Chapter 6
Saturday, June 6, 1987-Late Morning
Wrists cuffed behind his back, Donovan struggled to lead a group of L.A.P.D. officers down the winding basement staircase. Reaching the landing, he stumbled. Romano gave him a hard shove.
"You want to save your girlfriend? You'd better keep moving."
You try to keep your balance with these things on, jackass, Donovan thought.
"Julie!" he called out into the dark hallway ahead. No answer. Please be okay…
Two female officers, one in her late twenties with high cheekbones and brown hair, the other with a healthy physique, scuttled past him into the tiny room.
Julie lay sprawled on the floor just beyond the mess of filing cabinets toppled every which way. Donovan watched the brunette scan her flashlight over Julie's torso. Blood pooled onto the floor beneath her back.
Oh, God, no…
The second female officer checked for a pulse while the first put her head to Julie's chest.
"Breathings raspy," she said, reaching for Julie's right eyelid, then looked into each pupil with a small flashlight. "Ma'am, can you hear me?"
No response.
With his view now partially obstructed by the women, Donovan tried to step past filing cabinets, but Romano yanked his left arm, pulling him back.
"Trauma to the chest," one of the women announced.
"9-01-N at Science Frontiers," Santiago barked into his radio. "9-2-9, female, Caucasian."
Recognizing codes for "ambulance needed" and "person down," Donovan's stomach knotted up with queasiness. C'mon, baby. Please make it…
"Any I.D.?" Romano asked.
"Her name's Julie Parrish," Donovan said. "She used to work here."
Romano addressed him. "Mr. Donovan, did your girlfriend bring her purse with her?"
Donovan didn't correct what seemed like a deliberate mistake. He'd let them refer to her as anything they wanted, as long as they tried to save Julie. "No. Maybe she left it in her car."
"Which car?"
"The Camaro."
"Of course." Romano smirked. "Does she have any family?"
"Umm…" Donovan's mind drew a blank. "I don't remember."
"You don't remember, or you don't want to tell us?"
"I don't know. Until yesterday, I hadn't seen her in two years."
"And you just happened to plan a date that involved her getting shot?"
"No," Donovan snapped. "Look. I'm not the guy you should be after. I told you-"
"We'll get your story." Romano cut him off, nudging him to the doorway. "Back outside."