Rae glanced up to see a doctor walking over to her. "I know this is a stupid question, but where am I?"

The young man smiled and stood in front of her. He took a small flashlight and made a couple of pa.s.ses from one eye to the other.

"St. Francis Hospital. You had a little accident. How do you feel?"

"Like my jeep," she said rudely, and he chuckled.

"Well, you seem coherent enough. X-rays were negative. Nothing broken, you're lucky. There was an eyewitness who heard the squealing tires and saw the whole thing. The, uh, police would like to ask you a few questions. I'll give you a minute."

Rae nodded, then searched for her cell phone. Luckily, it was still in her pocket and working. She called McGrath, who a.s.sured her he would call the chief of police in Evanston.

"He's an old buddy. You stay put, and I'll be there in twenty minutes. You will then fill me in on everything."

"Yes, Lieutenant, I promise." She sighed and lay back. Nothing broken, just bruised beyond all belief.

A few minutes later, the young doctor pulled the screen back and smiled. "You must know someone. The chief of police is here."

Rae groaned and pulled the sheet over her head. The doctor laughed quietly. "I could try to hold him off awhile longer."

Rae waved him off. She sat up and flexed her, well, everything. "I'm fine, Doctor. Trust me, I've been through worse," she a.s.sured him.

He gave her a suspicious glance but said nothing. "I'd like to keep you overnight."

"Nope. Thanks, I'm fine."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." He then shrugged and handed her a clipboard and pen. "Refusal of services. In other words..."

"Covering your a.s.s, I understand," Rae said tiredly and signed the papers.

He scribbled a prescription and handed it to her. "You'll be sore later."

With that, a short, stout man pulled the curtain back and stood there.

"Miss Jefferson. Chief Desmond. You know McGrath in Chicago, you're lucky. I'm not fond of people destroying public property in the middle of the night. What's your story?"

As Rae opened her mouth to explain, a voice came from beyond the curtain.

"Hold on, Tom."

Rae closed her mouth and looked under the gurney. The doctor chuckled at her antics, as McGrath pulled the curtain back.

"Well, I'll leave you alone," the doctor said and turned, b.u.mping into McGrath.

Now Rae chuckled quietly. Christ, what a night, she thought as her head started to ache.

He gave Rae an exasperated look as he shook hands with Chief Desmond. "Got a live one here, eh, Tom?"

Rae rolled her eyes as the two old men exchanged smug grins. "I don't know. She looks dangerous."

"Psycho." McGrath winked and touched his temple.

"Okay, okay." Rae rubbed her forehead and proceeded to tell them the entire story.

After a few minutes, they exchanged glances. Rae looked back and forth and blinked several times. "So that's it. I don't have any proof or any evidence."

"Did you get a license plate number from the car in the alley?" Desmond asked. Rae shook her head. He stood and scratched his head. "Well, she's all yours. Your car unfortunately was towed. I don't think you'll be driving it anywhere."

Rae then had an idea. "Chief, can you check and see if the brake lines have been tampered with?"

He thought for a moment and nodded. "I can do that. If what you say is true... However, that's an old jeep." He shrugged and shook McGrath's hand. They mumbled something back and forth, then he was gone.

"Well, Rae. Let's get you home," he said. "Before a house falls on you," he added fatherly and ushered her out the door.

Rae took a long hot bath as the sun rose, shining in her bathroom. "G.o.d, I'm tired." She sighed. Everything ached, even her eyelids. However, now the police were involved. McGrath said he would find Pam and have a discussion with her. Though he couldn't promise anything, he would also talk to Mike Porter, Molly Eastman, and Jerry Truman. Rae only hoped that McGrath took her seriously. Her gut told her that all of them had something going on-drugs more than likely.

Now this with Pam. Instinctively, she knew that Pam was in deep, whatever it was. It was just too coincidental that she called, and Rae's brakes failed... Much too coincidental.

She hauled her aching body out of the tub and struggled into her robe. It was five thirty, and she knew sleep was impossible. So she put on the coffee and took Mike Porter's file. She sat in the big chair by the fire and opened the file.

"You're haunting me, Mike Porter. What is the connection?" She sighed as she flipped through the pages of his file.

She read his application. It was standard stuff. However, because of the nature of ComTele, it was a bit more in-depth. "Age, 22. Birthplace, Chicago. Parents, Don Porter and Mary Billings, both born in Chicago. Education: 3rd year Liberal Arts, Northwestern." She rubbed her eyes and tossed the file down. "Standard c.r.a.p," she grumbled.

She then thought of Jane and dialed her number. She heard her sleepy voice on the other end, and after a brief overview, she was wide awake.

"Does Pam have a key to your apartment?" Rae asked, and Jane a.s.sured her she did not. "Okay. Get dressed and wait for me. h.e.l.l, I don't have a car. Okay, I'll take a cab. You stay put until I get there. You're going to spend the day with the professor at the hospital where I can keep an eye on all of you." She rang off, then dialed Sarah.

Sarah's schedule was virtually free, and she agreed to stay with Jane at the hospital. Rae neglected to tell her about the evening's events. Sarah was giving Rae a cool reception as it was. As long as Sarah was safe, Rae could stand the cold.

It was eight thirty as Jane pulled up to Sarah's house. Sarah met her at the walk, and Rae opened the door.

"Where's your contraption?" she asked a bit coolly, trying to ignore Rae's tired, worn face. She noticed Rae wince as she got out of the car. Rae in turn ignored her question.

"Good morning to you, too," she said. As long as Sarah was angry, she wouldn't worry, Rae thought, hoping that was true.

"Good morning...Jane," Sarah said, and Rae just looked out the window. Jane glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Good morning, Professor Connelly," she said obediently as she drove. She was no Einstein, but she could cut the tension between them with a knife.

