“They can run tests that we can’t. They have a specialized trauma care unit, a neurological ICU.”
“Does she need surgery?” Bennie’s face twisted.
“I don’t know. They just told me to get you.”
“I want to go with her.”
“Fine, but we have to hurry.”
Bennie said into the phone, “Detective Lindenhurst, if you want a statement, I’ll be at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. Good-bye.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Mary couldn’t seem to stay awake, she didn’t know why. Her head was killing her. She knew only that she had been in a noisy helicopter with new medical personnel and Bennie still holding on to her hand. She’d been only dimly aware when the helicopter landed and was met by another group of medical personnel who hustled her on her gurney onto a windy rooftop, then rushed her through hospital corridors with everyone running alongside her shouting to one another, holding IV bags of blood and saline, and rolling equipment on stalks.
Bennie never let go. She ran faster than all of them.
They ended up in another examination room, where they examined her all over again, stitching up the back of her head. They gave her an ultrasound at her bedside, then swept her off to a CAT scan, after which they told her what was wrong. She had an epidural hematoma, a blood clot caused by blunt trauma. They were trying to decide if she needed surgery, evaluating as tests were performed.
Mary caught snippets of their conversation; “no coma,” “no pupillary changes,” “EDH volume less than thirty milliliters,” “midline shift less than five millimeters,” and “clot thickness less than fifteen millimeters.”
Mary didn’t know what the details meant, but she sent up a silent prayer.
She was lucky and blessed to have come this far.
She had a lot to live for.
Her family.
CHAPTER FORTY
While Mary was being examined, Bennie gave her statement to Detective Lindenhurst and two other detectives in a spare meeting room at the hospital. She started with the partnership dispute with Mary, the interview of Todd at OpenSpace, and how she came to obtain the company documents, compare them with Simon’s emails, and discover the hidden emails, then the fatal fire at Bethlehem Bank. She finished by telling about the abduction, how Ernie had been murdered by Ray, then how she had hit Mo with his truck and shot Ray in self-defense.
Declan sat next to her during the entire account, and his presence didn’t seem as unusual to her as it would have before. She never would’ve had a boyfriend with her in any legal proceeding, but she wanted him close. Before she’d met with Detective Lindenhurst, she’d told Anthony what happened to Mary, out of earshot of Mary’s family, The Tonys, and two of Simon’s cousins, all waiting for Mary in the lounge. Bennie couldn’t wait to rejoin them, another new feeling, but she was going with the flow. Feet was in stable condition in the very same hospital, and Rachel was next door at CHOP, watched over by Simon’s third cousin.
Bennie finished her statement. “So Detective Lindenhurst, I assume that covers everything.”
“You might be right.” Detective Lindenhurst closed his skinny notebook, looking up. “I don’t have any further questions.”
“I don’t see how you could.” Bennie reined in her temper but it wasn’t easy. “When are you going to release my client? He needs to be with his daughter and father right now, not sitting in a jail cell for a crime he didn’t commit.”
“I understand your position. We’re in the beginning stages of our investigation.”
“What have you done?”
“We’ve spoken with Mike Bashir, the company president. He’s returned from Scottsdale. We don’t believe he has any knowledge of what Ray and Ernie were up to, so the conspiracy doesn’t go any higher.”
“Agree, but he was concerned about the police searching his office.”
“We discussed that with him and we cleared him. We’re waiting on Ray Matewicz, who’s in stable condition. We’ve begun to liaise with the local police, since it’s outside of our jurisdiction to get the bodies autopsied and examined—”
“What difference does that make?” Bennie interrupted, even though she was trying not to interrupt. “What more could you need?”
“Bennie, you know these things are complicated when you’re liaising with other jurisdictions. They don’t work as fast as Philly. They don’t have the personnel or the access to the labs.” Detective Lindenhurst checked his watch. “And it’s two thirty in the morning.”
“What are you talking about? I’m awake, you’re awake, judges are on call twenty-four/seven, and so are district attorneys.”
“Not out there. I can’t raise anybody.”
Declan frowned. “We’re talking about Clearfield County?”
Detective Lindenhurst nodded. “Yes, the cabin was in the town of Hobart in Clearfield County. Todd Eddington was killed in Philadelphia County, but Ernie Greeley and Mo Nustrall were killed in Clearfield County. As such, Clearfield County has complete jurisdiction over those cases, though they’re related cases. I have to coordinate with them before I can release Simon.”
Declan blinked. “I know the district attorney in Clearfield County. Walker Severn.”
“Yes, that’s his name,” Detective Lindenhurst said, surprised. “How do you know him?”
“I was a state trooper for over a decade. Clearfield County may be the boondocks to you city folk, but it was in my district. I know the players. Why don’t I call Walker? See if I can light a fire under everybody?”
“Yes!” Bennie perked up. “Call him.”
Detective Lindenhurst hesitated. “It’s not standard procedure—”
“What?” Bennie wasn’t having any. “Since when is the old boy network not standard procedure? Please, I’ve been on the outside of it my entire legal career. Don’t tell me that Declan can’t call some guy who can call some other guy to pull some strings! We’re only asking them to speed things up!”
Detective Lindenhurst raised a hand. “I was about to say that even though it is not standard procedure, I’m not against Declan making a call to expedite this matter, given the circumstances.”
“I’ll do it right now.” Declan took his cell phone from his back pocket, and Bennie reconsidered the merits of bringing her boyfriend to a legal proceeding, especially when he proved useful.
Declan put the call on speakerphone after he reached Walker Whoever and together they hashed out the steps required to gain Simon’s release. It took another half hour and when the conference call was finished, Declan met her eye in a meaningful way, telegraphing that he was satisfied but he knew enough not to say so, in case she didn’t agree. She was falling more and more in love with him every minute, but that would have to wait.
Bennie turned to Detective Lindenhurst. “So let’s nail this down. When are you releasing Simon?”
“If Walker comes through with the information we requested, I’m hoping I’ll be able to release Simon by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Or nine o’clock.”
Detective Lindenhurst smiled slightly. “Noon is a possibility.”