A Second Chance at Murder (19 page)

T
he driver didn't take kindly to my telling him to crash through the rock wall on the other side of the bridge, but when Cheryl got in his face, he did it without question.

Becca dialed Sergio and Montserrat, explaining the situation and asking them to meet us at the Huesca hospital.

I grabbed the phone from her. “Sergio, can you call the hospital and ask them to place a security guard at Scott's door?”

He was silent a moment.

“Sergio?”

“I can try, Georgia, but it's not likely I'll be able to reach anyone at the hospital, and if I do, they probably won't be able to spare the staff to guard the door.”

I groaned.

“I'll do my best,” Sergio said.

“Thank you!”

When I hung up Cooper said, “I didn't think it was him.”

“What?” I asked.

“All this time. I didn't know it was him. I hooked up with that woman. You were right about that and she told me after that she had a boyfriend. I thought it was Scott. I thought he killed her and took off. That's why I didn't tell you anything. I figured soon enough you'd figure out that the guy had been two-timing you, but I didn't want to be the one to break your heart.”

Becca's mobile phone rang and she passed it to me. “Looks like it's Sergio.”

I picked up and Sergio's voice filled the line. “Georgia! I finally got through to the hospital. They agreed. They won't allow visitors. They're waiting for me, okay? I'm ten minutes away.”

We hung up just as Cheryl screamed at the driver, “Get that pedal to the metal!”

After a few more minutes of speeding down the interchange a yellow car came into view.

“That's him!” Dad shouted.

“Run him off the road!” Cheryl said.

The driver gave a terrified, “
¿Que?
” while the crew shouted out their protests.

“Let's not get carried away,” Cooper said. “Todd and I got reasons to live now!”

The bus lumbered toward the yellow car. My heart raced as we all scrambled to the right side of bus to get
a better view of the car. Cooper yanked down a window and began shouting inaudible jeers at the vehicle.

The car had the top up and a huge scratch on the side and it somehow looked different.

“
No es, no es,
” the driver said.

“It's not him!” Becca screamed.

The yellow car was an older version of the flashy convertible SEAT Cheryl had rented. Behind the wheel of the little yellow car was an older woman. Suddenly, the air came out of us, as we collapsed back into our seats dejected.

The hospital was still a few kilometers down the road and I took solace in the fact that Sergio had gotten through to them and they had promised no visitors.

As soon as we pulled into the main parking lot, I sprinted off the bus while it circled looking for parking. Dad and Becca were right behind me, but my legs had new energy and I was unstoppable.

I heard Dad joke to Becca, “Man, if only she could have run like that an hour ago, I'd be a quarter of a millions dollars richer.”

I barreled through the front doors of the hospital, smashing directly into an orderly. He grabbed me and said, “
¡Tranquila!
” followed by a rush of Spanish I didn't understand.

I shook my head, indicating I didn't speak Spanish. “It's an emergency,” I said. “I have to see Scott Tailor.”

The orderly looked alarmed and held his arms out blocking further entry into the hospital.
“No, no, no! No se permiten visitantes.”

I didn't have to speak Spanish to know he'd just put the kibosh on my visiting Scott. “No! That's not meant for me! I'm okay! It's—”

Dad and Becca trailed me into the hospital shouting, “The SEAT's here! Parked in the lot. He's here.”

I pushed past the orderly and sprinted down the hall to Scott's room. The orderly dove for me, tackling me and knocking the wind out of me. I fell forward, breaking my fall with my hands but twisting my bad ankle awkwardly.

Dad grabbed the orderly, and suddenly a rush of staff was in the hall, everyone screaming and shouting at each other. Cooper and Todd joined us in the crowded hallway and I scrambled to my feet.

Cooper caught up with me. “What room's he in?”

“This way!” I said, darting past the nurses' station where Sergio had asked about Scott the night before. Thankfully, it was now abandoned with the commotion we'd just caused down the hallway. Cooper and I ducked down a narrow passageway, both of us limping and in pain, hobbling as fast as our battered bodies would allow.

Down the hallway, I could see someone in scrubs leaving Scott's room. “That's him!” I yelled.

Juan Jose turned to see us, his eyes wide. He jolted as if electrocuted and rushed away from us. Cooper and I shuffled after him.

A voice from behind us called out, echoing off the walls. “Hey, hey! Stop!” It was another hospital staff member, he looked imposing and ready to stop us at all costs.

“I have to get to Scott,” I said to Cooper.

Cooper, now trotting awkwardly, said, “You go. I got Juan Jose. He ain't getting away from me!”

I reached Scott's door just as the staffer grabbed me.

Another pair turned down the corridor, screaming in rapid Spanish. Montserrat and Sergio.

“Juan Jose went that way,” I said to Sergio. He nodded and took off after Cooper and Juan Jose. “Let me go!” I said to the staffer.

Montserrat showed her badge to the man and while she explained something in Spanish to him, he released me.

I pushed open the door to Scott's room. It was dark and deathly silent.

“Scott!” I yelled out.

