A Taste of Tragedy (28 page)

Nick flashed his badge at the front entrance of Giant Cactus Foods. “Where can I find Agent Tanner?”

A young officer escorted Nick down the hall to the plant. They entered the linear facility near the unloading docks. “Just follow the conveyor belt to the other end to where all the officers and EMTs are.”

Nick thanked the officer and quickly made his way to the other end of the facility. As he approached, Agent Tanner spotted him and separated himself from the group.

“Where’s your other half?” Tanner asked, shaking Nick’s hand.

“She’s looking pretty rough this morning. I sent her to the hospital to help watch out for Candace. I doubt she’ll risk making an appearance. The woman is an expert at disappearing, so I’ll bet she’s long gone. Devyn has studied her, so if she does show up in a new disguise, Devyn will have a better shot than anyone of recognizing her.”

“I also contacted security there and put them on high alert, and we’ve sent a couple more agents over as well,” Tanner said.

“Good thinking. So, what do we have here?”

“If it weren’t for everything else going on, this might have passed for an accident. Guy goes into the freezer to get something to eat, an entrée and dessert had been removed from the shelf, and the door falls shut, locking him in. There is an internal lock override to prevent such accidents. Maybe he didn’t know the equipment that well, or my guess would be that the handle was held up in the locked position by one of those tools over there and returned once he was dead.”

Nick stepped around the officers near the door to the freezer, and could see the body being loaded into a body bag for transportation. “How long has he been dead?” Nick asked as he shuddered at the thought of Morgan working so close to this grizzly scene.

“The medical examiner estimated it at about four hours.”

“Any signs of struggle?”

“None. In fact, he has a gun still in its shoulder holster.”

Nick stepped away from the door and Agent Tanner followed. “Any sign of Candace in the building?”

“No. Every inch of floors ten through two have already been searched. All employees have been brought down to the first floor and officers are taking all their names and contact information while other agents finish scouring the main floor. Each employee will be questioned before anyone is allowed to leave the building.”

Nick wasn’t sure what to do next. He doubted that Candace was still in the building. There was an APB out on her, and Devyn and a dozen officers, agents, and security guards were covering the hospital.

“Better brief my boss,” Nick said as he stepped aside.

After several moments, he returned, shaking his head.

“More bad news?”

“Good and bad. We suspected we had a mole, so all his communications were being monitored. We intercepted a call last night, but unfortunately, no names were spoken. The mole confirmed to the call recipient that the FBI was involved, Truscott had been shot and captured, and even divulged which hospital he had been taken to. Unfortunately, the call went to an unregistered burner phone, and it was too short to get any location trace.”

“Sorry, I didn’t catch the good news part,” Tanner replied.

“When they searched the mole’s apartment, they found Dexter Fowler’s computer. Hopefully, it still contains the e-mail conversation between him and Stan Jacobson concerning the sweetener tests.”

Sofia
waited in the hospital parking garage. She had already scouted for cameras and had parked where none were likely to capture her presence. It was early and clearly near a shift change.

Four nurses exited their cars and headed for the building.
Sofia
watched how they entered the building and waited. Soon,
Sofia
spied a lone nurse with hair similar in color to her current wig.

She got quickly into position, crouching behind a car the woman would need to walk by on her way to the entrance. The woman was clearly running late. She looked down as she shoved her cell phone and car keys into her purse, oblivious to her surroundings.

As the woman passed by,
Sofia
slipped from her hiding place with the stealth and agility of a panther, closing the distance between her and the woman without notice.
Sofia
placed a hand over the woman’s mouth and an arm around her neck, exerting pressure. Within seconds, the woman went limp in her arms.

Without letting her fall to the ground,
Sofia
ushered the limp body to her car and popped the trunk. Easing the woman into the car’s trunk, Sofia stripped her of her scrubs and then bound her ankles and wrists with plastic ties. She placed a piece of tape over the woman’s mouth and threw a blanket over her near-naked body.

Stepping behind a large concrete support,
Sofia
changed clothes. She took off her wig and trimmed the length and style to make her hair look more like the unconscious woman’s. With the wig secured once again to her head, she returned to her victim.

She dumped everything out of the woman’s handbag into the trunk and rifled through the contents until she located her identification and key card. She clipped the plastic card to her scrubs in the same manner as the four other nurses who had entered the hospital through the nearby door.

Sofia
adjusted the foam pads she had lined the trunk with earlier. In the correct places, the thick padding would dull any noise the woman might make when she woke up. Quietly shutting the trunk, she got back in her car.

She removed the mirror from her handbag. She was pleased with the results. Candace Rogers did not stare back at her. She glanced at the picture ID fastened to her scrubs belonging to Anne Reynolds.

Not perfect, but from a distance or at a quick glance, it might work.

She opened the glove compartment, removed a filled syringe, and placed it in one pocket. In another, she concealed a tiny pistol.

One last look around the area confirmed she had drawn no attention to herself or left any evidence of her presence. She made her way to the employee entrance just as the four other nurses had. Swiping the card, the door unlocked and allowed her to enter. She continued past the employee area which held lockers, showers, dressing rooms, and a few beds for staff.

