aI should be getting home, but thanks anyway.a aI thought it might give us a chance to talk a little,a Maggie said.

aExcept for work, there isnat much we need to talk about,a Brodie said with a shrug.

Maggie was beginning to feel uncomfortable and she cleared her throat. Looking at Brodie from the corner of her eye, she said, aIad like to clear the air between us.a aI let go of the past a long time ago.a aI havenat,a Maggie said softly. She waited until Brodie looked at her. aWhat happened between us after Stan was killed wasnat your fault, Royce.a When Maggie saw Brodieas face darken, she continued. aMy father said and did some horrible things to you, but not everyone believed what he said.a Brodie swallowed hard. aEnough did.a Suddenly, the car seemed warmer to Brodie and she was desperate to separate from Maggie. aI have to go,a she said abruptly in a hoa.r.s.e voice that threatened to betray her thoughts.

aIam sorry I hurt you,a Maggie said.

Brodie looked at Maggie, the hurt showing in her eyes. aI did exactly what you told me to do. I sobered up and got on with my life,a she said, her tone biting.

aSo just drop it, okay.a aPlease, Royce,a she said.

Too much bitterness still lived deep with Brodie.

aWhat happened eight years ago was my fault. No one elseas. No one forced me to drink to drown my problems. No one made me hiahit you. I hurt you. I was the only one responsible for that. You did the right thing when you kicked me out.a aIam sorry,a Maggie said, leaning back against the car seat.

Chapter Nine.

THEY COULD HEAR the roar of planes taking off and landing as they stepped out of their vehicle at the Austin airport and stretched. The pungent smell of airplane fuel and exhaust hung over the parking lot. Hundreds of people were going in and out of the automatic doors leading to the terminals of over a dozen airlines. Skycaps whistled for taxis and loaded and unloaded baggage from rows of cars temporarily stopped in front of each terminal entrance.

aWhat are we looking for?a Nicholls asked.

aIam not really sure,a Brodie said as she looked around.

There were nearly a hundred cars parked in the executive long-term parking area. Most of them looked as if they belonged to people who earned a lot more money than the two detectives combined. She hadnat been to the new Austin airport since it was moved to the old Bergstrom Air Force Base. Ruling out writing down the license plate numbers of all the cars in long-term and executive long-term parking as an exercise in futility, she decided to speak to whoever was in charge of parking in general and was directed to the office for airport security. They were greeted by a military-looking older man whose desk plate identified him as George Jackson, Chief of Security. As soon as they were seated across from Jacksonas desk, he smiled, aWhat can I do for you, detectives?a aA car was stolen from your executive parking area about a week ago,a Brodie explained. aThe same vehicle was later involved in a homicide in Cedar Springs. The owner didnat report it missing until he returned from an out-of-town business trip. We need a few facts about your procedures for vehicles entering and leaving your parking areas.a aYouall have our full cooperation, Detective Brodie. What do you need to know?a aWhen a vehicle enters your parking area what kind of security is there?a aThe driver takes a ticket from an automated system and parks. When the vehicle is reclaimed the driver stops at a toll booth and pays whatever the fee is for the length of time the vehicle was here.a aBut the booth tellers a.s.sume that the driver is the owner of the vehicle, correct?a aPretty much. We donat cross check vehicle registration and driveras licenses.a aWould someone be able to walk into the parking area and steal a car?a Nicholls asked. aDo you have roving security in the parking areas?a aYes, but we rely primarily on video cameras which sweep the areas.a aWeall need to see all your tapes for the last week,a Brodie said.

