Die for Me (49 page)

“He is a bit of a blowhard,” Ted admitted. “But he represents lots of rich people who want to use their money to further ‘education and the arts.’ He liked you. A lot.”

“I know. It was the only time I was glad to be in this armor. He tried to pinch my ass, Ted.” She scowled, but Ted just grinned.

“You had a sword, Sophie. Look at the bright side. Next time you might have the battle-ax.” He loosened his tie. “I think I’m going to splurge and take Darla out tonight.”

“Moshulu’s or the Charthouse?” she asked, and Ted choked on a shocked laugh.

“Our idea of a splurge is Chinese takeout.” He walked away, shaking his head.

“They never go out. They don’t have the money.”

Once again Sophie spun, the armor making her movement awkward. She glared up, more angry than startled this time. “
Theo.
”

“I can’t remember the last time we had an evening out.” Theo tilted his head. “Oh, wait. Yes, I can. It was just before Dad hired you.”

“Theo, if you have something to say, then for God’s sake, just say it.”

“Fine. Your salary is more than what my parents bring home together.”

Stunned, Sophie stared for a moment. “What?”

“They were so excited to hire you,” Theo said coldly. “My mom gave up her salary. They figured a ‘real historian’ would help them increase revenue. ‘Short-term sacrifice.’”

He turned on his heel to walk away, but Sophie grabbed his arm. “Theo. Wait.”

He stopped, but didn’t look at her.

“I had no idea my salary was a hardship for them.” And in turn, for him. She wondered what the financial hardship meant for Theo, for his future.

“Well, now you do.”

“You graduated from high school last year. What about college?”

He stiffened. “No money.”

Guilt swelled up within her and she pushed it back. Ted the Third had made sacrifices to keep this place going. But ultimately sacrifices were choices. “Theo, believe it or not, what your parents pay me is less than I’d make managing a McDonald’s. I could tell you I’d give the money back, but every penny I make pays for my gran’s nursing home.”

He turned and she saw she’d scored a small point. “McDonald’s? Really?”

“Really. You know, rather than being angry, why don’t we try to find some ways to bring more business in? More tours, new exhibits.”

His jaw tightened. “I hate the tours. They’re so . . . embarrassing. I mean, Patty Ann’s into all that theater stuff, but . . .”

“I thought it was embarrassing, too. But it reaches people, Theo. The other day when we talked, you seemed interested in building the interactive exhibit. Are you still?”

He nodded again. “I’m good with my hands.”

“I know. You did an awesome job on the paneling in the Great Hall.” Sophie thought of Michael and his blocks and the trebuchet he’d made. “Give me some time to think of a way for you to use your hands and help your—”

Her cell, which she’d tucked inside her bra, vibrated, making her jump. Quickly she loosened the strips that held on the breastplate. “Help me get this off, Theo.”

One look at the caller ID drove every thought from her mind. “It’s my Gran’s nursing home.” She answered, her heart thumping. “Hello?”

“It’s Fran.” Fran was the head nurse and her tone was urgent.

Sophie’s thumping heart stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“Anna went into cardiac arrest and we’ve called an ambulance. Sophie, you need to hurry. It’s bad, honey.”

Sophie’s knees buckled and were it not for Theo’s steadying hand she might have fallen. “I’m on my way.” Sophie closed her phone, her hands shaking.
Think.

Simon.
Maybe it was a lie.
A trap.
Conscious of Theo’s watchful eye, she dialed the nursing home, calling the main switchboard. “Hello, it’s Sophie Johannsen. I just got a call and wanted to confirm my grandmother was—”

“Sophie? This is Linda.” Another nurse. Sophie doubted even Simon Vartanian could get two nurses to lie. “Didn’t Fran call you? Get to the hospital. Now.”

“Thank you.” Sophie hung up, feeling sick. “I have to go to the hospital.”

“I’ll drive you,” Theo said.

“No. That’s okay. I’ll go with Officer Lyons.“ She looked around, panic mounting with every wild beat of her heart. “Where is he?”

“Sophie, why are cops following you around?” Theo asked, following her as she moved toward the lobby door as fast as her armored legs would allow.

“Later. Where is Lyons? Dammit.” She stopped at the door and looked out. It was dark outside. The minutes were ticking and Anna was dying. She’d been too late for Elle. She wouldn’t allow Anna to die alone. She ripped at the Velcro that held her greaves on her shins. “Help me get these things off. Please.”

Theo dropped to a crouch and removed the greaves. He grabbed her foot. “Lift.”

She obeyed, balancing one hand on the cold window as he removed her boot. She squinted out the window and saw a cop, his face half turned from view. The red glow of a cigarette hovered a few inches from his mouth. Not Lyons. She looked at her watch. It was after five.
Shift change.
Theo pulled off the other boot and she raced out the door, waving behind her. “Thanks, Theo. I’ll call later.”

