Lisa Jackson's Bentz And Montoya Bundle Part 81

"Yes. And his picture, I think."

Montoya didn't waste any time, but opened the clasp, sliding out the yellowed pages. "Was h.e.l.ler a big man?"

"Tall, but not big. Almost scarecrowish. One of the patients saw a picture of a praying mantis in one of the nature books, pointed to it, and said, 'h.e.l.ler.' " She smiled despite herself. "That was unkind, but there was a nugget of truth in it, I suppose. He wore huge gla.s.ses and had extremely long legs."

Montoya found a small photo of h.e.l.ler attached to his long-ago employment application. The color had faded but h.e.l.ler's features were clear. He had black hair, a thick mustache, and glared out through huge, wire-rimmed, aviator-type gla.s.ses.

"He wasn't very old."

"Just out of medical school," the Mother Superior admitted. "Under thirty."

"Do you remember anything else about him?"

"He had an air of superiority about him that he tried to mask with bedside manner. It didn't work very often. He was a bit of a loner, and he ran, oh, my, how he ran. I think he did marathons, but . . . oh, well, I'm not certain. A lot of years have pa.s.sed."

Montoya fingered the faded photograph. "Do you have pictures of everyone who lived here?"

"Just the staff, for identification."

"Was h.e.l.ler still employed here when Faith died?"

"He was in the room with her," she admitted. "He witnessed her fall but couldn't save her. The molestation issue was brought up after her death. That's when he was asked to leave."

He gazed hard at the picture of an unsmiling man. His arrogance came through clearly. Montoya remembered the picture of Abby's mother he'd seen on her bookcase. A beautiful woman with a s.e.xy smile-a smile her daughter had inherited. Faith had been Simon h.e.l.ler's unwilling lover.

Montoya's gut twisted. What had really happened the day of Faith Chastain's death? Had her fall been a misstep? Or had h.e.l.ler, maybe aware that the molestation issue was coming to light, given his victim a push?

The reverend mother cleared her throat. "Faith's daughter witnessed the fall as well. She ran in just moments before."

"Which daughter?" Montoya asked, but he already knew the answer. He'd witnessed Abby's nightmares.

"The younger one . . ."

"Abby."

"Yes, that's her name. Abigail, though Faith often referred to her as Hannah."

"Do you know why?"

"Oh, it's been so long ago, and though I did work at the hospital then, I can't remember. The daughter was just fifteen. It was her birthday as well as Faith's. Apparently she rushed in, saw Dr. h.e.l.ler there . . . and that's all we know. Somehow Faith fell through the window. Hannah was so traumatized that she fainted. When she woke up, she remembered very little." Clearly disturbed by the tale, Mother Superior walked back to her desk. "I'm afraid that's all I can tell you."

"It might be enough," he said, meaning it. Simon h.e.l.ler. Montoya now knew where to look. He just hoped he wasn't too late to stop another murder.

CHAPTER 26.

Hidden in the surrounding forest, he watched her house. As it was still light, late afternoon, he kept back a long distance and was careful with his field gla.s.ses, making certain the lenses wouldn't reflect the sun's rays, alerting her. He'd also made certain he was downwind, so her stupid dog wouldn't smell him.

What a pain.

Everything was ready, the stage set. All he needed was the players, and two of them were in the house. He planned to wait until they fell asleep, but that was hours away.

Patience, he reminded himself. he reminded himself. Don't rush things. You've waited so long, another few hours won't matter. Don't rush things. You've waited so long, another few hours won't matter.

But he was anxious.

Eager.

And the pain in his chest was increasing, as if he'd somehow contracted an infection. Consequently, a headache pounded behind his eyes.

He was sleep-deprived, but was also too keyed up to rest. So he waited and watched.

The sister was half-lying on the couch, stockinged feet dangling over a padded arm, winegla.s.s on the coffee table, remote control in one hand. That was good. Drink up, Big Sister. Let the wine dull your mind, relax your body. Fall asleep early . . . oh, yes. Drink up, Big Sister. Let the wine dull your mind, relax your body. Fall asleep early . . . oh, yes.

Zoey would be easy to subdue.

