Читать книгу Lone Star Christmas Witness - Margaret Daley - Страница 15

The shrill sound from the second floor chilled Sierra to her core. She jumped up at the same time as Taylor surged to his feet and raced toward the staircase, withdrawing his gun. He took the steps two at a time while she followed closely behind him. He disappeared inside Ben’s room a few feet before her. When she entered, she nearly ran into Taylor, poised in the entrance with his gun raised.

Sierra peered around him, her heartbeat racing. “Where’s Ben?”

He shifted his attention from one area of the bedroom to the next, lingering on the window. He walked to it and checked to see if it was locked. “I don’t know.”

While Taylor stooped down and inspected beneath the bed, Sierra went to look in the bathroom, knowing of two places Ben had used when they’d played hide-and-seek. But Ben wasn’t between the stool and counter or in the bathtub.

As she reentered the bedroom, Taylor opened the closet door. Ben sat hunched over, covering his ears. When her nephew dropped his hands to his sides and looked up, his tear-soaked face ripped at her composure.

Being closer, Taylor holstered his weapon and squatted next to Ben. “You must have had a bad dream. You’re safe. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.” Slowly he reached out and laid his hand on her nephew’s back.

Sierra knelt next to Taylor. “And neither am I.” Earlier she’d wanted to stay at this house because Ben was familiar with his surroundings, but with the press outside, she knew that wasn’t possible. Their presence would be a constant reminder to Ben and her of what had happened today. “You aren’t alone, sweetie.”

Taylor pulled back to allow her to slide her arm along Ben’s shoulders. The boy turned his head, looked at her with red eyes, then lunged toward her and pressed against her. She hugged him, listening to the sobs pouring out of him.

Today had forever changed Ben’s life—and hers. Would he ever be able to deal with the trauma of this morning? Would he ever talk again?

Taylor leaned close to Sierra’s ear and whispered, “I’m going to call my dad.”

As he rose, Ben reached out and clutched Taylor’s arm.

“I’ll be right back,” he told the boy. “I’m not leaving the house. I’m here for you.”

Slowly her nephew let go of Taylor. Ben leaned against Sierra and watched him exit the bedroom.

“Honey, you’re his number one priority.” Should she say anything about leaving the house? What if Taylor’s dad didn’t want them to come to his place? She’d wait until the plans were finalized. Ben needed stability. Not being here would be enough change that he would have to deal with. “Let’s sit on your bed until Taylor comes back.”

As she stood, Ben remained where he was, but when she held out her hand, he took it and pushed to his feet. They eased down on the bed, and Ben curled against her while she slung her arm around him. She’d done it many times in the past, but her sister had always been here. Now she was all Ben had.

She thought of his father. What kind of man gave up his parental rights and walked away from his child? He hadn’t seen Ben since that day. A couple of years ago, her nephew had stopped asking about his father.

When Taylor returned to the bedroom, he gave Sierra a slight nod and sat next to Ben on the other side. “My dad needs my help at his house,” he told them. “I’d promised I would help him with a project, and I don’t go back on a promise I make to someone. Would you both like to come with me? It will take a few days at least, so I’ll need to stop by my place and get my dog.”

The mention of his pet perked up Ben.

“What kind of dog do you have?” Sierra hoped that would make Ben agree to go. Taylor didn’t know it, but the one present Ben wanted for Christmas was a dog. Kat had planned to go to an animal shelter to pick one out this week.

“A black Lab named Oscar after my granddad. He loves my dad’s house because he has a big fenced backyard. You okay with that, Ben?”

Her nephew nodded.

“Good. I saw a duffel bag in your closet. I can help you pack some clothes and toys for the next few days while your aunt gets what she needs. Okay?”

Ben released his grip on Sierra and gave Taylor a nod. Her nephew swiped his hand across his cheeks and stood.

“I’ll be right back, Ben.” Sierra hurried to her room and quickly packed a small suitcase.

