Her Silent Cry

Fifty-Seven

Mettner drove Josie to Denton Memorial Hospital where they ran a battery of tests and cleared her for duty. She was still sore and had several other bruises and cuts on her body from her tumble down the mountain that she hadn’t noticed before, but she felt clearer-headed than she had earlier. She told the doctor about her ongoing nausea and he told her it was likely stress, gave her an anti-nausea drug and told her to follow up with her regular doctor if it continued. Script in hand, Josie found the elevators and went up to the fifth floor where she found Gretchen pacing outside the surgical waiting room.

“Hey,” Gretchen said. “I was worried. You okay?”

Josie hugged her middle, which still felt as though she’d done one thousand sit-ups. “I’m fine. Thanks. Any news on Amy?”

Gretchen shook her head. “Still waiting.”

Through the windows, they could see Colin seated between two FBI agents in the waiting room. Gray stubble covered his face. He leaned forward in his chair, elbows on the tops of his legs, his hands steepled together in prayer under his chin. His mouth moved although neither of the agents with him seemed to be responding to anything he said.

As if reading her mind, Gretchen said, “He’s praying.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Josie muttered. “Have you heard from Oaks?”

“He’s still out at the mill. Between there and the high school it’s a big scene to process.”

“Have they ID’d the female?” Josie asked.

Gretchen said, “Not yet. They’re working on it.”

“What about the money?”

“It’s still sitting where the Rosses left it. Oaks put two agents on each package to watch. If anyone approaches, they’ll be detained.”

“That’s good,” Josie said. “But that money can’t sit in the middle of Denton East’s football field indefinitely.”

“Right,” Gretchen agreed.

“We should leave it there until after the time passes for him to give Lucy back though.”

“You really think he’s going to return her?” Gretchen asked.

Nausea kicked up in her stomach again. “No,” Josie said. “I don’t think he will. I think this is all about hurting Amy and as long as she’s still alive, he will want to keep torturing her. Did you talk to Violet Young?”

“Not yet,” Gretchen said. “The doctors were working on her, running tests.”

“I’ll try to speak with her,” Josie said. Her phone chirped. She looked at the text message. “That’s Oaks. He’s downstairs in the morgue with Dr. Feist. I’m going to head down there first. Then we’ll see if we can talk with Violet. You stay here. Keep me posted.”

“You got it, boss.”