Page 52 of Dead Man's Wish
“I appreciate you guys so fucking much.” I reached out for Mari’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “I’ll keep you guys updated on what the doctors say. I need to find Bishop first.”
They followed behind me as I searched him out. The paramedics were loading Bexley into the ambulance, and Mia shot me a look, reminding me I was on their time, not mine. Bishop leaned against his car on the phone. As I approached, he dropped the call and stepped forward.
“Don’t worry about the—” he said, gesturing to the cabin. “Go to the hospital with her and I’ll catch up.”
“How’d you know?”
“I didn’t,” he admitted. “I was in her office, and we found some alarming clues. Pulled her records and saw that Jeffrey Peters had called her last. Then, I saw the picture of a woman and realized we had everything mixed up and wrong. I can explain more at the hospital, but she’s glaring daggers at you.” Bishop turned me around and he was right. Mia was glaring into my soul.
I sprinted across the way and climbed into the back. She shut the door and Christopher took off.
“She’s doing fine right now. We can let her rest until we get to the hospital.” I watched Mia move through the space as she focused on the equipment. She put leads on Bex’s chest and charted her observations. The beeping of Bexley’s heart filled our silence. “Hospital is about a thirty-minute drive.”
Mia pulled out first-aid equipment and walked over to me. She cleaned the knife wound with alcohol, but I couldn’t even feel the sting over everything else. Closing the small gash, she wrapped a white bandage around my forearm.
“Thank you.”
“Sit back and relax. She’s in great hands, I promise.” She reached into another compartment and handed me a large scrub top. Her expression softened now that we were moving, and she offered me a sincere smile.
“Yes, ma’am, thank you.”
* * *
The hospital roomsmelled sickeningly sterile. It was quiet in a way that produced anxiety. Doctors had been in and out, and the nurses completed their rounds without forced conversation that I was appreciative of. She miraculously avoided any surgeries. After scans and X-rays, they determined the extent of her injuries consisted of a concussion and broken ribs. They glossed over the abrasions and other non-life-threatening injuries. When Mari and Kel visited, the doctor thanked him for his proactiveness with CPR. A well-rounded friend group wouldn’t be complete without a physician’s associate to save your life. I owed Kel a life debt for that. He wouldn’t hear me on it, but that man saved everything I loved.
They told me that when she woke up and was able to keep solid food and liquids down, they would discharge us. When I asked about the potential of her slipping into a coma, they waved it off and assured me she was just exhausted and resting. Her heart monitor was a steady beat as pain meds kept her comfortable. The sun started to set and cast a warm glow through her room window.
Free of bloody smears and sporting a sutured gash, she was impossibly beautiful sleeping there. The bruises were horridly dark, but I didn’t even focus on them. Her face was soft and relaxed. Eyelashes fanned over her cheeks and her lips returned to their natural dusty-rose pink.
A knock on her door caught my attention. I looked back, expecting a doctor to walk in, but instead Bishop poked his head through. He flashed his badge with a grin.
“Here on official business, Mr. Wells. Nice shirt.” I laughed at his shenanigans and motioned for him to come in and sit. “How’s our girl?”
“Fighting, sleeping, healing. Doctors called it a miracle, but she did that on her own. She worked hard for years to ensure this was always the outcome. Bex doesn’t go down without a fight.”
“Sounds like her. Diane told me to send you our well wishes.” I smiled at that. She’d be there with casseroles at the ready for weeks as soon as we got back. “I came by to tell you Eddie was able to get some answers.” I looked up from where I held her hand and his face said it was a doozy.
“You told me that a motive was your priority.”
“I did, and I’m not sure if Jeffrey Peters’s was more or less callous.” He folded his hands together and rested over his legs. “Peters handled a case for Veronica seven years ago. She was arrested and booked on August 17th. Peters failed to convince the court of her innocence and they found her guilty. She was sentenced to ten years for aggravated assault but was released early for good behavior.”
“That’s a wild fucking concept after meeting the bitch. She was wielding a knife like it was second nature.” Bishop chuckled and sat back, wiping his hands over his jeans.
“Yeah, well, it doesn’t get better. Bexley uncovered the family secret in a roundabout way. No records were found connecting Veronica and Brent initially, but they were more than cousins, if you will.”
“Fucking gross.”
“I agree, but her mom was adopted into Brent’s father’s family. That tiniest detail was all the justification for her. We searched Veronica’s last known address and found the missing pieces. She threatened to blackmail Jeffrey after he got her sent to jail and offered to pay him for work when she got out. There was correspondence with very specific details on how it would play out.” He paused, shaking his head in disbelief. “Veronica was released in July, just before you guys came home. Up until that point, Jeffrey had been her executioner pawn while she was in prison. She told him how she wanted it done and the dates, but the victim was his to choose. When she was released, they started working in tandem to combat suspicion. His motive seemed to be money based, and Veronica was bloodthirsty for revenge.”
“What a fucking mess.”
“Well, prosecution wise, it would’ve been, but you took care of that.” I cracked a grin at his sentiment that oddly sounded like a coded thank you. “Like I said, don’t worry about anything falling into your lap.”
“Do I want to know?”
“Better if you don’t, kid.” He stood, looking over her monitors and out into the city below. “Let me know when you guys get home. Diane wants to drop off a casserole.” I laughed. She was ever the predictable kindhearted soul.
“Will do.” He clapped my shoulder and stepped out into the hallway.
