A man? Sams head snapped up. Dark hair?
Yeah.
Oh, God. Sam turned and started toward his car. Nina, he thought, and suddenly he was running. A dark-haired man had forced Nina off the road. Now Bledsoe was dead. Was Nina next?
Sam heard Yeats yell, Navarro! By then, he was already scrambling into his car. He made a screeching U-turn and headed away from Ocean View Drive.
He drove with his emergency lights flashing all the way to George Cormiers house.
It seemed he was ringing the bell forever before anyone answered the door. Finally it swung open and Daniella appeared, her flawless face arranged in a smile. Why, hello, Detective.
Wheres Nina? he demanded, pushing past her into the house.
Shes upstairs. Why?
I need to talk to her. Now. He started for the stairway, then halted when he heard footsteps creak on the landing above. Glancing up, he saw Nina standing on the steps, her hair a tumble of black silk.
Shes okay, he thought with relief. Shes still okay.
She was dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt, and she had a purse slung over her shoulder, as if she were just about to leave the house.
As she came down the stairs, she brought with her the elusive fragrance of soap and shampoo. Ninas scent, he thought with a pleasurable thrill of recognition. Since when had he committed her fragrance to memory?
By the time she reached the bottom step, she was frowning at him. Has something happened? she asked.
Then no ones called you?
About what?
Robert.
She went very still, her dark eyes focused with sudden intensity on his face. He could see the questions in her eyes, and knew she was too afraid to ask them.
He reached for her hand. It was cold. Youd better come with me.
Where?
The hospital. Thats where they took him. Gently he led her to the door.
Wait! called Daniella.
Sam glanced back. Daniella stood frozen, staring after them in panic. What about Robert? What happened?
Hes been shot. It happened a short while ago, just outside his house. Im afraid it doesnt look good.
Daniella took a step backward, as though slapped. It was her reaction, that expression of horror in her eyes, that told Sam what he needed to know. So she was the other woman, he thought. This blonde with her sculpted body and her perfect face.
He could feel Ninas arm trembling in his grasp. He turned her toward the door. Wed better go, he said. There may not be much time.
Six
They spent the next four hours in a hospital waiting room.
Though Nina wasnt part of the medical team now battling to save Roberts life, she could picture only too vividly what was going on at that moment in the trauma suite. The massive infusions of blood and saline. The scramble to control the patients bleeding, to keep his pressure up, his heart beating. She knew it all well because, at other times, on other patients, she had been part of the team. Now she was relegated to this useless task of waiting and worrying. Though her relationship with Robert was irrevocably broken, though she hadnt forgiven him for the way hed betrayed her, she certainly didnt want him hurt.
Or dead.
It was only Sams presence that kept her calm and sane during that long evening. Other cops came and went. As the hours stretched on, only Sam stayed next to her on the couch, his hand clasping hers in a silent gesture of support. She could see that he was tired, but he didnt leave her. He stayed right beside her as the night wore on toward ten oclock.
And he was there when the neurosurgeon came out to inform them that Robert had died on the operating table.
Nina took the blow in numb silence. She was too stunned to shed any tears, to say much more than Thank you for trying. She scarcely realized Sam had his arm around her. Only when she sagged against him did she feel his support, steadying her.
Im going to take you home, he said softly. Theres nothing more you can do here.
Mutely she nodded. He helped her to her feet and guided her toward the exit. They were halfway across the room when a voice called, Miss Cormier? I need to ask you some more questions.
Nina turned and looked at the rodent-faced man whod just spoken to her. She couldnt remember his name, but she knew he was a cop; hed been in and out of the waiting room all evening. Now he was studying her closely, and she didnt like the look in his eyes.
Not now, Yeats, said Sam, nudging her to the exit. Its a bad time.
Its the best time to ask questions, said the other cop. Right after the event.
Shes already told me she knew nothing about it.
She hasnt told me. Yeats turned his gaze back to Nina. Miss Cormier, Im with Homicide. Your fiancé never regained consciousness, so we couldnt question him. Thats why I need to talk to you. Where were you this afternoon?
Bewildered, Nina shook her head. I was at my fathers house. I didnt know about it until
Until I told her, filled in Sam.
You did, Navarro?
I went straight from the crime scene to her fathers house. Nina was there. You can ask Daniella Cormier to confirm it.
I will. Yeatss gaze was still fixed on Nina. I understand you and Dr. Bledsoe just called off the engagement. And you were in the process of moving out of his house.
Softly Nina said, Yes.
