Same old disclaimer.
Codes & Heretics-Chapter 5-Another Attack, A Different Crime
Los Angeles branch of the FBI.
"So, what do we know about the San Mateo murders?" Don asked David as they got to work.
"All three were Druids."
"So, this guy is after someone. What did you say about him possibly going after a leader?" he asked Charlie.
"A Druidess. Someone in charge."
"So a woman. Maybe this guy has a thing about strong women?"
"It seems logical," Charlie started, but was soon interrupted by his cell phone.
"Hello? What? When did this happen? Okay, where are you? We'll be there as soon as we can." He hung up and turned to his brother, "There's been another attack. We need to get to Los Angeles General."
"Who was attacked?"
"Karolin."
Los Angeles General
"Excuse me; we're here about Karolin Gammie. She was attacked earlier." Don inquired at the nurses' station. He, Terry, & Charlie had gotten to the hospital as fast as they could, with Don at the wheel.
"Are you family?"
"No, they're friends," a pale, almost shivering Tasha said as she approached the older adults.
"Tasha! Are you okay?" Charlie's worry about his student began to lessen when he saw that she was unharmed.
"He asked to come in, and when Karolin would let him in, he pushed the door open on her and he…he…" She couldn't continue. She started to softly cry as Charlie directed her to a chair.
"It's okay. Can you tell us everything that happened?"
"He came in and grabbed her. He started swearing at her in some weird language. I think she understood him, because she started screaming. And when I tried to help her, he hit." She began to cry more as she finished telling the agents what she had seen.
"Did he do anything else?"
"I don't know. I bit his ankle and he dropped her and ran." Her sobs were coming less and less as Terry & Charlie tried to soothe her.
They were soon met by a doctor.
"How is she?" Don asked, concern for the person who had brought them the case, and who was now the FBI's only witness showing in his voice.
"She has a mild concussion, three fractured ribs, and a fractured wrist. There was some internal bleeding."
"Can we see her?"
"Yes. Please, try and make sure that she stays awake. Although, she won't be able to speak. We had to insert a tube down her throat to assist her breathing." This frightened the group, and caused more questions and concerns.
"She had an asthmatic attack when she was taken into X-Ray."
"Thank you, doctor," Don said and he let the man go. "Are you okay?" he asked when he saw the look on Charlie's face. It mirrored Tasha's.
"Umm, yeah. I think we should go and check on her."
And so, they proceeded to the room that had been pointed out as being Karolin's.
"Hey, Karo? How are you feeling?" Tasha asked her roommate as they approached her bed.
Terry handed her a pen and paper, and the girl wrote her answer, I've been better.
Half-an-hour later, Tasha left, saying she was going to call Karolin's parents and tell them what had happened.
"Don't worry. I won't give then specifics," she assured her friend.
Don & Terry proceeded to ask her questions, to which she wrote down her answers.
"Do you know who did this to you?"
Yes.
"Who?"
Him.
"Could you be a little more specific, please?"
My notebook.
The agents asked the nurse who had just come in if there had been a notebook with Karolin when she had been admitted.
"Yes. It had to be wrestled from her hands," she said. She left and returned 10 minutes later with a black composition notebook and handed it to Charlie.
Look at page 53.
They looked and found a clipping of a police sketch from a newspaper.
That's him. That's the man who attacked us.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded yes.
"Can we borrow this?"
Once again, she nodded yes, and added I'm going to want it back when you're done.
Tasha came back with snacks for everyone else, and was soon asked about the man.
"Yes, that's him."
"Okay. Well, thank you for answering our questions. Are you going to be okay here?" Don asked her.
"I'll stay with them," Charlie answered.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. We'll be fine. I can stay with them as long as possible."
"Okay. We'll see you later." With that said Don & Terry left the hospital and headed back to work.
Los Angeles offices of the FBI.
"How's the girl?" David asked as Don & Terry walked into the bull pen.
"The doctor said she'll be fine. For now, we have a suspect we need to find." Terry took out the notebook, turned to the page with the police sketch glued in, and handed the notebook to Don.
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The story is almost done, so don't get too anxious.