Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (101 page)

Soon her unconscious father was placed in a wheelchair and wheeled out to the ambulance. “I’ll give you a call from the hospital,” she called back to Tony as she clambered in the back and sat in the chair nearest to her father’s head. “Damn, will you ring Jade for me?”

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After several hours of tests, the conclusion was that her father did indeed have viral meningitis. There was little the hospital could do for him as far as medication was concerned, for antibiotics wouldn’t help fight the disease. Her father would need to stay in hospital for a few days of bed rest where his progress would be monitored. That was a relief to Lorne, once she realised her workload had just multiplied, what with having two invalids on her hands.

Her distraught sister had arrived and was sitting by their father’s bed, holding his hand.

She left Jade and went to the entrance of the hospital to get some fresh air and make some calls on her mobile. “Tony. Just a quick one. Dad’s going to be okay. It is what the doc thought.”

“Shit! But he’s going to get through it, right?”

“It needs to run its course. He’s going to stay in hospital for a few days. Look, I’ll stay here for a few hours with Jade, in case he wakes up and wonders where he is.”

“No problem. Give Jade a hug for me. Try to grab something to eat from the machine or the canteen. You’ll need to keep your strength up. Love you.”

“I’ll get us both a sandwich, if I get the chance. See you later. Love you, too.”

The second call, she dreaded making. “Fiona? It’s Lorne. Did you get home all right?”

“Hi, Lorne. Yeah, we did, thanks. You?” Fiona sounded distracted, and pans rattled in the background, as if Lorne had disturbed their dinner preparations.

“Ah, that’s why I’m ringing. I’m at the hospital—”

“What? Why? What’s happened?” The background noise instantly stopped, and Fiona gave her full attention.

“When I got home, my dad was really ill. The doctor called the ambulance, and he was admitted to hospital, straight away.”

“Oh, no. Sorry to hear that. Nothing too serious, I hope?”

While she was talking Lorne glanced around the car park. One car in particular caught her eye—a black Range Rover. The tinted windows obscured her view of the driver. The car was inching back and forwards, as if to tease her. Lorne started to approach it, but it sped off when she was within two feet of the back door. “Damn,” she said under her breath before she replied to Fiona’s question. “Serious enough. Viral meningitis. Not sure how to say this, but I’m not going to be able to be in court tomorrow with you guys.”

She heard Fiona suck in a breath. “Hey, that’s completely understandable. Family comes first, Lorne. I’ll tell the other girls. We’ll be there to support Ami, anyway. Thanks for letting me know. Hope your dad gets better soon.”

“Thanks. I’ll try to ring tomorrow, either during the day or in the evening, to see how things went.” She looked over at the entrance and saw the same car going backwards and forwards a few times. She pressed the end call button on her phone, then placed yet another call. “Katy, it’s me.”

“Christ, what’s wrong now? Hang on; let me get my shoes on while we talk.”

“Don’t bother. I’m at the hospital.” She quickly added, “I’m all right. Dad’s ill, though. Look, that’s not why I’m ringing. I’m in the car park at the hospital, and I keep seeing this strange car. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the driver was keeping an eye on me. Of course, after what happened earlier, there’s a possibility I’m being more than a little bit paranoid.”

“Crap! Did you manage to take note of the plate number?”

“Yep.” She gave Katy the number and watched the car come to a standstill outside the hospital gates again. “The bastard drove off when I walked up to the car, but he’s sitting at the gates now, taunting me.”

“I’ll ring the station get them to check who it belongs to. I’ll also see if I can get a patrol car over there to scare him off. Ring back in five minutes or so.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Lorne said, focusing on the car once more.

A few minutes later, her phone jangled the CSI theme tune. She answered it. “Hi. What did you find out?”

“You won’t be surprised when you hear who the vehicle is registered to. You know what? I’ve had it with Gibson. I’m going to ring the prosecutor and see what he makes of this harassment.”

“Thanks, Katy. You’re a treasure. The girls are going it alone tomorrow; I hope they’ll be okay.”

