Broken Promise
Jade Pearson Series Two Book 1
Nora Kane
Broken Promise by Nora
Kane
Copyright © 2022 by Nora
Kane.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. This book is a work of fiction. Any reference to real people or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
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Chapter 1
The pair walked silently through the night, just enjoying each other’s company, unsuspecting that someone might be watching them. Willow Knight and Lee Burke were more than friends, despite having known each other for less than a few hours. They’d met at the bar earlier that night. Lee had taken to Willow and was now escorting her home. It was the gentlemanly thing to do and even though Lee had time and time again proven that he had no such thing as manners, he was attempting to make a good impression.
The night was still. There was no breeze and the clouds hung low in the sky allowing only a sliver of moonlight to pass through. The two didn’t mind it though. They could see well enough with the half-lit streetlamps and neon signs that hung in the store windows long after closing. Unfortunately, they weren’t sober enough to see that a truck was slowly following them quite a ways back, lurking in the shadows when it could find some.
“We’re still a few blocks away. You don’t have to walk me all the way home,” Willow said.
She was very pretty with her short hair and spiked earrings. Her leather jacket gleamed in the low light of the street. She was, to Lee, breathtaking.
“Look, when I say I’m going to walk you home, I’m going to walk you home. I’m not going to quit, especially with someone as fine as you,” Lee said, giving a broad smile.
He had a handsome smile and Willow could feel her heart melting when she saw it.
“Well, thank you,” she replied, and they continued on in silence.
The couple heard the car door slam behind them but didn’t take any notice. It was a normal enough sound for a normal enough evening. They also heard the cocking of a gun. It was a sound that Lee recognized instantly. Without warning, he pushed Willow to the ground as a shot went flying over her head.
“What’s going on?” Willow whispered, attempting to find her voice.
“Run!” Lee yelled, picking her back up.
They huddled close together and ran down the street, taking a turn into an alleyway as soon as they could, shots flying out around them.
“It’s a dead-end!” Willow yelled. Lee swore loudly.
“Come on!” he grabbed her hand, and they began to run out of the alley.
But it was too late. Two figures stood before them, each with a gun in hand.
“You two!” Lee yelled.
Two shots went out and flew through him. Lee went down quick. Willow screamed and backed up, but there was nowhere to go. She huddled in the corner of the alleyway.
“We can’t leave a witness,” one of the figures said. Another shot rang out, and Willow went down. The figures ran out of the alleyway and drove off into the night. It wouldn’t be long before the police were there, and they intended to be long gone, leaving behind two bodies just waiting for investigating.
Chapter 2
Jade woke up to a familiar sound, one that she often dreaded hearing in the middle of the night because it meant that she would have to get up. Picking up her phone, she knew immediately who it was and tried her best to collect herself in her sleepy state.
“Do you know what time it is?” Jade asked, not even sure of the time herself, but certain it was something outrageous.
“Jade, I want you on this case,” Edna said from the other end of the line.
Edna Mann was the head detective of the Camden Police Department. She was also Jade’s best friend.
“And what exactly is this case?” Jade asked, sitting up in bed.
“Two people shot—no trace of the shooter. Meet me at the hospital,” Edna said.
“This doesn’t exactly sound like a case.”
“Normally, it wouldn’t be.”
“But?”
“But one of the victims recently escaped from prison. Less than two days later, he’s been shot. The doctors don’t think he’ll make it. Meet me at the hospital, and I can fill you in on the rest.”
“Right. I’m on my way,” Jade said, pulling herself out of bed. Hanging up the phone, she sighed. It was going to be a long night.
Jade hurriedly threw on some clothes and put on her favorite pair of boots. Normally, working on a case, she’d wear a pantsuit or
something nice, but given the hour at hand, she didn’t care what she looked like.
Opening the front door, she flinched. The cold air hit her like an icy blast. It was freezing outside. Shuddering, she tightened her coat around her and walked out to her car. Snowflakes fell in her eyes, and she struggled to see. The wind was gnawing at her ears, and she wished she had grabbed a hat. Of course, there had to be an urgent case during a snowfall like this.