“Sophie, wait. You don’t have any shoes on.”

“I can’t go back for them. No time.”

“I’ll get your shoes,” Theo said. “It’ll just take a second. Wait here.”

But there was no time. She ran toward the new officer, ignoring the shock of the cold sidewalk on her feet. It was only until she got to his cruiser. She’d get slippers at the hospital. “Officer, I need to go to the hospital.
Now.
” She headed for the curb where his cruiser was parked, hearing his footsteps behind her.

“Dr. Johannsen,
stop.
I’m under orders to wait with you until one of the detectives arrives.”

“I don’t have time to wait. I have to get to the hospital.”

“Fine.” He caught up to her, took her arm. “Slow down or you’ll slip on the ice. You’re no good to your grandmother if you’re knocked unconscious.”

She opened her mouth to tell him to hurry, then froze. She hadn’t mentioned Anna.
Simon.
She jerked her arm away. “No.” She’d taken two steps when his arm came around her throat and he covered her mouth with a cloth. She fought like an animal, but he was big, strong, and she heard Susannah Vartanian’s voice, hauntingly quiet.
Simon was bigger. “No.”
But the word was muffled by the cloth and her vision began to blur.

Fight. Scream.
But her body was no longer obeying her command. Her scream was shrill and loud and totally inside her own head. No one could hear her.

He was dragging her. She fought to turn her head. To see where he was taking her, but she couldn’t. She heard a door sliding open and suddenly pain was radiating up her spine. She could feel, but she could move nothing more than her eyes as she lay on her back looking out the side door of a van.

She strained past the blurred double images to see Theo come up behind him.
Her shoes.
Theo was holding her shoes. The darting of her eyes must have alerted Simon because Theo Albright was leveled with a single blow of Simon’s fist to his head.

Then they were moving. The van thumped as it ran over something big, then sped from the lot with a squeal of tires.
Vito,
she thought, fighting the pull of whatever had been on that rag.
I’m sorry.
Then there was nothing but darkness.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Saturday, January 20, 5:30
P.M.

S
tacy Savard stared at them defiantly. “I’m not talking to him. You can’t make me. I’ll end up like that.” She shoved the photos. “No fucking way. You’ve got to be crazy.”

Vito swallowed back his anger and disgust. “You could have reported Simon Vartanian at any time and avoided the deaths of more than ten people. They’re on your head. So you will help us. We want you to draw Simon out into the open.”

“Through the telephone,” Nick added calmly. “You don’t have to talk to him in person. And if you don’t choose to help . . . Well, we can’t always control the press.”

Savard cocked her jaw. “I don’t seem to have much choice. What do I say to him?”

Nick’s smile wasn’t pleasant. “You always have a choice, Miss Savard. This might be your first good one. You noted in his file that Simon ordered more silicone lubricant.”

“Two days ago. He normally gets it from one of those specialty places, but he was almost out, so he ordered some through us because we can get it faster. So?”

“So,” Nick said, “you’re going with us to Pfeiffer’s office, where you’ll call him from the office phone and tell him his order is ready.”

“But the office is closed today,” she said, her voice starting to shake.

“Dr. Pfeiffer will open it up,” Vito told her. “He’s very eager to help us. Setting a trap with the lubricant was his idea, actually.” He enjoyed seeing her jaw drop. “How do you think we found you so quickly, Stacy? We had the airports looking for you, but you didn’t have a reservation and you never even made it to the check-in counter. Pfeiffer had been thinking through things and came to the conclusion you were likely involved. So he followed you this morning and when you got to the airport, he called us.”

The door opened and Liz looked in, her expression unreadable. “Detectives?”

Vito and Nick stood, and Nick fired the parting shot. “Practice your best receptionist voice, Stacy,” he said mildly. “Because Vartanian’s no fool. He’ll spot a nervous twitch a mile away.” Nick shut the door when they were on the other side of the glass.

“Do you hear all that?” Vito asked.

Nick shook his head. “What a piece of work. Prison’s just going to hone her edge.”

“Vito,” Jen whispered harshly.

Vito turned from the window and his blood went cold. Jen was white as a sheet and Liz’s expression was no longer unreadable but stark with controlled fear.

“It’s Sophie,” Liz said. “Her grandmother was rushed to the hospital. She had a heart attack.”

Vito forced himself to stay calm. “I’ll go to the museum and drive her to the hospital.”

Liz caught his arm and held tight when he tried to move past her. “No, Vito. Listen to me. Emergency personnel got a call to the Albright Museum. They found the Albright boy unconscious on the street in front of the museum.” She visibly steeled herself. “And they found Officer Lyons dead in the back seat of his cruiser.”