The further she penetrated the facility, the more chaotic and congested the scene became. A nurse’s station was staffed by five harried-looking women, and persistent patients or loved ones vied for their attention. The waiting room was filled to overflowing, and doctors, nurses, orderlies, janitorial staff, and security personnel added to the confusion.

Following the trail of security personnel, it took
Sofia
little time to locate Aaron’s room. His was, no doubt, the one with the guard posted outside the door. Several other uniformed officers stood at posts in the hallways leading to that wing.

She looked around for a way to make herself blend in, and before long, she spied a food cart in an adjacent hallway. When the orderly went inside a room to deliver a patient’s breakfast,
Sofia
grabbed a tray and headed toward Aaron’s room with the same rushed pace of the other nurses. She hoped a nurse hand-delivering this one tray wouldn’t look suspicious to a guard since Aaron was clearly a special patient.

As she approached the guard, she held the tray with one hand, balancing it on her hip, while looking down to grasp and hold up her ID for the guard’s inspection. He glanced at her, primarily seeing only the top of her head sporting a hair color and style similar to the one in the photo. He nodded and opened the door for her.

When
Sofia
entered the room, she wasn’t sure if Aaron was sleeping or still hadn’t regained consciousness. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady and rhythmic. She set the tray down and walked to his side.

Picking up his hand, she stared down at him with regret. They had a long history together, and this was not the way she expected their relationship to end. She kissed his hand and set it gently by his side. She swallowed hard, trying to tamp down on her emotions. She had a job to do and little time to accomplish the task.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. She had made Aaron, so it was fitting that she be the one to destroy him.

Satisfied he was unaware of her presence, she removed the syringe from her pocket. With one last look at the peaceful young man, she injected the poison into his IV.

Sofia
quickly left the room. When the poison took effect, his heart rate would go through the roof at first before it stopped forever. This would trigger alarms at the nurses’ station. By the time they arrived, it would be too late. Her presence would be known, but she was counting on the ensuing chaos to facilitate her escape.

Morgan parked her car as close to the hospital entrance as possible, which still meant the far end of the first level of the garage. At least Devyn would have no stairs to navigate. She wanted to drop Devyn off by the door but doubted she would allow that for fear someone might see her struggling to get out of the car.

After parking the car, Morgan got out and raced around to the passenger’s side. She opened the door and helped Devyn maneuver her feet around until they were flat on the pavement. She then took Devyn’s arm and helped ease her to a standing position.

Devyn blew out a labored breath. “Thanks. I’m okay when I’m standing or walking. Any bending or twisting, and the ribs issue a harsh reminder to slow down.”

Morgan noticed an employee entrance not far from her car. She doubted they would be able to enter through that door, so the two women made their way slowly to the main hospital entrance. The more they walked, the more Morgan noticed Devyn’s improvement. By the time they reached the revolving doors, few would realize Devyn was severely injured.

They took the elevator to the third floor. Devyn had already called and had been told which floor Aaron’s room was located. As they exited the elevator, Morgan had to pick up her pace to keep up with the injured agent.

Morgan followed as Devyn strode with purpose toward the first suit that stood out in the hallway. His mannerisms and attire didn’t fit in with the rest of the hospital scene. His stance was rigid, he issued orders to uniformed security personnel and police officers, and he appeared to be talking to no one as his lips moved. Even Morgan’s untrained eye could detect the outline of a gun in his shoulder holster.

“You in charge here?” Devyn asked.

“Special Agent Gary Johnson. Who are you?’

Devyn pulled out her badge. “Devyn Nash, FBI, Salt Lake Field Office.”

“Tanner warned me you were coming.”

Morgan had to stifle a giggle. She had gotten along fine with Devyn, although it had only been a day and a half since they met. It was obvious, though, that this strong-willed woman had an unflattering reputation with the men in her field. Morgan supposed it was still a little tough being a woman FBI agent.

“Any sign of this woman?” Devyn asked as she held up her smart phone with an image of an auburn-haired Candace Rogers.

“Nope.”

“How about this one?” Devyn flipped to another photo of a woman with short black hair.

“No. It’s been quiet, except for the accident. There was a head-on collision on the interstate early this morning resulting in five injuries. That’s why it’s so busy in here right now. A lot of family members trying to get status updates on loved ones and wanting to see those not in surgery.”

“Has Truscott woken up yet?”

“Not that I’ve heard.”

“What room is he in?”

“Three thirty-two.”

Devyn and Morgan walked toward the nurses’ station. Morgan noticed guards near each hallway branching off from the nurses’ station and knew she probably wasn’t going much further.

“You might as well go back home. I’ll stay until Nick arrives. If he finds you here, we’ll both be in big trouble.”

“Guess there’s no point in sticking around if you’re sure you don’t need me for anything else. You obviously don’t like accepting help, but you’re pretty banged up.”