Jackson punched a b.u.t.ton on his desk phone. aJust for executive parking?a he asked.

aUnfortunately, weall need the videos for all the parking areas,a Brodie frowned.

aYaall are gonna need a super-sized bottle of NoDoze,a Jackson chuckled. After he completed his phone call, Brodie asked, aIs there any chance a vehicle might be abandoned in airport parking?a aRarely,a he shrugged. aIf a vehicle has been parked two weeks, we request a DMV check for the owner and attempt to contact them. Usually, if travelers are going to be gone longer than that, they take a cab to the airport to avoid the parking fees which can get pretty steep after about a week.a More than an hour pa.s.sed before Brodie and Nicholls returned to their car. They had been handed a box containing more than fifty security videos.

aWell, this should kill the rest of the month,a Nicholls said.

aYouare always telling me how great technology is.a aOkay, okay. I knew my words would come back to bite me in the a.s.s one of these days.a aGuess Iam frustrated because we donat have much to go on in this case,a she said as she pulled a pack of cigarettes from her jacket pocket and shook one out.

aMaybe weall get lucky with these videos,a Nicholls said as he put the car into reverse. aMaybe Maggieall turn up something in the files.a Brodie laughed. aWeare supposed to be professional investigators, dealing in facts. But lately amaybea seems to be our favorite word.a aIf we get really desperate, I have an old Ouija board someplace.a NICHOLLS LEANED BACK in his chair and rubbed his eyes. aJesus, RB, this is less exciting than watching paint peel.a They had been watching cars come and go for nearly three hours. Brodie looked at her watch. aWell, I think Iave had enough for today, kiddies. Probably a wild goose chase anyway.a aFree at last, free at last!a Nicholls said as he stood up. aThank you, ma.s.sah.a aI can watch some at home where I can kick back and relax,a Maggie offered.

aGo for it,a Brodie said as she stretched.

aJenkins left his car in executive parking Sunday afternoon and it became rubble Thursday night. If I had to take a guess, Iad bet it wasnat stolen until sometime late Thursday. Our doer probably wasnat expecting to have to dispose of multiple bodies. Thatas less than twenty-four hours of video tapea Maggie shrugged. aItas as good a place to start as any. Besides, department insurance pays for work related injuries, right?a aWhat work-related injury?a Nicholls asked.

aGoing blind from staring at these tapes comes to mind.a Maggie said as she picked out tapes covering the times in question.

Brodie and Nicholls laughed in spite of themselves.

MAGGIE POURED A cup of coffee and sat down heavily at her desk early the following morning, pushing her hair back with her hand.

aLong night?a Nicholls asked with a smile. Turning her head slightly toward him, she said, aYeah, I spent an exciting evening watching Americaas Most Boring Security Tapes. Remind me not to volunteer for s.h.i.t like that again.a aIt was a long shot at best,a Brodie said. Reaching into her purse, Maggie held up a single video. aBut not a total waste of time and sleep,a she announced with a grin.

aWhatas that?a Nicholls asked.

aExcerpts showing Jenkinsa car and a van that could have been used to transport a body to the airport,a she answered as she sipped her coffee.

aYou have got to be kidding!a Brodie said as she sat up in her chair.

aDo the bags under my eyes look like Iam kidding?a Maggie retorted.

aShow us,a Brodie said.

The three detectives took the tape to an interrogation room with a video player and switched on the television. Maggie took the remote control and stood next to the television as the tape began.

aI copied the pertinent parts of the security tapes to save time.a Less than a minute into the tape she paused the video.

aThis shows the Jenkins car when it was parked at 1545 the Sunday before the murders,a she explained as Jenkins removed a suitcase from the trunk and rolled it toward the terminal.

aWell, it was a nice looking car at one time,a Nicholls commented.

aThe next clip shows the vehicle being removed,a Maggie continued as she pressed the play b.u.t.ton. Obviously a night shot, the picture became grainier as they observed a figure approach the car and, after looking briefly around the parking area, slide something alongside the driveras side window.

aLooks like he used a slim jim to open the door. This particular tape was made Thursday evening at approximately 2015. Fortunately for the perp and unfortunately for Mr. Jenkins, the vehicle was surrounded by rather large trucks or SUVs which obscured ground security from noticing anything unusual,a Maggie went on.

aAnd obviously no one was watching the television screens in security,a Brodie observed.

aI checked the security tapes for vehicles leaving executive parking and put together the remainder of the tape.a Although the tape was a little jumpy from the starts and stops of the dubbing, they watched as the Jenkins car exited the parking area and stopped at a tollbooth.