This upcoming weekend, they were going to bake cookies for a church party for the kids. Ben loved doing it and attending it every year. Now even that wasn’t going to be the same. Am I doing the right thing, Lord? Is this what’s best for Ben?

She heaved the bag off the bed and rolled it down the hall to Ben’s room. When she appeared at the entrance, he was gathering his drawing materials. A good sign.

Taylor closed the space between him and her. “You’re ready?”

“Yes. How did you know that Ben loves dogs?”

“Half the pictures on his corkboard are of dogs. Besides, I was his age once, and I loved my dog.”

“My sister wanted to get him one at Christmas,” she whispered. “I’m still going to.”

“I think that would be great. When I’m down, Oscar knows how to cheer me up.”

She peered around Taylor to see what Ben was doing. He stuffed his art supplies into his duffel bag, then went to his toy drawer. “Is your dad really okay with us coming?” She kept her voice low.

Taylor bent toward her and said in a whisper, “Yes, most definitely.”

His breath as he spoke caressed her cheek and sent a shiver down her spine. The hint of peppermint floated in the air. Trying to dismiss her reaction to Taylor’s nearness, Sierra stepped around him and strolled across the room to Ben. “Are you ready?”

Ben zippered his bag and swung it off the bed.

She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go. I can’t wait to meet Oscar.”

Struggling with his duffel bag, Ben hurried as fast as he could.

“Do you want me to carry it?” Taylor asked in the hallway.

Her nephew shook his head. When he descended the stairs, he dragged the bag down each step while Taylor and she followed. When he reached the first floor, Ben straightened his shoulders and watched them make their way toward him.

Taylor knelt in front of him. “You’re strong. Good job. We’re going in my car to get Oscar and then drive to my dad’s. Outside there are a few people who want to talk to us. I’ll take care of them while your aunt and you keep going to my SUV. Okay?”

Ben nodded, then hefted his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

Taylor opened the front door and exited first. Sierra went next, then locked up after Ben stepped outside. Without a word, she headed toward the SUV, keeping an eye on the four media teams who had surged forward. Taylor stopped them from going any farther than the public sidewalk. After he informed the reporters it would be a waste of their time to hang around the house, he told them there would be a press conference at San Antonio’s main police department at five that day. The chief of police would answer all the questions he could at that time.

Ben put his bag in the car and hopped into the back while Sierra slid into the front passenger seat and glanced in the direction of Taylor. He strode toward his car, his dark eyebrows slashing downward while his mouth firmed into a frown. Not one of the cameraman/reporter teams left their places on the sidewalk.

When Taylor backed out of the driveway, one pair ran for their van and began following them. It took him halfway to his town house before he was able to shake the tail. When he arrived at his place, he pulled into his garage and lowered the door.

“Stay in here. It won’t take me long to get Oscar. I want to be away from here before they figure out where my home is.”

After Taylor disappeared inside, Sierra turned toward Ben to make sure he was all right. She couldn’t tell. His head hung down, his chin resting on his upper chest. Before she could think of the right words to say, Taylor brought Oscar into the garage on a leash while also carrying a paper sack and a backpack.

When Taylor opened the back door to let Oscar jump inside, Ben finally lifted his head, his eyes big but not in fear. The black Lab saw her nephew, and his tail began to wag frantically as he approached Ben. He held out his hand for Oscar to sniff. The Lab not only smelled him but also licked him. Ben threw his arms around the dog.

“Sit,” Taylor said, then shut the back door and rounded the rear.

Oscar settled right against Ben and laid his head on his lap while his tail kept wagging.

Sierra faced forward as Taylor opened his garage and started his SUV. “Where does your father live?”

“Sunflower. Not far outside San Antonio.”

Sierra glanced again in the back seat. Ben still held Oscar, but his eyelids began to close. She turned forward and leaned her head against the window, staring at the terrain as they passed without really seeing it.

Twenty minutes later, Taylor pulled into a driveway of a two-story white house with a front porch. Sierra sat up as an older man, about sixty-five, with short salt-and-pepper hair came outside and headed for the car. Sierra exited the car and opened the back door for Ben to climb out with Oscar by his side.