Trudging through the snow, Jade made it to her car. She took out her brush and wiped the snow off of her windshield. She threw it back inside and quickly followed, slamming the door shut behind her. Jade swore to herself. It was colder in the car than it was outside, but she didn’t have time to complain. Edna was waiting for her.
She turned on the car and immediately cranked up the heat. Once again, she was hit with an icy chill before the air gradually turned warmer. Jade usually didn’t mind winter, but tonight she hated it. Driving carefully through the snow, it took her twice as long as usual to get to the hospital.
“Took you long enough,” Edna said upon seeing Jade.
“Don’t start. Have you seen it out there? It wasn’t like that when I went to sleep.”
“Storm came in just as the ambulance was picking up the victims. Made it really difficult to do their jobs.”
“I bet. Who are the victims?”
“Lee Burke and Willow Knight.”
“Knight? Any relation to Chief Knight?”
“None, thank goodness. Could you imagine?”
“No, thanks. The Chief has only just started liking me, we’re not gonna jinx that.”
It was true that Chief Knight hadn’t liked Jade for quite some time, believing that his officers were far superior to any outside help. It wasn’t until Jade cracked a huge case involving an international drug smuggling ring that he had come to respect her and see her as one of his own.
“Lee Burke, twenty-nine, escaped from prison two days ago. He was shot in the stomach twice,” Edna said.
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, and Willow Knight, twenty-five, shot in the shoulder. She’s expected to pull through.”
“Well, if the shooter wanted them dead, they didn’t do a very good job. Is it possible that this is just a random attack?” Jade asked.
“It’s possible, but we’re still looking into it. If it was personal, it does beg the question as to who would want to shoot a recently escaped convict?”
“Maybe someone didn’t like him escaping. I’ll head to the prison in a couple of hours and check it out during daylight,” Jade said.
“We’ll be lucky to see any daylight today. The storm is only supposed to get worse.”
“When’s it gonna back off?”
“Not until Friday at the soonest.”
“Great, three days of this, and we’ve got a case.”
“Top-priority. Chief wants all hands on this, just in case it is some random attack.”
“Because random attacks could mean a serial shooter. I get it. Now, is there anywhere here that I can get a coffee?”
Edna led Jade to the cafeteria, and they discussed more aspects of the case over coffee. Normally, Jade would’ve gone to the crime scene, but given the storm outside, there wasn’t going to be any evidence left. She was sure of that.
“Maine State Prison is just a thirty-minute drive south. The warden there is still unsure how Lee escaped, but they’re working on it. Remember, we had high winds, two nights ago?” Edna asked.
“Yeah, let me guess, the prison lost power?”
“Yeah. They have generators, of course, but there was a fiveminute delay before the generators came on, which is unusual because they’re supposed to come on within thirty seconds of the power going out.”
“So, someone sabotaged the generators?”
“Maybe. Like I mentioned, they’re looking into it,” Edna said.
“So Lee escaped during that five-minute gap and came to Camden. Why wouldn’t he run away, far away?”
“We don’t know that yet, either. While you’re going to the prison, I’ll be looking into his crimes and suspects. If this was personal, it’s likely that it was someone he offended that shot him.”
“We’re focusing a lot on Lee. What about the girl, Willow? Could she be the reason they were shot?” Jade asked.
“Not likely. Willow comes up clean on our records. She’s only ever gotten one speeding ticket and she works at the elementary school across town.”
“What connection do the two victims have?” Jade asked.
“None. They shouldn’t know each other. I’ll be looking into that too while you’re at the prison.”
“Will I need a badge to get into the prison?” Jade asked.
“No, I’ll call ahead and make sure they know you’re coming. Remember, you have the full support of the police department and Chief Knight if they give you any trouble.”
“You sound like you’re expecting trouble.”
“I’ve met the warden. He’s not a pleasant guy. Just hold your ground and you’ll get cooperation,” Edna said.
It was a lot to take in for so early in the morning. Jade kept sipping at her coffee and eventually ordered another one. It really was going to be a long day.
It was nearly six in the morning when Jade and Edna split up. Given the weather, it would likely take an hour to get to the prison and Jade wanted to get a head start.
