Chapter Eight

Not exactly the response he was looking for.

Her curt statement made Woody aware that Jordan had not heard anything he had said to her during her coma. Unlike himself, who had heard every word Jordan had whispered to him in the hospital after the sniper shooting, she had heard nothing. She had no idea he had pleaded with her not to leave him… he needed her….she had no idea that he had confessed his love.

All she remembered about him was that he had put her out of his life. No wonder she was confused about why he was at her bedside. Deciding that a professional tact was probably best for the time being…the rest could be discussed later…he straightened up from the bed. "I'm here to ask you a few questions about the accident, Jordan."

"There's not a lot to tell. I got Garret's call…I was driving over to the homicide scene. There was a red light at Commerce and Peace. I pressed the brake pedal and nothing happened. I swerved to avoid traffic….and that's all I remember." She looked at him quizzically. "Why are you asking me the questions? You're not in traffic." She pulled her hand from his.

Woody set his lips in a straight line. "Because, Jordan…your brakes didn't give out on their own. They had a little help. The brake lines were cut."

Jordan drew in a deep breath. Her eyes wide with shock… "Cut? But who?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out. Is anyone particularly upset with you? Have you testified in any cases where you upset anyone really badly? Have you made any new enemies?"

Jordan shook her head and closed her eyes. "What? As opposed to my old ones? No…none…I've been busy lately with autopsies. I haven't testified in a case in months. I have no idea…"

"I don't think this was a random act, Jordan. Are you sure?"

Opening her eyes, she replied. "I'm sure…I don't know anyone who would try to kill me, Woody. Believe me, if I had any idea…you'd know."

Nodding, Woody flipped his notepad shut. "If you think of anything, will you let me know?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"Good." Woody picked up his jacket. "Will you be okay tonight by yourself?"

Jordan nodded. "Yeah…why wouldn't I be?"

Woody shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought that if you felt funny about staying by yourself…"

"You'd stay? No, Woody. I'm fine."

He turned and left…as soon as she got a little stronger, they needed to talk.

All signs were adding up to an angry brother.

Not Jordan's "phantom' brother, but the brother of a woman who was convinced that Jordan was having an affair with her husband.

The husband being a computer technician who serviced the vast array of computers and computerized equipment at the morgue. The man, Ted Whitmore, was at the morgue nearly all the time. His working hours were as hectic and numerous as Jordan's. His wife was convinced that not all of the hours Ted was spending at the morgue were work related…and after a little self-private-eye surveillance, she had realized that Jordan was at the morgue nearly the same time Ted was.

With their marriage falling apart, the woman was looking for someone to blame it on. Jordan seemed a likely suspect. She became the scapegoat. After complaining to her brother about the female ME trying to steal her husband, the brother became incensed enough to do something about it. After watching Jordan for a few days and realizing which vehicle was hers…he followed her home…and cut the brake lines.

It had taken Woody a few days to piece it all together…especially after the fingerprint's identification came back from Interpol, but he had finally figured it out. Armed with this information, he went back to question Jordan again. He hadn't been back in her hospital room since the night she regained consciousness. He had asked Garret how she was doing, and had been told she was better, except for her left arm.

Her left arm had the nerve damage the doctor had warned them about. She could move it, but not like she used to be able to. Garret said that Jordan described it as "feeling like it was asleep all the time." With therapy and exercise, she should regain most of the use of the arm…but it would take time…and patience. Woody's heart had gone out to her…therapy would help tremendously, but it would also be painful. He prayed she would allow him to be around to help.

As he made his way to her hospital room, Woody knew questioning Jordan wouldn't be easy…especially with this information. He didn't think she was having an affair…nothing in her demeanor would allude to it. And when he had questioned her co-workers, they had scoffed at the idea as well. "Jordan has been at the morgue a lot," Nigel told him, "but not for that. She has been working herself ragged this past year or so. First it was Slocum…then…," his voice trailed off. Woody could fill in the blanks. First it was Slocum, then it was him. She had worked to exonerate Garret, then she had worked to forget him…them…and what she thought they would never have.

Gingerly, he knocked on her door. After hearing her soft, "Come in," he pushed it open.

"Hi," he said, standing awkwardly in the doorway."

She smiled slightly at him. "Hi."

"Tired of the hospital yet?"

"Well, the food leaves a lot to be desired. If it wasn't for Nigel bringing me cheeseburgers and pizza, I would have died from starvation. And the evening apparel is not much better. I'm tired of my ass hanging out…"

At least she seemed better. That sounded like the old Jordan.

"Do you know when you'll get to go home?" he asked, still standing in the doorway.

"Not sure. They haven't said."

"Do you mind if I come in? I have some questions I need to ask you."

"About the accident?"

He nodded. She motioned him in and to a chair by her bed. "Jordan…have you ever heard of a man named Ted Whitmore?"

"Sure…he's our computer wizard. If something don't work, you call Ted. The man can fix anything."

Woody smiled. "Did you know he was married?"

"Yeah…I figured. He wears a wedding band."

She's aware he's married. That makes any man hands-off to Jordan Cavanaugh, he thought. "We know who cut your brake lines," he told her, and relayed the information about Ted, his wife, and his wife's brother to her.

Jordan listened opened-mouthed for a minute. "So supposedly, this all happened because I was having an affair with Ted?"

Woody nodded.

"That is ridiculous."

Woody sighed. "I realize that, but you know what I'm going to have to ask…Were you….are you having an affair with Ted?"

Jordan shook her head forcefully and answered emphatically, "No. No way. We talked, but that's all. He wore his wedding band for Christ's sake…I wouldn't…"

"His wife seems convinced."

"She's wrong."

"You two worked a lot of the same hours."

"So do Nigel and I, but no one is questioning that."

"Nigel's not married….and Nigel doesn't have a family member accused of cutting your brake lines."

"It didn't happen, Woody."

He regarded her a long minute. No, he didn't believe it did. But he knew Rene' Walcott would want to make sure his questioning was thorough, given their history. Rene' would not want any surprises in court…and she definitely didn't want Jordan handing over any motive that could have goaded the woman into action. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly one more time.

Her eyes narrowed for a second. "No. I did not have an affair with Ted. Why are you asking me so many times…is it for the Boston PD's benefit, or your own, Woody?'

"I need to be sure, Jordan."

"For yourself? So you can continue to think the worst of me? There was no affair. Period. Now go type your report and then…go to hell, Woody."

He stood and snapped his notepad shut. Towering above her, he gently took her hand, interlacing their fingers. He knew she was angry…and rightfully so. He never would think Jordan would get involved with a married man. It had been hard enough to get her involved with him…and he was unmarried. "I believe you, Jo…and contrary to your travel directions, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you get out of the hospital. And then we need to talk."

She stared dumbfounded at his retreating back as he closed the door behind him when he left.