“Dad, this is Sierra Walker and her nephew, Ben.”

His dad reached out and shook Sierra’s hand. “I’m Robert. I’m glad y’all are here. Come on in.”

“Thanks,” she said with a smile. How would she ever repay Taylor and his father for what they were doing for her and Ben? Thank You, Lord, for the help.

After talking to his office the next morning, Taylor sat at the kitchen table and looked out the big window as Oscar romped around the large backyard as if he were a puppy, not four years old. Living in a town house with a ten-by-ten-foot grassy patch off his small patio wasn’t a good match for a dog that loved to explore and run. When he’d rescued Oscar, he hadn’t given a thought to the size of his yard. It had been especially hard on Oscar because he’d been working extra long hours since the multiple-kidnappings case in the summer.

The sound of footsteps approaching drew his attention toward the entrance off the hallway. Sierra, dressed in a pair of black slacks, a long-sleeve, silky gray blouse and black heels, entered the room.

“Going somewhere?” Taylor asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

She headed for the pot on the counter. “I got a call from the clinic’s lawyer this morning. He wants to meet with me immediately about what happened yesterday.”

“Why?”

“He’s concerned one of the employees’ families will sue the business.” She filled a mug, then strolled to the table and sat across from him.

“Has anyone indicated they would?”

“Not that I know. I personally can’t see that happening. Everyone has worked for the clinic for at least three years. We were like a big family.”

“What happens to the clinic now?”

“My sister and Dr. Porter had formed a partnership. Dr. Porter’s wife, Sue, will be at the meeting, too. It will be Sue’s and my decision what happens to the clinic. If not for anything else, I have to go for her. She often helped out at the clinic if we were shorthanded either at the reception desk or as a nurse. I was hoping I could borrow a car since we left mine at the house.”

“Dad went to the store but should be back soon. I’m sure he’ll drive you to the lawyer’s office.”

“I don’t want to disrupt his life any more than we already are. Maybe he could take me to my house, and I can get my car. Surely the press isn’t hanging around since we aren’t there.” Sierra brought the mug to her mouth.

“When is the meeting?”

“Nine thirty.”

Texas Ranger Dallas Sanders would be working with him on the case and would be here at nine. It was important that he coordinate with Dallas, so he needed to be here. “Dad won’t mind taking you to the meeting. I’d avoid your house. This story has gone national. Is Ben up yet?”

“No, but I looked in and checked on him. Sleeping might be the best thing for him. He didn’t go to sleep last night until late. Did you call John Yates about him being here at your father’s?”

“Yes. Instead of coming before his morning appointments, he’ll come at lunch. He has more time to make the drive and see Ben.” He heard the garage door going up and stood. “Dad’s home. I’ll help him bring in the sacks, then you two can leave. I don’t want you to be late in rush-hour traffic.” And he wanted to talk to his father about keeping an eye on Sierra. She wasn’t a witness, but she was connected to the clinic and he still had no idea why the killer had targeted the clinic.

Out in the garage, his dad opened the passenger’s door on his Jeep and grabbed a couple of sacks.

“I need to talk to you.” Taylor took the bags from his father’s arms. “Sierra needs to go to the clinic’s lawyer’s office. She has an appointment at nine thirty. Will you drive her? I don’t want her to go alone.”

“You think she’s in danger?” His father picked up the rest of the food.

“Probably not. But I think this meeting will be hard on her. I don’t want her driving by herself. She’s been through a lot in the past twenty-four hours.”

“I’ll do anything to help her and Ben.”

“I appreciate it, Dad.” Taylor carried the sacks into an empty kitchen and put them on the counter. As his father set his bags next to Taylor’s, he said, “I’ll take care of putting this up.”

Sierra returned with her purse. “Ben’s still sleeping. Robert, are you sure you have the time to take me to San Antonio?”

Taylor’s dad laughed. “Of course. This gives me a chance to take the morning off. My son will have to put away what I bought and fix lunch. Plus, on the way back here, we can pick up a live Christmas tree to put up tonight. Give Ben something to look forward to. I’ll be right back, and then we can go.”