“Thanks, Morgan. I really do appreciate the offer and everything you’ve done for me, but as long as I stay standing and keep walking, I feel pretty good. I’m sure as soon as the pain killers kick, in I’ll forget all about the ribs and the sore feet.”

Morgan was about ready to argue over at least bringing her some breakfast, when a frantic page came over the intercom system. Morgan didn’t understand all the coded jargon, but when Agent Johnson bolted past them with three guards at his heels, she knew something was drastically wrong.

“Go home, please,” Devyn shouted as she took off after Agent Johnson.

It took a moment for Morgan to register Devyn’s demand. Officers and guards rushed into the waiting room, scouring each face and then darting off in different directions. Morgan had no desire to be caught in any potential crossfire, so decided to leave as Devyn had ordered. Many others had apparently decided the same thing, fearing being trapped in the hospital if there was a lock down.

The elevator arrived and quickly filled to capacity. Rather than wait for the next elevator, Morgan and a couple dozen or so others opted for the stairs. She found herself in the middle of the pack as she bounded down each flight.

An uncomfortable sensation crawled over her body. She thought about turning around to look for what might be causing the unsettling feeling, but feared tripping over a step and being trampled by those pushing hard behind her, so she pressed on.

*
 
*
 
*

Sofia watched as Morgan’s brunette locks bobbed down the stairs ahead of her. Not too many hours ago she would have praised her luck. It would be a simple task to separate Morgan Hunter from the herd, but she no longer had any need of the woman. Or did she?

It no longer mattered what she knew since she had likely already told the FBI agents—the ones Aaron had run into at her Sedona home—everything. Giant Cactus Foods would collapse, but with Aaron and
Preston
dead, there were no ties to Coterie.

Sofia
feared she was losing her edge. She had done what was necessary to protect Coterie. Now neither Preston Hoyle nor Aaron could be forced or tricked into divulging her true identity, or J.R.’s, or the other remaining members. For the first time since joining Coterie, her emotions clouded her mind and she questioned her motivation and instincts.

Aaron was just like me, scared and lost, doing whatever it took to survive, until I found him. I gave him self-respect, a chance to experience the finer things in life, and then I took it all away. Our pasts bound us together and melded our spirits. If J.R truly cared for me, how could he ask me to kill a part of me?

As the small group neared the bottom on the stairwell, she forced the thoughts out of her head and regained her focus. She had seconds to make a decision as she followed only steps behind Morgan. The woman pushed the door open and
Sofia
spotted dozens of security and police swarming the main exit.

Sofia
closed the distance, jammed the small pistol in Morgan’s side, and whispered in her ear, “Make a sound or draw attention to us and you die. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Morgan whispered.

Sofia
directed Morgan away from the main entrance. They made their way quickly in the direction in which she had entered the building earlier. Hospital employees rushed past them in the opposite direction, toward the commotion.
Sofia
guided Morgan into the now-empty employee break room and grabbed a set of scrubs from a hook. Pushing Morgan into a shower stall, she shoved the clothes into her hands.

“Put these on and make it quick.”

Sofia
noticed Morgan trying to palm her cell phone as she removed her pants. “Don’t even think about it. Leave it in your shorts pocket,” Sofia ordered as she picked up Morgan’s purse and retrieved her keys.

Sofia
hoped the clothes would be enough for them to get out of the building without being stopped. Morgan had no identification, but only one card was needed to open the remaining doors that separated them from the parking garage.

They reached the garage without encountering any law enforcement or other hospital employees. “Where’s your car?”

“The black cross-over there at the end,” Morgan replied.

Sofia
stopped next to the car she had arrived in, ignoring the muffled thumping coming from the trunk. Clearly, her first victim had awakened, but the pounding on the foam pads did little to draw attention. With one hand holding the gun on Morgan, she used the other to open the front door and grab her duffle.

“Now, go.”

*
 
*
 
*

Morgan did as ordered, not sure what else to do as the woman continued to jab the tiny gun into her side.

“Get in the driver’s side,”
Sofia
ordered as she clicked the fob.

Morgan got behind the wheel and buckled up. She looked over into the cold eyes of the attractive woman seated only inches away, recognizing her from the photos Devyn had showed the agent earlier in the hospital.

“Drive out of here. If we get stopped, you tell them we’re just getting off shift. If you make any move or say anything to draw attention, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your side.”

By the tone of the woman’s voice, Morgan had no doubt she wouldn’t hesitate to carry out the threat, so she nodded and did as she was told.

As they eased out into the daylight, the scene was pure pandemonium. It was obvious that all the law enforcement agencies were still not completely organized. The front entrance was sealed off, which required significant resources to keep order. No one seemed to be watching the garage exit as they rolled by and merged into traffic.

“Where are we going and what do you want with me?”

“Just shut up and drive, and I may show you mercy.”

Where are you, Nick?
Morgan knew it wouldn’t take him long to realize she was missing, so she didn’t want to do anything stupid that might get her killed. If she cooperated, maybe this woman would let down her guard enough for Morgan to make a move. She’d bide her time, be a good little hostage, and wait for an opportunity. Or Nick.