The Deception (37 page)

"Billie! I'm so glad you're here." Carrie reached out and Billie took her hand. "I don't understand what's happening. Why would anyone want to do this to me?"

"Calm down, it'll be alright. That's what we're trying to find out. Because this happened on federal property the
FBI
will be in charge of the investigation, so I've volunteered to come talk to you. I'll need to ask you some questions, and as soon as they bring you a gown I'm going to have to take your dress and your blazer."

"Why?"

"It's evidence." Billie reached over and stroked Carrie's hair. "Besides, they're ruined anyway. They're torn and they have some bloodstains."

Someone brought in a hospital gown and Billie carefully helped her out of the dress. She quickly sealed it into the evidence bag and helped Carrie into the gown. While she was interviewing her, the doctor came in. He introduced himself as Dr. Patrick Arnold.

"You're a very lucky young lady," he said as he examined her injury. "We'll have to clean out the wound and bandage you up. You'll be a little sore for a few days and it'll leave a scar, otherwise you'll be fine."

"That's good, but what about the baby?"

"That's our main concern right now. As soon as you're bandaged, we'll need to check your cervix to be sure you're not bleeding or dilating. If not, then it's a good sign, and we'll know how far you're along. I also want to do an ultrasound, just to be sure the baby's all right."

"You and me both. I'm not going to lose my baby, am I?"

"Not if I have anything to do with it." He reached down and touched her arm. "I've seen pregnant women go through far worse injuries than yours and still deliver healthy babies. However, we'll need to keep a close watch on you to make sure nothing happens, so after we're done here, you'll be admitted." He looked over at Billie. "Are you about done? We need to start treating her."

"I can come back later, and Carrie, congratulations."

"Thanks. Billie, would you please call Alex? He needs to know that I'm all right."

"Will do. I'll be back in a little while."

Billie stepped out and the doctor went to work. He confirmed that she was indeed about nine weeks along, and she let out a big sigh of relief as soon as he told her he saw no sign of a possible miscarriage. Afterwards, he stepped out, saying a technician would be coming later on to do the ultrasound. The nurse asked if she wanted anyone to be with her while it was being done.

"Yes," she said. "Please go get my friends."

Billie soon returned to the room, bringing Steve with her. He reached down and took her hand.

"I've called Allison. Her last class ends at three and after that she'll come straight to the hospital."

"Thanks, Steve. Where's Alex?"

"The court building's still in lockdown, so I sent him a text message and I left a message on his voice mail."

"Has he returned either message?"

"Not yet."

"Damn. He must have turned off his phone."

Billie continued interviewing Carrie, and about an hour later the technician came in with the ultrasound machine. She asked them to stay with her, but Steve felt out of place. She then asked if he would mind checking on Jonathan.

"What's this about him being your father? George McCormick is here and he says it's true, but he won't give me any details. He just said that Jonathan's family is on the way from Tucson and they'll explain it all when they get here."

"I'm just as surprised as you are. I've always felt a connection to him, but I had no idea we were related. He must be the one who paid my legal bill."

Steve stepped out. The technician squeezed the gel on Carrie's belly and started the ultrasound. Billie reached down and held her hand.

"There's the baby." The technician pointed it out on the screen. "The heartbeat appears to be normal, and I'll be taking some measurements." She took her time, pointing out the little fingers and toes.

"He looks like you," said Billie.

"No, he looks like Alex."

"You're a mama now, Baby Girl." Billie squeezed her hand. "So, how do you feel?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know how to describe it, really. It's a miracle. I'm so grateful the baby's okay."

"Okay and perfectly healthy," added the technician. "And you're right, you're in your ninth week. This little person, however, is completely unscathed. Probably slept through the whole thing. Oh, look at that. The baby's moving and stretching."

Carrie marveled as she watched her baby move. "Alex says his family always seems to have boys, but we've decided to wait until the baby's born. We want it to be a surprise."

The technician soon finished. "If you'll give me your email address, I'll send you a copy of the sonogram. Then you can show it to the father later on."

Carrie thanked her and gave her the email address. After she left, Carrie was taken upstairs to her room. Billie came along with her. Much to her relief, she was put in a private room. A police officer was standing outside the door.

"Jonathan Fields will be in the room next to yours," explained Billie, "that way the rest of the family will have easy access to both of you.  However, you'll both be under police guard, so please let us know who to allow into your room."

"Good heavens, Billie. You're making it sound like I'm a prisoner here."

"No, you're not a prisoner, but until the shooter is apprehended, we have to keep the two of you safe. We also have to keep reporters, paparazzi, and other stalkers away from you. You need your privacy, Carrie, and trust me, in a high profile case like yours, people can and will show up to harass you."

Steve soon arrived, and this time Allison was
with him. Billie took her leave
while they helped her settle in. Carrie tried to call Alex, but she too got his voice mail, so she sent him a text message. It was nearly four o'clock and she'd been at the hospital for a couple hours. Hopefully, he'd call back soon. She handed her keys over to Allison, asking her to go to the house and bring her an overnight bag.

* * *

Alex's impromptu conference took place in a small, windowless room in a quiet part of the court building. While they were talking they'd heard an alarm going off. Donald shrugged it off, saying he'd heard talk that they'd been having problems recently with false alarms. They had been discussing the Gillespie case for sometime before he finally looked at his watch.

