Chapter 12
What Sam said rang through Michael's brain, resonating a deep-seated truth. When he joined the Army at 17, his mother signed the papers for him, forging his father's signature. He never understood why. All that mattered was escaping the verbal and physical abuse. He ran away without any thought to what the fallout would be for his brother Nate and their mom, Maddie. With his departure, it was as if a safety valve had been released, and they suffered the consequences of his act of self-preservation. Michael's guilt kept him away for his own sanity, but it only worsened the hurt and negative effects on those left behind. Frank Westen's death couldn't ease the pain. By that time, Maddie had been beaten down into an empty, angry shell, and only the hope of seeing her beloved son again kept her going. That and the never-ending doctor visits to find a disease that would be dire enough to entice him to come home to stay.
The one who burned Michael did more for Maddie than he would ever know. If he hadn't been so full of hate and a desire to wipe Anson off the face of the earth, he might have thanked him. But then, to be forced to look on his arrogant expression as he delivered his message was unthinkable. Michael preferred to think about how far Madeline had come in the past six years. How far they'd all progressed.
"You okay, Mike?" Sam asked as he glanced at Michael sitting on the stairs.
"I'm fine, Sam." He was prepared to just let it go, but then he asked, "Have you ever thought about where you'd be if we hadn't met up again?"
Sam gave him a quirky grin. "Not really, but no doubt I'd be clinging to another sugar mommy, taking the concept of a meaningless relationship to a new low."
"And what will you do if Fi and I move, and I take this job?"
"If I didn't have this severe allergy to authority, I'd get down on my knees and beg for a job with the CIA, but no, sorry, that ain't happening." He laughed. "Besides, I like Miami. I'd stay here and try to convince Gina to quit the Feds, and we could work together. A trio, even a foursome, is better with this work, but we'd manage. Somehow."
Michael nodded. Sam had definitely changed since they met for the first time at Carlito's after he was dumped in Miami. Back then, he was shocked at how his long-time friend had degenerated into a non-stop beer-swilling, no-clearance intelligence has-been. He was a man hiding behind the desire to have fun, but Michael could see the pain in his eyes. He'd been demoralized by the way he was drummed out of the service. After working together for the past six years, he was once again confident in his abilities, stronger in who he was, and he was building credibility with the agency to become a valuable asset. If he weren't so proud of his friend, he'd be offended that Sam could indeed do just fine without him.
"I'd much rather work with you, Mike, than try to find someone else to round out our team."
Michael's smile perked up. "Thanks, Sam. I appreciate that."
"No problem, Mikey. You just looked like you needed to hear something good."
"Well, I'm certainly not finding it in this stuff." He straightened the papers and shoved them back into the accordion folder that Nancy had given him. "Have you found anything we can use?"
"I downloaded some information about Jeremy's company, but nothing that would have any bearing on this case. Well, maybe the fact that the company is worth about fifty million dollars, and his take-home salary is over a million, not including what he makes on investments. It gives him a good reason to get rid of Nancy if he doesn't want to share any of that."
"Hey guys, we've got lunch ready," Gina said, poking her head through the open double doors. "Fi's getting Nancy."
"Oh my god! Michael!"
They heard Fiona's cry for help, and Michael shot off the steps, dropped the file folder onto the bed, and rushed to Nancy's room. Sam followed. "What happened," he asked as he stopped in the doorway.
Nancy was white, a blue tinge around her lips. "She's not breathing!" Fiona replied sharply.
Michael picked her off the bed and laid her on the floor, and he and Fiona started CPR. Gina glanced over Sam's shoulder. "I'll call 911..."
"No, we can't do that! Calling an ambulance here will bring attention to this place," Sam explained.
"But she's dying!" Gina exclaimed, her hand balled up around her phone.
"Michael, I've got a pulse, but it's weak," Fiona said as she felt around Nancy's carotid artery.
"I'll get the car ready." Sam pushed past Gina and hurried out the door.
By the time Sam unlocked the gate, opened it and checked to make sure that Jeremy or any other suspicious looking characters weren't around, Michael, Fiona, and Gina came downstairs. Michael carried Nancy in his arms. Sam unlocked the car and opened it so Michael could put her in the back.
"I'll come along," Gina said and rounded the front of the vehicle, her brow furrowed with worry.
"You should stay here with Fi." Michael looked at her with apology written on his face. "Just make sure that everything's locked up behind us and keep watch for anyone with an eye on the place."
