Then ahead, there through the dust, he could make out taillights—large lights, high off the ground. Now guided by those taillights, he started gaining. Goddard had drag raced on this road in his teens. He knew every bump and curve. Dust or no dust, there was no vehicle made that could out run him on this road.
Then, on the right at the side of road, through the dust he saw a dim light. Peculiar, a light shining up on a tree. No likely landscape decorations in this neighborhood. He had already shot passed it. Something made him stop. He braked hard, skidded sideways to a stop. He watched with frustration as the red taillights of the Hummer disappeared ahead into the dust.
Something was wrong. He backed until he was alongside the light. The dust started to clear. He could now see the little red Miata flipped upside down in the canal, cocked at an angle. One headlight shone up out of the water like a beacon. The tires were spinning. Most of the car was under water. He had almost missed it. He reached for the mike. It slipped from his sweaty hand. He grabbed it again. He tried to get his breath. “Dispatch—David Three. Vehicle under water with injuries. Respond five miles west of the Jardin Café on Milkrun Road. I'm on the scene. You’ll see my overheads. Make it fast.” He moved his car across headed toward the shoulder so that his headlights now illuminated the canal. He could feel his heart pounding. Stay calm. Don’t panic. She’ll be all right. You can do this. Just do this one thing.
Chapter 26
“She was upside down, head in the mud, her seatbelt holding her under water. Somehow Goddard got her untangled, carried her up on the canal bank, and gave her CPR until the ambulance pulled up.”
“What are you talking about?” It was early, before breakfast. Ray was surprised to see Sergeant Lewis down there, away from his desk in the visiting room.
“Thought you should know.” The sergeant passed the morning paper through the bars. “Not much in the paper—doesn’t even give her name. Deliberately run off the road. We’re going to catch the guy.”
A small item was circled. “This is Sandy?” Ray read the brief item and started shaking as the situation sank in. “My God, is she okay?”
“Well, yes and no. She’s alive. She came to before they got to the hospital. But her legs are numb. I just came from the hospital but couldn’t see her.”
“What do you mean numb? Can she move them?”
The sergeant hesitated and then shrugged. “Look, I’m not a doctor.”
“She can’t move her legs!” Ray yelled and hit the bars with his hand. “Damn, then it’s her spine.”
“Doctor says too early to tell. They’re running tests. She’s getting good care.”
Ray stumbled backward onto the bunk. He closed his eyes tightly and thought about the circumstances, the danger in which he had put his sister. He never should have called her, she didn’t want to come anyway. They weren’t close and he had forced the situation. Maybe she believed their folks would have wanted it. Now, what kind of remaining life would she go back to?”
“Let me know if I can do anything.” Sergeant Lewis said quietly. He waited a few more minutes and then silently walked away.
***
They cleared the breakfast away. All Sandy wanted was some tea, a comb, and a mirror. A nurse leaned into the room and said, “Hello world, she’s sitting up now, that’s good. Got a bet going on at the nurse’s station on why an armed cop sat outside your room all night. We’re trying to decide if you’re somebody good or somebody bad.”
“Didn’t know about the guard. Anyway, long story and I don’t remember it all.”
“Well, the cops drank all our coffee. Another cop’s coming your way right now—good lookin’ one. He’s been in and out looking at you, but you were asleep. If you don’t want him let us know, we’ll take him.”
She saw Chip look in tentatively, and she motioned him on in.
He said, “Hope you don’t mind.”
“Just don’t look at me. Look at the wall or the floor. I need a shower. What do I say to someone who just saved my life? Thank you sounds laughable.”
“What on earth did you think you were doing out there?”
“No, no, this is where you say, oh my God, Sandy, I’m so glad you’re alive!”
“Your convertible saved you. I wouldn’t have had time to force open a door to get to you. Even then, I had trouble getting your seatbelt off. Your body was pulling against it. The paramedics got you breathing. They figured you were out less than five minutes—that’s very positive according to them. You hit that ditch at high speed and burrowed into the mud. You were lucky.”
“Lucky my buddy was right behind me.” She reached out, took his hand, and squeezed it briefly, before he slowly pulled it away.
“Scared the hell out of me,” he said.
“Hey, I run around Philly at night.”
“I don’t want to hear about reckless in Philadelphia. Not only is Towson’s murderer out there, now we know Pirro is gunning for you, and you might want to look over your shoulder for Huress. You’re mucking around in the gutter where the slime balls are.”
“I don’t mind mixing it up with the bad guys. But I stay Teflon clean. Always been that way.”
“You’re not only cocky, you’re reckless. I hope you never meet your match. You know, often the bad guys win. In fact, if you look at the numbers the bad guys usually win. And if they’re caught, they don’t get convicted.”
“So, I have better odds being the criminal than the victim. You cops should shoot more of them before they get to trial.”
“Not funny. I’m glad you’re not a cop.”
“No joke. I’m not saying shoot all of them, just more of them.”
“Sounds like you’re back to your old lethal self.”
“Not so bad right now. All night they had me strapped to a board and wouldn’t let me move my head or anything until they examined all the pictures. Stiff and sore here and there. They say I have bruises from the seatbelt in some strange places. I’m getting away with just this cut on my forehead—and the legs I guess.
“I asked the doctor about your legs, but he couldn’t tell me much. What did he tell you?”
“Said just wait. They still feel numb.” She wanted to change the subject. “Have you seen my car?”
“Yes, I put the remaining pieces in an envelope. You can mail it to your insurance company.”
“Guess I’ll be on foot, so to speak, until I get a new one.”
“Anything else you need?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to bother you, it’s not police business.”
“Name it.”
“I need a new cellphone. Mine is soaking in Florida swamp mud somewhere. I’m lost without it”
“Oh, I forgot, the tow truck driver found it on the canal bank, must have flipped out when you overturned.”
“A miracle—all my precious numbers.”
“It’s downstairs with your clothes, I’ll have it sent up.” He turned toward the door. “I bullied my way in here. They said please just thirty seconds. I guess my time is up.”
“You arranged for a police guard outside my room.”
“Just precautionary. Someone tried to kill you.”
He started to say something else. She guessed it was about her leaving Florida. He walked to the door.
He turned. “Can you describe the guy?”
“It had to be Pirro. Tall and skinny, I couldn’t make out his clothes. Oh, and the baseball cap.”
“I got a good paint sample off your trunk lid. I’ll find the bastard.”
“Might not be a problem. I have a feeling if I tell Elena Duarte what happened, she’ll tell me exactly where to find him.”