Flowers for Her Grave

Chapter Eleven

Casey’s head spun, and she grabbed her chair. No. No!

“I’m sorry, sweetie.” Death stood just inside the room, cradling Andrea’s soul. “All that stuff I said about wanting it to be over…I didn’t mean it.”

Casey launched from the chair toward the door, toward Death. “You don’t care! All you care about is yourself, and your job.” She made quotation marks in the air. “You don’t even think about the people themselves. Who they leave behind. Who they were.”

The officer in the doorway paled. “I…I do. I think about them all the time.”

“What?” Casey blinked, her eyes focusing on the man in blue. “No. Not you.”

Gomez held her arm, and Binns got between Casey and the officer in the doorway, looking straight into Casey’s face. “Ms. Gray, I know this has been a shock to you. This whole night has. Maybe you should sit down.” Gomez tried to guide Casey to a chair, but Casey pulled away, her hands on her face.

“Officer,” Binns said to the man in the doorway. “Why don’t you leave us for a bit?”

“But I didn’t—it’s not true what she—”

“Not your fault. She’s obviously not well. Gomez and I have it under control.”

The officer backed out and shut the door.

“I’m sorry,” Casey said from under her hands. “I know it’s not his fault. I didn’t mean to take it out on him.”

“He’ll be all right.”

Casey leaned her forehead against the wall and took several deep breaths. When she’d calmed herself, she turned around, avoiding Gomez’ eyes and backing away from him. “I’m okay. I’m sorry.”

“I need to talk with the doctor,” Binns said. “And you need to go home.”

“There’s nothing else I can do?”

Binns gave a little smile. “The best thing you can do for anybody is rest, and get your head together. I’ll have Officer Gomez here take you back to your place.”

Gomez. Not him. Casey couldn’t take a Reuben look-alike right then. But it wasn’t like they were giving her a choice. Casey averted her eyes from him and walked through the door Binns held open. They went down the little hall to the waiting room, where Krystal perched on the end of the couch, a pillow clutched to her stomach. She sat completely still, except for the tears that ran down her cheeks.

Casey nodded toward her. “Should we take her home, too?”

Binns shook her head. “I need to get her statement. I’ll have an officer bring her home later.”

“Can I talk to her?”

“Sure.”

Binns followed Casey to the sofa, obviously wanting to hear the conversation.

“Krystal?” Casey sat next to her. Krystal didn’t move. “Krystal, I’m so sorry.”

Another tear trickled from Krystal’s eye, but still she didn’t blink.

“The detective wants to talk with you, and then she’ll bring you home, okay?” Casey set her hand on Krystal’s arm, and Krystal started.

She looked at Casey without recognition for a moment, before her eyes widened. “You! You were supposed to save her! All that talk about self defense and being alert and all that crap. Where were you when she was being attacked?”

“I’m sorry, I—”

Krystal slapped Casey’s face. Casey jerked backward, and Binns caught her as she fell off the couch. Officer Gomez placed himself between Krystal and Casey, just as Binns had protected the other officer from Casey.

“Whoa, Ms…” Binns looked at Casey, a question in her eyes.

Casey shook her head. She didn’t know Krystal’s last name.

“It’s her fault!” Krystal shrieked, pointing around Gomez at Casey. “She should’ve saved her! She should’ve been there! Should’ve taught her better…” She dissolved into sobs.

Binns patted Casey’s shoulder, then squeezed past Gomez to take Casey’s place next to Krystal, putting her arm around her shoulders and murmuring something Casey couldn’t hear.

Casey held a hand to her cheek. It stung, but there was no blood. It was a good thing her injuries from the week before had healed, so there was nothing to burst open.

“Are you all right?” Gomez was looking at her with concern, which was the last thing Casey needed.

“Gomez,” Binns said. “Get Ms. Gray out of here.”

Gomez snapped to attention. “Yes, ma’am. This way please, Ms. Gray.”

Casey wanted to say something to Krystal to calm her down, to apologize again, but she would probably only make things worse. She followed Gomez out the emergency room exit and slid into the back seat of the cruiser.

“The Flamingo?” Gomez looked at her in the rearview mirror.

Casey nodded, and let her head fall back against the seat.

“I wouldn’t rest my head there, if I were you.” Death now wore a police outfit, complete with gun and baton. This time the nametag said Officer Azrael. “You don’t know how many people—criminals—have laid their greasy heads there.”

Casey closed her eyes and rolled her head the opposite direction.

“Fine. But don’t blame me when you end up with lice. Or dandruff. Or dreadlocks.” Death sighed. “Look, sweetie, I know you’re tired, but you can’t let people like Krystal make you feel bad. She’s tired, too. And completely freaked out.”

“I know.”

“Pardon?” Gomez said.

“Nothing. Sorry.” She glared at Death.

“Not my fault.” Death gave her a look of innocence. “Anyhow, as I was saying, I know Binns isn’t putting you on the suspect list, but you have to realize that most people will, once they think about it. You’re brand new, you’re teaching self-defense, they don’t know you from Eve—who, by the way, looks an awful lot like Krystal. Except darker-skinned, with longer hair.”

Casey opened her eyes to watch the lights go by. Already the sky was brightening. Dawn was coming, and it would soon be time for the six-o’clock class. The Land of the Dead. Suddenly, that name wasn’t nearly so cute. There was no way they’d be exercising that day. The cops would have the area cordoned off, for sure. And Casey was in no shape to be leading it.

Gomez parked the car at the front of the Flamingo. He got out and came around to Casey’s door, opening it and offering her his hand.

She climbed out on her own, not wanting to touch him. “Thank you, Officer.”

“You’re not rid of me quite yet, Ms. Gray. I’m to wait and collect your clothes.”

Casey looked down at her blood-stained outfit. She’d just bought it the day before. She’d never wear it again. She never wanted to see it again.

“Sure,” she said. “Come on in.”

The guard was one Casey hadn’t seen before, a young, impossibly good-looking blond thing, probably a college student making money by moonlighting as a security guard. She showed him her ID and signed in. Officer Gomez had only to nod, and he was through.

Casey led Gomez across the empty lobby—not even Jack was there this time—to her apartment, and he waited in the living room while she changed. She brought everything out, including her underclothes and her shoes, and put it in a bag.

“Nice view you’ve got here.” Gomez stood at the window, gazing down at the pool, which shimmered in the dim light. Several apartments in the other two buildings had lights on, but most were dark.

Casey stared at Gomez’s back with a knot in her stomach. If she didn’t know better, it really could be Reuben standing there. The height, the build, the coloring, the accent. “Here you go.” She held out the bag, then dropped it to her side.

Gomez left the window and crossed to her. He hesitated after taking the bag. “You’re sure you’ll be all right?”

Casey stared into his dark eyes, wanting him to fold her into his arms, to whisper in her ear that everything was going to be fine. Wanting him to take care of her. To be Reuben.

“I’m fine. Thank you, Officer Gomez.”

“Manny,” he said. “You can call me Manny.”

She took a shuddering breath. Calling him by his first name would help absolutely nothing. It made him…even more real. Like a man, in addition to being a cop.

“We’ll be typing up your statement,” Gomez said. “And then we’ll need you to sign it. But I know Detective Binns wants you to get some rest first.”

Rest. Right.

“We’ll be in touch.” He touched his finger to his forehead and left.

Casey closed the door behind him, and leaned against it.

Coming to Florida was a bad idea, after all. A very, very bad idea.