Death by Request (Caribbean Murder #11)

“I heard the doctors around me saying that I was doing better,” Ann was reflecting. “That helped me so much. I heard my husband tell me he loved me over and over, that he was waiting for me to return.”


“Was it true that he said that? Have you asked him?” said Cindy.

“Yes,” Ann smiled, “he told me he said that to me again and again.”

That was encouraging, but not enough proof for Cindy. Ann could have expected her husband to say that, imagined she actually heard those words. Cindy needed more.

“You were laying close to Tara,” Cindy’s voice got lower. “Did you hear her husband say the same thing to her?” she asked.

Ann’s eyes closed a moment then opened. “No, I didn’t,” she replied. “I remember hoping he would, but he didn’t.”

Ann said that with such intensity that Cindy felt jarred. “Did you hear him say anything to her?”

“I actually did,” Ann spoke hesitantly. “It was strange, it bothered me, I didn’t like it.”

“What did he say?” Cindy felt alarmed.

“I kept hearing him say over and over that Tara would never be beautiful again,” Ann mouthed the words carefully.

Cindy started to shiver. She’d heard that exact report before. How else could Ann know if she hadn’t really heard?

“I wanted Owen to stop saying that,” Ann continued, gripped by the memory, “but I couldn’t speak. It was a terrible feeling.”

“Horrible,” Cindy sympathized. “Please tell me, did Owen say anything else that you remember?”

“That’s all I remember hearing from him,” Ann trembled for a moment. “When I came down here to my new room I heard that someone put something into Tara’s IV to help it be over.”

“Exactly,” said Cindy, “that’s why I’m here.”

“I also heard they’re blaming Owen,” Ann spoke very slowly, trying to put the pieces together.

“Yes, that’s so,” said Cindy. “I need to talk to you about it because you were there in the room with them.”

“Yes, I was,” said Ann promptly, “But I recovered and Tara did not. I’m so sorry.”

“That’s not the point,” Cindy reached out to her, soothingly. “Is there anything else you remember Ann? I need you to tell me.”

“Yes, I heard other things, but no one believes me,” Ann started to babble.

“Tell me, I’ll believe you,” said Cindy. “Not only will I believe you, but you may be the one able to help Tara.”

“How?” Ann looked frightened.

“You can help me get justice for her, find the real killer,” Cindy breathed.

“Oh God,” Ann exclaimed, “yes, there was a lot I heard, a lot happened.”

“What? What?” asked Cindy intensely.

“It was never peaceful on her side of the room,” Ann started, “but the night Tara died the upset was awful. I felt it and heard it. It was just before they transferred me to a different floor. I thought they transferred me because of all the commotion going on over there.

“What commotion?” Cindy was both startled and thrilled to hear this. She felt as if she’d hit a vein of gold. Ann was an incredible find. Could it be she was the perfect witness and held the key to unlocking the case? After all, she was there and awake the night Tara died.

Ann’s voice dropped lower then, as if making sure no one else could hear. “All of a sudden Tara’s part of the room got very crowded. At first I thought it was because the night nurse was off and others were coming in to take over. I wondered if it was Tara’s family, but then I realized that the day nurse, Alana, was there.”

“Alana? You’re sure it was her?” Cindy’s body grew chilled.

“Absolutely,” said Ann. “She was restless, irritated, you could feel it from a mile away. By the way, did you know that Alana was also the nurse of the other woman in the hospital who died unexpectedly a few weeks before?”

“No,” Cindy gasped, “I had no idea of that at all.”

“It’s true though,” Ann was on a roll now. “I heard my nurse speaking about it to someone yesterday.”

“Was Alana your nurse as well?” Cindy felt all a stir. Was it possible that Alana was a killer, had harmed all of her patients? Was she getting some kind of revenge?

“Alana wasn’t my nurse, just Tara’s,” Ann continued. “Anyway, that last night, Alana kept pacing around, muttering loudly. She thought she was in the room alone with Tara, but she wasn’t. I was there, I could hear her, but she had no idea.”

“Did Owen do anything about it?” Cindy was quick on the draw.

“Not that I know of,” said Ann. “I just heard Alana’s voice getting louder and louder. She was snapping at Tara, saying she was fed up. I wondered what she was fed up with, or if maybe she was drunk. Then Alana started cursing her job and telling Tara to make up her mind already, live or die. It was enough, time to make up her mind!”

“How dare she?” breathed Cindy.

“Alana’s a tough customer,” Ann continued, “I never liked her the whole time. I felt her resentment pour through the place.”

“Owen didn’t say anything?” Cindy had to be certain.