Bad Karma (49 page)

“
As if,” the pregnant woman snarled. “You can’t get to go to heaven if you murder someone. Thou shalt not kill. Did you forget that one?”

Sky reached for the cubicle curtain and made as if to close it. “Please don’t upset her. Her blood pressure is already way too high.”

“
Don’t close the curtains,” Luther said.

Sky glared at him. “We’re not going anywhere. Don’t you think she deserves a little bit of privacy?” She closed the curtains in his face.

~*~

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Collision

Javier tried to stay calm. He didn’t feel calm. He took his cue from his friend, the sheriff.

Rafael’s pregnant wife and little girl were being held prisoner by a deranged man. He had to be feeling the effects of stress, but, other than an unusually grim set to his jaw, you wouldn’t know that he was personally involved. He held a terse conference with his deputies and they quickly disbursed, Darla to take a position on a stairway with a view overlooking the barricaded door. Adriano took a position in the other direction, ready to rush the door if it opened.

Javier didn’t see any signs of the door opening any time soon. He paced to the end of the loading dock, peering out into the blowing wind. The palm trees planted around the outer parking lot were blowing at an angle. The wind smelled like the Gulf, tangy and dank.

The last he’d heard, the hurricane stalled about seventy miles offshore. Its visible effects included blowing sand coming off the beach.

Javier ached to see Cassie. His fear that she could be injured or killed was offset by his feeling of impotence. Powerless to rescue her, he cast about for a solution to the problem.

He needed to open the door in order to reach Cassie. She was depending on him.

Javier walked back to where Rafael was standing. “What’s the plan?”

“
I’ve asked Ida to go through official channels to request that the electricity be shut down. That will allow us to unlock the rolling shutters and gain access from the front of the building.”

Javier frowned. “How long will that take?”

Rafael shook his head. He raked his fingers through his hair. “I have no idea.”

Javier felt like he was being crushed under a mountain of helplessness. He had to do something. He looked around the enclosed area where ambulances transported the ill and injured.

“
What are you thinking?” Rafael asked.

“
I’m thinking that you should help me take the doors off the mechanical room.”

~*~

Zach crawled along the air duct, trying to orient himself to the corridors and the emergency wing. He looked through each vent peering through the slats to determine if Sky and her captor were within.

The duct work was made of metal and wrapped in insulation. Chilled air was transported through the ducts. Zach hoped that the insulation and the sound of air whizzing through the vents would mask any noise he made.

He had become horribly confused as to direction. He gritted his teeth and silently cursed when he reached a dead end in the ductwork.

He sighed and backed up, crawling in reverse to a place where the passage was joined to another. He was able to turn and make his way in a different direction.

A low-pitched sound caught his attention. It was the sound of a woman’s voice. She sounded like she was in pain.

A trickle of fear swirled around Zach’s gut.

He’s hurting her.

~*~

Cassie pressed her face to the glass. She saw Rafael conferring with several deputies under the protected roof overhang. The flashing lights from their vehicles reflected off the concrete walls.

Rafael looked worried.

She didn’t want him to be worried. She wanted him to get the doors open and save Sky. Of course, Rafael was probably more concerned about rescuing Chloe and Lacy, but surely he could rescue Sky as well.

She could see Javi’s big red truck from her vantage point, but she couldn’t see him anywhere.
Come on Javi. Where are you?

Her gaze lit on Darla, positioned on the far side of the loading dock. She appeared to be standing up on something where she was elevated a few feet above the others. Cassie realized that Darla was watching her through the scope on some sort of rifle.

The fine hairs on the back of Cassie’s neck stood at attention, but she raised her hand to wave and Darla waved in return. Cassie swallowed hard.

Suddenly she spotted Javier. He approached Rafael and then Rafael accompanied him to a room on the side of the complex with its doors standing open. Javi and Rafael talked for a few minutes and then the big auburn haired deputy came with a sledgehammer and knocked the hinges off the doors.

She watched intently as the men dragged the two large metal doors toward the spot where she stood, behind the locked doors to the ER.

Javier looked up from his task and saw her standing on the other side of the glass. He dropped the heavy metal door and ran up the wheelchair ramp to stand on the other side, looking in at her.

He flashed a momentary grin and then a serious expression took over his face. “Cassie. Listen to me, baby. I want you to go away from these doors.” He motioned toward the front of the building. “I want you to go down the hall, past the corner and wait there for me.”

She stared at him through the glass.

“
Cassie, go on now. Run!”