Chapter 3
The weather hadn’t improved at all. When Jade stepped outside, she got a face full of snow. Spitting it back out, she hurried to her car. She was thankful for the coffee keeping her hand warm. Edna had insisted she get one to go. Jade continued to walk to her car. The sound of an ambulance coming into the emergency room could be heard through the storm. Jade hated the sound of sirens, especially ambulances. She had once been on a very difficult case. When she’d encountered the suspects, she was overtaken and almost buried alive. The sirens brought back painful memories.
The howling wind and deafening snow drowned out the sirens as she got into her car. Jade set down her coffee and debated taking off her gloves. A chill mist tunneled out of her mouth and into the air, fogging up the window. Jade turned on her car, turned on the wipers, and turned on the heat. It took a minute for the air to warm up, but she couldn’t wait. She was halfway down the road before any semblance of warmth filled the frigid car.
Just as Jade suspected, it took an hour to get to the jail. As she made the final turn into the parking lot, it was just barely getting light out. Jade prepared herself for the cold and walked back out into the storm. Looking down, she followed the raised snowcovered ledge of the sidewalk to the front door. She was grateful to get inside.
The prison was gloomy and stale. The very air felt manufactured, like it had been breathed and cleaned one too many times. The walls were a hideous grey. A single holiday decoration sat on the receptionist’s desk, clearly a remnant of Christmas yet to be taken down. A snowman sitting on a sleigh with a push here button on his mitten. Jade suspected that if she were to press the button, a sad rendition of jingle bells might play with a wheezing voice that meant the batteries were all but dead. The prison was exactly what
Jade had expected and yet she still dreaded being here. The whole place was unnatural and depressing.
“Can I help you?” a man sitting behind the desk asked. He looked tired, more so than Jade. She immediately felt pity for the man. Having to work here all day, every day. It must become tedious.
“I’m here to see the warden,” Jade said.
“Do you have an appointment?” he said in a deadpan voice.
“Yes. I’m here on official police business.”
“But you’re not a detective,” a booming voice called out from the hallway beyond.
Jade turned and saw a greasy man staring at her with piercing eyes. He was tubby. His stomach was barely being held up by his belt. His hair was slicked back. Jade immediately understood why Edna didn’t like the man.
“I am a detective,” Jade countered, “Working with Chief Knight and Head Detective Edna Mann on a case that includes your escaped prisoner.”
The warden huffed and invited Jade into his office. She desperately wanted to roll her eyes but restrained herself. Now wasn’t the time.
“They told me you were coming over. They didn’t say why,” the gruff man started. “So, what does one escaped prisoner have to do with a town that’s a half-hour away?”
“Your escaped prisoner, Lee Burke, was shot last night,” Jade said.
“An escaped convict was shot. So what? Criminals shoot each other all the time.”
“Not like this. There was another victim.”
“Still a criminal.”
“The victim was an elementary school teacher.”
“Now I get why you’re looking into it,” the warden said.
It seemed that Jade had finally gotten his attention. He didn’t care about the criminals; he cared about the innocents.
“Both victims were human beings. People. Both cases deserve to be looked into,” Jade said.
“Bah!” That was the only response from the warden.
Jade sighed heavily on the inside and moved on. There was no hope for this guy.
“How exactly did Lee Burke escape?” Jade asked. Normally, she’d have her pen and pad with her, but that might give off the impression that she was more of a journalist than a detective and that was not what she needed right now.
“Two nights ago we had a power outage,” the warden said.
“I know. The generators didn’t come on when they were supposed to. Took them four and a half minutes longer,” Jade said.
“Yes,” the warden grumbled.
“What exactly do the generators power? The cell doors? The locks? The cameras?” Jade asked.
“Everything,” the warden admitted in defeat. He ran his hands through his greasy hair. “It’s a miracle we didn’t lose more.”
It was clear that the warden had been thinking heavily about this for a while. For losing one prisoner, he was likely reprimanded. If he’d lost more, he’d definitely be out of a job. Jade still couldn’t find any pity in her heart for the warden. She just didn’t like the man. It was time to talk logistics.
“What can you tell me about the prison?” Jade asked.
“We’re the state prison, so we handle most cases and criminals. We’re an all-male prison, but there is a female correction facility across the state. We hold all criminals, at least for a little while. Minimum custody prisoners go through here before going to a minimum custody facility,” the warden said.