I imagine you must have been pretty hurt. Did you ever consider, ohgetting back at him?
Horrified by his implication, she gave a violent shake of her head. You dont really think that that I had something to do with this?
Did you?
Sam stepped between them. Thats enough, Yeats.
What are you, Navarro? Her lawyer?
She doesnt have to answer these questions.
Yes, she does. Maybe not tonight. But she does have to answer questions.
Sam took Ninas arm and propelled her toward the exit.
Watch it, Navarro! Yeats yelled as they left the room. Youre on thin ice!
Though Sam didnt answer, Nina could sense his fury just by the way he gripped her arm all the way to the parking lot.
When they were back in his car, she said, quietly, Thank you, Sam.
For what?
For getting me away from that awful man.
Eventually, you will have to talk to him. Yeats may be a pain in the butt, but he has a job to do.
And so do you, she thought with a twinge of sadness. She turned to look out the window. He was the cop again, always the cop, trying to solve the puzzle. She was merely one of the pieces.
Youre going to have to talk to him tomorrow, said Sam. Just a warning he can be a tough interrogator.
Theres nothing I have to tell him. I was at my fathers house. You know that. And Daniella will confirm it.
No one can knock your alibi. But murder doesnt have to be done in person. Killers can be hired.
She turned to him with a look of disbelief. You dont think Id
Im just saying thats the logic Yeats will use. When someone gets murdered, the number one suspect is always the spouse or lover. You and Bledsoe just broke up. And it happened in the most public and painful way possible. It doesnt take a giant leap of logic to come up with murderous intent on your part.
Im not a murderer. You know Im not!
He didnt answer. He just went on driving as though he had not registered a word.
Navarro, did you hear me? Im not a murderer!
I heard you.
Then why arent you saying anything?
Because I think something else just came up.
Only then did she notice that he was frowning at the rearview mirror. He picked up his car phone and dialed.
Gillis? he said. Do me a favor. Find out if Yeats has a tail on Nina Cormier. Yeah, right now. Im in the car. Call me back. He hung up.
Nina turned and looked out the rear window, at a pair of headlights behind them. Is someone following us?
Im not sure. I do know that car pulled out behind ours when we left the hospital. And its been there ever since.
Your buddy in Homicide must really think Im dangerous if hes having me followed.
Hes just keeping tabs on his suspect.
Me, she thought, and sank back against the seat, grateful that the darkness hid her face. Am I your suspect as well?
He drove calmly, making no sudden moves to alarm whoever was in the car behind them. In that tense stillness, the ringing of the phone was startling.
He picked up the receiver. Navarro. There was a pause, then he said, Youre sure? Again he glanced in the mirror. Im at Congress and Braeburn, heading west. Theres a dark truck looks like a Jeep Cherokee right behind me. Ill swing around, make a pass by Houlton. If you can be ready and waiting, well sandwich this guy. Dont scare him off. For now, just move in close enough to get a good look. Okay, Im making my turn now. Ill be there in five minutes. He hung up and shot Nina a tense glance. You pick up whats happening?
What is happening?
Thats not a cop behind us.
She looked back at the headlights. Not a cop. Then who is it?
Were going to find out. Now listen good. In a minute Ill want you down near the floor. Not yet I dont want to make him suspicious. But when Gillis pulls in behind him, things could get exciting. Are you ready for this?
I dont think I have much of a choice
He made his turn. Not too fast a casual change of direction to make it seem as if hed just decided on a different route.
The other car made the turn as well.
Sam turned again, back onto Congress Street. They were headed east now, going back the way theyd come. The pair of headlights was still behind them. At 10:30 on a Sunday, traffic was light and it was easy to spot their pursuer.
Theres Gillis, Sam stated. Right on schedule. He nodded at the blue Toyota idling near the curb. They drove past it.
A moment later, the Toyota pulled into traffic, right behind the Jeep.
Perp sandwich, said Sam with a note of triumph. They were coming on a traffic light, just turning yellow. Purposely he slowed down, to keep the other two cars on his tail.
Without warning, the Cherokee suddenly screeched around them and sped straight through the intersection just as the light turned red.
Sam uttered an oath and hit the accelerator. They, too, lurched through the intersection just as a pickup truck barreled in from a side street. Sam swerved around it and took off after the sedan.
A block ahead, the Cherokee screeched around a corner.
This guys smart, muttered Sam. He knew we were moving in on him.
Watch out! cried Nina as a car pulled out of a parking space, right in front of them.