~*~

Sky tried to shut out the thoughts of imminent death and focus on her task; to deliver Chloe’s baby and keep them safe.

Lacy had cried herself out and slept on an examination table with the side rails raised.

Chloe lay on her own examination table, gripping the side rails with both hands, a determined expression on her face. “I can’t!” she whispered fiercely.

“
Chloe, I was able to turn the baby and its head is in the right position. Try to relax and let me deliver it.”

“
No-o-o” she wailed tearfully. “I want my husband. He’s supposed to be here with me. We had it all planned.”

Sky bit her lip, trying to quell her fear. “I know, but things have changed. There’s a hurricane out in the Gulf and a crazy man in the exam room. We need to make sure this baby is delivered safely.”

“
I kno-o-ow,” she howled. “But I need Raffy.”

“
What’s going on in there?” Luther called.

“
None of your freakin’ business!” Chloe screamed.

Luther jerked the cubicle curtain back and scowled at her. “Don’t push me, lady.” He pointed the knife at her.

Chloe screamed, “Get out! Just get out of here!”

Luther wrapped his fingers around Sky’s forearm and jerked her out of the cubicle. “Stop stalling! Pry that kid out and let’s get this over with. You and me got an appointment.” He leaned close to her face, his breath hot against her cheek.

The blade of Luther’s knife scraped the skin on her neck.

Sky’s knees almost buckled underneath her. She swallowed convulsively.
Stop fearing him. He’s feeding on my fear
.

A metallic creak and the air-conditioner vent cover fell from overhead to crash to the floor behind them. She screamed as Zach leaped out of the ductwork and landed just behind Luther Franks. She thought her heart had stop when Luther lunged at Zach with the knife.

~*~

“
Are you sure about this?” Rafael stood beside the truck, his hands on the door.

Javier nodded. “I’m sure. It’s the quickest way to get inside. Stand back.”

Rafael stepped away from the vehicle, his brows drawn together in a frown.

Javier revved his engine and stared at his objective. The doors to the Emergency Room remained locked and he didn’t see any reason to waste more time waiting for some judge to issue an order.

He tightened his seatbelt and revved the engine again before flooring the gas pedal, his tires squealing against the concrete parking surface.

Javier aimed the truck toward the set of metal doors leaning against the raised concrete landing outside the Emergency Room entrance.

He sped up as he drew closer to the makeshift ramp, his only thought to save the women inside and free Cassie from her captor.

The shiny red truck raced up the ramp and crashed through the doors, stopping with its grill a foot into the wall beyond. The airbag exploded, sending particles of powder into the air. Javier tried not to inhale as he groped for his seatbelt.

Rafael and the deputies rushed inside with weapons drawn. Adriano dragged a battering ram.

“
Cassie!” Javier croaked.

~*~

Zach didn’t feel the knife graze his side, so intent was he upon his purpose. He heard Sky scream as Luther lunged toward him.

Zach grabbed Luther’s wrist and pulled him forward, sidestepping the thrust of the knife. He flipped Luther around and wrapped his forearm around Luther’s throat. He released Luther’s arm and gave his head a sharp twist to the left.

Luther went limp in his arms.

Sky screamed again, covering her mouth with both hands.

The door to the examination burst open. Rafael and Adriano rushed inside, with Darla on their heels.

Adriano wrestled Luther Franks from Zach’s grasp and he slid to the floor.

Rafael held his gun pointed at the fallen stalker.

Adriano knelt down and felt for a pulse. He glanced up at Rafael and shook his head. “Dead.”

Rafael kicked the knife away and holstered his weapon before rushing to Chloe’s side.

Darla slapped Zach on the shoulder. “Way to go, little brother!” She pulled on a latex glove and picked up the knife by its blade.

As if in a daze, Zach stared at the dead man, his heart still pulsing his entire body. He looked at Sky, expecting her to turn away from him. Instead, his heart gave a leap as she rushed to his arms.

She clung to him, shaking as she said his name over and over.

Her fear overcame his own as he sought to comfort her. He stroked his hand down her back. “It’s okay, Sky. You’re safe. I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you.”

She drew back and examined her shaking hand. “You’re bleeding. He stabbed you!”

“
I’m okay,” he insisted, but she was raising his shirt to examine his side. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“
Thank God! It’s just a scrape.” She threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight. “I couldn’t bear it if you got hurt.”

He snorted, holding her close. “You were the one in danger. It was you he wanted to kill.”

“
But he didn’t, thanks to you.” She gazed up into his eyes. “I love you so much, but I have to deliver a baby right now.”