A Deadly Secret Read online

  Her normal shift saw her getting off late at night, so while it was still light out, she figured she’d take advantage. The overtime was nice in her paycheck, but it still drained her.

  Some days it felt like she lived at the hospital. She seemed to be there more than she was at home, and with the staff shortage, she’d picked up way more overtime than she’d planned. Exhausted, it would have been just as easy to go home and collapse on the sofa, but she knew if she didn’t get her run in, she’d regret it later. It was as much for her mental health as it was for her physical well-being.

  Amanda loved working in the emergency room as a trauma nurse, but there were days where even the best-skilled nurse on the floor wanted to pull her hair out. Today was one of those days, and the run would do her good.

  She slipped out the side door and started down the sidewalk. Just a mile away she’d be able to hop onto a trail that led through a popular park. It was the outdoor gym to a lot of the hospital staff when the weather was nice. With ice and snow, she kept her workouts indoors. She couldn’t risk a fall in the bad weather. The treadmill was boring, but kept her safe.

  She was surprised to see the slew of police cars near the entrance to the park. Something was going on. She slowed her pace and went to a group of people that had gathered. “What’s going on?”

  One of the group pointed toward another trail. “Not sure, but they found something. They’ve been up there for a while and cordoned off a section farther back. I was out for a walk, and they turned me away. They didn’t say much, but it’s got to be bad if there’s this many squad cars.”

  “Do you think there’s a dead body? Why else would they stop you?”

  “Oh, God, I hope not. Mason Ridge is safe. I don’t want to be watching over my shoulder from now on.”

  Amanda parked herself amidst the crowd. So much for her run, but whatever was going on was bound to be more interesting.

  Chapter 3

  “Shit. Where is it?”

  He looked everywhere, but he’d lost it. After disposing of her body, he went back to her house and pulled into the garage. Closing the door behind him, he scoured the floor of the garage, then the kitchen. Nothing. He’d already scrubbed the floor heavily with bleach but wanted to wipe down door knobs and anything else that might make it obvious he’d been there.

  In fact, it probably wouldn’t hurt to scrub the floor one more time. No need to leave behind trace evidence. He’d been meticulous about cleaning earlier, but a second coat of bleach and hot, soapy water wouldn’t hurt anything. He’d covered his tracks and intended to erase any sign he’d been involved.

  If only he could find that damn pendant. She’d been wearing it earlier.

  The day he gave it to her, she lit up. She hadn’t expected it, but they’d been together for a year. She’d been patient with him when he told her he was going to leave his wife for her, though he never intended to. He plied her along with baubles, jewels, and fancy dinners. It was a custom design he had made for her. He’d inscribed it with only a symbol, one she’d know was from him, but didn’t identify who he was to any other. He’d only used the symbol on one other piece of jewelry in the past. Either way, he hated that he’d lost it. It was the only thing tying her to him. Nobody knew of their affair—at least not that he was aware of. She’d told him she’d keep it a secret and he assumed she did.

  ***

  When Lee got the news that one of the emergency room nurses hadn’t shown up for work again and nobody could reach her, he noted it on her chart. The head nurse would cover the first half of Dawn’s shift, and another would cover the other.

  Dawn Lewis was usually a responsible employee. She rarely called out, and if she did there was always time to cover her shift. This was the third day she’d been a no-show. They’d need to file disciplinary action and decide if she’d still have her job if it happened again. He hated to think like that, but a hospital relied on an operational staff at all times. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but he had a job to do, and that meant keeping his emergency room capable of running at full capacity. He didn’t want to end up pushing patients to the neighboring hospital because they were understaffed.

  Either way, Lee had more pressing things to worry about. A bus carrying a basketball team crashed head-first into oncoming traffic and a bunch of casualties were headed their way.

  If that were their only issue, they’d be just fine, but after a fire broke out at a neighboring apartment complex, they’d brought in a handful of people with burns and injuries. The trauma center was hopping, and it only looked to be getting busier.

  He’d already jumped in to help, though he was usually tied to administration work. Short-handed, he was able to do what he could. Amanda ran by him with a crash cart. “I’ve got a stab wound in three, and a heart attack just got admitted. Can you do a clean-up of the wound, while I tend to the heart attack?”

  “Got it,” he said, then headed to bed three. He’d done his time as a registered nurse before getting into the administration end of things.

  Greg flew around the corner, flailing his arms. “What do you expect me to do?”

  An irate woman chastised him as he tried to move away from her. “You can’t just leave him waiting there.”

  “Ma’am, you’ll need to wait by his bed, or we’ll escort you outside.”

  Greg grimaced at one of the other hospital staff as he rushed past. The woman chased after him.

  “Security,” he sang out. “We’ve got a live one for you.”

  Security guard, Jack Tobin, made his way to the ruckus. “I’ve got it covered.”

  “Hey, how’s the wife feeling?” Greg asked quickly as he passed.

  “Same as always,” Jack answered over his shoulder, before directing his attention to the woman. “Okay, ma’am, you’ll need to come with me.”

