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“You were there?”
“Just peeked in but backed out when she let you hold her. Saddest thing I ever saw, her meltdown. You handled it like a pro.”
“I am a pro. Just wished she’d have opened up more. The only thing I got was her puppet master’s name is Ray too. Then she shut down.”
As they began to walk out the door, a nurse came running and stopped them. “Another kid’s just arrived with the ambulance. The ER nurse told me the victim said his name was Ray. Don’t know if that’s part of your investigation but thought I’d let you know. I mean, another teen with a gunshot wound fits in with your case, right?”
Chapter Thirty-two
Beau and Lori followed the nurse’s directions and rushed toward the ER where the ambulance would have brought the latest victim. Beau’s nerves had sharpened when he heard the name Ray. Earlier, horrific images flashed in his head, and he hoped this might be a breakthrough.
Praying for the end of their investigation, the end of the nightmare of kids being massacred in what they considered their safe place, he urged Lori ahead of him. “You wanna talk to the nurse? I’ll grab that cop over there, the one with blood on his uniform. See if he knows anything about this.”
“Right.” Lori headed toward the woman who looked to be in charge of the ER.
Beau sauntered up to the younger, bewildered police officer, whose shaking hands and bloody uniform told its own story. Wearing a stupefied expression, this cop had obviously been through the wringer.
Beau flashed his badge, stepped to the wall where the other man had taken refuge, and leaned in. “You okay?”
Clearing a throat filled with gravel, the distraught man replied harshly. “Yeah. No. God almighty, I don’t know. Never seen so much blood. The poor kid’s insides were a mess. I tried to hold him together. Fuck, I tried. But I couldn’t.”
“They said his name was Ray. How’d that come out?”
Confusion entered his expression. “What?”
“His name? Did he say his name was Ray?”
“Yeah. Right. In the ambulance. When the attendant asked for his name, he kept saying Ray.” Confusion attacked again. “They made me ride with them to bring him in. They needed me to keep the pressure on his wounds.” Covering his eyes, smearing more blood on his face, the cop doubled over. Beau grabbed the wastebasket just in time, holding it for the poor bastard.
Heaving… sickness flooding out, the younger man’s needs came before any interrogation. Finally, his stomach stopped emptying. He slid down the wall to the floor, sitting with his knees up, and his head back, tears making tracks in the red stains. Wiping the stinking mess from his mouth, his throaty whisper followed. “Sweet Jesus, I’ve never seen so much blood.”
“Yeah, been there. I’m sorry you had to experience that. It’s not easy but maybe you saved his life.”
“No. Shit no. He died. On the way here. Poor Ray. Kid was terrified. Said he was sorry. Said he never meant to hurt anyone. But he had to.” The cop turned to face Beau. “Strangest thing. He said he had to. For Ray.”
Stunned, Beau knew instantly. This kid wasn’t the Ray they were searching for. Most likely, his real name was Billy. He glanced around and saw another officer appear, look around and seeing Beau’s companion, he started forward. Beau stood to meet him and showed his badge before adding, “You looking for this guy?”
The older man nodded. His face registered concern as he reached down to give the younger man a hand up. “Uh-huh, he’s my rookie. We got separated earlier.”
“Yeah, about that… I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Here’s my card. Call me. I want to get Officer Davis home now.”
“Just one thing. Do you know who did this? Who shot the kid?”
“Sorry. We got a call about the shooting, but we were too late to stop anything. He was already down and bleeding out. Davis here acted quickly, tried to stop the hemorrhaging. Did the kid make it?”
“No. Davis said he died in the ambulance.”
“Jesus. Just can’t get a break lately. Too many kids dyin’. Too many fucking guns on the streets. And worst of all, too many idiots in the Senate and Congress doing piss-all to stop the violence.”
“You got my vote. Run for Congressman and make a change.”
“Yeah, maybe I should.” A chuckle escaped as the senior officer shook his head. “Maybe I just should.”
Beau watched the two as they left, the older cop supporting the younger man, his arm around his shoulder, caring for his partner.
He sighed with sorrow.Jesus, seriously. When would the madness stop?
