"I believe so. The lab results on the tissue will be back in a few days. I cannot say whether or not you injected yourself. And, if you were out, as you say, how long the drug lasted. Lie back." Patrick swabbed the port on the medication lock the nurse inserted earlier and injected the anti-opioid. "How are you?"
"Exhausted. A little clearer." Martin reached his hand to his mouth. "Oh God, I need to puke." He threw up into a bucket.
Patrick handed him a cup of water. "Sorry, the medication can create that effect."
"I want to take some hair, not that you have much length, and I want another saliva, blood and urine sample. It will give us a better idea of how long you've been using opiates," Dr. Miranda said.
"How long? Dr. Miranda, I didn't take any opioid by choice."
"I'm a doctor, Mr. Bailey; patients lie. The hair can rule that out."
Martin banged his head against the stretcher at her words.
At 23:00, Kieran Chase's plane touched down at the Silverton airport. Mike, Tate, and Ford waited to bring him to the hotel. Inside the truck, the more volatile Chase brother detonated, "How the hell did this happen?"
"We aren't sure," Tate answered. "Surveillance confirmed Reed was home alone. As planned, surveillance pulled back on Martin's approach."
"Where did they pull back to, China?"
Mike frowned. "Martin told them to pull out of sight. They never saw him go in. Coach and Shaun Murray were patrolling the area. Coach told me that twenty minutes after Martin went in, a no-response 911 call came from the house. The 911 operator reported hearing four shots. Pellegrino and Forrester beat our guys to the scene; Coach said they had to know the call was coming. Their usual sector was ten minutes from the house. They arrived in two. We are tapping into SPD’s GPS system."
Kieran rolled his eyes. "You saw Martin, was he that unhinged?"
Tate pinched his brows. "Determined, focused, yes. Unhinged? No. He was prepared. Calm. This was his operation."
"Humor me. If Martin wanted those two men dead, would we be in this position?"
Mike shook his head. "You'd never find the bodies."
"That's settled. We had a plan. We brought Murray into the loop. Farmer was to break the order of protection when Reed answered the door. He wasn't to cross the threshold, just being there was enough to put him into the system. They'd release him on bail, and he would be in a position to manipulate Brynn. Now, he's going to be remanded for a real crime. We won't be able to protect him. He'll be put in protective custody, which will leave him at the guards’ mercy. What did we miss? Someone else was in that home.” Kieran huffed out a breath. “How's Elizabeth? How's the baby?"
"Lola is doing well. Elizabeth is another story. She's all business. When Young told her Martin was under arrest, she acted like she’d never heard of him," Tate said.
"Call her friends, Joyce and Ruth. Call her partner, Keys. We need their help.”
Every man and woman jumped to attention the second Kieran entered. "As you were. We have an operational nightmare. In the morning, Martin is going to be charged with capital murder and aggravated capital murder." A collective groan went up. "The only way we can help him is to find out who killed Talbot Reed and Hal Dufour. Where is the Bailey family on this?"
"I spoke with them," Zach said.
"Ford, as soon as we’re finished here, you’re assigned to the Baileys. Zach, find out everything you can about their evidence. Ask Shaun Murray and Paul Young if they will talk to us off the record. Murray knew the original plan, but with the deaths, he can't afford to show kindness or favoritism. Martin is in danger. We have six men inside now. TJ and Josh, I want the two of you to work with tech. You’re joining the jail staff. We keep our PAs on Lola and Lissa 24/7. Tighe, PICU is yours. Bring the floor operators and PAs into the loop.”
Kieran took a bracing breath. "Viper updated me en route. At 21:30, Greece's heart stopped. This time, the staff was able to start it again. Viper is planning to return to the OR with him in the morning for more surgery. Greece remains in a medically induced coma in critical condition. Viper said the prognosis is grim. If he lives, he may be paralyzed from the waist down. The termination of his charges is in the pipeline. Sam and Kenny, you’re the newest patient care aides at Horizon—a full medical team for a prisoner will cause suspicion. Viper will brief you after our meeting. Buck and Fox found him during a lockdown. We need to find out why this happened. Mike, as soon as they come off shift, debrief them."
The room got very quiet, and Kieran's blue eyes softened. "We are a family. Families pull together.
"Tighe, we have one conscious witness. I hate to push a child but try. People talk in front of kids." He looked at the overwhelmed personnel. "Everyone hit the rack until 06:00."
The group clambered to their feet. "Yes, sir."
After a cold, clinical look, she identified her dead father at the medical examiner’s office, then Julian walked Elizabeth into her home. She refused to go back to the Bailey farmhouse. She went upstairs to her bedroom and closed her door. Everything was the same, with two exceptions: her mother's letter and Martin were gone.
Curling up on the bed, she wrapped herself around a pillow and stared at Martin's picture.I need you to trust me. Trust in us. I love you. Today and always.The words played in her head on repeat.
"I do, Marty. I will. No matter what." Too exhausted to think anymore, she fell into a deep sleep.
The door to Martin's cell opened, and Shaun Murray walked in. "How are you doing?" He brought him a turkey sandwich and a container of milk.
"Thanks for treating me with fairness." Martin sat up. "I shouldn't ask, but take care of Austin for me. It didn't go down as planned." Martin knitted his brows. "The letter. Pink stationery. I placed it in my pocket."