Delia was finishing breakfast as the trio walked in. She smiled broadly and pushed her tray away. "Hey. Three good-looking women. How lucky can a cop get?" Her smile faded as she saw Rae's tired face.

"Okay, what's up?" She tried to sit up. Jane put a pillow behind her head, and Sarah walked over to her and kissed her forehead.

"Jane will fill you in. I've got to go check in with my client before they fire me. Then I have to see McGrath," Rae said, and Jane tossed her the car keys. Rae plucked them out of the air. She glanced at Sarah, who gave her an icy look.

"I'll check in later this afternoon. Then we'll go from there," Rae said firmly, and Sarah put her hands on her hips in a defiant pose. Rae hung her head and rubbed her eyes.

"Sarah, please, don't fight me now. You can be p.i.s.sed at me all you want when this is over. Just please do as I ask for now."

It was not a question.

"Fine," she said and turned from her. Rae sighed and walked out the door.

Delia looked at Jane. "Okay, what's going on?"

Jane took a deep, sad breath and retold the story of the previous night. Sarah listened, then whirled around and gaped at Jane.

Delia's frown deepened as she shifted uncomfortably in her bed. "d.a.m.n it. I need to get out of here. Well, at least she'll be with McGrath."

Sarah looked out the window again, her heart racing at the thought of Rae out there alone. The lone wolf, she thought sadly. Now she felt a wave of guilt as Jane finished.

"So Rae didn't say, but I know she thinks Pam's involved."

Delia awkwardly reached out her hand and held on to Jane's. "Let's just wait and see what they find on Rae's jeep. It could just be a horrible accident. It is an old jeep." Her voice trailed off, and Sarah turned to them.

"No, Rae's instincts are right, I'm sure. They'll find that someone cut the brake lines, and Pam unfortunately is involved with whatever this is. I'm sorry, Jane." She walked over to Jane and put her arm around her.

"What does all this have to do with Amy's death? What's going on?" she asked anxiously, then put a trembling hand over her eyes.

Delia and Sarah exchanged a knowing look. Delia hoped they'd find Pam, and all this would be over.

They were about to find out that nothing was further from the truth.

Chapter 29.

Rae pulled into ComTele and waved at Jim as she pa.s.sed. She walked into the building and up to the receptionist, who smiled. "Miss Jefferson, we haven't seen you in a couple of days." She pinned a visitor tag on her coat.

"Been a bit busy. Are the board members in?" she asked, and Susan rolled her eyes.

"They're in a meeting with some pharmaceutical company. I'm not sure how long they'll be."

Rae shrugged. "I'll just grab a cup of coffee and take a look around. My contractors were supposed to be here."

"Go ahead. If anyone has clearance, it's you."

Rae walked down the long hall and took the elevator to the third floor. As the elevator started, she looked up.

"Good," she said approvingly. The contractors had already installed the first part of the security-the cameras.

As the elevator doors opened, she wandered down the hall. There were workers everywhere. Electricians, contractors, all busy rewiring the circuits. A tall young man smiled and waved her over.

"Ed, everything shaping up?"

He nodded and looked around. "All on schedule. We already installed the cameras in the elevators. Even got video of the past few days." He leaned in. "Didn't tell anybody yet, so we might get some interesting videos. Know what I mean?" He rolled his eyes and smiled wickedly.

Rae gave him an exasperated look. "Ed, I want to keep this contract. Please, no p.o.r.n on video, okay?"

"Spoilsport." He chuckled and got back to work.

Rae took the elevator back down to the first floor and headed toward the security office.

Two men sat there, testing the equipment. Three monitors gave a good view of each floor. They both looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Rae... High-tech stuff going on here."

Rae laughed and hit a few strokes of the keyboard. The screen scrambled and showed the view of the elevator. Then she looked at the view of the parking lot. "This is good, guys. How soon before you're up to a hundred percent?"

"Well, we've already got video. It's been running for three days. I suppose we should have told the board."

Rae sighed. "Yes, Ed told me. It would be a good idea to let the owners know they're being videotaped. Where is it?"

He blushed and pulled it out of the recorder and gave her a shamefaced look as he handed her the tape.

Rae gave them a suspicious look. Both put their hands up. "Haven't even touched it in three days," he a.s.sured her, and Rae grunted as she wagged it at them in motherly fashion.

"Do not put another tape in until I clear it with the G.o.ds above." She placed the videotape in her coat pocket and patted it.

He raised his hand. "Scouts' honor."

After a couple of hours, she was satisfied with the progress and told Susan to let Ellsworth, Billings, Rosen, and... "Who's the other guy? I always forget him," she said, and Susan laughed.

"Woodard."

Rae snapped her fingers. "Woodard. Tell them I'll stop by in a day or two. They can call if there's a problem."

McGrath sat behind his desk, looking at the scenario from Rae. He had sent a detective over to Pam Rodriguez's apartment and bookstore. Two were sent to the university to find the whereabouts of Porter, Eastman, and Truman. From all that Rae and Sarah had told him, it would appear that they were dealing at the university. However, he needed more than this to go on.

"What a racket. If we can prove it," he mumbled and tossed down his pen.

"You look like h.e.l.l," Rae's voice called out. He looked up to see her leaning against his door.

"You don't look much better. How do you feel?" He motioned her into the room. He didn't wait for an answer. "I sent a few guys over to find our little playmates. We have one big problem. No evidence, only your word. As I told you before, all you've explained to me can be easily dismissed without it. I need something before I go to the captain."

Rae sighed and stretched out her long legs. "s.h.i.t," she said rudely, and McGrath laughed.

"No argument there." He then leaned in. "You must have something. Anything at all," he asked hopefully.