Lisa Scottoline - Save Me

“You left my daughter.” Eileen kept coughing. “I’d give my life for hers any day.”

Rose sawed through the rope, thinning it. She yanked, and it broke, then she started to cut and unravel the rest.

“Bastards.” Eileen squirmed and shimmied, struggling to free herself. “They killed Bill. They were gonna kill me when Mojo got back. I bet he took off.”

“No, he didn’t.” Rose snipped the last rope, flashing on that awful sight. “He’s dead.”

“How?” Eileen bent over and undid the tape on her left ankle. “In the fire?”

“More or less.” Rose bent down and ripped the tape off of her right ankle.

“Sorry I hit you, but you deserved it.” Eileen jumped up and shook off the pieces of rope.

“I’ve had better apologies, but let’s get out of here. I’ll show you the way, once we get outside.”

“Gimme a break. I know this plant like the back of my hand.” Eileen scooted out the door, with Rose on her heels.

Rose and Eileen raced around the corner of the plant toward the lights and activity in front. The campus was in a state of emergency, abuzz with motion, shouting, and sirens. The air reeked of burned rubber, plastic, and oil. Black smoke leaked from the exhaust vents and stacks on the plant’s roof, sending sparks and cinders into the night sky. Thirty-some firetrucks were already fighting the fire, raging at the opposite side of the plant. Firefighters in heavy coats with reflective stripes ran this way and that, hauling thick hoses that lay on the asphalt like a snakes’ nest.

Rose and Eileen ran toward the access road, parked up with state police cruisers, ambulances, black sedans, and boxy white newsvans, forming an improvised cordon between the burning plant and the Homestead corporate offices. A massive crowd filled the corporate parking lot, and Rose and Eileen hurried toward it, out of harm’s way.

Tears filled Rose’s eyes when she realized that they were finally safe, and all she could think about was Leo and the kids. She felt a surge of deep emotion, a profound and unreasoning yearning to see them all, to be together again, whole and happy. She didn’t know if Leo had gotten her message before the battery died, or if he could make it here in time. She looked for him in the crowd, but they were shapeless silhouettes, backlit by the emergency vehicles and illuminated windows of the offices.

Someone started shouting, and Assistant District Attorney Howard Kermisez, his young assistant Rick Artiss, and a cadre of state policemen, FBI agents in navy blue windbreakers, and black-uniformed EMTs came running toward Rose and Eileen.

“Help!” Eileen shouted, with Rose behind, and the first to reach them were the EMTs.

“We need to get you away from this building.” An EMT eyed Eileen’s forehead on the fly. “Is that bruise impairing your vision? Can you see?”

“I’m fine.” Eileen hurried toward Howard, Rick, the state policemen, and the FBI agents, as a second EMT hustled to Rose.

“Let’s get you to the hospital,” the second EMT said, taking Rose’s arm and hustling her forward. “We need to get you treated.”

“Thanks.” Rose kept looking for Leo, but the crowd was still too far away.

“Thank God you’re here!” Eileen met the state police, the Assistant District Attorney, and the FBI on asphalt wet from the firehoses. “I’m Eileen Gigot and I was almost murdered tonight. Three men, security guards at Homestead, tried to kill me. I have their names and descriptions. They killed my husband, seven years ago.”

“Mrs. Gigot, come with us,” said one of the state policemen, his eyes alarmed under the wide brim of his hat. “You can give us a statement later. Please come away from this area. It’s too dangerous.”

Howard Kermisez took Eileen’s arm, falling into step beside her. “Mrs. Gigot, we’re fully briefed at my office-”

“No way, Howard.” The FBI agent grabbed Eileen’s other arm, flashing a brown billfold with a shiny badge at Eileen. “I’m Special Agent Jacob Morrisette, from the Wilmington office of the FBI. This is a matter of federal jurisdiction, and we’ll handle this.” He turned to Rose. “I know you’re Rose McKenna, and we have Kristen Canton at our office in Philadelphia. Come with us, please.”

Howard hurried along. “Jake, this is our case. It’s a matter of state law, and the criminal acts took place in Reesburgh County-”

“Not now, gentlemen,” the first EMT said firmly, on the fly. “These women need medical attention, first thing.”

“No, I said, I’m fine.” Eileen waved him away. “We have to catch those men. They left about twenty minutes ago.”

“Here’s the plan, people.” Special Agent Morrisette hustled them along, followed by the authorities and EMTs. “The staties will put out an APB, and we’ll get you ladies some medical attention, then we’ll sort this all out at our offices. Hurry, come with us.”

Rose let herself be hustled toward the crowd, scanning it for Leo. She didn’t see him among the state policemen, Homestead employees in yellow jumpsuits, Harvest Conference executives in glittery gowns and tuxes, and Reesburgh residents, of all ages. Everyone’s gazes were riveted to the fire, and every face showed shock, pain, and heartbreak. Some Homestead employees cried freely.

Rose thought of Juanita, June, and Sue, who’d been so kind to her, and she wondered if they’d be out of jobs now. She passed the crestfallen executives and sales reps, thinking of the enormous loss to the employees, the residents, and the town itself. She realized with a shock that somewhere along the line, Reesburgh had become her home.

“Eileen, Rose, over here!” someone shouted. Tanya Robertson and her TV crew hurried toward them, their videocameras whirring and klieglights blinding. Tanya held out her microphone, but the state police rushed to prevent her from crossing the cordon.

“Eileen, why were you in the fire?” Tanya shouted. “What’s going on? How did you and Rose get together?”

“Tanya, here’s the scoop,” Eileen answered, facing the camera. “My husband, Bill, was murdered seven years ago, and tonight they tried to kill me, too.”

“ What? ” Tanya said, shocked. “Who?” The crowd burst into excited chatter. People in the back craned their necks, trying to see and hear. The FBI agents tried to pull Eileen away, but she didn’t budge, grabbing the microphone.

“We need to find the men who killed my husband. The ones who tried to kill me are Roger Foster, Paul Jensen, and Deke Rainwater. They were in a conspiracy with Joseph Modjeska, who was killed in the fire. I want them arrested for murder and attempted murder.”

“Do you have evidence to support these allegations?” Tanya asked, barely containing her excitement.

“I sure do. So does Rose, who saved my life.” Eileen jerked a thumb at Rose, and Tanya turned to her, with the microphone.

“Did you really save her life, Ms. McKenna?” Tanya held out the microphone. “Don’t you have any comment for me, this time?”

Suddenly, Rose spotted a motorcade of black sedans, behind the crowd. The cars were gliding away from the campus, heading out the access road and toward the highway. It had to be Senator Martin and his entourage.

“Yes, I do have something to say.” Rose pointed to the motorcade. “There goes Senator Martin. He’s the mastermind behind the conspiracy. He’s responsible for the murders of Bill Gigot and also Kurt Rehgard and Hank Powell, of Bethany Run Construction.” The crowd gasped, but Rose didn’t stop, her voice ringing clear and strong, like truth itself. “He’s even behind the fire last week at Reesburgh Elementary School, which killed three people and put my daughter and Amanda Gigot in the hospital. The fire wasn’t an accident, it was premeditated murder, by Senator Martin and his coconspirators.”