“Okay, I get the message. I’ll have a word with Roberts in the morning, see if I can grab an hour or so off.”

“Katy, have I told you lately how wonderful you are?”

“Hmm… Let’s see how things work out before you start heaping praise on me. Take care. Give your father a kiss from me.”

They both hung up. Lorne glanced over at the gates to see the Range Rover drive off. A second or two later, a police car drove by, going in the same direction.

Nice to see my contacts are still capable of making a difference.

Lorne and Jade stayed with their unconscious father for another two hours before the nurse ordered them to go home. “We’ll call you if your father wakes up. Go home and get some rest, yourselves. You both look done in.”

Lorne smiled and nodded at the pretty brunette nurse who had been put in charge of her dad. “I feel it. Not sure about Jade. You’ll ring us as soon as he wakes up?”

“Of course. Don’t worry; he’s in good hands. Leave your number at reception on your way out, if you would.”

After leaving her number, Lorne stepped out into the chilly night air and walked Jade to her car. Her sister had barely said two words to her since arriving at the hospital, and she couldn’t help wondering if Jade wasn’t blaming her for her father’s illness.

Lorne decided it wasn’t the time to have it out with her. She waved her sister off and sought out her own vehicle, scanning all around her, alert and ready for a possible attack.

On the drive home, her stomach groaned, crying out for the meal she had missed. She stopped at the local chip shop and then rushed home to share the fish supper with Tony. Neither of them had much of an appetite, and they both picked at the meal.

Halfway through their dinner, the house phone rang. Lorne answered it. “Hello?” she asked anxiously, expecting the call to be from the hospital.

“Lorne, how lovely to hear your voice.”

She wracked her brain, trying to figure out where she had heard the familiar voice before. Then she remembered what Tony had said earlier in the day, and it dawned on her who the mystery caller had to be. “Carol. How have you been? Long time, no hear.”

“Ah, you remembered. I’m as well as can be expected, I suppose. I dropped by earlier and chatted with your husband. Nice man—so much better than your last one. Not that I met him, of course. But I can tell you two are much better suited.”

Lorne chuckled, and Tony frowned at her. She mouthed at him, “I’ll tell you later.”

She turned her attention back to Carol, “Tony said you were after another dog. It’s so sad when we lose a beloved pet.”

“Yes, my Totty was the love of my life. I thought this time I would give a homeless dog a new home rather than buy a pedigree. Imagine my surprise when I saw your name on the advert in the local paper. Umm… I was sorry to read about your partner a few years back, Lorne. I know he and I never saw eye to eye, but I could tell his heart was in the right place. I read his aura, you know. It was ninety percent good. He idolised you. I think that’s why he acted the way he did towards me—he was trying to protect you.”

Unexpected tears threatened to spill, and Lorne coughed to clear the lump that had formed in her throat. “I still miss him today, Carol.”

“There’s no need, dear. He’s watching over you every hour of the day.”

“That’s good to know. Listen, I’ve had a hectic day. Why don’t you call by and see me tomorrow? I’ll be here all day.”

“That’d be lovely. I’ll pick up a couple of sumptuous cakes from the baker’s up the road and be there about eleven. I didn’t think you’d be able to go to court, with your father so ill. He’ll be all right, dear. It’s God’s way of telling him to slow down. I need to have a chat with you about the case you’re working on, anyway.”

Lorne sat up, intrigued. “That’s reassuring about Dad, thanks, Carol. Umm… What can you tell me about the case?”

“All will be revealed tomorrow, dear, over a nice pot of tea and a cream cake. Cheerio for now.”

Lorne hung up and stared at the phone for a long moment before she put it back down on the table beside the sofa. “Well, that was weird.”

“I told you she went weird earlier. What did she say?”

She shrugged. “Not a lot. She said all will be revealed tomorrow.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The following morning, Lorne greeted Carol Lang with a hug. The woman hadn’t changed a bit, apart from the few stray grey hairs streaking through her long black hair. She still wore the long flowing black witchlike outfit she’d worn the first day Lorne had met her in her office at the station.