aLong-term parking is to the left of executive parking,a Maggie explained. aSo I guess this last part is worth one sleepless night.a The Jenkins vehicle was picked up by another security camera as it moved into long-term parking and came to a stop behind a light-colored van. As they leaned closer to the television screen, the driver exited the car and opened the rear of the van. In less than two minutes the van door closed and the Mercedes pulled away. Maggie stopped the tape while Brodie and Nicholls looked at each other.

aGuess Maggieall be getting an okay evaluation, huh?a Nicholls said.

aLooks like,a Brodie said. aIt also looks like wead better get back to the airport and find that van. Too bad we canat tell anything about the person who took Mr. Jenkinsa car, but we canat have everything.a aI can send the tape over to the lab and see if they can enlarge and enhance those parts of the tape,a Nicholls offered.

aCanat hurt, but this guy covered himself pretty well,a Brodie shrugged as she stood up. aWeall meet you at the car, Nicholls.a An hour later, accompanied by airport security, they approached an older, rusting tan Dodge van with a cracked windshield sitting in long-term parking. Before they left Cedar Springs, Brodie requested and was granted a warrant to search the van and seize anything incriminating it might contain. After handing the warrant to the security officers, she tried the driveras door and found it unlocked.

aObviously not worried about anyone stealing this POS,a Nicholls said.

Brodie glanced around the interior of the van without touching anything. aItas been hot wired,a she said over her shoulder. aDonat see much in the front. The son of a b.i.t.c.h probably didnat leave clue one. Check the back, Maggie.a Maggie opened the doors to the cargo area and used a flashlight to inspect it as closely as possible.

aA couple of dark spots that could be blood,a she reported. aLooks like something was dragged across the carpet back here from front to back, too.a aHow can you tell that?a Nicholls asked as he peered into the cargo area.

aItas a woman thing.a Maggie smiled. aThe carpet looks relatively new. The fibers in this area are brushed toward the back doors while along the sides the fibers are either straight up and down or brushed toward the front of the van.a aWell, how about that s.h.i.t!a he said.

aYou need to vacuum more often,a Brodie said.

aCall the plates in to DMV and find out who the lucky owner is.a As Nicholls turned to call in the license plate, she added, aAnd contact the lab to have this vehicle towed to the impound lot for a closer exam.a Nicholls nodded and trotted to their car. Brodie joined Maggie at the rear of the van. aGood work, Maggie,a Brodie said. ad.a.m.n good.a Maggie blushed slightly and glanced at her. Royce was finally using her first name. aThank you.a aTow truckas on the way, RB,a Nicholls said when he rejoined them. aAnd the owner is listed as none other than Antonio Obregon. He filed a stolen vehicle report last Friday morning.a aObregon is Brauneras a.s.sistant at the university,a she said as she squinted at the sky.

aHe didnat say anything about his vehicle being stolen when I interviewed him,a Maggie said.

aHe didnat mention it when I spoke to him either,a she frowned. aItas possible he didnat connect his stolen vehicle with Brauneras death. Cars are stolen every day.a aItas possible he reported it stolen to cover himself if heas our perp. Weall need to speak to him again.a aSo whatas the plan now?a Nicholls asked.

aYou wait here. Go to impound and stick with the lab guys when they go over the van. Contact us if anything earthshaking turns up. Maggie, you and I are going back to the university to ask Mr. Obregon a few more questions.a BRODIE SHIFTED THE Camaro into park near the Science Quad. She got out of the car and stopped to lean against the front of the vehicle.

aWhat did you think about Obregon when you interviewed him the first time?a she asked.

