Boiling Point (Phoenix, Ltd. Book 2) Page 12

  Zoë turned and met his worried gaze. “I think Marian should lie down while we wait.”

  Nick nodded. “Good idea. I’ve got a blanket in the back.”

  He shoved his door open, walked around to open the rear hatch, and retrieved a folded green blanket. Zoë scooted out the opposite side of the car then helped Marian stretch out. She unzipped her jacket and tucked it under the other woman’s head then helped Nick spread the blanket.

  He patted Marian’s ankle. “It won’t be much longer. I think I hear sirens already.”

  Zoë tilted her head and listened closely. A chorus of faint wails sounded in the distance.

  Thank heaven.

  She glanced back at Nick as he straightened.

  Oh, God, no!

  The downed cyclist now loomed behind Nick with a tire iron raised in one gloved fist.

  She grabbed her Glock from the floor of car where she’d dropped it and aimed with both hands. “Nick, duck!”

  In one fluid movement, he dodged to the side, spun, and drove a fist into the biker’s leather-clad gut. As the man released his weapon and bent forward, clutching his middle, Nick grabbed one shoulder in each hand and rammed his knee into the assailant’s groin. He dropped like a rock. Nick pulled the man’s hands together behind his back and knelt with one knee pressing him against the pavement.

  “Get me a couple of zip ties. They’re in the back.” His breath came fast, sending quick white puffs into the frosty air.

  When Zoë returned her gun to her purse, she glanced at the pair of handcuffs nestled at the bottom. Deciding there would be fewer awkward questions if she got Nick what he asked for, she hurried to the back of the SUV, opened the hatch, and began sifting through the loose odds and ends.

  “They’re in a bag in the cardboard box.”

  She found the bag, pulled out two long, white plastic strips, and brought them to Nick. “Why do you carry zip ties in your car?”

  He wrapped one around the biker’s wrists and pulled it tight. “They can come in handy. You never know when you’re going to need one.” His actions were smooth and practiced. He’d clearly done this many times before.

  “I guess not.”

  With a grunt, he shoved to his feet and faced her. His jaw was tight, and his dark eyes blazed. “The ambulance will be here any second, but before the cops arrive I want an explanation. What are you doing carrying a gun? You could have killed someone.”

  Zoë lifted her chin. “I’m licensed, and it’s registered—just like yours.”

  Before he could reply, the ambulance pulled up, followed by a police cruiser.

  Nick glanced at the officers getting out of the squad car then back at Zoë. “This isn’t finished.”

  If he thought he could intimidate her, he could think again. She wanted answers, too. She squared her shoulders and met his angry gaze head on. “You’re darn right. I have a few questions of my own.”

  Chapter Nine

  A pair of paramedics, one male and one female, unloaded a gurney from the back of the ambulance and wheeled it to the car, followed by the cops. Nick was relieved to see Hugh Swanson, a friend and one of the officers who had taken the report after the most recent break-in at the Prescotts’.

  Nick nodded to him. “Hey, Hugh. I’m afraid we’ve got another mess here.”

  Hugh raised his brows. “Looks like it.” He tipped his head toward his partner, a short, chunky blonde with her hair skinned back in a tight bun. “This is Officer Halliwell. You want to tell us what happened?”

  “I will—as soon as the paramedics do their thing.”

  The heavyset, middle-aged black female paramedic surveyed the scene from the man on the ground to Marian in the back seat of Nick’s SUV. “How many patients do we have here?”

  “One for sure, possibly two, but take the woman first. She may be in pre-term labor. After you evaluate this one,” —Nick toed the man at his feet— “you can decide if he needs a ride to the hospital or the police station.”

  Zoë stepped forward. “But if he needs medical attention, please call another ambulance. They can’t ride together under any circumstances.”

  The woman eyed her with skepticism. “I’m not going to ask why, but since we’re only equipped to transport one patient at a time, that won’t be a problem.” She turned to her partner, a young man with a tattoo creeping up his neck from the edge of his collar. “Let’s get her in the wagon, and you can hook her up and check her vitals while I see to this fellow.”