  ***

  Alex walked down the long hallway that led to the medical examiner’s room. The old building had gotten a facelift, but some areas were further down the list than others when it came to the remodel. The basement, where they housed the morgue along with the autopsy room, would be the last to be updated. The floors were tiled with drains and the walls cement. Slabs of metal doors housed bodies until they were transported to their next location. A massive cooler held cadavers waiting for forensic pathology exams…a cast of characters for autopsies.

  He’d be speaking with the examiner to see what they’d been able to find. Unfortunately, without the woman’s missing hands, feet, or head, they’d be forced to look for identifying clues in other ways.

  With no tattoos, no unusual markings, no prints, no scars from surgery, and no dental records to go by, it felt like a dead end. Jane Doe might forever be laid to rest as Jane Doe.

  He hated not being able to name his victims. It left him hollow when he was unable to notify the deceased’s family. He’d check the list of missing people and see if anything matched up, but again, with only a mutilated body, there wasn’t a lot to go by other than skin color and maybe size.

  She’d been badly burned, though not completely charred. They could still identify the victim’s gender. Alex hated not knowing more. After enough time on the job, he figured he’d get over that part, but he never did.

  Dr. Kateri Toma was the hospital’s medical examiner and a board certified forensic pathologist. She’d been an asset to the community hospital for over ten years, having relocated from a bigger city and busier hospital. It allowed her more time to delve into each case, unlike the rapid turnover that was expected in more heavily populated areas.

  After discussing their victim with the examiner, they weren’t any closer to finding an identity. Sure, they’d run a DNA sample, but there were no time frames or guarantees. While advances had been made, the tedious nature of the testing took longer than they preferred. He hoped to find answers when the report came back. Frustrated, Alex thanked the examiner for her time, then traveled down the long hallway back to the portion of the hospital
dedicated to the living.

  The familiar buzz of the fluorescent lights hummed over them while in the dungeon of the hospital, but as he neared the first floor the sounds of the lights gave way to varying noises that carried from the emergency room.

  Normally, he’d cut through and catch up with a couple of acquaintances, but he was in no mood. Besides, things were abnormally busy. He turned the bend, about to head out the doors that led to the lobby when Amanda caught his arm.

  “Hey, are you okay?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Yeah. Just a crazy week. How are you doing?”

  “Good,” she answered. “Things are busy here too, but it makes the time go faster. I’ll see you around.”

  “Yeah. Hope the night smooths over for you soon,” he said, already lost in his world. The mysterious Jane Doe lingered in his mind, leaving him to question if they’d find the answers to not only who killed her, but why.

  As quickly as Amanda had grabbed his arm, she’d spun back into action and slid behind the curtain of one of her patients. She was a pistol in motion, always on the go. He’d seen her a few times when he’d have to make the journey to the emergency room, but other than some casual conversation, he didn’t know a lot about her. She was a pretty woman, and obviously capable as well as she handled the hospital floor, but tonight the only woman on Alex’s mind was Jane Doe.

  ***

  Only one other person would recognize the symbol on the jewelry that went missing. Only one. He’d spent two years with her hiding their affair, the same way that he’d currently been doing with Dawn. Would she be able to identify him if the necklace turned up? Would the engraved pendant tie him to the scene of the crime?

  No. He was overthinking things. Nobody would be any wiser. It was a simple thing. She could have dropped or lost her necklace anywhere. If somebody picked it up, they might see the inscription, but it gave nothing away. It didn’t tell them what he did to her or who he was.

  His stomach rolled.

  Killing her turned out to be the easiest part. It was dismembering her body and setting her on fire that took the most guts. He almost lost it, damn near vomited all over, but caught himself before he left the vile evidence of his own fluids behind. He swallowed down the bits of bile that wanted to regurgitate in a desperate bid to stay in the clear.

  Once he finished, he returned to her house. He needed to finish cleaning up and wiping off the last of his prints from the doorknobs before pulling out of the garage. When it was all said and done, he jerked the garage door down and wiped the handle as he’d done with everything else.

  He wouldn’t be back. His time there was over. He’d put the painful memory behind him and go forward. There was no other way.

  He’d done his best to cover his trail. Certain he’d made the task of identifying her more difficult, he went back about his life. There was some explaining he’d have to do about his late hours, but that would be easier than what he’d just dealt with.

  He needed to consider the other person he’d thought of as a potential threat. Honestly, she was the only one who could identify him via the symbol inscribed on the jewelry. If she couldn’t speak, he’d be in the clear.

  He closed his eyes. The idea of going through that again…

  No. It was too much.

  The longer he thought of it, though, the more sense it made. Amanda Gladstone would have to die. It was a shame he’d have to drag her into this mess. There was a sense of relief knowing that her demise would seal the deal. Nobody would understand the symbol if the necklace did turn up. He’d only ever used it twice. Dawn was dead. Amanda would be next.

  A rush pulsed through his veins, an unexpected jolt of electricity. Dawn’s death was different. He’d reacted quickly in a dreaded panic. He didn’t mean to kill her.

  Amanda, well, that would be different. He could take his time and plan things more carefully, making sure to do the job in the smoothest, cleanest manner.

