foyer, she felt it stronger than ever before.
Hope.
And, although she hated to admit it, this time she also felt an ounce of fear.
“Oh, Lexie dear, I’m so glad you came.”
Lexie turned toward the silver-haired woman sitting in the small office to her right. The lady, Jacqueline Murrell, had a gentle face and an even kinder heart. She’d been like a grandmother to Lexie, ever since Lexie first met her so many years ago. “Jackie. How is he?”
“Here, child, let me get Donovan to take your things.”
Lexie knew better than to argue.
“Honey, Lexie’s here. Can you give her a hand?” Jackie moved to the open doorway at the back of her office, looked in and smiled. “Were you napping?
Donovan Murrell, his stark white hair disheveled and his glasses lopsided, emerged from the room. He kissed his wife on the cheek as he passed. “Just resting my eyes, Jacqueline.”
Jackie chuckled and followed him out.
He had extra wrinkles on one side of his face from sheet marks, and his eyes blinked behind his brown-rimmed glasses to focus. “Hello, Miss Lexie.” He reached for her bag.
“Hello, Donovan, how are you?”
“Haven’t heard any complaints.” He winked at his wife.
Jackie shook her head, but grinned. “Well at least now I know you’re awake.”
He winked again, this time at Lexie. “You’re planning to stay next door, I assume?”
“Yes. I’ll have to leave early in the morning, but I thought it’d be nice to stay overnight and see him again tomorrow.”
“He’ll like that.” Jackie’s rosy cheeks plumped with her smile.
“Sure he will.” Donovan started toward the exit with Lexie’s bag slung over one arm.