Marta Perry - Echo Of Danger

“Relax, Chief. I’ve already prepared Mrs. Morris for the fact that you’ll have to talk to Kevin. She understands, but she insists it can’t be until his doctor says so. And not at the cost of the boy’s well-being.” He deliberately echoed Carmichaels’s words.

Apparently deciding he meant it, the chief gave a short nod. “Okay. You’ll let me know as soon as I can question the boy.” It wasn’t a request.

Now it was Jason’s turn to want something. Time to see how far this cooperation extended. “Any progress on the case?”

Chief Carmichaels gave him a long look. “I’d think it a burglary gone wrong, but no one broke in. No evidence of ransacking, everything in perfect order except for the woman lying on the floor. You saw.”

“Was there any evidence that she fought back? You’d expect that, wouldn’t you?”

“None,” he said flatly. “From all we can see, it looks as if the woman was sitting there quietly when someone walked up and hit her. Used the heavy base of the lamp from the end table.”

“So deliberate.” Jase tried to think through what that meant. “No one who got that close could have mistaken Dixie James for Deidre.”

“No. Whoever did this knew who he or she was attacking. I can’t make it fit any other way. But finding out who and proving it are two different things. You know that.”

Was that intended as a barb? Maybe not, since the man was already continuing.

“Dixie James had a bit of a reputation as a partier since she got back to town. There were plenty of boyfriends, and the most likely scenario is that one of them came to the house that night. She let him in, things got out of hand, turned sour.” He shrugged. “If so, we’ll get him.”

“Mrs. Morris says that Dixie would never have let someone into her house when she was babysitting.” He wanted to hear the chief’s reaction.

Carmichaels didn’t speak at once. “I’ve known Deidre Wagner...well, Morris...since she was a kid. A good person. Honest, kindhearted, just like her folks were. Now, with her father gone and her mother remarried and living clear out in Arizona, she doesn’t have anyone to rely on.”

“I didn’t realize she was so alone.” He probably should have, but the subject had never come up.

“She has all her Amish kinfolk. Like them, she doesn’t easily recognize dishonesty in others.” He paused. “That’s a good quality, but it’s dangerous, too.” He focused on Jase, and his expression seemed to hold a warning. “I’d be upset if anyone hurt her.”

Was that warning intended for him? Or was the reference aimed at Dixie James? Carmichaels couldn’t know about the judge’s plans, or the extent of Jase’s involvement in those plans.

“As her attorney, I feel the same,” he said, carefully expressionless.

But he was going over what Carmichaels had said about Deidre in his mind. The man’s opinion of her was as far from Judge Morris’s as possible. Maybe he was right, maybe not.

But one thing he’d said Jason couldn’t buy. In his experience, honest women weren’t just rare—they were an endangered species. And he didn’t suppose he’d found one in Deidre Morris.

* * *

DEIDRE HAD RUSHED home early the next morning to shower and change, leaving Judith with Kevin. She wouldn’t have left without being sure there was someone there he loved, just in case he woke up.

She’d nearly forgotten that she’d left her car at the library, but Jason had brought it back, running again, and handed her the keys. He had waved off her insisting on paying the garage bill, saying it had just been a loose connection.

Now she willed the elevator to get to Kevin’s floor more quickly. Even knowing someone would call her cell if there’d been any change, she had to see for herself.

Nothing had changed in the quiet room. Judith smiled at her from the chair beside the bed. “It’s been perfectly calm and quiet while you were gone, but I’m certain sure Kevin’s color is better today.”

“Has the doctor been in?” She drew up a chair next to Judith and put her hand over Kevin’s, needing the skin-to-skin connection.

“Not yet.” Judith touched her arm comfortingly. “Soon, I’m sure.”

Now that she’d seen for herself that Kevin was safe, Deidre could manage to widen her thoughts to include someone other than her son. “I’m really sorry to drag you out at this time of the morning. How will Eli manage getting the children fed and off to school?”

Judith chuckled. “He probably gave them cold cereal out of a box, but that’s all right for once. It’ll make him appreciate me more, ain’t so?”

Since they both knew Eli and Judith had the happiest of marriages, Deidre didn’t think Eli needed any prompting. “You be sure he knows how much I appreciate it. Do you have a ride home? I could ask...”

“It’s all settled. One of the ladies from your church offered to drive me. I hear they’ve all been standing by to take turns doing whatever needs done.”

Deidre nodded, and the tears she hadn’t allowed herself to shed for Kevin filled her eyes at the kindness. “So many people have helped me since this happened. I don’t know how I’ll be able to thank them all.”

“Seeing Kevin well is all the thanks anyone needs.” Judith glanced at the clock that was mounted above a mirror on the far wall. “I should probably go down. I don’t want her to have to drive around waiting for me.” She studied Deidre’s face. “If you want me to stay...”

“No, no, I’ll be fine. I’m just eager to talk to the doctor. She said they’d probably let Kevin wake up today if all continued to go well.” Her heart lurched at the thought of seeing his eyes open, of knowing he recognized her. “Please, go on home. I’m fine now.”

Judith embraced her. “We are all praying,” she whispered. And then she was leaving, passing Pastor Adam in the doorway.

“I don’t want to intrude, but I had to see how Kevin’s doing.” He gave her a tentative smile. “Better?”

“I think so. The doctor should be in soon, so...”

Adam nodded. “I understand. I’ll leave you.” But he didn’t. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, and then he came closer and put his hand on her shoulder. “You know how much I...we all care. If there’s anything, anything at all, just...”

He sounded so eager to help that Deidre wished she could think of something for him to do. “I’ll call you, of course. Thank you, Adam.”

He nodded, patted her shoulder. “I’ll go now. Be sure you call me.”

Finally he was gone. Alone with her son, Deidre wrapped Kevin’s hand in both of hers. “You’re going to wake up soon.” She kept her voice soft. “All the boys and girls from your kindergarten class have made cards for you. When you open your eyes, you can look at them, okay?”

She heard the door and stopped, but Liz Donnelly just smiled and nodded. “It’s okay to talk to him. But right now Dr. Jamison and I want to have a few words with you.”

Jamison followed Liz into the room. He stood silent for a moment, studying a chart he carried, and Deidre’s heart began to thud. At last he looked up and focused on her.

“As we explained to you earlier, the reason for the sedation was to allow the brain time to rest and recover by reducing swelling.”

He seemed to expect a response, so she nodded.

“All of the tests we’ve run are looking good, so we’ve ordered to stop the sedation. Once your boy wakes up, we’ll be able to assess the situation in a different way.”

“Does that mean you’ll be able to tell if there’s been any permanent damage?” Her throat tightened as she said the words, and her hands felt clammy.

Jamison looked at Liz, as if passing the question off to her. Liz came and sat down knee to knee with Deidre.