aA little hostile, but no more than anyone else with his background.a aHe probably hasnat had many pleasant encounters with the police in the past,a Brodie said as she turned her head to look at Maggie. aTell you what. I want you to go up and interview him again...alone.a Maggie looked puzzled. aWhat are you going to do?aaWhen I talked to him he said his girlfriend worked in payroll. Iall check her out and see what she has to say about the van and about Obregon. She shouldnat be expecting the police and maybe sheall drop something unintentionally.a aYou donat really think he killed Brauner, do you?a aHe may have been a gang member, but none of this looks like a gang killing to me. You ever see any Austin gangs try to cover up a killing by burning a body or dissecting it?a aIt wouldnat be your typical gang killing. Most of the gang related deaths I saw were usually over some misguided point of honor and left where Helen Keller could have found them.a aJust feel him out to see if there was something, even something trivial and seemingly unimportant, that he might have noticed about Brauner or Garcia. Iall meet you here in about an hour.a WHEN MAGGIE REACHED Brauneras office, the door was unlocked and she found Obregon sitting at his desk jotting notes onto a legal pad. He looked up when the door opened. Removing his gla.s.ses and leaning back in his well-worn chair, he sighed.

aWhat can I do for you today, Detective? More questions about stuff I donat know nothina about?a aWell, I was hoping you would know something about your van,a she said as she glanced around the office. The door into Brauneras office was open.

aMrs. Brauner gave me access to his office and files,a he stated before she could ask. aIf they expect me to teach this cla.s.s, I have to be able to get to the docas files.a aSounds reasonable.a She smiled. aNow about your van...a aWhat about it? I reported it stolen already. Not like the Austin PD placed it at the top of their priority list.a aWe found it,a she said. aIt was in long-term parking at the airport.a aNo s.h.i.t!a he laughed.

aWhen was the last time you saw it?a aThe night Brauner went missing. I was with my old lady and when I left the next morning the hunk of junk was gone.a aNot a safe neighborhood, I gather.a aSome pendejo must have been desperate for a ride to want that piece of s.h.i.t. No self-respecting gang member would be caught dead in it. I figured some kid took it for a joy ride and the d.a.m.n thing broke down again.a aThere were a couple of spots that looked like dried blood in the cargo area. Any thoughts about that?a aNope. If there was blood there at some time it coulda been from before I bought it.a aHow long have you owned it?a aMaybe a year, year and a half. It rolled and pa.s.sed inspection, which was all I cared about.a aHow are the cla.s.ses going?a Maggie asked, changing the subject.

aPretty hard to believe most of these idiots made it into graduate school.a aKeeping up Brauneras high standards, I presume.a Obregon laughed easily. aYeah, I guess so. They all thought Brauner was a mean sonuvab.i.t.c.h. Now heas been replaced by an even meaner motherf.u.c.ker.a Maggie had to smile. aYou know, Mr. Obregon, I thought youad be a little more hostile about answering more questions from the police.a aWhy?a he shrugged. Leaning forward and resting his forearms on the desk, he studied his hands for a moment before speaking. aI had a long talk with Helen...Dr. Brauner. Sheas a real cla.s.s act, ya know?

Told me a lot of stuff I didnat know, about her and the doc. Iall be receiving my Ph.D. in Microbiology in another couple of months. Dr. Brauner, the old man, actually recommended me for a teaching position thatas coming vacant at his alma mater. Can you believe that s.h.i.t?a aCongratulations,a Maggie smiled. aYou planning to take it?a aWhat kind of fool would turn down a position at Columbia? Itas a chance to leave my past behind. A new start.a aI hope youare half the teacher Dr. Brauner was.a aYeah, me too, Detective,a he smiled.

aIall let you know when you can pick up your van from the impound lot. Looks like youare going to need it since youare planning to move.a Despite the fact she was usually cynical about people, she was glad things were working out for Tony Obregon. He had broken away from the gang mold and his future looked promising.

aIf you think of anything you think we should know concerning either the theft of your van or Dr. Brauneras death...,a she began.

aIall give you a call.a He smiled slightly. aI hope you catch whoever killed the doc.a aEventually we will, Iam sure,a she said as she left the small office.

Since she had completed her interview fairly quickly, Maggie found a bench in the shade outside the Biology Building and sat down. Pulling her notebook from her shoulder bag, she was glancing over her notes from interviews when her thoughts were interrupted.

aMaking any progress, Detective Weston?a a manas voice said.

