Page 34 of Final Approach (Lake City Heroes #4)

EIGHTEEN

Kristine’s phone rang just as she reached Emily’s room. It was Cole. She swiped the screen and stood outside the door. “Hey, Cole, what’s up?”

“There’s no easy way to tell you this, but I’ve been monitoring the investigation on Emily’s car wreck.”

Kristine frowned and stilled. “Okay. And?”

“The brakes were tampered with.”

Weak-kneed took on a whole new meaning as she leaned against the wall to stay upright. “Dana was driving. It was her car.”

“The detectives are looking into her background to see if anyone has a grudge or if there’s a disgruntled boyfriend, but so far nothing’s turning up suspicious.”

“Right.” She ran a hand over her head, then pressed her fingers against her eyes. “I’m at the hospital with Emily. Let me talk to her and see what she has to say.”

“Tate and his new partner are on the way to question her. They need an official statement.”

“Of course. All right.”

“Just wanted you to know.”

“Thanks. I appreciate the heads-up.” They said their goodbyes, and she walked into Emily’s room to find her sitting up in bed eating a bowl of something that was probably supposed to be orange Jell-O.

Or trying to eat. With her left hand in a cast up to her elbow, she was struggling.

She was alone and Kristine was glad. She wanted some time with her sister without anyone else listening, because this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation.

Seemed to be all she had lately. Difficult conversations. “Want some help with that?”

Emily looked up and pushed the cup aside. “No. I managed to get all I wanted. I’d rather have cherry.”

“I’ll let Naomi or Leanna know. They’ll make it happen.”

“Thanks. So how’s Andrew?” Kristine had explained his situation in as few words as possible when she’d gotten the call from Nathan about the wreck. As she ran out of Emily’s room to head to the emergency room, she’d promised to come back with news as soon as possible.

“He’s fine. A little rattled, but thankfully, fine.”

“And someone hit him?”

“Yes. On purpose.”

Emily’s eyes went wide. “Wow, who’d he make mad?”

“Not him, someone he used to work with. We suspect they went after Andrew to get to this other guy. Thankfully, someone saw the accident and called it in and the other guy ran off.” The long-winded explanation was just a way to avoid what she really needed to say.

“Anyway, I can’t believe you feel good enough to sit up and eat something. ”

“I don’t, really, but if I want to get out of here, I need to.”

Kristine frowned. “You’ve had a rough time, Em. No need to rush it. And where are Ethan and Aunt Wendy?”

“They left. Dad was getting on Ethan’s nerves, and I think Aunt Wendy needed a break too. I asked everyone to leave and give me some space.” She chewed her bottom lip. “Is that mean?”

“No. Not at all. Do you know where they went?”

“No, Ethan just said he was going to cool off, Aunt Wendy said she was going to make some phone calls, and Dad said he was going to chill in the cafeteria.” Emily picked at the sheet, then looked up to meet Kristine’s eyes. “What’s wrong with him anyway?”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s being so ... nice. It’s unnerving. I think that’s why Ethan had to leave. It was driving him nuts that he couldn’t figure out the angle.”

Kristine laughed. “Well, I imagine Dad’s feeling grateful you’re still alive but realizes how close he—we—came to losing you. Maybe he’s just, I don’t know, filled with regrets? Maybe he wants to make amends with you?”

Emily studied her, the bruises on her face still clear, although changing colors as they healed. “Hmm. Maybe.” She scowled. “I doubt it, but guess time will tell.”

It didn’t take much to tire Emily out, and Kristine needed to ask her about Dana before her sister decided to take a nap. “Hey, change of subject. Detective Tate Cooper’s on his way here to talk to you about your wreck.”

“Okay. I’m not sure what I can tell him. One minute we were laughing and excited about getting on the ship and the next Dana was screaming she couldn’t stop the car. And then I woke up here.” A tear slipped down Emily’s cheek and she brushed it away.

“Was Dana dating anyone?”

“Yeah, Brody McGill. He won’t leave her side until she’s released.” She grabbed a tissue from the box on the end table and blew her nose. “Is she awake yet?”

“No, she hasn’t regained consciousness yet. You don’t have a brain injury. She does. They’re keeping her in a medically induced coma.”

Emily frowned. “I didn’t think she was hurt that bad. Or at least not worse than me.”

“She didn’t have any broken bones, just the hard knock on the head.”

“Wow.”

“So, Brody and Dana,” Kristine said. “Any bad feelings between them?”

“What?” Emily frowned. “No way. He was actually going to fly into the Bahamas and ask her to marry him on the beach. Then we were going to have an engagement celebration right there at the resort.” She bit her lip and more tears spilled.