She nodded, although he could see it was against her better judgement to stay. He understood feeling protective of a client. She asked, "Do you think that Jeremy somehow knows where she is and did something to her after she arrived?"
"No. There's no way he could have slipped in unnoticed. We've got to go."
"Okay." Gina nodded. "Be careful, you two!"
"We will. Thank you for staying." Michael patted her arm and trotted around to the passenger side of the car. Sam already had the engine running and pulled out as soon as Michael's door closed.
Gina watched them leave and followed them to the gate. With a wave and a look of deep concern for both of them, she reached for one gate, closed it, and followed with the other. After one last peek to see if there were any cars on the street, she secured it and returned upstairs.
"What do you think it could be? He must have poisoned her somehow." Fiona heard Amani stirring and went to attend to him.
Gina spoke from the door way of Nancy's room. "I don't know, Fiona, but I'm going to do a search of her stuff and see if there are any clues among her possessions." She entered the room and spent a good amount of time inside, and when she emerged she found Fiona feeding Amani something out of a jar while he squirmed in the high chair. Gina smiled at his exuberance. He couldn't seem to get enough of whatever the orange food was. "Carrots? Squash? Or sweet potatoes?"
Fiona smiled. "First guess was right. He loves them. That and the peas, only God knows why. I can barely feed him those without..." She made a face.
Gina laughed. "I totally understand." With a soft sigh she perched on a stool. "There are some things you just never forget about your kid, and that's one of them."
"Did you find anything in Nancy's room?"
"Yeah, she had some sleeping pills in there." Gina held up the amber bottle and shook it. "It's a prescription, and the label looks legit. But I suspect that the guys are going to find that these aren't what they were supposed to be." She paused and tapped the bottle on the bar. "Maybe I should take these over to the hospital and have an analysis done. Oh, wait. I don't have a way to get there."
"You could take my car. I'll be fine here with Amani." Fiona smiled and wiped his face with the bib. "Can you watch him? I'll get my keys."
"Sure." Gina slipped off the stool and got down to his level. She gave him a warm smile, remembering her own son at that age. "Hey there, cutie. You're getting to be such a big boy!" Amani responded with a smile and reached out to touch her with his grimy hand. She took it in her fingers. "Woah there, kiddo! Your mommy needs to clean up that mess before you go touching things."
Fiona heard her reference to 'mommy', and it warmed her heart. "Sorry, I didn't get that far yet." Fiona stood to the side with her keys dangling from her fingers. "Here you go. Want me to call Michael to let him know you're coming?"
"No, that's okay. I can give Sam a call on the way." She stood and observed Fiona wiping the little boy's hands. She'd heard from Sam how capable Fiona was in handling herself, but she still worried about leaving her. Michael ordered her to stay. However, this pill bottle could possibly hold the key to saving Nancy's life. "Are you sure you'll be okay here alone?"
"Positive. Just go!"
Gina let out a deep breath. "Okay, I just wanted to be sure, because I know Sam will probably get on my case if I show up and leave you here."
"If he does, he's an idiot. He knows better!"
"Call if you need any assistance."
"Don't worry, Gina. We'll be fine!" After Gina left and Fiona heard her car start up, she smiled. Fiona was impressed with how the woman was so concerned about her, but Gina still hadn't learned everyone's strengths and what they were capable of when it came to defense. In time, she would know and not have to worry. Even with Amani around and another on the way, she would have no trouble taking care of herself.
Gina drove Fiona's car to the hospital where they'd taken Nancy. She liked the handling of the little sports car that also had enough room in back if it was necessary to scrunch a couple of people inside. I might have to think about getting myself one of these and trade in that big old Cadillac. All the while she enjoyed the ride, she still managed to keep an eye on her back to make sure no one tailed her. She was in the clear and made it to the hospital parking lot. As she got out, Gina carefully surveyed the lot as she approached the emergency room, and went inside.
"Gi, what are you doing here," Sam asked as soon as she stepped into the waiting room. "And how did you get here?"
"Fi lent me her car." Gina cringed to herself. She knew from the look on Sam's face that if she didn't come up with a good explanation, she would hear it from him later. "I went through Nancy's stuff and found this bottle of sleeping pills. I suspect they aren't what she thought they were. I mean, they look real, but... I don't know if she took any. If she did, this would be the first thing I'd look at for the cause of her almost dying."
