Innocent In Death

“If Allika Straffo dies, you’ll never prove it. Even if she lives, she may not implicate her own child.”

“She’ll be counting on that. She’s going to be wrong.”

Eve strode into the chaotic misery of the ER, sca

“Trauma Room Three. Badge or no badge, you can’t go in. Dr. Dimatto’s a little busy trying to save her life.”

Louise Dimatto. Eve smiled. Sometimes it actually paid to have friends.

“You can get in there. So go in, tell Louise that Dallas needs a status report on her patient. Where’s the kid? The Straffo kid?”

“In the A chairs, with her na

“Yeah, we go back. A chairs?”

“Follow me.”

Apparently claiming Louise had grease, and slid Eve and Mira straight through the general area to the trauma section. In an alcove across from a set of double swinging doors sat Rayleen, huddled against Cora.

The kid’s face was splotchy from weeping, eyes red and swollen. Eve thought: Good job. Drama Club paid off.

Cora spotted Eve first, and her eyes went weepy. “Lieutenant Dallas. It’s…it’s the missus.”

But Eve’s eyes were all for Rayleen. The girl’s body stiffened. Didn’t expect me to drop in, did you? Eve thought. Then Rayleen pressed closer to Cora.

“I don’t want to talk to her. I don’t want to talk to anybody. I just want my mommy.”

“There, there now, darling. Don’t you fret. The lieutenant’s only here to try to help. Everyone’s here to help.”

Eve glanced at Mira, jerked her head. Understanding, Mira stepped forward.

“Rayleen, I’m Dr. Mira. I know you’re very frightened and very upset.”

Rayleen sniffled, raised her head to study Mira’s face. “You’re a doctor? Are you going to fix my mother?”

“Yes, I’m a doctor, and I know the doctor who’s helping your mother now. She’s a very, very good doctor.” Mira crouched down, all compassion and concern.

Good, Eve decided. Good and smart. Don’t align yourself with me. Just an attractive, female doctor. A motherly one. Eve turned, looking through the glass porthole on the trauma room door as Mira talked to Rayleen.

Inside, it looked to her as if they’d pumped stuff out of Allika, and were pumping stuff in. Louise wore a protective cape, her delicate blond hair clipped back, her smoky eyes intense.

If Allika had a shot, Eve knew Louise would give it to her.

Behind her, Mira spoke in a voice that exuded sympathy and authority. “I know you’re going to be brave now, Rayleen.”

“I’ll try, but-”

“I know it’s very hard. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I don’t know. My mom…We were supposed to have lunch at Zoology, then go to the salon. It’s our girl time.”

“Isn’t that nice?”

“We have lots and lots of fun together. But she called when we were in the museum and said we had to come home instead of her coming to meet us. She didn’t say why. She looked really tired, and she was acting fu

“Fu

“She said Cora should go, because it’s her half-day off. When she did, my mom cried.”

“I shouldn’t have gone out. I should have stayed.”

“It’s not your fault, Cora. My mom said she was sorry, and not to be mad at her. But I wasn’t mad at her. She couldn’t help it if she was sick. She gets sick sometimes, and needs to rest.”

“I see.”

“She hugged me, really, really tight. Like she does when she and Daddy go on a trip, and I don’t. A good-bye hug. She told me I was her princess, and the best part of her whole life, and how she loved me.”

Rayleen’s mouth quivered as she took a handkerchief with her name embroidered on the corner from her purse. She wiped at her eyes. “How she knew I’d be brave and strong, no matter what.” Her gaze ticked up to Eve’s back, held for an instant. “She said to remember, no matter what, she loved me best of all. Then she said I could get a snack and go play in my room, to be good. She was going to sleep. I was really quiet.” Fresh tears gushed. “So I wouldn’t wake her up.”

The nurse swung out, took a look at the weeping little girl. Her face radiated compassion, then she drew Eve out of earshot. “Condition’s still critical. If Dr. D manages to stabilize her, they’re sending her up to CCU. Her chances aren’t very good, but Dr. D’s fighting the fight.”

“Okay. Appreciate it.” Eve stared over the nurse’s shoulder. “That’s the husband coming down.”

Straffo bolted down the corridor, and Eve could all but feel the fear radiating from him. Rayleen jumped up, and into his arms. Cora rose, weeping and babbling.

Eve left them to it, while Straffo clutched his daughter, murmured to her. Then he set her down, brushed the hair from her face. She nodded, then sat with Cora again. Straffo went to the porthole, staring in as Eve had done.

Eve went to stand beside him.

“What do you know?”

“I know the doctor who’s working on her,” Eve told him. “She’s good, and she doesn’t give up easy.”

She heard him draw in a breath, let it out, and the sound was raw. “Thank you.”

“She’s critical, once she’s stable enough they’ll move her to CCU. She was overdosed with sleeping pills.”

“Oh, God, oh, God.” He laid his forehead on the glass.

“What was her mood when you left this morning?”

“She was stressed. We’ve both been stressed, for Christ’s sake. But…this has to wait. For God’s sake, Dallas, that’s my wife in there.”

“All right. I need to talk with Cora.”

“Yes, yes, fine.”

“Straffo?” She waited until he tore his gaze from the trauma room, met her eyes. “I’m pulling for her. For both of you. Believe me.”

Tears swam as he nodded. “Thank you.”

“Dr. Mira happened to be with me when we were informed. You know her, you know she’s good. She can stay with your daughter, talk to Rayleen while I interview Cora, and you’re focused on Allika.”

“Mira.” Distracted, he glanced around, saw Mira standing to the side. “Yes, yes. I’d appreciate that. I don’t want Rayleen left alone, and I need…”

“You need to be with Allika. Got it.”

Eve turned, walked over to the chairs. “Cora, I need to talk to you. Dr. Mira will sit with Rayleen.”

“I want my daddy.”

Two could play, Eve decided, and sent Rayleen a sympathetic look. “Yeah, I know, and he’s not going anywhere. Try not to worry. I just need Cora to talk to me about your mother.”

“Will it help my mommy?”

“I hope so.”

Rayleen straightened her shoulders. Brave little soldier. “I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will. How about if Cora and I get you something to drink?”

“May I have some juice, please?”

“You got it. Cora, let’s take a walk.” Eve could feel Rayleen’s smug delight as she turned away.

“Run it through for me, Cora.”

“I shouldn’t have left her, I’m telling you that straight off. I could see how poorly the missus was feeling, but off I went.”

“How long were you out of the apartment?”

“Too long, that’s the truth of it. Less than an hour. I don’t know exactly.”

Eve listened, let Cora select juice from a machine.

“Then I saw the pills,” Cora continued. “And I knew. I couldn’t wake her up. I shook her, I slapped her, but I couldn’t wake her. I called nine-one-one, and I told them to come, and why. I couldn’t tell if she was breathing, so I did CPR until I heard them at the door. Then I ran down, let them in.”

“What about Rayleen?”

“Oh, merciful Mary, the poor child.” Cora paused, pressed both hands to her face, scrubbed hard. “She came out of her room just as I was ru

“Did she say anything?”

“Well, she did. I imagine she was puzzled, as I must’ve looked to frighten the devil himself, and wasn’t supposed to be there at all. That’s what she said, come to that. ‘What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here.’”