But not so Abby . . . she was on high alert; he sensed it. As he watched her gather things from her garage and kitchen, then carry them to the car, he began to worry. It looked as if she had decided to leave. He couldn't have that. She'd packed a tool box, a crow bar, and flashlights.

Why?

His headache pounded and his agitation grew. He scratched at his chest through the wet suit until he realized what he was doing. Calm down. Observe. She can't be going far. You've seen no suitcase, have you? No overnight bag? Calm down. Observe. She can't be going far. You've seen no suitcase, have you? No overnight bag?

But it didn't mean she hadn't already packed one before he'd taken his position. Was she planning some kind of camping trip? With the cop? His stomach soured at the thought of them again, and he had to blink hard, clear his head. He couldn't let her get away, not now, nor could he risk being caught. Could he take them both now? What about the dog? Could he use the stun gun on each, or a rag soaked in ether? He didn't want to threaten them with a gun because with two of them, in his current condition, something could go wrong. They were both young, athletic, and unless they were frightened out of their minds, might put up a struggle.

The answer was simple.

He would disable the car.

Quietly, he slunk through the woods, keeping downwind, scaring up thrushes and a hare that hopped quickly out of sight. Pulling from his backpack the handy little tool that had caused him so much pain, he left the pack with his keys and field gla.s.ses on the ground, near the front of the house, retrieved the revolver, then sneaked to the open garage door, where the hatchback of her Honda was visible.

The door to the interior of the house was open a crack, and he wondered if the dog sensed he was near. d.a.m.ned mutt. Pulse drumming out of control, he stealthily crept inside, careful not to step on the hoe and shovel that had been tucked into the corner near a wheelbarrow.

Silently he pulled out the tool and clicked open a sharp little blade. He was about to jab the tread of her front tire when he heard footsteps approaching. d.a.m.n! d.a.m.n!

He ducked down even farther, hiding between the car and the garage wall, his heart jackhammering.

No dog. No dog. No dog. His fingers tightened over the handle of the Pomeroy Ultra and sweat drizzled in his eyes. He noticed a spider waiting on a web near the floor where he was crouched, his head pressed to the cracked, oily cement. Hardly daring to breathe, he stared past the undercarriage of the Honda, to the far side of the car, where he watched her sneakers walk briskly. She opened the driver's door, and he didn't dare move a muscle. He heard a soft clunk against the door near his head and guessed that she had thrown something onto the pa.s.senger's seat. His fingers tightened over the handle of the Pomeroy Ultra and sweat drizzled in his eyes. He noticed a spider waiting on a web near the floor where he was crouched, his head pressed to the cracked, oily cement. Hardly daring to breathe, he stared past the undercarriage of the Honda, to the far side of the car, where he watched her sneakers walk briskly. She opened the driver's door, and he didn't dare move a muscle. He heard a soft clunk against the door near his head and guessed that she had thrown something onto the pa.s.senger's seat.

Her purse?

Panic roared through him.

What if she was leaving now? What if she slid behind the wheel and half a second later the Honda's engine suddenly engaged? She would ram the gearshift into reverse and back out, leaving him exposed.

There was no way she wouldn't see him.

Nowhere he could hide.

In one hand he held the .38, in the other the multibladed tool. He hoped he wouldn't have to use either. Not yet. Not when he'd planned her slow, perfect death for so long.

He should have antic.i.p.ated this problem.

He was slipping. Losing his edge.

But luck was with him. She started walking into the house again. He watched her feet, the frayed hem of her jeans brushing the tops of her Nikes, as she disappeared inside. The door closed with a soft click.

Instantly, he punched a hole in the front tire, then slid back for the second. One flat tire wouldn't do. She was resourceful enough to change it herself, so he nearly jabbed the rear tire for insurance but stopped himself . . . she would be suspicious if two tires suddenly went flat . . . no, he needed to catch her off guard.

He started to slink out of the garage and melt into the shadows of the forest again when he remembered that she'd tossed something into the front seat.

He walked to the front of the car, glanced through the Honda's side window, and spied a backpack. He froze. Was that the edge of her cell phone sticking out? Could he really get so lucky?