  Five minutes later, the young man was tending to Marian in the back of the ambulance with Zoë in attendance, while the others stood over the fallen biker. Nick had rolled the man onto his back and removed his helmet. The man stared up at him with a scowl but remained silent. Something about his boxy face and reddish blond hair seemed familiar, but Nick couldn’t place it.

  The paramedic squatted beside him. “Why is this man in restraints? Is he under arrest?”

  Hugh leaned forward to examine the man more closely. “I could swear I’ve seen him somewhere before. Halliwell, do you recognize this guy?”

  She gave the prisoner a quick once-over. “I don’t think so.”

  Hugh glanced at Nick. “Did you check him for ID?”

  “No, I waited for you, but I had the same feeling.”

  Hugh ignored the downed biker’s silent glare while he patted him down and withdrew a wallet from the back pocket of his pants. He flipped it open and studied the man’s driver’s license.

  “Is he one of your usuals?” Nick asked.

  His friend shook his head. “No. His ID says his name is Rudolph Gehke.”

  “That doesn’t ring any bells.” Nick stared at the man a moment longer. Where had he seen that face before? Then it came to him. “I can’t be sure, but I think he was on the news a few nights ago. He looks a lot like the sketch of one of those guys who held up the bank in Evanston.”

  Hugh’s face lit with an excited grin. “You’re right. Halliwell, it looks like we’ve caught a bank robber. I never expected to be able to say that. You’d better go call this in.”

  Zoë approached from the ambulance and pointed to the alleged thief. “Wait a minute. This guy tried to run us off the road then came after Nick with a tire iron. Why would a bank robber do that?”

  Hugh shrugged. “Beats me. Nick, have you got any idea?”

  “No, but I’ll be very interested to hear what your detectives get out of him.”

  “Me, too. At least you’re on your feet and he’s on the ground, so you came out on top.” Hugh straightened and turned to the paramedic. “Under the circumstances, we’ll need to keep him restrained unless there’s a medical emergency.”

  She nodded and turned back to her patient. “How’re you feeling, sir? Do you have any pain?”

  He clamped his mouth shut and shook his head.

  She unzipped the man’s jacket. “I don’t see any blood. Of course, he could still have significant internal injuries or a head injury, but at least he was wearing leathers and a helmet.” She spoke into her radio and listened to the response. “The second ambulance will be here in five. Then you can cuff him to the gurney so I can do a more thorough evaluation.”

  When the second ambulance arrived, the paramedics confirmed Rudolph Gehke had no immediate life-threatening injuries. The cops decided Officer Halliwell would accompany him to the hospital for evaluation while Hugh Swanson stayed behind.

  As the second ambulance departed, Hugh turned his attention back to Nick and Zoë. “Okay, now take me through exactly what happened here, starting with your first contact with Gehke.”

  Nick stuffed his chilled hands in his pockets. “Actually, there were—”

  “Excuse me,” Zoë interrupted, “but can you start without me? I need to check on Mrs. Prescott’s condition and notify her husband.”

  “Sure. Go right ahead.”

  She hurried off toward the ambulance holding Marian, which was still on site while the young paramedic finished hi
s evaluation and radioed the hospital.

  Hugh turned back to Nick. “You were saying…”

  “There were two cyclists. I first noticed them about a quarter mile back. They came up behind us fast, way too fast for the conditions.”

  Hugh made a notation in his notebook. “What would you estimate your rate of speed?”

  “Maybe thirty. I was hardly speeding. I was driving a pregnant woman to a doctor’s appointment on an icy road.”

  “Did you give them room to pass?”

  Nick shot him a disgusted look.

  “What?” Hugh raised his brows. “You know I have to ask these things.”

  Nick heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I know.” Hugh was just doing his job, but the official tone of his questions gave Nick a nasty sense of déjà vu.

  “So, did you give them room to pass?”

  “Of course. Hugh, they targeted us. Trust me—this wasn’t an incident of road rage.”

  “What happened to the second rider?”

  “He sped off after the crash.”

