Martha Witherspoon was hovering over his bed like a vulture devouring its prey. She smelt like stale body odor. All Dan wanted was to be left alone.

“Nurse,” Martha screeched.

Dan looked up. “It’s cold,” he whispered.

“Do you want anything?” Martha asked, not hearing what Dan had said.

“What did he say?” The nurse asked turning to Dan.

“Cold. It’s cold in here,” he whispered.

“Get the doctor. He wants the doctor,” Martha yelled out orders.

The nurse turned to her and then Dan, but Dan just shut his eyes and went back into his self-imposed darkness.

* * *

Dan opened his eyes again. The blinds were closed. Nancy had his hand in hers. He felt the warmth it offered and managed a feeble grin. Nancy turned to Dan when she felt his fingers flex. She had a smile on her face as he shut his eyes again.

* * *

Dr. Owens walked into the hospital room. He strolled over to the window and opened the blinds, sending sunbeams streaking across the bed. Dan opened his eyes.

“Kelly?” Dan asked.

The doctor leaned over Dan. “Your daughter is fine. She has a slight concussion. She’ll be in to see you in a little while, if you’re up to it?”

“I’m up to it,” Dan whispered weakly.

Dan was not taking anyone’s word about Kelly. He had to see her for himself that his daughter was okay.

“You’re lucky to be alive,” the doctor added, and then hesitated. “But I wouldn’t give two nickels for what you’re about to face.”

“What?”

“You don’t know, do you?”

The doctor ran his hand over Dan’s heavily bandaged ribs. He pressed down. “Does that hurt?” he asked.

“No, not really.” Dan whispered.

“It will. Four ribs cracked, two of them pretty bad. But you’ll live,” he replied.

“What day is it?” Dan whispered.

“Monday. I’m Dr. Owens. If you need a nurse just push the button. But I’m sure one of your female admirers would be more than happy to get you anything you needed.”

The doctor turned abruptly and walked out. Kelly walked in. She stood looking down at her father. Her forehead was bandaged.

“I didn’t realize police work was so exciting.”

“Not always.”

Dan pressed the control to move the bed into a sitting position. “How’s Alan?” he finally managed to ask.

Kelly shook her head as sadness came over her face. “Took them a while to find him.”

“Figured as much.”

“He was dead when they got to him.”

“I expect there’s been a lot of talk around town.”

“That’s one way to put it. Senator Maxwell has been holding press conferences,” she said, and then paused. “He wants your head on a platter.”

“I’ll bet he does.”

“Why was Mr. Maxwell talking about Mom?”

“I think it had something to do with a story she was working on before the accident.”

“Did someone kill her?”

“I don’t know for sure. There was speculation that it wasn’t the brakes, that maybe she was forced off the road. But the investigation never went anywhere.”

Dan took hold of Kelly’s hand as tears streamed down her cheek. This was something he never shared with Kelly. It would have been hard for a young person to accept. It was bad enough she lost her mother. She didn’t need to know that it was not an accident.

“What did Dr. Owens mean about my ‘female admirers?’”

Kelly took a deep breath and retained control as a slight smile crossed her face.

“You do have quite a covey of fans,” she laughed. “Nancy Davie has been here four or five times, and so has Ms. Witherspoon.” Kelly frowned a moment. “Then there was this Ms. Wilcox. Who is she?”

“Not her, too. I can’t believe they made such a fuss.”

“Nancy has been just fine, but Martha has been driving everyone absolutely crazy. First she thought you were going to die. If that wasn’t bad enough, then she caught on why Nancy was here. Ms. Wilcox left as soon as she saw the other two. Frankly, I don’t know what any of them see in you.”

Dan shook his head. “Me neither.”

“People are really curious about what happened.”

“I’m still trying to sort it out,” Dan said, shaking his head.

“Why did he want to hurt you?” Kelly asked as her hand reached over and touched her father.

“It has to do with a twenty-year-old murder and I think what happened to Junior and the Ames Boy.”

“You mean he killed them all?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“I thought so at first.”

“But now?” Kelly asked.

“I don’t know. He claimed he had nothing to do with any of it.”

“Maybe he lied.”

“He didn’t have any reason to lie. Those razorbacks worked him over pretty good.”

Kelly shuddered a moment. “He wasn’t the only one they worked over.”

“Yeah, well, I had the gun.”

Kelly laughed mockingly. “A thirty-eight! I’d think you’d have more sense than to go chasing a man into the tall pines knowing those devils were there.”

Kelly looked ready to cry as Dan reached up, took her hand, and then squeezed it reassuringly.

“Everything is okay now,” Dan whispered.

“Nancy’s been coming over to the house. She’s nice.”

“I’m glad you’re getting along and you like her.”

Dan shut his eyes. Kelly reached over and hugged him. The last few days had been nerve-wracking, worrying if she was going to lose her father. She was just thankful he was on the mend now.

CHAPTER 20

Nancy parked her Outback outside Dan’s house. She quickly walked around to the passenger door, where Kelly was already helping her father out of the car.

“Here, let me help,” Nancy said, reaching for Dan.

Dan held up his hands. “I’m not an invalid,” he snapped.

“You’re also not a well man,” Kelly added.

Dan winced in pain. He swayed a moment and then grabbed hold of Nancy’s arm. At that moment he knew he would need their help and arguing about it would get him nowhere fast.

“My head hurts,” he said.

“See! You need us. There’s nothing wrong with letting people help you out until you are better,” Kelly argued.

“Just get me into the house.”

It was slow going and they managed to get him into the house and settled in bed. Although they’d released him from the hospital, there was still a long recuperation period ahead for Dan.

* * *

Dan sat on a chaise lounge while Nancy stood at the grill turning the chicken. He’d enjoyed the past week doing nothing but letting Nancy and Kelly care of him. It reminded him of another time in his life when things were right with the world. Nancy would not let him see the paper and the local news was never turned on. However, as nice as that was, Dan knew he had work to do and tomorrow it would be back to the salt mines for him. He would eventually have to face the Senator.

Kelly handed Dan the envelope marked “Confidential” that Mac had dropped off earlier.

Dan looked at it and laughed. “This must have killed Mac,” he commented as he glanced at the return address, “FBI.” Dan quickly opened it.

Nancy turned to him. “Is it from your friend?” she asked.

Dan held up his hand a moment as he read. “Oh, this is just great!”

Nancy walked over to Dan, she read over his shoulder. “Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Why are you checking murders that far north?” she asked with a puzzled look.

“Something Alan said,” Dan relayed and then looked up. “That friend I have in Little Rock. He did a little checking for me. This Jackson Hole murder was in ’89. That was the year Alan and the Senator were up there bear hunting.”

“And?” she asked as she quickly walked over to the grill to turn the chicken.

Dan flipped through the pages. His face turned white suddenly.

“Shit,” he snapped as he turned to Nancy. “There’s a list of unsolved murders that match our MO in Virginia, Maryland, and the Delaware area.”