“Like Ben, it took me a while to go to sleep last night.” Sierra poured coffee into her mug. “I don’t know about y’all, but you saw my house. We go all out for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving.”

Taylor laughed. “I thought I’d been transported to the North Pole.”

She set her mug on the countertop and began emptying one of the sacks. “Kat always went overboard even before Ben was born. I hope that it’ll distract him some. Maybe even get him to talk. He has all these intense emotions bottled up inside of him. He needs to let them go and deal with them. I’m afraid of what will happen if he doesn’t.”

Taylor remembered John telling him that when TJ died. It took him a year before he did. He didn’t want Ben to go through that. He’d felt as though he’d been living in limbo—going nowhere. “I went through a situation that left me devastated and changed my life drastically. Years later, it still can affect me profoundly. John helped me, especially when he suggested I get a dog. Oscar was the best thing I did. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to bring Oscar here.”

“I’m not sure Ben would have gone to sleep if Oscar hadn’t slept on his bed beside him.”

Taylor snapped his fingers. “Thanks for reminding me. I let Oscar out in the yard. I want him to be upstairs when Ben wakes up.” He walked to the back door and called Oscar. His dog bounded toward Taylor, his tail wagging when Taylor squatted down to pet him. “Guard Ben upstairs,” he told the dog.

As his black Lab raced out of the kitchen, Sierra’s forehead crinkled. “Guard?”

“Over the years, I’ve trained Oscar to follow certain commands. I’ve even used him in searches. When I say ‘guard Ben,’ my dog knows he’s to stick by him unless I tell him otherwise.”

“Thanks. When this is all over with, I’m going to get Ben a dog.”

Her smile that accompanied her words appealed to Taylor. This wasn’t easy for her. In one day, her life had changed drastically, like what happened to him when TJ died. Suddenly she’d become the legal guardian to her nephew, and from the looks of the situation, she would have to search for a new job. Maybe he’d be able to help her as John did for him because he knew firsthand how overwhelmed she would feel. There would come a time when she would realize the oppressing weight of all the changes she would have to deal with.

His dad came back into the kitchen. “I’m ready to leave now.”

“Let me grab my jacket and check on Ben one last time.” Sierra hurried from the room.

“I could have told her that Ben is still sleeping, but I figure she needs to see for herself,” Robert said.

“Thanks for doing this, Dad.”

“I’m glad you asked me. She shouldn’t go alone.”

Taylor’s cell phone sounded. “This is Dallas. He must be here a little early. I asked him not to ring the doorbell in case Ben is still asleep.” As he left the room, he nearly ran down Sierra. He steadied her. “Okay?”

“Yes and no. Yes, about the meeting. No, about Ben. I hate leaving him, but there are some things I need to do that I don’t want him involved with.”

An image of TJ popped into his mind, momentarily throwing Taylor off guard. Then he reminded himself that Ben wasn’t TJ. “I’ll take care of him.” He skirted around her and continued toward the front door.

When he let Dallas Sanders into the house, the fellow Texas Ranger put a carton of files on the floor, then glanced back at Taylor. Sierra had disappeared into the kitchen.

“Come into the living room,” Taylor said. “Ben’s still sleeping. How’s the plan for your wedding coming along?” He was thrilled that Dallas would be marrying Sheriff Rachel Young.

“I’m leaving it to Rachel and Michelle. My daughter loves helping Rachel with the plans. Michelle’s practicing with Katie about walking with her down the aisle. I won’t be surprised if my daughter has to carry Katie.”

“They’ll look adorable whether Katie walks or is carried.” His fellow Texas Ranger had gone through a lot with the kidnapping case, but out of that bad situation, he’d met a woman he’d fallen in love with and would soon add her one-year-old daughter to his family. For a few seconds, Taylor thought of the family he’d once had. He didn’t want to go through that kind of pain ever again.