"Thanks, Gina. I knew there was a good reason to leave you behind." Michael took the bottle from her and approached the reception desk. Gina watched him as he got the attention of the woman. She picked up her phone, talked into it, and then spoke to Michael. A few seconds later, a nurse emerged from behind the swinging doors and took the bottle from him.
"Is Fi still at the loft?"
Gina turned back to Sam. "Yes. And before you start breathing fire, baby, she was the one who practically kicked me in the pants to come here. She assured me she would be safe, and I was careful about how I left. The safe house is still safe. What happened had to have been a result of someone tampering with those drugs before she even left her home."
Sam nodded. "You're right. Let's go over to Nancy's house and see if we can find anything. I'll tell Mike where we're going." He held out his hand.
"What?"
"Keys."
"To Fi's car?" Gina's eyebrows rose. "I think not! She entrusted them to me, I'm driving." She paused and her mouth formed a perfect 'o'. "Sam, don't tell me you're one of those guys who has to drive all the time?"
"No, I've let Fi drive plenty of times, especially if it's her car." A harrowing spiral up a parking structure came to mind at that moment, and he recalled the terror he felt.
Gina saw him turn slightly pale. "I'm a good driver. Don't worry. You remember how I got Michael to the chapel, don't you?"
That ride itself was a little hair-raising, but he wasn't about to tell her. "I trust you, Gi. Really, I do, but..."
She shook her head and sighed. Then she turned and headed for the door. "I'll be waiting outside for you."
Sam narrowed his eyes at her and noticed Michael standing nearby watching.
"Something wrong, Sam?"
"Yeah. I finally discovered something that I don't like about Gina. She's stubborn. Extremely stubborn." He let out a sigh. "We're going over to Nancy's to search the house. Gina's driving."
Michael held back his laughter. "Just put your seatbelt on and shut up."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me of that! Now I'm really scared!"
Despite Sam's fears, Gina drove at a prudent speed and obeyed all traffic laws to get to Nancy's house. As they rode down the tree-lined street, they kept their eyes roving for anything suspicious. "Sam, Jeremy's car is gone."
"I see that. Maybe he had to go back to work or something. Or he figured out that Nancy was gone, so he left." He paused, inspecting the outside of the house while Gina pulled into the drive and parked in back. "We better be careful going in. Who knows if he did something to the place."
"If he broke in, most likely it would be back here," Gina said. She and Sam emerged from the car in synch, slammed their doors softly on the off chance that someone was on the property, and they moved toward the back of the house. Wordlessly, they checked the back windows for any sign of a break in. "I'm not seeing anything, Sam."
"Me neither." He took the steps and checked the back door. "Still locked, and I don't see any sign..."
Gina swore under her breath. "Why do people hide keys in the most obvious places?" She pulled a nail file from her purse and wedged it in behind the meter box and the house. It took a little effort, but she managed to pull out a key. "Back door, what do you wanna bet?" She held it up.
Sam was about to pick the lock to get in, but he stuck the key in the lock and it opened the door effortlessly. "That key was stuck in there pretty good. Do you think she kept it there all the time?"
"I don't know." Gina reached into her bag again and pulled out a small zipped bag. "Put it in here, Sam. Maybe we can get some of our perp's prints off it."
He'd been so concerned about getting into the house, Sam never considered that he'd possibly destroyed evidence. Gina was good. If he stuck around her long enough, she would definitely help him sharpen his skills. He could handle that. Together they entered the house. The door led through a short hall and into the kitchen.
"Somebody's been here," she said as she scanned the disarray. "The question is, were they looking for something specific or just trying to trash the place?"
Sam stood in one place and carefully surveyed the mess. When Nancy hired them it was in this kitchen, so he was familiar with how it looked before. "It looks like it's just random. I mean, look, those cupboards were left alone, while others, everything's been dumped out and smashed on the floor."
The house was built in the 1920s in the Mediterranean style so popular at that time. The kitchen was a blazing white from the walls to the cabinets and appliances, and the cupboards showed off their contents through square panes.
"If someone had been looking for something, it would have been a lot easier to just look through the cupboard doors."
"Exactly. I think we're looking at Jeremy's handiwork."
"I could go back to the office and get a print kit, but I don't know how we'd be able to prove much," Gina said as she stood in the middle of the debris and curled a hand on her hip. "If he lived here for any length of time, Jeremy's prints will be all over this place."
"Not the dishes. If he touched them to pull them out of the cupboard, we'll find prints. If he wasn't wearing gloves."
