I shouldn’t have worried about her health. When I was led to Aunt Caroline’s curtained cubicle in the ER, I found her as feisty as ever, complaining about the service.
She had a few strips on the gash near her hairline, a wound that had rusted her snowy hair. The hospital gown couldn’t hide the purple bruises on her arms or the dried blood streaks on her neck. Good thing there were no mirrors in here.
Officer Price was with her, and I recognized the look on her face. I’d probably worn that same frustrated expression more than once after an hour with Aunt Caroline.
Price stood. “Glad you’re here. Your aunt isn’t willing to talk, and the longer she remains silent, the harder our job gets. Of course, perhaps she doesn’t remember much.”
“What do you think I am? Senile? I remember. But I will not speak of this incident in a public arena. And let me tell you both, there is nowhere more public than this place.”
I closed my eyes, sighing heavily. “Please tell the officer everything you know.”
Aunt Caroline folded her arms across her chest. “No.”
“That’s it,” Price said, clearly irritated. “I’ve offered to interview your aunt in a more private area, and she is an unwilling witness at this time. She wants to file a report, fine. She’s got my card.”
She walked out, and God, how I wanted to go with her. “That woman was trying to help you.”
Aunt Caroline closed her eyes, and I could tell her demeanor had completely changed. “I know. The police and the paramedics were wonderful, but I had to make her leave.”
“What?”
“You don’t understand. I’m being released. When that girl with the clipboard comes back with my paperwork, take me home and I’ll explain.”
“Are you crazy? You’re not going home. You can stay with me until-”
“If you want to find out what happened and why, Abigail, you will take me home.”
“What in hell is wrong with you?” I practically shouted. “You could have been killed today.”
“You have a gun. You can protect us. I have something very important to discuss with you.”
“Does this have to do with the person who hurt you? Because we can have that discussion at my house.” I could be as stubborn as she was.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Take me home or I will call a cab. I won’t be intimidated into leaving the house I’ve lived in for more than thirty years.”
The girl with the clipboard, who happened to be a nurse about my age, arrived with a cheery, “Ready to get out of here, Ms. Rose?”
That was when my aunt said yes and to call her a cab, because her niece didn’t want to be bothered with her.
I choked down my anger and said, “Have it your way. I’ll take you home. But not before I get someone to guard your house.”
“Don’t bother. That stupid, deceitful man won’t be back, if he knows what’s good for him.”
Uh-oh. The only deceitful person on her radar right now was Harrison Foster. Had he attacked Aunt Caroline?
The nurse, meanwhile, was going over the discharge instructions, but neither of us was listening.
“Have you called Kate?” Aunt Caroline asked.
This was worse than I imagined. How could I tell my sister that she was involved with-
“Have you called Katherine?” Aunt Caroline repeated.
“I wanted to wait until I had more information on your condition. Now I can tell her that even a blow to the head doesn’t knock you off course.”
“Very funny, Abigail. They wouldn’t let me use the phone or I would have called her myself. You must tell her to come to my house straightaway and not waste a minute.” She then turned to the nurse, who’d given up on trying to talk to either of us. “Now, young woman, where are my clothes?”
Once we were in my car, I tried Kate’s office and got the answering service. They were gone for lunch. I left a message for Kate to come over to Aunt Caroline’s if she could, that there had been a little mishap. I repeated the same message on Kate’s voice mail. Meanwhile, I had to somehow convince Aunt Caroline that I should be the one to tell Kate about Foster’s scam-but only after I made sure my aunt was protected.
“We’re not leaving this parking garage until I make certain you’re not attacked again.” But as soon as I called DeShay and got his voice mail, I remembered he would be in court today. There was White-but he might be following the notebook lead, and besides, I couldn’t see him agreeing to babysit an obstinate old woman. Jeff had more than enough on his hands, and that left only one person with the manpower I needed.
Aunt Caroline interrupted my thoughts. “Can’t you get that policewoman to sit outside the house?”
“You haven’t exactly been cooperative, and besides, the police are too busy to park outside your house for your convenience.”
When she didn’t snap back at me, I glanced at her. She had a thumb on her cheek and two fingers on her forehead.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“After they scanned and X-rayed me, they gave me Tylenol for this headache, but it’s coming back with a fury.”
I grabbed my purse and a bottled water from the backseat. I found the Advil and handed her two tablets and the water. I also pulled out Kravitz’s card. “One more call and I think we’re in business.”
“Do you have call waiting if Kate phones?”
“Yes, Aunt Caroline.” I was sure she’d much rather have the sympathetic niece with her now, instead of me.
“I need a favor,” I said when Kravitz answered.
“Which means you have something to offer in return, I take it?”
“Yes, but this favor has nothing to do with Emma’s case.”
“You expect me to believe that?” He was mocking, condescending, heck, pick your favorite unpleasant adjective.
I was tired of arguing with people. “I need one of your guys-Louie might work. My aunt was the victim of a burglary and assault today, and I’d like a deterring presence outside her house.”
“I like that. Deterring presence. What do you have for me in return?”
“When I see your man in place, I’ll call you back.” I gave him Aunt Caroline’s address and disconnected.
As I pulled out of the parking spot, I turned to her. “How’s the headache?”
“Splitting. If you’ve finished playing detective, could you please get me home? I’m sure your sister will be waiting for us.”
But we soon learned Kate hadn’t arrived yet. The print unit was just leaving, and Price and Rowe met us in the driveway. They again asked Aunt Caroline for a statement. She again refused. In her oh-so-effective dismissive tone, she said she had a headache and might feel up to reporting this crime later.
They both shrugged and Price said, “It’s your call.” Then they left.
Whoever Kravitz was sending hadn’t shown, so I took my gun from my glove compartment, then held Aunt Caroline’s elbow as I led her up the walkway. She didn’t protest. I noticed someone had been nice enough to board and duct-tape the broken window. Maybe Mr. Desmond or Rowe. Certainly not Officer Price, who was probably counting her blessings that Aunt Caroline wasn’t her relative.
“Please get me an ice pack, Abigail. A ginger ale, too. I have mixers under the wet bar…” She put a hand to her head and closed her eyes. “But, of course, you know that.”
“Yeah,” I said quietly. “I know where everything is.”
I helped her into the living room after we both removed our shoes. Why she opted for white carpet was beyond me. The living room was directly across the large marble foyer from the study.
Once Aunt Caroline was settled on her gold sofa, her feet propped on a matching ottoman, and I’d fetched her the ice and the ginger ale, she said, “Are you sure your phone is on? Kate should have at least called by now.”