Slow Burn

Chapter Thirty-nine

The elevators were too damned slow. Nate raced up thethree flights of stairs to the ICU. He crashed through the double doors, spotted the nurses' station on his right, and headed there.

A technician and a nurse were working behind the counter. "Where's Vanessa MacKenna?" he demanded, panting for breath. "Her husband, Bryce, is a patient here."

The two of them shared a worried look, and the nurse moved closer to the counter. "Sir, are you a family member?" she asked. Her voice was soothing, as though she were comforting a distraught relative.

"No, I'm Detective Hallinger," he said. He showed his badge. "Now answer my question."

"Mrs. MacKenna isn't here," the nurse said. No more soothing pretense. She was all business now. "She received a call here at the station."

The tech nodded. "I answered it. A man was calling. He said he was Bryce MacKenna's brother, Ewan. I remember the name because he said it a couple of times. He was upset and said it was ur-gent that he talk to Mrs. MacKenna. I went and got her, and she talked to him. Whatever he was saying upset her. I heard her tell him several times to calm down, and when she hung up the phone, she was very distraught. Wasn't she, LeeAnne?"

"Yes, she was."

"She told me there was an emergency, and she had to leave."

"Did she tell you where she was going?" Nate asked urgently. He watched the second hand on the clock behind the counter. He knew he had to hurry. "Think," he demanded.

"No, she didn't tell me where she was going," the tech answered.

"It's not too far away," LeeAnne interjected. "She told me it wouldn't take her any time at all to get back if we needed her."

"She also said she wouldn't be gone long," the tech volunteered, trying to be helpful.

"Compton MacKenna's house is close by," he said. "Did she mention his name?"

"No, she didn't."

"Call her," he demanded. "You have her number. Call her and see if she's there."

"We did try to call her, but she didn't answer. I even had her paged here at the hospital-"

"Try her again," he said. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he waited.

The nurse didn't argue. She found the number and made the call.

"It's ringing," she whispered.

"How's her husband doing?" Nate asked the tech.

"Mr. MacKenna expired a few minutes ago. That's why we were trying to get hold of Mrs. MacKenna. She had hoped to be by her husband's side. She's a devoted wife. And he was so self-destructive. But she knew he was dying-she's prepared for it."

"Voice mail answered on the fourth ring," the nurse said. "Should I leave a message?"

He shook his head and reached for the phone. "Get me an outside line. I've got to call this in."