He lay stiff and unmoving under the stark hospital sheet. Tears sprang to my eyes.

“Scott!” I repeated.

All the tubes that been in place the night before were still in place. The IV, the respirator, the catheter, but something was wrong. The room was too quiet and dark.

I realized with a jolt a box was at the foot of the bed. The backup battery to the respirator had been removed and discarded, the respirator unplugged from the wall.

I screamed and rushed to plug the machine back into the wall. It let out an angry beep and a flash of red lights, but nothing else happened. I scrambled to the door, opened it and shouted for help. Dad and Becca were already making their way down the long corridor. “Get a doctor! Stat!” I yelled.

Becca heard me first and turned and ran back away
from me. Dad ran toward me. “What's happened? What is it?”

Dad joined me in the room, where I was huddled over Scott, feeling helpless. The same doctor from the night before rushed into room, instructing us to stand back.

I wept into Dad's shoulder. More staff crowded the room, and Dad pulled me out into the hallway. Becca and Cheryl joined us.

“Sergio and Cooper got him,” Cheryl said.

It was little consolation to me now. I only wanted Scott to breathe. Dad explained to them what had happened, while I paced the hallway. After a moment, a staffer emerged from Scott's room and ushered us toward the waiting room.

I collapsed into the hard plastic chair and prayed.

Becca eyed the vending machine nearby and squeaked out, “Anyone want a Coke?”

I ignored her, but she squeezed my hand. “You probably haven't eaten anything all day.”

“I'm not hungry.”

Dad stood and bought us all Cokes.

The doctor appeared in the waiting room. I stood and walked to him, but he glanced around nervously.

My stomach dropped.

“
¿Dónde está la policía?
” the doctor asked.

I realized he needed someone to translate. “Get Sergio or Monse,” I said to Becca.

She sprang to her feet and left the room.

The doctor held my hand, smiling and patting it reassuringly. “
Está vivo
.”

I knew enough Spanish to understand what the doctor had said.

Scott was alive!

Thank God, he was alive!

Becca returned with Sergio in tow. He had a long conversation with the doctor and finally turned to us. “Scott seems to be recovering nicely. Luckily, the coma-inducing medication had already been reduced. And while he's not completely breathing on his own, when Juan Jose disconnected the respirator, Scott still had enough lung capacity to take some shallow breaths. It was lucky Georgia got here in time. Anymore of a delay and we would have been too late.”

My knees felt weak and I leaned into Dad for support.

“It's okay, honey. It's okay,” Dad said, rubbing my back.

“Is he going to be all right?” I asked.

“The doctor said it's still too early to tell, but all the signs look really good,” Sergio said. “He'd like to keep the respirator on overnight as the medication is still in his system. In the morning, Scott will be more awake and he'll be able to answer some questions.”

“Can I see him?” I asked.

Sergio turned to the doctor and translated my question, but he shook his head saying, “
Mañana
.”

•   •   •

S
ergio had to leave us to help Montserrat with Juan Jose. He squeezed my hand and leaned in close to me. “I will come later to the B&B.”

“What about my car?” Cheryl called after him.

He turned on a heel and smiled at her. “I'm sorry, you will have to go back on the bus. The police are confiscating the SEAT.”

“What?”

Sergio winked. “There could be evidence in there. I have to test it on the interchange and see what flies out!”

Cheryl snarled at him, but he only chuckled as he left the waiting room.

Dad, Cheryl, Becca, and I piled into the bus. Cooper was entertaining the crew with his version of Juan Jose's capture. He acted out an overly dramatic slow-motion rendition of his dive to stop the killer in his tracks. The crew was riveted. Especially Kyle, who screamed out with laughter at everything Cooper said and like a small child kept saying, “Again! Tell the story again.”

Harris was silently sulking at not being the center of attention and taking great interest in the state of his cuticles.

Dad and Cheryl sat together and I took the seat behind them. Becca was ready to slide in next to me, when Cooper reached out with one of his big frying pan hands and blocked her.

“Are you trying to steal my best friend?” Becca asked.

“Nah, sweetness,” Cooper said. “Georgia has room in her heart for all of us.”

He scrunched in next to me, leaving Becca to sit with Todd.

“It didn't really happen like I said,” Cooper admitted.
“Your cop friend tackled him. But I got a reputation to uphold.”

I laughed. “It's okay, Coop. They got him, that's the important thing. And you're still my MVP, no matter what.”

He shrugged. “I feel bad I didn't let you win. I was thinking after this show airs, with that bit at the monastery, I think I can land an insurance sponsor. You know? You're in good hands with Cooper, or something like that.”

I chuckled. “I'm sure that will happen anyway. I mean if Cheryl doesn't leave that bit on the cutting room floor.”

Cheryl's head flung around so fast, I thought we'd have to go back into the hospital for whiplash. “Leave that bit on the cutting room floor! Are you kidding me? Boy, we are going to top the charts!”

“Where's our bus driver?” Becca asked.

“I think he went to play cards over there,” Kyle said, pointing to a small cantina across the street.