“Oh. Wow.”

“Yeah.” She sniffed. “Why are you asking?”

Kristine rubbed her eyes and sighed. She struggled for the words and finally found them. “Someone tampered with the brakes on her car.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed and she shook her head. “That can’t be right.”

“It’s right.”

“So, you’re saying someone wanted us to crash?”

“That’s what it looks like. Tate’s going to ask if you know who.”

“B-but I don’t. I can’t even fathom it. No way. That’s crazy.”

Kristine hated upsetting her sister, but the questions had to be asked.

“Think about it, hon, okay? I know you don’t want to think it’s possible someone may have gone that far to hurt your friend, but we have to consider the possibility.

The facts don’t lie, Em. Someone messed with the brakes. The question is, who?”

They fell silent for a few minutes while Emily processed the information.

Kristine was about to offer to leave her alone when Emily sighed. “I don’t want to talk about that. Let’s talk about our father. So you really think Dad’s being nice because he has regrets?”

“I do.” Kristine let her change the topic. “It’s the only thing I can think of anyway. I recommend you enjoy it while it lasts.”

“Hmm. Right.” She glanced at the door. “I don’t know how long he planned to chill in the cafeteria, but if he’s still there, I’d love a frozen lemonade.” She snagged her phone. “I’ll text him and ask him to get me one.”

“No need,” Kristine said. “I’ll get it for you. I need to make a call, so I’ll do that while I walk down there. Tate should be here soon too.”

Emily hesitated, then set her phone back down. “Thanks. And I don’t know what good it’ll do for Tate. The answers won’t change.”

“Well, sometimes different people can ask the same question a different way, sparking a different thought. So, just go with it, okay?”

She sighed. “Fine. You know more than I do about this kind of thing.”

“Great. I’ll be back with your frozen lemonade soon.”

“Thanks.”

Kristine left the room and headed toward the elevator that would take her down to the cafeteria on the first floor. She’d been spending way too much time in this place, as she already knew she was going to get the lemonade for Emily and a chocolate milkshake for herself.

She pulled her phone out and dialed Andrew. When it went to voicemail, she hung up, stepped off the elevator, and turned right, passed the hallway that led to X-ray, and stopped. Backed up and gaped. A man had her father shoved up against the wall, forearm against his throat. “Hey! Let him go!”

The man spun away and shoved through the exit door behind him. Her father grabbed his throat and sagged against the wall.

Kristine raced over to him and grabbed his arm. “Dad!”

“I’m okay,” he croaked. “I’m okay.” He crossed the hall and dropped onto a bench, breathing hard, pain registering on his pale face.

She grabbed her phone and dialed 911, reported the incident, and was assured hospital security was on it. Then she turned back to her father. “Are you sure you’re all right? Let’s get you to see a doctor.”

“No, no, I’m good, but honestly, people will do anything in broad daylight these days.”

“What did he want?”

“My wallet.”

“And you didn’t recognize him?”

“What? No. He just came up to me and shoved me against the wall and demanded my wallet. Then you shouted and he ran. That’s the gist of it right there.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Tell me about it.”

Hospital security arrived, along with two other officers who took their statements. The whole time she was talking to them, something nagged at her. She hadn’t gotten a good look at her dad’s attacker, but he reminded her of someone. And it finally hit her who.

Her phone rang. It was Andrew. She looked at the officers who were just finishing up with her dad. “I’ve got to take this.” She shifted her gaze to her father. “After I finish this call, I’ll get Emily the frozen lemonade she wanted. Why don’t you go up and rest for a bit once you’re done here?”

“I think I’d rather go home.”

“You can’t drive after what just happened. I’ll drive you home. We’ll take your car and I’ll figure out how to get back later.”

He started to protest and she held up a hand. “Please. No arguing with me on this, okay?”

“Okay. Fine.” He nodded. “Let’s finish up here, take Emily her lemonade, then you can take me home.”

“Good plan.”

She stepped out of hearing range of her father and the officers and swiped the screen.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey, I’m sorry I missed your call, but I was on the phone with my SAC.”

“I was just calling to see how things were going, but now I have another reason.”

“What’s that?”

“My dad was just attacked in the hospital and I think I recognized his attacker.”

“What! Who?”

“Erik Leary.”

ANDREW STRAIGHTENED from his slouched position in the safe house recliner and stood. “Erik Leary? You’re sure?”

Nathan’s head snapped up at the mention of Leary’s name. Andrew put her on speakerphone as Cole took a seat.

“Yeah, maybe. I didn’t get a good look at him before he bolted, but he should be on the security footage.”