Hostile Witness (Sanctuary, Inc. #1)

Chapter 41

41

3 days later

Ethan drummed his fingers against his breakfast tray, considering if he should eat it or not. The congealed oatmeal and fruit in a plastic cup did nothing to appeal. Maybe Mac would have mercy and raid the cafeteria for him when it opened?

He took three deep breaths and decided to count his blessings. He was alive. They’d finally removed the catheter and adjusted his bed so he could sit up this morning. Yesterday, he’d had to lay flat and count the teeny holes in the dropped-ceiling tiles. It was maddening.

He’d already skimmed the scant television channels searching for news about Margie Plante’s murder and Tia’s attacker. But he was in the Baltimore metro area now, and coverage about the Eastern Shore happenings wasn’t as thorough. All he really knew was that Tia was supposedly okay and her attacker was dead.

Mac had been kind enough to get his girl on the phone yesterday, so Ethan had heard her voice. She’d sent a smiling picture of her and Flynn, but Tia wore a floral scarf in the picture, and her face looked drawn and tired. He wasn’t stupid. His woman had taken a beatdown and was hiding it behind the neckerchief.

The docs wouldn’t allow him to have his cell phone. They said it had something to do with the sensitive machines in his room. Nah. He knew better. He’d seen the distress on the nurse’s face when he’d found out about Tia. The machines had started beeping, and a couple of alarms had gone off. It had taken them almost an hour to get him resettled.

He stabbed a spoon into the oatmeal. Ugh. It was cold now.

Earl Thompson leaned against the doorjamb. “Are you going to eat that shit? Because I brought you something way better here.” He held up a bag. “It’s fresh from the deli, and the nurse said you could eat it as long as you don’t try to get out of bed by yourself again.”

Ethan leaned back against the pillow and felt his eyes mist up. “I’m so freaking glad to see you, Earl. How’d you get here?”

The older man glanced into the hallway. “Your friend, Mac, had a chopper pick me up at the ass crack of dawn. It was beautiful watching the sun rise over the Chesapeake Bay.” He moved the unappetizing breakfast tray to the windowsill and unwrapped the sandwich.

After setting the food in front of Ethan, he pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. “You look pretty good for someone who stared the grim reaper in the face and told him to fuck off.”

Ethan barked a laugh and bit into the sandwich.

“Take your time eating, Son, and I’ll give you an update on the case.”

Earl crossed an ankle over his knee and leaned back in the chair. “You really helped me change my mind about Sergeant Guy Evans when you told me about his and Margie’s piano playing. Breakup or not, they were having a good time that day.”

“Our perp was a guy named Vincent Michael Manheim, which explains the initials we found on the lock pick set under Margie’s stove.” He shook his head. “Vincent had a score to settle with Margie because she didn’t clear him for the cadet program. The kid couldn’t seem to pass the mental screening, and he tried a half dozen times or so. It wasn’t Margie’s fault. Vincent just never qualified. Sadly, the kid had a long history of mental illness. But the shocker in all this is that Vincent was Sergeant Guy Evans’s nephew, and he worshipped Guy. When Vincent found out from his sister that Guy and Margie had broken up, that’s when he killed Margie. I guess there was nothing holding him back at that point.”

Earl sighed and changed positions, crossing his arms. “I’m figuring Vincent went after Tia because she had Flynn, which makes no sense to me, but we’re uncovering more details every day. I’ll stop by and give you updates as we learn more. I owe you about a dozen of those sandwiches, by the way.”

Ethan sipped at his water cup. “I wonder what Flynn had to do with Vincent’s reasoning.”

“Don’t know, but the crew found a notebook with his musings, and they’ll be going over it with a fine-tooth comb. I’ll keep you up-to-date. You know, we were only a step behind him at the end. Had an APB out and everything.” Earl stood. “I don’t want to see you back at work before Labor Day.”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “C’mon now, I’ll be able to do office things.”

“We’ll see, Son. They gave me a rookie to field train, name’s Nelson. So I’ve got someone to bark at while you recover.” He moved closer. “I’m just so damn thankful you’re going to be all right. You’re the closest thing I’ve got to a son.” Earl bent and planted a peck on top of Ethan’s head. “If you tell anyone I did that, I’ll deny it and call you a pussy.”

Ethan burst into laughter. “Thanks, Earl. The feeling’s mutual.”

Mac leaned his head into the room. “Your twenty minutes are up, Sergeant. You ready to go?”

Earl faced Mac. “Yup. Is the chopper ready?”

“Yes, and the car’s waiting for you downstairs.”

“Hey, Mac,” Ethan called out. “How’s Gus today?”

“He’s much better. His prognosis improved dramatically overnight. And I think I already told you that Buzz was treated and released at the scene.”

“Yeah, you did. Thanks.” Ethan thought a minute. Maybe an orderly would wheel him down to Gus’s room tomorrow so he could cuss at him in Russian.