Chapter III
he shootings in the city of Stillwell Creek was all over the news. Five cops shot in an 18 hour period. Two of them were dead. A third one, a female FBI agent by the name of Sharon Travis was in surgery, the other two in stable condition.
There was an all points bulletin out for all police personnel within a 100 mile radius to be on the lookout for someone presenting to a hospital or other medical facility with a gunshot wound.
Sharon never even knew when she was hit, but it had went through her left lung, and they were doing everything they could to save her. She was in deep medical trouble again.
The last time she'd been wounded is when the attacker tried to gut her and pretty much succeeded before she was able to get hold of a 12ga. She had fired both barrels loaded with 3 1/4" mag with double ought buckshot and had nearly cut the guy in two with it.
Now she was in danger again, only this time she had an 18 month old baby boy to take care of. Melinda had taken him home with her soon after the ambulance pulled out in a mad dash to the hospital.
The whole case was going from bad to worse. Not only was a fifth cop shot, but two of them were Chiefs of Police, and two were FBI Agents. Little Gracie didn't know what she was getting herself into. But then, she had some aces up her sleeve that no one knew about. The only other two to have known about her aces were her brother and half-brother - husband, Tracy.
Len was pacing the waiting room at the hospital when Lane and Victor came in. Sergeant Coker had been assigned to watch the Mathers house and all police as well as volunteers were placed on high alert. There was a score of police cars in high speed commute all heading toward Stillwell Creek to assist.
But it would be a hard job finding Grace. She was bedded down in her sisters garage being cared for by her mother and sister, one a Dr and the other an RN. She had taken Sharon's slug in her lower left side but it had barely hit her. Although no bones or vital organs were damaged, the .40 bullet had torn a exit hole in her back the size of Texas. Still, she would recover quite quickly.
Grace smiled at the pleasure her mother and sister were getting from the news. She held up three fingers. "Only three more to go she said."
"Oh, but doesn't your wound count for any revenge?" her mother asked tauntingly. "I think you ought to add two more!"
"I think you ought to lay low for a while" her sister said. If nothing else, we'll go to a larger town and finish off your tally" she finished.
"I think I may have balanced the scales of my wound with the hit the FBI woman took. Who'd have thought that an FBI agent lived in a little old house like that? And the Chief of Police! It was just my lucky day. But if the FBI woman dies, I'll call it even and leave off the killing for a while."
Her mother looked at her then said "so, you're going to quit before you get justice for your brother and your husband? That's pretty low Gracie."
"I think she's stirred up the hornets nest enough mother" her sister said. Besides, we'll never be able to kill enough pigs (cops) to pay for daddy and Danny. We've got all the time in the world. Plus, we need to let the dust settle a little bit before we begin to use those special weapons that Danny got. Those are arms length weapons only . . . I have to go to work."
After arriving, at the hospital, William had been given a pain pill and a lie. He was told Sharon was doing fine, and the sleeping pill was to ease his own pain and keep him still as well as prevent his worrying over Sharon.
The nurse had recognized him right off and figured she now how her chance! She had no idea as to whether or not William would recognize her, but she didn't want to take a chance. She feigned a call to the Dr. and brought him a pill that was way stronger than what he needed. She also lied about Sharon and how she was doing.
It was somewhere in the midst of the fog produced by that pill that the thought came to him. What ever happened to the DV weapons? To where had they disappeared? Why had he not thought of them for so long. How had he so successfully forgotten of them? His flashback was now at its apex.
Even in his deep sleep brought on by the high powered pill, he began to sweat furiously. Turning, moaning raucously enough to attract the attention of the nurse, she was afraid someone would be alerted to what she had done. Not knowing of his problems she feigned a call to the Dr. to report and for his orders.
Not noticing the pretty Auburn haired Melinda who had come in to inquire of Sharon, the RN, Lela Padian had drawn a syringe with a triple dose of Fentanyl and headed to Williams room. Melinda and had stopped by to look in on William and knew instantly he was in flashback, but had no idea as to what could have put him there.
This was the first time she had ever witnessed firsthand the flashbacks with which William suffered. She'd heard Sharon describe them on several occasions. They all thought he was completely over them since the Reaper had met the Kingpin.
