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She desperately wanted him to regain consciousness, however briefly, but he hadn’t opened his eyes again. The doctors had assured her that this was normal, and that he was, in fact, going to make a full recovery.
Caroline just had to be patient. But she’d been by his bedside for nearly six hours, and there’d been no visible change in his condition. She looked up as the door opened and Jason came in. He stepped over to the window and exchanged quiet words with Deputy Mitchell. The deputy glanced over at her and left the room.
Caroline rose to her feet. “What is it?”
“The men recanted.”
She put out a hand and grasped her father’s bed rail for balance. “What do you mean?”
Jason’s eyes were so sympathetic that she knew he didn’t want to tell her what he’d learned. “Miguel Gonzales and Roberto Calvo are two of Sanchez’s top men, and, yes, they initially confessed to shooting the judge.” He scrubbed a hand over his hair. “But after questioning, they retracted their story.”
She shrugged, giving him a bewildered look. “So what? They probably think they can get away with it. I’d recant, too, if I thought it would gain me my freedom.”
“No, it’s not like that,” he said. “Believe me, I wish it was that easy. These men were coerced into a confession.”
“How?”
“They were beaten and their families were threatened. They believed they had no choice but to confess or they would be killed.”
Caroline stared at him in astonishment. “But who would do that? Who would have that kind of power?”
“Eddie Green.”
“And you think he had those men beaten?”
“I do.”
“But why? It makes no sense.”
“He and the Sanchez gang have been in competition for years. Eddie used to control the entire Hunters Point region, until the Sanchez gang moved in about six years ago. There’s been a territory dispute going on since then. Eddie considers Hunters Point his terrain, but the Sanchez gang has gained a strong foothold.”
“So Eddie thought he could intimidate these men into confessing, and force them out of Hunters Point?”
“Something like that. With Sanchez behind bars, Eddie probably thought he could further weaken their faction by getting rid of the top leaders.” Jason blew out a hard breath. “But there’s nothing to indicate these men were anywhere near Sea Cliff the night of the shooting.”
“If Eddie wants them gone, why beat them? Why didn’t he just kill them?”
“He knew they wouldn’t be convicted. He was sending a message to Sanchez that his men are weak, and that at any time, Eddie can get to them.”
“So this had nothing to do with my father and everything to do with a gang war?” Caroline couldn’t keep the dismay out of her voice.
“I’m sorry. I wish I had better news for you. Eddie Green saw this as an opportunity to send a message, but you’re right—it has nothing to do with your father’s shooting. Eddie was the one who called in the tip on the license plates and led the police to Sanchez’s men.” Jason pulled her into his arms, pressing her face into his shoulder and soothing his hands over her back. “It was all just a game to him.”
“I just want this to be over.” Her words were muffled against his body. “I want it to end.”
“Caroline.” The voice was weak and raspy.
She lifted her head and slowly looked toward the bed where her father lay. “Daddy?”
William’s eyes were slightly open, and he was looking directly at her. With a cry, she pulled free from Jason’s arms and hurried to his bedside, bending over him and grasping his frail hand in both of hers.
“I’m here, Daddy. I’m here,” she said, aware that her face was wet with tears.
“Caroline.”
“It’s okay.” She smoothed her hand over his brow. “I’m here, and everything is going to be fine.”
She looked over her shoulder to where Jason stood at her side. His expression softened as he looked at her father, and he put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.
“Do you remember what happened, sir?” Jason asked.
William Banks’s face wrinkled in concentration, and then he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
“Don’t worry,” Caroline reassured him. “I just want you to rest now.” She glanced at Jason. “Please, go get the doctor.”
He crossed the room and opened the door, speaking quickly to the guards who stood outside before closing the door and coming back to the bedside.
“Someone will be right in,” he said, but his eyes were on Judge Banks.