  They were interrupted when Zoë rushed up, her brows pinched in consternation. She let out a breath. “Marian’s contractions have calmed down some, but the paramedic wants to take her to the hospital to have her checked out.” She paused for a second. “I called Lyman, and he’s practically hysterical. If we don’t go right home and pick him up, I’m afraid he’s going to try to drive himself in the Bentley, and believe me, he’s in no condition to do that safely.”

  Nick glanced at his SUV. The front end had suffered serious damage. He could only hope it wasn’t totaled. “I’m afraid my car’s not going anywhere except the repair shop. Hugh, can you give us a ride to the Prescotts’? We can finish our statements at the hospital or stop by the station later.”

  “I guess we can do that. In the meantime, I’ll send the Accident Investigation Unit out to take photos and gather evidence.”

  Twenty minutes later Hugh dropped them at Strathmoor with a promise to meet at the hospital in an hour. Lyman was waiting on the front porch, wearing his hat and coat. He thrust the keys to the Bentley into Nick’s hand.

  “I called the hospital, and they said she’s doing well, but we have to hurry. I have to see her.” His hand shook.

  Nick palmed the keys. The Bentley was a beautiful automobile, but at this point in its life, it should be the pampered centerpiece of a classic car collection, not the everyday vehicle of a distracted eccentric. One day soon Lyman would need to buy something more practical, assuming the man had remembered to file an insurance claim for his wrecked car.

  Zoë placed her hand over his but addressed Lyman. “The roads are horrible. It would be much safer to take my car, and we can make better time.”

  Lyman’s hand fluttered, dismissing her concerns. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. Let’s just go.”

  When she glanced at Nick for support, he nodded. Given the conditions, he’d rather be driving, but the Mini was the best alternative.

  She headed down the icy steps, keeping a firm grip on the wrought iron handrail. “Wait here, and I’ll be back with the car in two minutes.” She took off around the side of the house at a speed that defied the conditions.

  As Lyman settled in the back, Nick climbed into the front passenger seat. “Hey, we fit pretty well in this Hot Wheels wannabe.”

  Zoë put the car in gear. “If a Mini was good enough for Mark Wahlberg and Jason Statham in The Italian Job, it’s good enough for you.”

  He decided not to push his luck by mentioning that both actors were several inches shorter than either he or Lyman.

  Thirty minutes later they found Marian resting peacefully in a cubicle in the Emergency Room. A young, bespectacled man dressed in a white coat over green scrubs stood beside her bed, reading her chart.

  Lyman rushed to her side. “How is she, Dr. Moseby? Is the baby all right?”

  The doctor glanced up with a smile. “They’re both doing fine. The contractions have stopped. They appear to have been caused by the stress of the accident, not true labor, but I’d like to keep her overnight for observation.”

  Lyman nodded. “Whatever you think is best.” He scooted the side chair close to the bed and sat. “Will I be able to stay with her?”

  The doctor flipped the clipboard closed. “That won’t be a problem. We’ll be moving her to a room as soon as the admission paperwork is finished.”

  Marian reached for her husband’s hand then turned to Nick and Zoë with a grateful smile. “Thank you for bringing him. I would have worried if he’d tried to drive that old relic in this weather.”

  Nick nodded. “No problem. That’s why we’re here.”

  “You two don’t need to stay,” Lyman said. “There’s nothing more you can do tonight.”

  Zoë glanced at Nick then smiled at Marian. “Okay. You take it easy, and we’ll check on you later.”

  They left the cubicle in search of Hugh Swanson and found him leaning against the admitting desk with a paper cup of coffee in one hand, chatting up a pretty young nurse.

  Nick walked up, slapped him on the back, and gave the nurse a wink. “It must be a pretty slow day in the ER if you’ve got time for this clown.”

  She laughed. “We’re taking a breather before the afternoon rush. In this weather, there will be plenty of accidents as soon as people start getting off work.”

  “I need to borrow Officer Swanson for a few minutes, if that’s all right. Hugh, are you ready to finish our statements?”

