Blood in the Marsh (10 page)

“No, please!”

Two men grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms out to her sides. It felt as if they were being pulled out of the sockets.

“Please.”

The gunman put his weapon in the waistband of his pants. At a nod from him, two of the men grabbed her legs and spread them apart. Lyra opened her mouth to scream and someone shoved a wad of cloth in it. She gagged and tried to split it out.

Hands tore at her underwear and her eyes bulged, muscles straining as she tried to pull free. She felt his fingers as he inserted them inside her and she thrashed around, knowing that this was only the beginning. She closed her eyes tightly, holding her breath, trying to steel herself for what was next.

A sudden sting on the side of her neck made her throat convulse. Then everything went black.

Brunswick

Nick skidded to a stop as Chelsey screamed. “They were right here! There was a car stopped and they grabbed them!”

Nick and Michael jumped out of the car and looked around. They saw nothing. Michael turned to look at Chelsey. “I want you to go to the nearest house and call the police. Tell them Detective Michael Santera of the Brunswick Police needs back-up and tell them where we are. Can you do that?”

Chelsey nodded, tears running down her face. “Find them, please.”

“We will.”

Michael pulled his gun as Chelsey backed the car up and turned around. He followed Nick to the opposite side of the road. The soft dirt was scratched and grass trampled.

Nick looked around at him. “Looks like someone went this way.”

“Let’s find out.”

They wandered off the road, searching the ground in the dim yellow glow of the flashlight. Michael was wound up as tight as an elastic band ready to snap.

He couldn’t help wondering at his own feelings. When Chelsey had come back and stammered out her story, his first thought had been to save Lyra. That didn’t make any sense to him. Why should he be any more eager to save her than the other girl, Patty?

He couldn’t find any answer that satisfied because part of him felt guilty. He had been very attracted to Lyra when they met. He had to inwardly ridicule himself for the thought that ran through his mind. When their eyes met for the first time, for a split second he thought maybe she was the woman he had been waiting for.

Embarrassed by such romantic fantasies, he tried to force himself to consider her no more or less important than the other woman. Yet, visions of what the men would have done to her flooded his mind and filled him with fear and a cold anger.

For fifteen minutes they searched, losing all sight of tracks. They heard the wail of sirens in the distance and paused.

“I’ll go back to the road,” Michael offered. “Yell if you find them.”

For over an hour after the search party arrived, they searched the marsh. Michael was beginning to give up hope when he saw something in the distance. He ran toward a patch of scraggly trees and saw her. She lay on her side on the ground, her long hair covering her face. Patty lay a few feet away, a gaping hole in her chest and wide sightless eyes staring up into the darkness.

Why then was it the sight of Lyra that had his heart hammering in his chest and a cold sweat breaking out on his body?

“Lyra!” He threw himself down beside her and smoothed the hair out of her face. “Can you hear me?”

She didn’t respond. Knowing better than to move her before the medic checked her out, he stood and yelled, waving the flashlight. “Over here!”

He knelt back down beside Lyra, gently patting the side of her face. “Lyra? Can you hear me? It’s Michael. Wake up.”

Still she didn’t respond. Over and over he called her, checking her to see if there were any wounds. She looked scratched and bruised, as if she had been in a fight, but there was no evidence of a gunshot. At least none he could see. A few minutes passed before Nick ran up with a paramedic, two uniformed officers and another detective.He took one look at the dead girl and walked over to kneel down beside Lyra.

“She’s unconscious.” Michael looked up at the paramedic.

The medic stooped down and rolled her over on her back. He quickly checked her. Once it was determined she hadn’t been shot he tore open a small packet and waved it under her nose.

After a few moments, she blinked then sat straight up and screamed. Nick and Michael both grabbed her but she didn’t realize who they were and fought them as if her life depended on it. Finally, they got her pinned down and Michael grabbed her face in his hands.

“Lyra, look at me. It’s Michael Santera. You’re safe now. Do you hear me?”

She looked up at him with wild eyes, her chest heaving with fear. A long moment passed. Her mind was filled with confused images, images of him. But the images made no sense. Neither did the feelings. Somehow, she was sure that as long as he was there she would be safe. Why, she didn’t know. “Michael?”

He released her and she sat up, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing violently. The medic tapped Michael on the shoulder. “I’ll go for a stretcher. Keep her quiet.”

Michael nodded and turned to Nick. “She’ll have to go to the hospital.”

Nick nodded but said nothing. He watched as Michael held Lyra, seeing the sobs wrack her body. She was still crying when they returned with the stretcher. They had to pry her arms from around Michael’s neck to get her on it. He held her hand as they carried her toward the ambulance waiting on the road.

Michael looked at Nick as the medics loaded Lyra into the ambulance. “Give me a minute to talk with Detective Ritcher and I’ll ride with you. They’re roping the area off and the coroner should be here in a minute.”

Nick climbed in the back of the ambulance. Lyra looked at him then looked away. He took her hand but she pulled free. When Michael climbed in, she reached for his hand, gripping so tightly her knuckles were white. Michael gave Nick an apologetic shrug and held her hand the entire way.

She was taken to emergency and the nurse told Nick he would have to leave. Michael leaned over and kissed Lyra on the forehead, then gently pried her fingers loose from his hand. She looked up at him with frightened eyes and he smiled.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. Nick’s going to be just outside.”

Lyra cut her eyes at Nick and he smiled. “They just want to make sure everything’s okay. I’ll be right outside.”

Michael stepped into the hallway with Nick. “I’ve got to go in there, you know.” Nick looked at him with a blank expression for a moment and Michael put his hand on his shoulder. “It’s procedure in all rape cases.”