She showed the woman into the kitchen. Carol placed a cake box on the kitchen table and studied her intently. “You look happier, my dear. I mean, despite all your problems at the moment—which will all blow over, soon enough.”

“Thanks, Carol. I am.” Lorne glanced up at Tony, who was standing in the doorway. “I can thank my husband for that.”

“Indeed. He’s a good man in spite of his questionable past,” Carol said, shaking her head and crinkling her eyes as unwanted images seemed to be running through her mind.

Tony gave Lorne an amused smile and raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘What have I been telling you all these months?’

“All right, Carol. Don’t beef his part up. His head won’t be able to fit through the door soon.”

They all laughed, but then Carol suddenly stopped. “How are the girls holding up, Lorne?”

“By girls, are you talking about the girls concerned with the case we are working on?” The serious expression on the psychic’s face caused Lorne’s heart rate to increase.

“Yes. I’m worried for them. They have gentle, almost angelic souls, but this man has destroyed them in immeasurable ways.” Carol sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

“To be honest, I’m worried about them. The guy involved is a nasty piece of work. I’m so concerned for their well-being that I’ve actually given one of our dogs to the girls to help protect them,” Lorne admitted.

“Blackie is a sweetheart, and he is caring for them well. But it’s not enough. I think you need to keep a close eye on them—a very close eye, just to be on the safe side.”

Lorne and Tony both pulled out a chair and sat on either side of Carol. Lorne asked, “What have you seen, Carol?”

“It’s been a little fuzzy up till now, dear. But I’ve seen enough to know that the girls’ problems aren’t finished. This man needs watching. He’s hatching a plan to get even with the girls.” Carol placed the fingertips of both her hands on her forehead above each eye and fell silent for a nanosecond. “I must tell you, you wouldn’t think to look at him, but he’s an extremely dangerous man. Of course you’re aware of that already, after today’s events. The problem is he has influential people in high places, people who will do everything in their power to get him out of a hole. He’s found himself in countless holes over the years.” She shook her head in disgust.

“I’ll tell the girls to be extra vigilant, then. Crumbs, how do I tell them that without scaring them?”

“Blackie’s presence will help to reassure the girls, but…” Carol drifted off, closed her eyes and started rocking in her chair. “I don’t like the look of this. Ring the girls, Lorne, immediately.”

Lorne looked up at the kitchen clock it was just before eleven. “I can’t. They’ll be in court. Ami is due to give evidence today against Gibson. What is it, Carol?”

“You know I haven’t let you down in the past, Lorne. Trust me when I say that Gibson will get off and he’ll be hell bent on exacting his revenge on the girls for dragging his name through the mud.”

“My God, what will he do? Shit, what can we do to help the girls?”

Carol let out a long shuddering breath. “You’ve done all you can to protect them.” She paused, reached across the table, and clutched Lorne’s hand in her own clammy hand. “I’m sorry, but Blackie is no longer with us.”

Lorne snatched her hand back. “What? What do you mean—that he’s dead, Carol?”

The woman nodded, and tears welled up in her black kohl–rimmed eyes. “The girls have no idea. They’ll go home this evening to find him dead. I’m so sorry.”

Lorne looked over at Tony, who was shaking his head and eyeing Carol sceptically. “Can we get this vision verified first, before we start worrying the girls?” Tony asked.

“It’s true, I tell you; but if you doubt my abilities, by all means, check it out. Can you go to the girls’ flat? While they’re in court, I mean.”

She’d have to live for years with the guilt of placing Blackie in danger. That poor defenceless dog. How anyone could possibly kill a dog sickened and angered Lorne. “I’ll drive over there.” She rose from the table, frantic, and her legs almost gave way beneath her.

Tony stood up and caught her in his arms. “I’m not letting you go anywhere in that state, love.” Turning to Carol, he asked, “Are you positive about this?”