“Was Lee Burke a minimum custody case?” Jade asked.
“No. He was a high-risk criminal.”
“Meaning what exactly?”
“Meaning that he was kept in the highest security. Prisoners there are kept in single cells in three cell pods. He had minimal contact with the outside world or with anyone else.”
“What did he do to earn that?” Jade asked
“You mean you don’t know what his crime was?” the warden asked, gaining back some of his dignity.
Jade felt a pit in her stomach. “Well, I’m sure you can fill me in,” she said in a stern tone.
“Hmph,” he said, “Lee Burke murdered his roommate, Shane Nicholson.”
“And this put him in high-risk security?” Jade asked.
“Not yet. He was in Close Unit for a time. He was waiting there in reception. While he was waiting, he killed another inmate, Warren Beach. It was then that he was moved into high-risk security.”
“He killed a man while inside? How did your men let that happen?” Jade asked very seriously.
“It happened so fast. He got on top of him and just choked him out. My guards were being tied up with a riot across the compound, so they didn’t get to him in time.”
“And on what day was this?” Jade asked.
“Two months ago. October 23rd.”
“And that was right after Burke got here?”
“The very next day.”
“And you say there was a riot that day. Is there a record of that riot?” Jade asked.
“Of course, there is. I don’t see why you need it,” the warden said.
“You’ll recall that I have the full support of the police behind me. If I ask for records, I will get them sooner or later. Let’s not
make this more difficult than it needs to be,” Jade said.
The man frowned at her, but Jade didn’t give in. She had the higher ground here, and she was going to hold onto it.
“Fine. Talk to Rogers at reception. He’ll get you what you want,” the warden stood up, “I need to get to work.”
Clearly, the meeting was over.
“Thank you for your time,” Jade said. She didn’t bother shaking the man’s hand. She simply walked out of the room and didn’t look back.
Heading back to reception, Jade thought about everything she should ask for.
“Can I help you?” the man at reception asked in the exact same tone he had used earlier. He looked up from his computer and didn’t make any motion that he recognized Jade from before.
“I need the records of the riot on Oct. 23, all records pertaining to prisoners Warren Beach and Lee Burke, and any records you have from the ongoing investigation of the power outage and escape from two nights ago,” Jade said, hoping that she wouldn’t have to repeat herself.
The man gave her a look that said she’d be waiting there for a while before heading to the back.
Just then, Jade’s phone rang.
“Hello?” she asked, more than a little tired. The coffee was starting to wear off.
“Are you out from the prison yet?” a familiar voice asked.
“I’m getting some papers, then I’ll head to the station,” she said.
“Good. Meet me in the morgue. Mark’s got some news,” Edna said.
Mark Foley was the coroner for the Camden Police Department. The morgue resided in the basement of the police station and Jade was there quite often since Mark also happened to be her boyfriend.
Jade hung up the phone and hoped that the receptionist was back with her papers. This wasn’t so. She waited at least ten minutes for everything to be released to her and had to repeat herself twice.
A young guard came by the desk while she was waiting.
“You’re the detective, Pearson,” he said, approaching her.
“You’ve heard of me?” she asked, not really giving him any attention.
“Gossip spreads around here like wildfire. Says you’re going after Curtis Beach.”
“Who?” Jade asked, suddenly interested in the guard.
“Warren Beach’s brother. They were in here together. The day after Burke arrived, he killed Warren. It’s clear that Curtis has been after Burke ever since. We know that Burke got shot, so it figures you’re going after Curtis Beach and his crew.”
“Interesting. Did Burke get along with anyone?” Jade asked.
“He had a cellmate for a very short time while he was in reception, Roger Reeds. He didn’t try to kill him or anything. Probably the only other prisoner he ever had contact with.”
“So he didn’t get along with any other prisoners?”
“He didn’t get along with anybody. Not the inmates. Not the guards. Everyone wanted him gone. I think even the warden would be happy to see him go, but then again, he wants to see all criminals go, like, go in peace,” the man said.
“Thank you, sir. And what is your name, in case I need to contact you again?” Jade asked.
“Nate Harding. If you need to reach me, just call the prison and they’ll give you anything you need,” he said, “Eventually.”