He waved toward a chair in the living room, wanting to find out where the clinic’s male nurse was. “Have a seat. Has Colin Brewer been found?”

Dallas sat across from Taylor, who settled on the couch. “Not yet. He isn’t at his apartment, and no one has seen him in the past twenty-four hours. We have a BOLO out on him. His photo and the license plate number and description of his car have been given to every law enforcement agency in the state.”

“Do you think he’s the one behind the murders?”

Dallas shrugged. “Whoever was the shooter, he had a key to the clinic. In fact, he could have been inside the building when the employees started showing up for work.”

“He would have had the code to the alarm system, which makes Colin Brewer our top suspect at the moment. Sierra told me yesterday the only ones who had the alarm code were the four with the key to the building. Besides her and Brewer, the other two are dead.”

“If that’s the case, that means he waited patiently until he thought everyone was there, then moved through the clinic, killing the employees. This was planned, not a random act of violence, which is another reason to look at Brewer.” Dallas half rose and stretched to place a large manila folder on the table. “The major wants you to stay here and protect Ben while working on the files from the clinic and Brewer’s background as well as the other ex-employees. The box I set down in the entry hall is filled with financial and personnel information for the clinic. We’re going through the court to get permission to investigate the patient files. When we get the court order, I’ll let you know. You’ll be notified of any change in the case. We’re hoping Ben can help.”

“Maybe Sierra Walker, too. She ran the office and has access to the patient files. She might even know information that isn’t in the files.” Taylor didn’t like the fact that Sierra had to go see the lawyer when he didn’t know who was behind the shootings nor the reason why. Not knowing the answers to the whom and the why left Sierra very vulnerable.

An hour later, Sierra left the lawyer’s office with Robert by her side. Emotionally drained, she welcomed the warmth of the sun after sitting in an office that felt like the interior of a refrigerator.

“How did the meeting go?” Robert asked as he clicked his remote lock on his Jeep Cherokee.

“The family of Gayle Lunden is going to sue the partnership for inadequate security for the clinic. Gayle was one of the nurses.”

“From what my son told me, there were security cameras that were disabled. There’s also an alarm system. Sometimes you can have protection in place and still have something go wrong. Wasn’t the clinic opening for the patients?”

“After all the employees without a key arrive, the door is locked until a little before the clinic opens. The alarm is off, but a person would still need a key to get inside. I often worked with Gayle. She was the nicest person. Always cheerful even when she was having a bad day. This surprises me. It wouldn’t be something Gayle would do.”

Robert opened the passenger door for Sierra. “A sudden death, especially under the circumstances it took place, often will leave a family stunned, grieving and wanting someone to pay for the pain they’re feeling.”

“I know what they’re going through. I will miss my sister every day of my life. For many years—” Her throat clogged, and she swallowed several times before she was able to speak. “For many years she was a mother to me.” Sierra slid into the front seat.

Robert started to shut the door, stopped and leaned forward. “Are you okay with us picking up a Christmas tree?”

Maybe decorating for Christmas would take her mind off Kat and the clinic. It might help Ben, too. “On one condition. Let’s swing by my house and get some of the decorations we have up on our tree.” She remembered the directive from Taylor that morning, the instruction to avoid her house. But she could be in and out in ten minutes with the decorations. “Having some of his ornaments on the tree will help Ben focus on the good times we had over the holidays and make him feel at home.”

“A merging of families. I like that. We can stop at your place, so long as no reporters are out front. Where do you live?”

Sierra gave Robert the directions to the house and sat back, shoving the previous meeting with the lawyer into the back of her mind. There wasn’t anything she could do about the lawsuit but let the attorney take care of it.

On the way to her house, Robert stopped at a nursery. “This is a good place to get a tree. I’ve gotten one here several times.”

Sierra joined Robert, and for the next half an hour, she managed to concentrate on helping him pick the “perfect” tree. “We have a fake tree. Wouldn’t that be easier?”

Robert chuckled. “That’s not the fun of it. Studying each tree and deciding is. Which one would you like?” He pointed at one that was seven feet and slender while the other was maybe six feet but bushier.