“Oh, for goodness sake!” Cheryl said. “Can't these Spaniards go a few hours without tapas?”

“I want to live here,” Dad said wistfully.

A white van with a gray satellite dish on top and the Aragón Televisión logo emblazoned on the side of it pulled up next to our bus. From the passenger side, a dark-haired woman with a microphone in her hand rushed out.

“Oh! It's the press!” Cheryl said, jumping to her feet. “Give me a moment. We're not only going to the top the charts. We're going to be an international sensation!”

After a moment, our driver left the cantina; the remnants of a chorizo sandwich still in his hand. He boarded the bus, popping the rest of the sandwich in his mouth, and then patted his ample belly with his free hand and gave us a happy smile.

Cheryl followed him onto the bus after chatting with the reporter. The bus started up and we tore off in the direction of the B&B.

O
nce at the B&B, I phoned Scott's mother, Bernice, and filled her in on the latest developments. She was overjoyed that we'd found Scott, but understandably concerned about his head injury. I reassured her that I'd phone her back after I visited with him in the morning.

Downstairs in the bar area, the remaining cast and crew were all gathered around, dressed in white clothes and already enjoying pitchers of
sangría
.

Cooper had his leg elevated and I limped over to join him.

The senora appeared with a bag of ice for each of us and the same ointment from the other night.

“This stuff is magic,” I said to Cooper slathering it on my ankle.

Cooper was happy to apply some on his knee, but said he thought whiskey would help more.

At that point the door to the bar swung open and Sergio stepped in. Cooper excused himself and Sergio sat next to me.

“We got a confession from him,” Sergio said. “It was as you thought. Juan Jose was in love with Annalise. She had snuck out to camp to visit him, but was more charmed by Cooper than Juan Jose.”

He swiveled in his chair to look at Cooper, who was downing a whiskey and singing off-key with Dad.

“It's easy to see why, isn't it?” I joked.

Sergio laughed. “Well, Juan Jose figured it out, had a fight with Annalise, then Scott came upon them. He tried to stop Juan Jose, but it didn't work out. Juan Jose stole his phone and passport. Thought he left them both for dead. He was surprised in the morning to realize that Scott wasn't dead alongside Annalise. He figured the only way to get us to stop searching for him was to send you a message pretending he was Scott and telling you it was over.”

“It might have worked, but he sent the message to my dad,” I said.

Sergio shrugged. “He didn't know that. He actually blamed me. Said if I was a better Casanova I could have distracted you from Scott and you would have let go of the investigation.”

I laughed. Sergio laughed, too, putting a hand on his heart as if part of him were wounded.

I sipped my
sangría
. “I wouldn't worry about it. I think you're a pretty damn fine Casanova.”

He waved a hand around to dismiss the thought, but I persisted. “Monse thinks so, too.”

He stood. “
Ay, Monse
. She's real trouble. Not like you.”

“Me? What? I'm fake trouble?”

He leaned in close. “No. You are very real. How's your ankle? Better?”

I shrugged. “It's healing, I think.”

“It better be, tonight is our last night together and I still need to teach you how to dance the Jota.”

“What about Miguel?” I asked.

“He saw a picture of Annalise that Juan Jose had on his phone. He confronted him. It was just a matter of time, so Juan Jose had to get rid of him.”

“There something I haven't told you,” I said. “Scott's phone was in Miguel's room. I figured it was a setup of some sort so I took it. I'm sorry.” Shame burned at my cheeks and I lowered my head.

Sergio sighed. “I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Stealing evidence is illegal and I think if I arrest you now your father or his lady friend Cheryl might kill me. He smiled and then ambled up to the bar, between Cheryl and Dad. He requested his own drink. Becca came to sit with me. “Cheryl's going to work on him. Try to soften him up,” she said.

“Try to soften who up?” I asked.

“Sergio.”

“About what?” I asked.

“About featuring him in a show.”

I laughed so hard, I choked. Several people turned to look at me. When they'd turned away, I said, “Come on. He's not going to do a show. He's a cop.”

Becca gave me a look. “So were you!”

“It's different. She can't be serious.”

“Oh, she's serious all right. And it's too bad you and Gordon didn't win. I know you need the money. Maybe we can come up with an all-star show or something.”

“Bite your tongue!” I said.

Just then, Dad, Cheryl, and Sergio joined us at my table. Followed by Cooper, Todd, Kyle, and Harris. The senora began to play some cheerful music on the stereo and then joined us, too.

“We've finally been given clearance to leave Spain,” Cheryl said to Becca.

“Not yet,” Sergio said, grabbing my hand. “This is
La Jota Aragonesa
. No one can leave Spain, until you all learn it!”

The senora grabbed Dad and the others followed suit, grabbing the closest available partner. Sergio put his arms up and led us in the joyful bouncing dance. And for the first time in what seemed like a long time, I
was
joyful. I knew Scott would be all right and I was filled with appreciation for the new friends I'd made and so very happy to be surrounded by the people I loved.