  Hugh patted his padded uniform jacket. “I’ve got the paperwork right here. Let’s find someplace we can sit.” He turned and gave the nurse a wave. “See you, Carla.”

  She waved back. “Anytime.”

  As soon as they were out of earshot, Nick nudged his buddy. “Cute girl. Don’t you think she’s a little young for you?”

  Hugh’s brows shot up . “Hey, I’m young…at heart.”

  Nick gave a huff of disbelief. “She could beat you to the blue line wearing snowshoes. Wait until she finds out what a pitiful old wreck you really are.” He pointed toward a sign with a red arrow that read Cafeteria. “Let’s talk while we eat. I’m starving.”

  He loaded his tray with a burger and fries, while Zoë chose a chef salad, and Hugh stuck with coffee. They headed for a table in the corner, away from the buzz of medical staff on their lunch breaks. While Nick and Zoë dove into their food, Hugh spread photos of the accident scene on the table and took out his notebook.

  “Before we start, I’ve got something to tell you. You’re never going to believe who that guy we arrested turned out to be.”

  Nick paused, burger in hand. “The would-be bank robber, like you suspected.”

  “Yeah, but he’s more than that.” Hugh slapped an old mug shot on the table as if it were a royal flush.

  Nick picked it up and examined the photo. “So who is he?”

  Hugh’s smug enthusiasm faded. “I forgot you weren’t living here then. About seven years ago, two Chicago cops were convicted of running a drug ring and sentenced to ten years. They were released from Danville six months ago.” He tapped the mug shot with his index finger. “Rudy Gehke was one of them.”

  Nick noticed Zoë had stopped eating, and her face had lost its usual healthy glow. “What about the other?” he asked.

  “Jimmy Mahoney—”

  Zoë’s fork clattered to the table. Color flared in her cheeks as she reached for it. “Excuse me.” Fork in hand, she glanced at Hugh. “You were saying?”

  Hugh’s brows drew together in a little frown as he picked up another paper and scanned it. “Jimmy Mahoney was the name of the other cop. Apparently, no one’s seen or heard from him since he got out.”

  Nick took a bite of his burger and chewed slowly. “I wonder if Mahoney might have been the other biker—the one who sped off.”

  Zoë choked on her water.

  He reached over and slapped her on the back. “Are you okay?”

  Her face reddened, and she coughed twice.
“Yes. It just went down the wrong way. Sorry.”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. For a woman who treated an intruder firing a gun in the basement like an everyday occurrence, she seemed to be struggling to hold herself together. Maybe it was the physical shock of plowing into a tree—his face stung, and he knew he was going to have some major aches and pains tomorrow–or maybe the cumulative effect of the happenings of the past few days was getting to her. Either way, the sooner they wrapped up the police interview the better.

  He turned his attention to Hugh. “Maybe we ought to get to those questions now. You probably have other things to do this afternoon.”

  Hugh glanced at his watch. “I need to get back on patrol. In this weather, we’re going to have plenty of fender-benders, or worse, before third watch takes over.”

  Nick and Zoë finished giving their statements then returned to the ER. When they asked about the Prescotts, one of the nurses said Marian had already been admitted. She gave them the room number and directions to the nearest bank of elevators.

  They had the car to themselves for the ride to Obstetrics on the third floor. After pressing the button, Nick stepped back and glanced at Zoë. Her normally straight spine had relaxed into an exhausted “S” as she rested her weight against the stainless steel rail that circled the interior of the car, and the heavy fringe of her lashes fanned out across the upper curves of her cheekbones. She was beautiful, but there was something disturbing about seeing her usually animated features in complete repose, as if he were somehow violating her privacy.

  Before he could speak, the elevator bell sounded, signaling their floor.

  Her eyes popped open. “Huh? What?” She straightened and blinked.

  “You fell asleep standing up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody do that before.”

  Confusion clouded her eyes. “I didn’t. I couldn’t have.”

  He steered her out of the elevator. “You could, and you did. Let’s go check on Marian and get you home before you pass out and I have to carry you.”

  She jerked her arm from his grasp. “I am not going to pass out. I was just…resting my eyes.”