Looking up and squinting against the sunlight filtering through the trees, she saw Daryll Chambers and a young woman approaching the bench.

aMr. Chambers,a she said. aHow are you?a aSweatina the last couple of months,a Chambers answered. aLeaving this weekend for a little trip.a aGoing to the beach?a aI wish,a he said. aI have to fly back east for a job interview.a Maggie glanced at the young woman with Chambers. She was an attractive blonde with blue eyes. Every college manas dream, she thought.

aOh, Iam sorry, Detective. This is Karen Dietrick,a he said. aKaren, honey, this is one of the detectives working on the Brauner case, Detective Weston.a Maggie stood and shook hands with the young woman. aAre you a student at the university?a she asked.

aIam in grad school here, but I work over in Admissions,a the young woman offered.

aAre you graduating this year, too?a aI have one more year to go. Hopefully it will go by as quickly as this year has because Iam more than ready to be out of school.a aI can understand that,a Maggie smiled. As she looked toward the parking lot, she saw Royce striding toward their car. aWell, it looks like my ride is here,a she said. aIt was nice to see you again, Mr. Chambers, and good luck with your interview.a She extended her hand to Chambers. He seemed surprised by the gesture and as he took her hand, a set of keys fell to the ground between them. She squatted down and picked them up. Before she handed them back to him, she noticed a bright gold medallion attached to the key ring. Flipping it over, she examined it closely.

aThis is beautiful,a she said. aI noticed it the first time I interviewed you. Is it a religious medal?a aYeah,a Chambers laughed lightly as he took the keys. aIt was a gift from my mother. She thinks I need all the help I can get.a aWell, itas lovely. Where did your mother find it?a aI think she picked it up when she was in Costa Rica last summer. Probably just a cheap trinket from some town market,a he answered.

aItas supposed to be the thought that counts,a she said as she began to walk away. aHave a safe trip.a aHOW DID THE interview with the girlfriend go?a Maggie asked as she buckled her seat beat.

aActually, she seemed like a very nice lady,a Brodie said as she turned the key in the ignition.

aNaturally she confirmed everything we already knew about Obregon.a aHeas been offered a teaching position at Columbia,a Maggie said. aSeems Dr. Brauner had recommended him for an opening before he was killed. Heall be leaving in three or four months.a aWas that Rothas a.s.sistant you were talking to?a Brodie asked as she backed the Camaro out of its parking slot.

aYeah. Heas leaving this weekend for a job interview himself.a Brodie pulled a cell phone from her jacket pocket and handed it to Maggie. aHit the speed dial and get hold of Nicholls. See if we need to pick him up.a BRODIE WAS AWAKENED from a sound sleep by an incessant ringing sound. It was dark outside and at first she thought it was the alarm clock. She turned her head and the red numbers showed one thirty-five. Suddenly she realized it was her telephone. She climbed groggily out of bed and made her way toward the living room, being careful not to trip over Max. She turned the switch on a table lamp near the phone and picked up the receiver.

aBrodie,a she croaked, clearing her throat.

aRB, you better get over to Cedar Memorial right away.a aWho the h.e.l.l is this?a she asked, holding the phone on her shoulder and rubbing her face as she spoke.

aItas Nicholls. Wake up, Brodie.a aWhatas going down at Cedar Memorial?a aIt already went down. Westonas been hurt. I donat know how serious it is, but an ambulance was dispatched to take her in. I got a call from the desk officer a few minutes ago.a aWhat...a aI donat know what happened for sure yet, but the desk sergeant said she was a.s.saulted.a aIall meet you there,a Brodie said.

She dressed quickly, pulling on old jeans and a tshirt. Max followed her with his eyes without raising his head. He had become accustomed to late night calls.