About the time she had checked on him and observing him for a few minutes, the nurse came in with a shot. Melinda said "he's having another flashback nightmare. He goes through these quite often. Is that shot to stop him from sweating?"
"Yes, the Dr. ordered it. Please excuse me so I can administer the shot. Melinda stepped between William and the nurse and said "ma'am, I'm only going to say this once. Do NOT give him that shot. If I have to, I will disable you."
Instead of getting into the fray, the superior nurse hit the emergency security alarm. Len had stayed out in the waiting room with the baby and was confused at all the security heading down the hall toward Williams room. Baby or no baby, he was going down there!
Sure enough, they were headed to Williams room and there was a lot of loud discussion going on. He wormed his way through and saw Melinda standing in front of Williams bed where he was tossing back and forth, sweat just pouring off him in rivers. He handed her Will Jr, flashed his badge and said "I'm ordering all you to back up against the wall and nobody leave!"
"This man is having a flashback nightmare. All he needs is to sweat it off. No medicine! We want the names of everyone in this room. No one leaves here until we find what brought this on."
Melinda was already on the phone to Lane. He and Victor were still up and working on the situation that Stillwell Creek was up to her neck in. Within five minutes, he and Victor hurried into the room and took their place beside Williams bed. Lane immediately started taking names of those in the room.
Obviously the police had been called and one could hear at least three sirens coming fast.
The nurse, Lela Padian, who had just come on duty less than a half hour ago was losing her chance to off William. She was still insisting for them to "get out of the way, he's gonna die if I don't give him this shot!"
Lane had just gotten close enough to read her name tag and was instantly alerted. He knew that name! Finally, he raised his arms and shouted "Enough already! Lady, we've shown you our credentials and we're not budging. The Police are nearly here and you can explain to them. If you come near this bed, we'll arrest you and haul you to jail ourselves if you live through it."
The room got quite, and the nurse started backing out. Melinda, in the case some physical ruckus started, had moved with the baby toward the door. She also anticipated the nurse might try to leave. When the nurse started backing out, she stopped her and said "I'll take that."
The nurse held out her hand as if to drop the syringe in Melinda's hand, then as Melinda dropped her guard, she lunged into her and the baby. The nurse knew the woman would take care of the baby before she would try to throttle her, and as Melinda stumbled backward attempting to get her balance and protect William Jr., the nurse took the chance and fled out the door.
Before Len, Lane or Victor could give chase, she had turned down a hall and disappeared. And it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack in this maze of corridors, rooms and exits. She could easily outmaneuver them knowing the maze. They did not.
Len went straight into investigation overdrive. He had people on the phone and was giving orders. He also went straight down the hall and requested information on nurse Lela Padian and to look at Williams file to see what had been given him.
Aware of a huge disturbance going on, the head nurse immediately stepped over to take charge of the irate man at the counter. He flashed his badge and identified himself. The head nurse was a little old woman who was not impressed by Lens size nor his badge. "I can't and will not give you any information on anyone young man!"
"Ma'am" he said sternly trying not to let this little old lady irritate him, "you're jeopardizing a federal investigation. Do know what the penalties for that are?"
Just as hardheaded, the head nurse now toe to toe with Len said "I don't care who you are or what you're demanding. That information is private and you'll not see them without a court order!"
Len backed off to keep the noise to an acceptable level. In five minutes of heated debate over the phone to the hospital authorities, he saw Victor emerge from the elevator with a file in his hand. He came striding toward Len with a "you're doing it all wrong man" look, turned into Williams room and motioned with a nod to his head and his eyes, "come on."
Len was flabbergasted. It wasn't often that he was stopped like that, and certainly not by much bigger foes. He should have known the personnel files wouldn't relinquished, and the nurse sure wasn't about to budge!
Anyway, Lela Padians' folder didn't have a whole lot in it, but there was one document which caught his eye. Lela had already been reprimanded once.
The document stated she'd 'accidently' administered an overdose of Fentanyl. The man had died of cardiac arrest within minutes of the shot and all attempts to restart his heart failed. After a probationary period, she had been cleared of charges by an ME.
One thing Melinda did see, was the syringe was completely full. If indeed it was Fentanyl, it would have been enough to cause a half dozen men to go into immediate and full cardiac arrest.
It looked as if someone was still out to put William in his grave.
© 2000 - 2025