"Of course. I don't think Jeremy was that smart. He's a man obsessed with ridding himself of this... inconvenient wife."
Sam's phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket to answer. "Yeah, Mike." He listened a few seconds and answered. "We're at Nancy's, and the kitchen is a mess. We'll check out the rest of the house and see if there's anything left behind. How's Nancy doing? Uh huh, well that's good news. Thanks!"
"What'd Michael say?" Gina turned at the entrance to the dining room and waited for him to reply.
"He said that Nancy is going to be okay. He was calling to see what, if anything, we found here. Mike called our friend in the Miami PD, and she's going to have a team of officers watching over Nancy. Then we can concentrate on trying to nail who did this." He paused. "Oh, and they're working on analyzing those pills you brought in. Good work, finding those."
"Yeah, well, just doing my job." Gina spoke with a tone of dismissal. Under his gaze she blushed a little, turned away, and went into the dining room. "Oh, Sam, look!"
He hurried to her side and took in the destruction in the room. Fine china had been thrown against the wall and left crumbled on the floor. Glass doors were smashed. The chandelier hanging over the table hung far too low and at a crazy angle.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think some kids came in here and trashed the place." She continued in to the hall and past a staircase to the living room. "But I think Jeremy wanted to do this all himself."
"What makes you think so?" Sam glanced up at the staircase, making sure they were clear.
"That." Gina pointed to the cream colored walls in the living room. Artwork had been slashed, and someone spray painted words over the canvases and walls. 'This is all mine' mingled with vulgar wishes for Nancy to die. A chill ran up her spine that someone could hold so much hate inside to be motivated to do something like this. "This is really sick. If Jeremy's looking for a psycho defense, this will certainly do it."
"Let's just look around. Maybe he left a used can with some prints on it."
They finished checking the lower level and found more destruction. Upstairs, no room had been left untouched. One room looked out on the back yard and the neighborhood, and it appeared to have been a nice art studio until it was turned upside down. A work in progress sat on an easel, and the intruder used the paints to write a nasty message on it. Sam got his phone out and took a picture of it.
"Sam, these paints are still wet." Gina leaned over a table on which a pallet lay. She poked a glob of dark blue paint. "These are acrylics, and they usually take about an hour to dry completely if they're thin, like on the canvas. But these blobs could take a couple hours, three or four at the most, depending upon how thick they are."
"And what's your estimation on that one?"
"Two hours. It's still viscous in the center." She pressed harder and a small amount squirted out the side of the mound.
"That would make sense if Jeremy figured out shortly after we left that Nancy wasn't here, and you know he had to take some time to do what he did downstairs." He looked down at a paint brush on the wood floor. He squatted and pulled on the end. "Someone left paint fingerprints on this brush." The drying paint caused it to stick to the floor, but he was able to detach it and pick up the brush. Gina waited with an open clear plastic bag. After dropping it inside, he gave her a look. "I guess now I know why you carry around such a big purse. You've got your whole evidence collecting stash in there, don't you?"
"Well, not everything. The printing kit just doesn't fit." She grinned. "I've been thinking of getting a bigger bag, but that might slow me down."
Sam laughed. "You still amaze me, Gi."
"Good. I just hope that after all this, Michael and Fiona can trust me."
"Why do you think they don't?" He studied her.
Gina shrugged. "As nice as they are, I have this feeling that they're constantly analyzing me, trying to figure out if I'm on the up and up."
He smiled at her and pulled her against his side. "I think Mike and Fi are just surprised by you, that's all. They're used to me getting involved with women who are rich and beautiful, but shallow. This time, I found someone who's rich, beautiful, and actually has more to offer than that." He kissed the top of her head, pulled back, and looked into her eyes. "You'll have to forgive them. They're not used to this! And to tell you the truth, neither am I." He gave her a slow smile. "But I gotta say, I like it." He kissed her lips briefly. "We better get back to work."
Gina nodded, outwardly all business as she disengaged herself from Sam. But inside, she felt a flutter of something good. He understood that they had something special, and he appreciated it. So did she. Finding Sam was completely unexpected, and at first she saw through his womanizing ways and didn't want to have anything to do with him. But when she let herself get past the surface, she realized that he was an honorable man. His efforts to help the little guy drew her in, because in her work, she so often lost sight of why she did what she did. Sam helped make it all real again. She smiled and returned her attention to looking for clues, while a desire to break away and work with Sam and his friends rose up within her.