She jumped in her Camaro and lit a cigarette, holding it tightly between her teeth as she backed out of the driveway and sped toward the hospital. She arrived in less than ten minutes and parked in the emergency room parking lot. They didnat appear to have many customers. She saw an ambulance backed into the emergency bay as she entered the automatic doors and approached the slightly overweight young woman seated at the triage desk. She had an attractive face that would have been more attractive with less makeup and less baby fat.

aYou have Margaret Weston here?a aAre you a relative, maaam?a She answered by pulling out her badge and flashing it at the clerk.

aLet me check, officer,a the young woman said as she got up. She went to the doors leading to the treatment area and punched numbers into the security lock. In less than a minute she reappeared at the door and motioned for Brodie to enter.

aThey brought her in a little while ago. Sheas in Treatment Room Four, but you wonat be able to talk to her. She was unconscious and the doctor is with her now.a aHow serious are her injuries?a aI couldnat say,a the clerk said. She looked around the treatment area and pointed. aThereas the policeman who came in with the ambulance. You might talk to him.a aOkay, thanks. Listen, my partner should be arriving in a few minutes. Tall, handsome blond surfer type named Nicholls. Send him back, will you?a The clerk nodded as Brodie crossed the treatment area toward the police officer. She recognized him as Patrolman Carl Adams. He was talking to a cute ambulance attendant who seemed to be hanging on his every word. Brodie had hated hospitals since she had been wounded. The antiseptic smells. The whispering voices. Everyone seemed to be going about their business without a sense of urgency, even when it was urgent. The treatment area had six identical rooms and the ones she pa.s.sed were full of men, women, and children dressed in ill-fitting hospital gowns. From what she could see, it looked like the usual collection of croup and ear infections that kept parents up at night. Two of the patients looked healthy as horses and she wondered if they just didnat have any other way to kill an evening. Adams ended his conversation with the ambulance attendant when he saw her striding purposefully toward him.

aWhatare you doina here, RB?a aI was called about Maggie Weston. Iam her TO. Whatas the story?a aWell, she got the s.h.i.t beat out of her, thatas for sure. I donat know how bad it is.a aHas anyone been arrested?a aNo. She managed to use her cell to dial 9-1-1, but was unconscious when we arrived at the scene.a aSheas got parents in Westlake. Tell the desk sergeant to call them. The fatheras name is Timothy Weston. If heas not in the book, get the number from her personnel file.a Adams walked across the treatment area and pushed the doors open. On his way out he pa.s.sed Nicholls.

aHow is she, RB?a aDonat know yet.a aWhat the h.e.l.l happened?a aDonat know that either. We wonat know much until sheas conscious.a The door to Treatment Room Four opened and a doctor came out. His hair was disheveled and he looked like he had been on the job way over eight hours. She estimated his age as younger than Maggieas. He pushed his gla.s.ses up and looked at the two staring at him.

aAre either of you a family member?a he asked.

aPolice,a Brodie said. aBut Iave sent for her parents. How is she?a aSheall be all right in a few weeks. Weare still waiting for a few tests to come back. She has a concussion and a slew of bruises. Her nose is fractured, as well as her left cheekbone, but theyare hairline fractures. She took a pretty good thrashing, but it could have been worse. Lots of defensive injuries on her arms so she obviously put up quite a fight. We had to put in a few st.i.tches, but there shouldnat be any permanent scarring.a aCan we talk to her?a aYeah, but not too long. I had to sedate her. Once she regained consciousness, she became pretty agitated.a Brodie turned to her partner. aTell the clerk at the desk that her parents will be coming.a Nicholls nodded and left as she slipped quietly into the treatment room. Maggie was lying on a gurney with a sheet pulled over her. The fluorescent lighting made her look whiter than normal. It reminded Brodie more of an autopsy room than a treatment room. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized she could have lost Maggie again, permanently. A tray near the gurney held a variety of instruments, a b.l.o.o.d.y green cloth lying under what appeared to be a st.i.tching tray. Maggieas face was puffy and swelling had already begun around her nose and eyes. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing evenly. Brodie noticed the bruising on her arms. An IV line ran into her left arm. As Brodie quietly approached the side of the gurney, she saw a fresh row of five or six st.i.tches running above Maggieas left eyebrow, an inch or so below her older scar.Brodie gently touched Maggieas forehead to brush a few stray strands of hair away from the sutures. The touch startled Maggie. She raised her arm defensively as her eyes opened and darted them around the room. When she saw Brodie standing over her, her eyes filled with tears. Brodie had seen the same frightened look in Maggieas eyes years earlier when she awoke in another emergency room.