Just then the receptionist came back with Jade’s papers. She asked him to retrieve the files pertaining to Curtis Beach and Roger Reeds as well before she left.
Harding left her alone and she sighed. This case already had a ton of suspects. It was not going to be easy. And the storm outside was making it harder. Jade collected her files from the receptionist when he came back and promptly headed outside.
Chapter 4
The snow blew into her face, chilling her to the bone. She liked winter and didn’t really mind the cold, but weather like this during a case was just annoying. And more importantly, it could be quite a hazard. Making it to her car, Jade began the trip back to Camden. It was nearly nine when she got to the station. Still working on only a few hours of sleep, Jade stopped by the coffee machine before heading down to the morgue. Mark and Edna were waiting for her.
“You made it!” Mark said enthusiastically. He was always a happy man. It was funny because he couldn’t stand the sight of heavy violence or blood but was a coroner. Make no doubt, he loved his job; he just didn’t like to see any bad in the world, which was ironically what he saw nearly every day at work.
“Sorry, I’m so late. The roads are dreadful,” Jade said, sitting down at Mark’s desk. It was then that she noticed the fourth body in the room.
“Is that Burke?” she asked, remembering him from the photos Edna had shown her earlier.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Edna said, “He didn’t make it.”
“But not because he was shot,” Mark said.
“What?” Jade and Edna asked in unison.
“He’s not dead from the gaping holes in his stomach or from blood loss,” Mark said. “In fact, he’s dead from a heart attack.”
“A heart attack, but he looks young and healthy enough, bullet wounds aside,” Jade said.
“He is, or was,” Mark said. “But it was clearly a heart attack that killed him. The nurses say that his heart rate slowed, and his blood pressure went down. They gave him Atropine, but it didn’t work, which is very strange in itself. I’ve yet to run the tests. I suspect we’ll find a previous heart condition.”
“How could a man with a heart condition kill two men, at least one with his bare hands?” Jade asked.
“Both with his bare hands. I have the details of the Nicholson murder,” Edna said flipping through some papers.
“Okay, no man with a heart condition can strangle two men with his bare hands,” Jade said. “I just can’t see that happening.”
“Highly unlikely,” Mark added in his professional opinion.
“So, he didn’t die of a heart attack?” Edna asked.
“I don’t know yet. Like I said, I’ve got to run the tests, but if he really did strangle two men, I don’t think this was a natural death,” Mark said.
“So, that means someone got to him in the hospital,” Jade said. “But who could do that?”
“It’s a small hospital. It’s not like it’s got tight security. Let’s be honest, anyone could sneak in if they really wanted to,” Edna said.
All three of them had been to the hospital enough to know that that was the truth. It wouldn’t take much to slip by a few nurses and get to a patient.
“Who do you suspect?” Edna asked.
“At this point, Curtis Beach,” Jade said.
“Who’s that?” Mark asked.
Jade explained to her friends who the man was and everything that she’d been told at the prison. She talked about the guard who had tipped her off about Curtis Beach. And about the warden and how he didn’t seem to have an answer for anything.
“He’s something isn’t he?” Edna remarked.
“Yeah. I don’t think he’s going to be much help from here on out. He didn’t have any answers. Just said, that they were looking into things. I’ve got the reports about the power outage here,” Jade said, holding up her folder. It was time she began to look through them.
“I’ll get a bolo out for Curtis Beach. See if we can get him in for questioning,” Edna said.
“In this weather, good luck,” Mark commented. “I’d better get started on those tests.”
“And I’m gonna go over these files,” Jade said.
Jade moved over to Pam Dowell’s desk. She was Mark’s assistant. A lovely older woman who wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, Pamela was a great person to be around. But she wasn’t in today. Mark had insisted that she stay home due to the weather, leaving her desk open.
Jade began sifting through the papers. Where to start? She supposed she might as well start at the beginning, October 23rd, the day that Lee Burke had strangled Warren Beach. The prison report was the same as the police report. Both said what the warden had already told her.
A riot had started across the prison between three prisoners, Mike Harding, Roger Reeds, and Mason Cline. The names wouldn’t have stood out, but the guard had said that Roger Reeds had been close to Lee Burke. Maybe the riot hadn’t been just another ordinary riot. Maybe it had been planned by Roger and Lee so that Lee could kill Warren? It was a big leap to make and quite an assumption, but Jade wasn’t known for thinking small.
