Chapter74
THEY HAD BROUGHT MITZI GARDINERfrom the hospital in Trammel to the one in Burlington. Both women were in the same room so that their protection could be consolidated. Policemen and state troopers were arrayed around the hospital and outside their room. Across the street, counter-snipers were posted to prevent anyone from taking a long-range shot at the women.
Decker, Lancaster, and Mars were waiting outside the room because they had been told that Rachel Katz seemed to be coming around.
A few moments later, Natty showed up with Pete Childress and Captain Miller. Childress looked chastened and anxious, Miller grim and focused. Childress glanced at Lancaster, but would not look at Decker.
“Natty told me all the work you’ve done on this, Mary. Good job. In Burlington!I can hardly believe this crap is going on.”
Lancaster said firmly, “Decker’s done most of it, Superintendent. Without him, we’d be in the dark about everything.” Childress seemed to wince a bit at her words.
He finally looked at Decker and nodded curtly. “Right, yes. Well, that’s good, Decker. I’m, uh, I’m glad to see that you’ve been of assistance to the department.”
“Maybe you can put a good word in for me with my obstruction case,” replied Decker.
This time Childress perceptibly flinched. “Yes, well.” He cleared his throat heavily. “I think that won’t be a problem.”
Miller added, “I’msureit won’t be. We’re dismissing the charges, Amos.”
“Good to know.”
“Okay,” said Childress. “Is she ready to talk yet?”
“Let’s go see,” said Decker.
They all trooped into the room. The beds were right next to each other, with Katz on the left and Gardiner on the right.
Gardiner had not regained consciousness. She looked like she was resting peacefully. Decker glanced at Katz. She was moaning slightly and seemed to be moving around a bit, as though she were in pain.
“Well?” said Childress sharply. He was pacing nervously around the room. “Is she going to talk, or did I get called down here for no reason?”
“The doctor’s heading in momentarily,” said Lancaster.
Childress kept pacing and shaking his head. He looked up at Decker. “I know the FBI’s in town. Have they made any progress on this?”
“Not that I know of,” said Decker. “The spy ring got flushed out but had exit plans in place, it seems.”
“I understand that Brad Gardiner managed to slip away from you,” said Childress, a note of gleeful triumph in his tone.
“He managed to slip away from a lot of people,” said Lancaster defensively.
Childress glared at her. “I don’t think Decker, of all people, needs anyone to stand up for him, Mary.”
“I made a mistake,” conceded Decker. “But in my defense, Mitzi Gardiner was shooting at me at the time.”
This statement seemed to take all the fire out of Childress. “Yeah, I guess I would have probably lost him too under those circumstances.” He looked at Lancaster. “Where’s the doctor?”
A moment later a female physician dressed in blue scrubs walked in and greeted them.
Decker said, “How is she?”
“Ms. Katz is stable. And we’re weaning her off the pain medication slowly. There was a great amount of internal damage done. More than we thought initially. She had a very close call.” She glanced at the monitor next to Katz’s bed. “I can’t guarantee anything as far as her being communicative. But let me just make clear that her physical well-being is my chief concern. And if I see any adverse reaction in my patient, I will cut this off instantly. Understood?”
Childress didn’t seem pleased by this but nodded and said gruffly, “Understood. Can we push forward, then? Because this is important.”
The doctor went over to the machine hooked to the IV and manipulated some of the controls. A minute went by and nothing happened. Then Katz began to stir. Everyone drew closer when her eyes fluttered open, though they nearly instantly closed.
While the doctor was watching her closely, Katz opened her eyes once more and slowly looked around. When her gaze alighted on Mars she smiled tenderly.