aDonat look at me, Royce,a her voice cracked.

aThe doc says youare going to be okay,a Brodie said. aYour folks will be here soon.a Maggie nodded slightly, grimacing as her head moved. Tears escaped from her eyes and ran down the sides of her face. aIam so tired,a she mumbled.

aStay with me, Mag,a Brodie said, struggling to sound calmer than she felt. aTell me what happened.a Maggie blinked hard and closed her eyes.

aWhen I got home I discovered I was out of milk. Thereas a little convenience store a few blocks from my place and it was a nice night.a Maggie paused and her eyes closed.

Brodie shook her shoulder gently. aMaggie. What happened next.a aIt was dark. I didnat see anything and donat remember much after being grabbed. Iam sorry, Royce.a aJust rest, Maggie,a she said.

Brodie brushed another strand of hair away from Maggieas face and let her hand linger for a moment along her cheek. Maggieas eyelids fluttered as the sedative finally took control. Brodie felt a lump growing in her throat as she leaned down and kissed Maggie on the forehead. Stepping away from the gurney, she turned to leave the room, but before she reached the door it burst open, revealing Tim and Peg Weston along with two of Maggieas brothers. They had all dressed hastily and Peg didnat appear to be fully awake.

aYou!a Tim hissed when he saw Brodie. aWasnat once good enough, you f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h?a Ignoring his accusations, she pushed past him and continued out the door. Peg Weston went to the side of the gurney and took her daughteras hand, looking shocked at the sight of her battered face. Tim glanced at Maggie and followed Brodie out of the room, grabbing her by the shirt and shoving her forcefully against a wall. She broke his hold and shoved him away. Sean Weston grabbed Brodieas arm as she advanced toward her former commander, fist clenched. She jerked her arm away and glared at Tim, now being restrained by his son Liam.

aIf you ever touch me again, Tim, Iall arrest you for a.s.saulting a police officer.a aWhat the h.e.l.l happened, Brodie? Were you drunk again?a She couldnat blame him for a.s.suming the worst and lowered her voice as she spoke to him. aNo. I would never hurt her.a aYouare responsible for her training, G.o.ddammit!a aItas not my job to watch her during her off-duty hours!a aThen find whoever did it! I want to be there when you interrogate the son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h.a aYou donat have any jurisdiction here. As a matter of fact, now that youare retired, you donat have jurisdiction anywhere. So why donat you go back in there and take care of your daughter and let us take care of finding the person responsible.a She left Tim Weston and his sons standing in the corridor of the treatment area and pushed open the swinging doors with enough force to slam them against the walls of the waiting area. As soon as she spotted Nicholls, she motioned for him to follow her outside. Leaning against the wall, she lit a cigarette and took a long drag to calm her nerves.

aHow is she, RB?a Nicholls frowned.

aLucky,a she said as she exhaled. aI want you to go over to where she was found. Make sure the lab doesnat f.u.c.k up the scene. And make sure they cover everything. Tonight! I want preliminary reports on my desk by the time the sun comes up!a aRoger that,a Nicholls said as he turned to leave.

aAnd Nicholls,a she said. aGet an officer over here to guard her room. Iall join you after he arrives.a As soon as she saw Tim and Peg Weston pull away from the hospital parking lot, Brodie re-entered the hospital through the emergency entrance and got Maggieas room number from the emergency room clerk. It was three forty-five in the morning by the time she made her way through the winding hospital corridors toward the elevators. There was still some activity in a few of the labs even in the middle of the night. The walls were lined with framed pictures of the doctors who practiced in the hospital and she wondered why they had been relegated to the bas.e.m.e.nt instead of an area where more people could see them. Colored lines on the floor branched off into the various sections of the hospital. She finally found the public elevators and pushed the b.u.t.ton for the fourth floor.