Quietly he opened the pa.s.senger door. Yes! It was the cell phone! Deftly and carefully, he plucked it with two fingers from just inside the unzippered pack, then he crept quickly outside. Only when he was in the cover of the woods, the damp swampy air tickling his nostrils, did he breathe again.

So far, so good.

His heart was pounding in his ears as he thought about the little car breaking down. If he could time it just right, he might even be able to catch up to her, come along, and play the part of the Good Samaritan.

Don't push your luck . . .

First the sister, then Abby.

Everything was on track again.

The afternoon nearly got away from Abby. She'd intended to leave Zoey at the house and then, in broad daylight, make a trek to the hospital, force her way inside, climb up the stairs, and using the crowbar she'd already packed into her car, jimmy open the d.a.m.ned door to Room 307.

But phone calls from Montoya's brother setting up a time for the security system installation, Charlene reporting that their dad was "resting comfortably," three potential buyers who set up times to view the place the next day, and a few clients who needed information "ASAP" had slowed her down. Even Alicia had called, and since they'd played phone tag for a week, Abby had spent half an hour catching up. All the while Zoey lounged on the couch, nursing a gla.s.s of wine, flipping through the channels where news reports about the killings and footage of Luke's funeral from earlier in the day were being aired.

"I thought maybe someone would catch us on camera since you were the ex-wife and all."

"That's sick."

"No sicker than going to the mental hospital again. For the record," she said, sipping from her stemmed gla.s.s of Riesling, "I'm against this."

"It's something I have to do."

"Does Montoya know?"

"No."

"Will you call him?"

"And say what? That I feel compelled to go back to where it all started? That I have to face the demons of the past, that I can't go forward with my life until I go backward?"

Zoey lifted a shoulder. "It sounds kind of like psychobabble to me."

"I have to do this," Abby said.

"Then go." Zoey threw up a hand in surrender.

Abby let out a long breath. "You and Dad lied for twenty years. That's a h.e.l.luva long time. I think I can at least have a few hours to get over it and . . ."

Zoey finished her wine in a gulp. "So go, already. Exorcize your d.a.m.ned demons."

"I'm on my way."

Zoey stalked to the kitchen, where she opened the refrigerator, found the bottle, and pulled out the cork. "Maybe I'll take another red-eye home."

Abby glanced to the lowering sun. "I don't have time to discuss this now, Zoe. When I get back, we'll hash everything out, have a few gla.s.ses of wine together, okay? We'll drink and watch old movies on television if we can find a station that isn't consumed with 'updates at eleven' of the murders."

Zoey refilled her gla.s.s, then shoved the cork into the bottle. She sighed. "If this is what you have to do, fine. Sorry I'm being b.i.t.c.hy. I'm still fighting jet lag and I think I might be coming down with something. The woman on the plane right behind me coughed so much I thought she'd hack up a lung. It's probably the flu."

"There's ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom."

"This'll do for now." Zoey held up her gla.s.s and took a sip. "Unless you want me to go with you?" she asked reluctantly.

"Don't worry. I think this is something I should do alone."

"How about I drive with you? If you want to go into the hospital alone, I'll wait in the car."

"I'll be fine."

"Okay, then, but take my weapon with you."

"Your weapon?"

"Yeah, I usually have it in my purse, but because of airport security, I had to pack it. Just a sec." She left her gla.s.s on the counter, hurried off down the hall in her stocking feet, then returned seconds later holding some weird knife.

"What is it?"

"A cheaper version of the Pomeroy Stiletto. It folds up, but can be released by this little b.u.t.ton here, see . . ." She demonstrated, her index finger pressing on the small red b.u.t.ton. "Spring action."

"Aren't these things illegal?"

"All I know is: you cannot take them on a plane. That's a major no-no, so I have to pack it." She closed the blade and slapped the little dagger into Abby's hand. take them on a plane. That's a major no-no, so I have to pack it." She closed the blade and slapped the little dagger into Abby's hand.

"Okay," Abby said, a bit uncertainly. "Thanks." She slipped the knife into her pocket. She was as ready as she would ever be; her car packed. She'd already tossed her purse, cell phone, camera, and for good measure, the canister of pepper spray she'd carried around for the better part of the last two years but had yet to use into the car. She'd also placed a crow bar, flashlight, and lantern in the back.