“The smaller tree. It’ll fit your home better.”

“Then that’ll be it.”

Within ten minutes, the tree was paid for and loaded on top of the Jeep. Sierra settled in the front passenger seat. “Thanks for the diversion. I have to confess all I’d been thinking about was yesterday. Losing my sister. The killings don’t make sense.”

“That’s what my son will find out. Then maybe some of your questions will be answered.”

“I hope.” When Robert turned onto her street, she said, “Let’s park in the next-door neighbor’s driveway. They work during the day and wouldn’t mind. This way, in case someone from the media drives by, they won’t know we’re here.”

“Good idea. We don’t want to attract their attention.” Robert parked next door. “An in-and-out strike. Let’s go.”

They hopped out, and as they crossed the yard, Sierra took out the key. When she reached the porch, she hurried and unlocked the door, so they would be inside in under a minute. She felt as though she’d gone on a secret mission.

As she entered the home she’d shared with Kat, turbulent emotions bombarded her from all sides. Happy thoughts immediately were replaced with the scene at the clinic. She paused in the foyer, trying to push the grief away. Not now. She had to be strong for Ben. Get the Christmas ornaments and leave.

“Are you okay, Sierra?”

“It’s hard to believe that Kat’s gone.”

Robert clasped her shoulder. “I know. That’s how I felt when my wife died. It’s been ten years, and I still feel that way at times.”

“When I was overwhelmed with life, Kat used to tell me to take it one minute at a time. She was practical and lived in the moment. The past was behind her and the future was always an unknown. All she would deal with was the now, and I came to appreciate that way. But at this moment I don’t want to be in the present.”

“Let’s get what we came for and leave. Time does help.”

“If this is how I feel, I can imagine how grief-stricken Ben is.” Sierra crossed the foyer to the living room.

But she didn’t enter. Too stunned to move, she came to a halt at the sight before her.

After going through the papers in the manila folder with Dallas, Taylor stood up and stretched, needing to move around after sitting for so long.

“I need to leave soon,” Dallas said as he rose.

“Let me go upstairs and see if Ben is up yet. I’d like him to meet you, since you’ll be in and out of here during the investigation.” This was Taylor’s fourth trip up the stairs in the past hour. After Dallas left, he thought he might come up to the boy’s bedroom and sit in a chair while going through some of the papers until Ben woke up. He didn’t want him to be scared, especially since it was the first time he’d slept overnight at this house.

He peered into the room. Oscar, stretched out beside Ben, lifted his head, but the young child didn’t move. Taylor covered the distance to the bed to make sure the boy was still asleep. He also checked to see how hot Ben’s forehead was since that was the reason he’d been with his mother at the clinic yesterday. He was warm but not alarmingly. The sight of Ben’s long dark eyelashes brushing the tops of his cheeks, a peaceful look on his face, touched a place in Taylor’s heart that he’d kept locked after TJ died.

He pivoted and headed out into the hall, tamping down his past sorrow. Downstairs, he entered the living room and told Dallas, “He’s asleep. He still feels like he has a low-grade fever. Yesterday was emotionally exhausting for all of us but especially Ben.”

“I’ll meet him the next time.” Dallas rose, walked to the front door and turned to shake Taylor’s hand. “I’m going back to the clinic. I don’t want one piece of evidence overlooked.” He started to leave when his cell phone rang.

While his fellow Texas Ranger answered the call, Taylor moved the carton of files into the dining room, then returned to the entry hall. The look on Dallas’s face made him pause. “What’s happened?”

Dallas blew out a long breath. “Colin Brewer’s car was found in a mall’s parking lot.”

“Good. Maybe he’s inside, and we’ll find him because he has some explaining to do.”

Dallas shook his head. “No. He was found in the trunk, shot with the same type of gun as the victims at the clinic. Ballistics will tell us if it’s the same weapon soon.”

Taylor’s heartbeat raced. Is the killer taking care of everyone associated with the clinic? Is Sierra next?