Nick’s head jerked up and his eyes met Michael’s. Michael could see the fury and knew the kind of cold rage Nick was capable of. He also knew he could not let Nick get out of control.

“Look, we don’t know for sure, but we have to find out. Let’s not jump the gun, okay? I’ll be out as soon as the doctor’s finished and you can be there when I question her.”

Nick nodded and leaned back against the wall beside the door, crossing his arms. Michael sighed and walked back into the room. The doctor was standing beside the bed and Lyra was sitting with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, the sheet tucked in all around her.

“Miss, we must examine you,” the doctor said gently.

Lyra shook her head and the doctor turned to Michael. Michael walked over to her.

“Lyra, you have to let the doctor examine you. It’s for your protection. Please.”

She looked up at him and frowned. “Why are there so many people in here?”

He cleared his throat. “It’s standard procedure in rape cases. We have to document everything.”

She turned a bright red and looked down. Michael knew she was embarrassed. “Lyra, believe me, we’ll try to make this as quick as possible but it does have to be done.”

She looked up at him with a hard stare that seemed to see through him. He could not stop the thought that crossed his mind. How he wished he had met her before Nick.

Her skin flushed more deeply as his eyes met hers. Abruptly she lay down and closed her eyes, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The doctor arranged her in the stirrups and performed the examination. Michael snapped the pictures of the scratches and bruises quickly then turned away.

Lyra didn’t open her eyes until the exam was over and the doctor had treated her cuts and left the room. Michael followed him out into the hall. Nick was still waiting and with him were a tall, dark-haired man and a very attractive older woman with platinum-blonde hair.

The older man stepped forward and addressed the doctor. “Excuse me. I am Count Leopold Desyatov and this is Ms. Alexandra Seville, the victim’s mother. The police called and said Lyra had been admitted to the hospital. How is she? What happened? Mr. Austin refuses to tell us what happened.”

Michael stepped in before the doctor could answer. “I’m Detective Michael Santera, sir. I’m in charge of the case. I’ll be glad to fill you in as soon as I speak with the doctor. If you’d just be patient a few minutes longer.”

Leopold nodded and walked over to where Lexi was rubbing up against Nick, holding onto his arm and dabbing at her perfectly made up and dry eyes.

Michael turned and looked at the doctor. “Well?”

The doctor shook his head. “There was evidence of a lubricant in the vagina, but there is no evidence of semen. I have no idea what happened, but I can tell you beyond the shadow of a doubt that she was not raped.”

Michael looked over at Nick and realized not only was he listening but so were Lyra’s mother and her friend. “How’s that?”

“There’s no evidence to suggest rape. No tearing or tissue damage.”.”

Michael’s eyes widened in surprise but he quickly recovered. “So what about this lubricant you found?”

“I took a sample for testing. But I’d bet my stethoscope it’s the same lubricant we use for exams—same smell and consistency. It’s very strange.”

“Yeah, it is.” Michael thanked the doctor and turned to Nick who was staring across the hall. “Well, at least we know she wasn’t raped.”

“How fortunate!” Leopold said. “Now, suppose you tell us just what did happen, Detective?”

“I don’t have all the facts yet, sir. Right now I need to question Lyra.”

“Then I will accompany you. I feel sure she is severely traumatized and needs the comfort of those who love her right now.”

Nick stepped in front of him, barring his path. “I don’t think so. Detective Santera needs to question her and you’d be in the way.”

Michael saw the look that came on Leopold’s face. “He’s right. Why don’t you and Ms. Seville get a cup of coffee and I’ll meet you in the waiting room when I finish.”

“Very well.” Leopold gave Nick a hateful look. “Are you going to accompany us, Mr. Austin?”

“I think I’ll hang around here.”

Leopold nodded to Michael then took Lexi’s arm and led her down the hall. As soon as they were out of sight, Nick turned to Michael. “If she wasn’t raped then why was she grabbed and what were those men doing to her?”

Michael pushed open the door. “Why don’t we see if we can find out. Wait here and I’ll”

“I’m going in with you.”

“Nick, it’s against procedure.”

“Mike, this is personal.”

Michael hesitate a moment then nodded and opened the door.

They found Lyra dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed. She stood as they entered. “I’m ready to leave.”

“We have to wait for the doctor to sign your release papers,” Michael said. “And I also need to ask you some questions about what happened.”

“What happened is Patty’s dead! There’s nothing else to tell and I want to leave.”

Nick walked over and put his hands on her shoulders. “Lyra, we need to know more. Michael can’t find those men unless you help him.”

“I can’t.” She pulled away and turned her back to them. “There’s nothing to tell. It was dark, they were dressed in black, and their faces were covered. They killed Patty.”

Nick started toward her but Michael put his hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Nick stopped and Michael walked over in front of her. “Your mother and her friend are here.”

Lyra looked up at him with wide eyes. “Lexi’s here? Why? Did you call her?”

“No, I didn’t. The hospital did. It’s standard procedure. But as soon as your release papers are signed they can take you home.”

“Make them leave! I don’t want to see them. Just tell them to go away.”

Michael looked at her with concern on his face. “Lyra, your mother’s worried. She’s here because she cares about you.”

She barked a harsh laugh. “Make them leave. I don’t want them here. I don’t want to see them or talk to them. I’m over twenty-one and I don’t have to put up with being treated like a child. Just tell them —tell them whatever you want, just please make them leave!”

Michael looked at her for a few seconds then nodded. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”

He left and she sat down on the bed. Nick sat down beside her and took her hand. “You want to tell me what happened?”

“I don’t even want to think about it right now. I just want to get out of here.”

“Okay, I’ll go check with the doctor. You wait right here.”