"Guess what? It's almost four o'clock. We've been here over two hours and my phone is still turned off. I'd better call my office before they send a search party."

"Same here," said Donald. "I'll talk to my client and let him know what we discussed."

"Me too."

Alex put on his coat and powered up his phone. It beeped, letting him know he had voice mail and text messages. He would have to check them later. The two men walked to the elevator together, and both were surprised at what they saw when the doors opened on the ground floor. A large crowd had filled the atrium and yellow crime scene tape blocked the exits.

"Uh-oh, guess it wasn't a false alarm after all," said Donald. "Looks like they've locked down the building."

Alex looked around the atrium. He couldn't see Carrie anywhere, but he soon spotted Reggie, standing near the exit. As he got closer to her, he noticed she was with a small group of people gathered around someone's electronic tablet. He noticed she was crying, and the people standing near her, including Jack Collins, were trying to console her.

"Reggie? Are you all right?"

"Oh my God. Alex, where have you been?"

"I was upstairs talking to Donald Morrison about the Gillespie case. We just got done. Where's Carrie? What's going on?"

"Come with me. We need to talk." Reggie took him by the hand and led him back to the elevators.

"Reggie, what's wrong."

"I'll explain in a minute." She waited for an elevator. As soon as one arrived they stepped inside and headed back up. "Take me to wherever you were talking with Donald. It's obviously a private room."

"You're scaring the living hell out of me, Reggie. What's wrong? Where's Carrie?"

The elevator doors opened and Alex led her back to the room where he and Donald had their conference. Reggie closed the door behind her and told Alex to sit down as she fought back the tears.

"Alex, I took Carrie downstairs, just like you told me to do. We were near the door, when my phone rang. My oldest had a minor emergency, so I was going to pick him up. I asked Jonathan if he'd mind giving her a ride back to the office. He said he would."

"I see, go on."

Reggie was started crying again. She reached into her purse for another tissue, before pulling her tablet out of her briefcase.

"This is all my fault, Alex. I should have gone with her."

"What do you mean, Reggie?"

"Jonathan and Carrie had just left the building. I stayed behind to call Brenda to let her know that I wouldn't be back in the office, but before the call went through I heard this loud popping noise from outside. It was gunfire. Some woman out in the plaza had a gun, and she opened fire."

Alex's heart skipped a beat. He felt a chill running down his spine.

"My God. Reggie, where's Carrie?"

Reggie didn't respond. She began crying harder.

"Where's Carrie, Reggie?"

"She's gone, Alex."

"What do you mean, she's gone?"

"Carrie, Jonathan, and Scott Andrews were the three people who were shot. I saw it happen with my own eyes."

"No!" The color was draining from Alex's face.

"They rushed them all to Sonoran Southwest." She punched up a live Internet feed to Channel Seven on her tablet. "The news just broke the story a few minutes ago. They're saying Carrie didn't make it, Alex. I'm so sorry."

"What! No way! Let me see that."

Reggie handed her tablet to Alex. He stared at the screen in stunned disbelief. They were showing clips of Carrie's old Mercer's Market
s
commercials. A minute later they showed the head shot from her website, with her name, and the years of her birth, and death, underneath.

"Alex?"

He didn't respond.

"Alex!"

"Go home, Reggie."

"Are you all right?"

"I said go home. Here's you tablet." He pushed it across the table toward her.

"Okay, Alex. I'll leave you alone for a little while. I'll come back and check on you later."

"Whatever, Reggie."

She headed to the door.

"Who's the shooter?" Alex's voice sounded mechanical.

"They think it's Maggie Andrews."

"Well, of course it's Maggie Andrews. Some fool was dumb enough to release the stupid bitch from jail, and I'll have that someone's ass before I'm through. I'm personally going to see to it the bitch gets the hot needle. Have they found her yet?"

"Not yet. That's why we're still in lockdown."

"Well, that's just great. So I'm being held hostage by the Keystone Cops."

Alex's phone went off. He thought about ignoring it, but the caller
ID
revealed it was his mother calling. He took the call as Reggie stepped out and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, Mom, what's happening?"

"Alex, we just heard about Carrie. It's on the news here. Your father and I are booking a flight to Phoenix that leaves Las Vegas in two hours. We'll be there as quick as we can."

"Thanks, Mom." Alex's voice was starting to break. "Hurry, I need you."

"We're on our way, son. We'll call you as soon as we land."

Alex's phone beeped. It was a warning that the battery was nearly drained.

"Mom, before you go... I don't think you knew this, but Carrie was pregnant. I've lost them both."

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry. Alex, if you need any--"

Her sentence abruptly ended. The battery on Alex's phone had just run out. He set it on the table, pushing it aside as he laid his head down and buried his face in his arms. He emerged from the room a half hour later.

Courthouses have rooms and corridors off limits to the public, but used by staff, police and attorneys. Alex headed down such a corridor, taking a service elevator to the underground parking facility where the Camaro was waiting. He climbed in, fired up the engine and made his exit. He soon found the road off blocked by two patrol cars. One of the officers approached as he stopped. Alex recognized him.

"Hey, Robert, how's it going?"

"Been a hell of a day, Alex, but I think they're about to wrap things up and let people out of the building."

"Found the shooter yet?"

"Not yet, but apparently they're getting close. As least they've cleared the area here."

"Hey, could you do me a favor and let me through? I've got a family emergency I need to take care of."