  A thrill coiled around him like a spring. She’d be his next victim. A bubbling sense of power washed over him, bathing him in delight.

  Chapter 4

  It was a slow week. There’d been no news. When Dr. Toma finally got in touch with the Mason Ridge Police Department to notify them of her findings, Alex perked up. He eagerly went to discuss the case. They’d finally identified their victim.

  Dr. Toma was a direct woman with a soft jawline. Her thick, black hair fell past her shoulders when it wasn’t tied up and twisted into a bun. Most of the time, she spent her day scrubbed up and in protective gear. A hair net in place, booties over her shoes, and a thick apron were standard uniform.

  “Dr. Toma,” Alex started. “Thanks so much for your time. I heard the initial results. We still haven’t located the remainder of her body, so this was our only shot at identification.”

  “I understand how critical it is,” she said, nodding along as he spoke. “Looks like we’ve found our missing person here at the hospital, along with your victim’s identity. It’s such a tragic case.”

  He shook his head. “Yeah, I saw the report before heading over. She was an emergency room nurse right here. Did you know Dawn Lewis?”

  “On first name basis, but I didn’t know much about her otherwise. I’d see her around the building time to time, but as you know, most of my days are spent down below where the action occurs. I prefer the quieter nature of my work over the hustle of the emergency room.”

  “Wish it didn’t have to end this way,” he said. “It was a violent death.”

  “Yes, and it appears that the portion of her neck that remained, well…” she paused, trying to find a gentle way to finish. “Her windpipe was crushed not only from strangulation, but by a blunt instrument.”

  “Somebody wanted to make sure she wasn’t coming back to life,” he said. “Probably the grisliest case I’ve come across in my career. There’s a monster out there.”

  “Here’s the copy of the report you requested,” she said, pulling a file off her desk. “I’ve also sent a digital copy to your police station. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “Not at the moment, but I’ll know to come here first if I think of anything. Dr. Toma, you’ve been most helpful.”

  Kateri smiled softly. She was a humble woman, but it still was nice to be appreciated. “Detective Ramsey, I do wish you speed in solving this case. I hope not to see another one like this for a long while.”

  “Yeah, me too,” he said, glancing at the file in his hands. There were people to talk to and family to notify. Now that they had the confirmed identity of their victim, it moved their case forward.

  ***

  Alex avoided the elevator and took the stairs to the next level. The hum of activity grew as he pulled the door from the stairwell open. He walked down the hallway and settled on one of the benches to read the report. He’d heard the basics, but wanted to absorb everything he could. He’d go over it again and again, memorizing every tiny detail that his brain would allow.

  Alex leaned back against the cool tiled wall behind the bench and stretched his long legs out in front of him. As pleasant as Dr. Toma was, the basement was the one place he couldn’t see spending his career. He liked open spaces, natural light, and good cross ventilation. He breathed in deeply, as if the bleach-detergent cleaner that stuck to the floors and wall were fresh air. After being in the basement, it felt that way. It’s not that he was claustrophobic, but yeah…wide open spaces were more in his comfort zone.

  He’d wrap up at the hospital and grab a bite to eat. It would be a long day. He wasn’t doing himself any favors if he didn’t eat properly. He’d been fueled by coffee and little else on too many occasions to know he’d end up crashing hard without a little nutrition.

  There was a blunt instrument to find, people to interview, and a couple of scenes to check out. They’d need access to her house to see if there was any identifying information that was relevant to her case. Notifying her family was always a grim spot in the job, bu
t it had to be done. Then there was the wooded area of the park to return to. Could they have missed anything? They’d brought a search-and-rescue dog to the crime scene a couple of days back, but while the dog tracked her scent part-way toward the trail, it stopped abruptly at the parking lot.

  Why didn’t they have video footage of the parking lot in this day and age? They’d check for surveillance footage at nearby businesses and see if any cars were seen going by late at night. They’d slowly started the process, but often times the footage was looped over and erased after twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Or cameras were for show, a deterrent system not actually attached to a surveillance system.

  Amanda strolled through the hallway, taking a break from the day. She walked through the hospital when the weather was less cooperative. Sometimes a quick power walk was enough to revive her and clear her head. She’d tucked a granola bar into her pocket before she left home. It was a good go-to between her lunch and dinner. She dug into the pocket of her scrubs and pulled out the bar. Peeling the wrapper back, she took a bite, then started another round through the hallways.

  Lost in thought, she almost tripped over Alex’s outstretched legs. She started to stumble but caught herself. “Oh!”

  Alex jumped to his feet to help steady her. “I’m so sorry. I should have paid better attention to what was going on around me.”

  Amanda laughed. “You and me, both. I was thinking about one of my patients.”

  “Lucky patient,” he said with a grin.

  Amanda’s cheeks flushed rosy pink. “Detective Ramsey, are you flirting with me?”

  Alex gave her a schoolboy grin. “Guilty as charged.”

  She smirked, then grew tongue-tied. Finally, she forced words out. “What brings you back to the hospital?”