Vito opened his mouth but nothing came out.

“And Sophie?” Nick asked hoarsely.

Liz was trembling. “Witnesses saw her being forced into a white van before it backed up over the Albright boy and drove away. Sophie’s gone.”

Vito could only hear the rush of his own blood as his heart went from a dead stop to clubbing out of his chest. “He’s got her, then,” he whispered.

“Yes,” Liz whispered back. “I’m sorry, Vito.”

Numbly he looked back through the glass and had to restrain the unholy need to put his hands on Savard and choke her dead. “She knew he was a killer and she said nothing.” He was breathing hard, every word ripped from his throat. “Now it’s too late. We can’t even use her to draw him. He’s got what he wants. He’s got Sophie.”

Nick grabbed his other arm and squeezed until Vito turned to him. “Vito, calm down and think. Simon still needs that lubricant. It could still work. We have to try.”

Vito nodded, still numb. But in his heart he knew better. He’d seen Simon’s eyes, right before Van Zandt died. They’d been cold, calculating.
Like walking into a cage with a cobra,
Pfeiffer had said. And now Sophie was in that cage.

Saturday, January 20, 6:20
P.M.

Simon’s cell phone rang. Frowning at the caller ID, he cautiously answered. “Hello?”

“Mr. Lewis, this is Stacy Savard, from Dr. Pfeiffer’s office.”

Simon sucked in his cheeks. The office wasn’t open on the weekends. “Yes?”

“Dr. Pfeiffer’s had a family emergency and the office is going to be closed for about a week. He and I are here, taking care of last-minute details. I wanted to tell you your silicone lubricant came in.”

Simon almost laughed. “I’m a bit busy right now. I’ll come in on Monday.”

“But we’ll be closed on Monday. We’ll be closed all week. If you want the lubricant, you have to come in tonight. I’d hate for you to run out.”

She was good, Simon had to admit, but there was the slightest quaver in her voice. “I’ll find another source. I may be moving soon anyway.” He hung up before she could say another word, chuckling out loud now. Savard was cooperating with the cops, any idiot could figure that out.

“Your boyfriend is really smart,” Simon called behind him. “But I’m smarter.” There was no response. If she wasn’t awake already, she’d be waking up soon, he knew, but he’d have no further trouble from her. He’d pulled over to change his license plates and tie her wrists and ankles once he got away from the main roads.

Stacy Savard hung up the phone, her hands shaking. “I did my best.”

“Your best wasn’t good enough,” Nick snapped. “He knew.”

Vito dragged his hands down his face as two uniformed cops took Stacy Savard back to the station in handcuffs. “I didn’t think it would work.”

Pfeiffer stood, wringing his hands. “I’m sorry. I was hoping it would.”

“You’ve been a big help, Doctor,” Nick said kindly. “We do appreciate it.”

Pfeiffer nodded, looking at Savard as she was taken through the door. “I can’t believe I shared this office with her for so long and never knew her. I kept hoping I’d been mistaken. That’s why I didn’t say anything when you were here yesterday. I would’ve hated to point the finger and have been wrong.”

Vito wished Pfeiffer had just pointed the finger, but he said nothing.

“So what next?” Nick asked when they were back in his car.

“We go back to the beginning,” Vito said grimly. “There’s
something
we’ve missed.” He stared out the window. “And we pray Sophie can hold on until we find her.”

Saturday, January 20, 8:15
P.M.

“We got him on tape,” Brent said, coming into the conference room with a CD in his hand. He handed it to Jen. “Sonofabitch tampered with the old lady’s IV.”

Vito had remembered the camera he’d left at Anna’s bedside as he and Nick had been driving back from Pfeiffer’s office. Now he stood behind Jen’s chair as she inserted the CD containing the camera’s footage into her laptop. Nick and Liz stood to his right, Brent came to stand on his left. Katherine stayed seated, pale and numb.

Vito hadn’t been able to meet her eyes. He’d promised her he’d take care of Sophie. And he hadn’t. He should have kept Sophie under lock and key until Simon was caught. He should have done a lot of things. But he hadn’t and Sophie was gone. Simon Vartanian had her and they all knew what Simon Vartanian could do.

He had to stop thinking like that. He’d go quietly insane.
So focus, Chick. And find the thing you missed.

Brent slanted him a look. “Simon shows up five hours into the tape. The camera is motion activated. The first two hours are you and Sophie with the grandmother last night. I fast-forwarded through that visit and through the nurses’ visits, blood pressure checks, medicine, meals. There’s a card game in there, too.”

Vito looked at him. “A card game?”

