“Sorry we missed the ID right off the top,” Gardner said.
Happy that she had an army in her corner now, Lainie smiled. “There was no way for you to know since you had Benton’s physical ID and the resemblance was so close. All that matters is that we know it now and that my sister’s prognosis is positive.”
Fatigue overtook her and she covered her mouth when a yawn forced its way out, not wanting to slow down now. “What can you tell me about what happened earlier? How did that guy get up here?”
Shea and Gardner exchanged glances and Gardner answered. “In hindsight, what happened downstairs was an obvious diversion. I’ve reviewed security footage.” He handed her some still shots of the would-be assassin, still masked, in various parts of the hospital, making his way to the CCU floor.
“As soon as the ruckus began, he slipped in through the emergency entrance. He had a key card that was stolen from an ER doc. He came straight to this floor and, well, you know the rest. He escaped down the stairs and out through the front entrance where a vehicle was waiting. The plates on the vehicle were covered.”
“Vine sent him.” She studied the photo of the man running out the front door. “I know that with every fiber of my soul.”
“I think you’re right,” Shea said. “However, we have no evidence of Vine’s direct connection. He won’t talk to us, and at this point, we have no way to force him to.”
“Maybe my sister will be able to give us some evidence when she wakes up.” Her hand that had been burned itched and she was tired, dead tired. But Evie was alive and Lainie was prepared to go full speed ahead to put whoever was responsible for Evie’s condition in jail.
CHAPTER 41
When Mom and Dad arrived, the happy relief was palpable. The whole floor seemed brighter. Elation pushed away Lainie’s fatigue.
She hugged them both and the tears began again.
“You’re sure it’s her?” Mom asked.
“I wouldn’t have had Mike bring you out here if I wasn’t.”
“It’s answered prayer.” They all hugged again.
“Where is Archie?” Lainie asked her mother.
“He stayed at home with the boys. We wanted to assess the situation with”—she cleared her throat—“before bringing the boys. They can’t visit anyway until she’s moved to a normal room.”
Lainie nodded. Mom was right. Still, it was the most joyous day Lainie could remember.
She introduced them to Dr. Hardin, then left them so he could explain to them what she’d already heard. After cheerful emotions wore off, she recognized that she needed to get some rest.
Yawning now was fast and furious. Someone tapped her on the shoulder. Detective Shea said, “You must be exhausted.”
“I am,” Lainie agreed.
He smiled. “Good call you had, coming down to keep an eye on her.”
“I thought she was another suspect that I wanted to be certain didn’t get away.”
“Whatever works. Isaacs was a big help as well.”
Lainie stiffened. “How so?”
“He spent a couple hours with security and me before he left, going over all the camera feeds. They sent me a good still with a picture of our guy before he pulled his mask up.”
Shea showed her a photo, a clear maskless shot of the man who’d been at Evie’s bedside with a syringe.
Lainie felt a jolt of adrenaline.
“That is one of the men who was up here with Vine earlier. I knew he had to be a Vine goon.”
“Yep, you were right. We’re working on identifying him. Gardner thinks he may be a joker named Tom Thornton, a local ex-cop who was fired for extortion. He’s been working private security. Gardner said it would not surprise him to hear that he was working for Dallas Vine. Everyone else missed it but Isaacs. He’s got a good eye.”
Probably working to assuage his guilty conscience,Lainie thought but said nothing.