The rest of the papers weren’t as helpful. They detailed the notices of the power outage and the time-lapse that occurred before the generators came on and nothing else. Curtis and Warren Beach were in prison for car theft. Warren was serving more time because he’d had a fake ID on him at the time of the arrest. Roger Reeds was in there for petty theft. Normally, Reeds wouldn’t have been in with a prisoner like Lee Burke, but the prison was full at the time, and they’d had to make do. Why Lee had wanted to kill Warren was still a mystery. None of the files that Jade had could tell her that.
Overall, Jade wasn’t sure she had learned anything. She had a far-fetched theory and a decent suspect, but no explanations for anything. This was going to be a difficult case. Most of all, Jade wanted to go back to bed. She decided to grab a cup of coffee and go upstairs to see if Edna had any answers. Mark was still working with the body and likely wouldn’t be done for another hour or so.
Walking upstairs, she made a much-needed stop at the coffee machine and found Edna already there.
“I can’t stare at a computer any longer without some caffeine,” Edna said.
“I know how you feel,” Jade said. “Did you find out anything new?”
“I found out that Lee and Warren used to work in the same mechanic shop, but Lee was fired after a few months. That’s all I know. I’d look into it, but the shop closed down last November. It’s just an empty building now,” Edna explained.
“Right. So, not much of a lead there. I’m going to go to the hospital to check in with the doctors and see how Willow Knight is doing. If someone got to Lee, they might also come after her,” Jade said.
“I can send a guard with you to make sure no one gets into her room,” Edna said.
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll get Berkeley to go with you,” Edna said. She called over a young woman dressed in an officer’s uniform. She was short and stern. Jade knew immediately that that she’d be the perfect guard.
“This is Greta Berkeley, one of our newer team members. Came in a few weeks ago,” Edna said, introducing the officer.
“Nice to meet you,” Jade said.
“Good to meet you,” Berkeley replied. “I was transferred here just in time for that big case of yours, the drug bust.”
“Thank you for your help during that arrest. Lord knows we needed it,” Jade said.
It had been a difficult case. Jade had been kidnapped and shot at, and it’d taken a real team effort to get everyone from that case. Jade was truly grateful for the friends that she had and the help that the police department provided.
“Shall we?” Jade asked, motioning to the door. The pair left and headed to the hospital.
The roads had gotten worse. Sometime in the storm, it had gotten warm enough to become sleet, making the roads slippery underneath the fresh snow. Jade drove slowly with Berkeley following behind her. Pulling up to a stop sign, Jade felt something wrong. Her tires weren’t catching on the ground. She and her car were sliding on the ice, going through the intersection! She prayed that there was no one coming as her brakes failed her.
Her heart began to beat in her ears. She usually did well under pressure, but every now and then her anxiety would come back. Now was not a good time. Turning the wheel, Jade attempted to get out of the intersection to any side of the road, but she had no luck. Her car continued to slide. It was then that she was thrown forward as the police car behind her rammed into her. Jade’s car was thrown onto some fresher snow, and she was able to get traction again. She used it to get through the intersection and off to the side of the road. It was only then that she caught her breath.
Looking behind her, Berkeley and her car had made it through the intersection too. The lights on top of the squad car were flashing now, red and blue against the storm. Jade wrapped herself up tight in her coat and walked into the storm heading for Berkeley’s car. She stopped to check the damage on her car on the way. Her bumper was pushed in a bit, but other than that it was okay. She hoped Berkeley was okay.
Approaching the squad car, she knocked on the window.
“Are you okay?” Jade asked. The other woman rolled down her window, letting snow fly into her face.
“I’m fine. We’d better get to the hospital. Better not to get caught here,” she said.
“Agreed,” Jade said, shuffling back to her car.
The snow grew thicker as they continued their drive. With no other problems, they made it to the hospital, driving slower than before. Jade and Berkeley went up to the second floor and found Willow’s room. A doctor was right outside the door.
A nurse walked out of the room as Jade stepped up to the doctor.
“Excuse me, are you the doctor treating Willow Knight?” Jade asked.