“Some nurse came in with a deck about ten
A.M.
this morning. Said it was time for their daily game. Sophie’s grandmother lost and called the nurse mean.”

“Was the nurse’s name Marco?”

“Yeah. She was also the one that saved the old lady’s life.”

“Well, at least her grandmother wasn’t being abused by the nurses.” Vito shook his head. “Anna just didn’t like losing at cards.”

“I’ve got it cued,” Jen said. They watched Simon Vartanian come into Anna’s room and sit at her bed. He was dressed as the old man.

“He must have come straight from blowing up Van Zandt,” Nick murmured.

“Busy day,” Jen said flatly. “Dammit.”

Brent leaned over Jen and fast-forwarded the tape. “He tells her he’s from the opera society. That Sophie sent him. He calls her by name. They chat for twenty minutes, until the grandmother falls asleep. Here’s where he tampers with the IV.”

On the tape, Simon pulled a syringe from his pocket and injected it into the IV the nurse had left prepped next to her bed. He pocketed the syringe, checked the IV that currently dripped, then checked his watch.

“A very simple and effective time delay,” Jen said dully. “It gives him time to get away from the nursing home and lie in wait for Sophie at the hospital.”

Once again, Simon had thought of everything.

Which once again made Vito’s blood run cold.

Brent cleared his throat. “The nurse comes in to change the IV.” Jen fast-forwarded and again they watched. It was Marco again, and she recorded Anna’s vitals on her chart after changing the IV. The screen went dark, then a second later was full of activity as Marco ran back in. The cardiac monitor was beeping and Anna was jerking in pain. Marco leaned close to Anna’s mouth.

“The nurse said that Anna was saying that it burned,” Liz said. “The nurse is good. She took one look at the cardiac monitor and recognized the signs of potassium chloride overdose. She gave her an injection of bicarb. Stopped the heart attack.”

“And saved Anna’s life,” Vito murmured, swallowing hard.

“Marco thought she’d made a mistake on the IV,” Liz said. “She was prepared to face disciplinary actions, even dismissal. But she said she couldn’t lie, that if she’d harmed a patient, she’d accept accountability.”

Vito sighed. “Does she know about the camera?”

“No,” Liz said. “Telling her will ease her mind about her own culpability.”

“And will let her know Sophie didn’t trust her,” Vito finished. “But she should know anyway. So should Sophie’s family. I’ll go by the hospital in a little while.” He sat down in his chair at the head of the table. At the beginning of this case he’d welcomed the responsibility for leading an investigation of this magnitude. Now the responsibility hung around his neck like a lead weight. The investigation was his. Where it went from here would be on him. That meant what happened to Sophie was on him as well.

“So what are we missing?” Vito demanded. “We need details.”

“Isolated buildings with elevators built on quarry soil,” Jen said.

“Identities of the old woman and the man at the end of the first row,” Nick added.

Liz pursed her lips. “That damn field,” she said and Vito narrowed his eyes.

“You mean why
that
field?” he asked and Liz nodded.

“We never answered that question, Vito. Why that field? How did he pick it?”

“Winchester, the old postal worker who owns that land, said it had been owned by his aunt.” Vito swiveled in his chair to look at the whiteboard. “The old woman buried next to Claire Reynolds can’t be Winchester’s aunt.”

“Because Winchester’s aunt didn’t die until October of this year,” Nick continued. “This old lady died a year earlier.”

“She was from Europe,” Katherine said. They were the first words she’d uttered since entering the room. “I had her dental work analyzed and the report came back late yesterday. Her fillings are an amalgam that was never used in this country but was common in Germany in the fifties.” She shook her head. “I can’t see how that’s going to help you. Thousands of people emigrated from that part of the world after the war.”

“It’s a piece we didn’t have before,” Vito said. “Let’s go out and see Harlan Winchester again. Let’s find everything we can on his aunt. We need something to tie that land to Simon, and right now the only thing that ties to the land is the aunt.”

Liz put her hand on his shoulder. “I have a better idea. Nick and I will go see Winchester. You go see Sophie’s family.”

Vito’s chin came up. “Liz, I need to do this.”

Liz’s smile was kind but firm. “Don’t make me take this case, Vito.”

Vito opened his mouth, then closed it. “You’re about to knock me off my bucket,” he said quietly, remembering Sophie and Dante.

“It’s a strange word association, but yeah, I guess it works.” Liz lifted her brows. “Your emotions are running high. Go home. Recharge. That’s an order.”

Vito stood up. “Okay. But only for tonight. Tomorrow morning I’m back here. If I don’t do something to find her, I’ll go crazy, Liz.”

“I know. Trust us, Vito. We’ll leave no stone unturned.” She looked over at Jen. “You were here all last night. You go home, too.”