“Yes, I’m one of them. Dr. Schultz,” she replied.
“How is she?” Jade asked.
“She’ll pull through, but she’s still in bad shape right now. Not as bad as Burke was though,” she said. “I’ve never seen him this bad.”
“You’ve treated him before?” Jade asked.
“Back in October. He got into some kind of fight with another prisoner. Suffered some bad internal bleeding,” she said.
“What day was that exactly?” Jade asked.
“The 23rd.”
Jade took that information in while Berkeley explained to the doctor that she would be standing guard outside Willow’s door.
“It’s a good thing too; she’s awake now. I’m sure she’ll feel more secure with you at the door,” the doctor said.
“She’s awake? Can I talk to her?” Jade asked.
“Only for a few minutes. She must rest,” the doctor said.
Jade nodded and headed into the room.
A young woman was lying in the bed hooked up to all sorts of monitors. Her left shoulder was bandaged tightly.
“Willow?” Jade asked, being polite.
“That’s me,” a soft voice replied.
“Hi Willow. I’m Jade Pearson. I’m working on your case. I was hoping to ask you some questions,” Jade said.
“Have at it. Not like I’m going anywhere,” the woman said.
Jade gave a little smile. It seemed that even through everything this woman hadn’t lost her sense of humor.
“Did you know Lee Burke before last night?” Jade asked.
“No, we met at the bar. He seemed really nice and we just kinda clicked. He offered to walk me home. He’s such a gentleman,” Willow said.
“And on your walk home, what happened?” Jade asked.
“It was quiet. And nice,” Willow said. “And then it wasn’t.”
“Can you tell me more?” Jade asked. She was trying not to push too hard. This woman had been through a traumatic experience. Jade wasn’t sure how she’d react to it being brought up again.
“Lee pushed me to the ground. People were shooting at us,” Willow said.
“People? There was more than one?” Jade asked.
“Yeah. And they knew Lee,” Willow said. “They shot him dead right there.”
Jade didn’t have the heart to tell her what had actually happened and now wasn’t the time to anyway.
“Could you make out the people?” Jade asked.
“No. It was dark. And cold. Terribly cold. They came after me just because I was with him. I thought I was done for.”
The woman had lost her cheery tone. She was solemn and quiet, and Jade felt a pang of guilt in her stomach for making her go through this. But she needed answers and Willow was the best person to get them from.
“Do you remember anything else?” Jade asked.
“No. I don’t know. I’m sorry,” Willow said.
“Don’t be sorry. You have helped more than you could know. We’re going to find out who did this to you and Lee,” Jade said.
“Thank you.” It was a quiet response.
Jade sat there for a moment in contemplation. She was taking in all of the facts. Her thoughts were interrupted with loud beeping. She looked up. Willow was lying dead still. Her heart monitor showed almost no sign of a heart rate. Nurses ran into the room and pushed Jade out. They immediately got to work. Jade could hear them talking from the hallway.
“Blood pressure is 92/80.”
“I need 0.5 mg of Atropine in the IV now.”
“Atropine, 0.5 mg going in now.”
“Nothing’s happening.”
“It’s supposed to work by now.”
“Get another dose, 0.5 mg Atropine.”
“Going in now.”
“Nothing.”
“Get the AED.”
“Ready.”
“Clear!” A loud zap came from the room. The heart monitor blared loudly. A deadly ring that wouldn’t shut up. That announced the inevitable.
“Clear!” Another zap.
Jade could only imagine what it looked like in there. Nurses and doctors were still talking loudly to each other. Calling out numbers and medications.
“Clear!” A final zap. Nothing happened. The ringing just seemed to intensify the already awful answer. Willow Knight was dead.
Jade didn’t bother staying. She needed to clear her head. Mark would have all the answers as to how it happened once he got the body. Jade figured that Berkeley would have to stay a while longer, making a report and asking final questions. Jade would usually be doing this too, but she couldn’t, not right now.
She’d seen people die before. But never like this. One second Willow had been fine and talking, even joking, and the next she was just gone. Jade was the last person to talk to her. How could she have just died? It was like a ghost had swooped in and taken her life. There had been no one else around. Jade had plenty of suspects, but no one had physically been there. Jade was sure of it. And now her best lead was dead.
