Pride Falls

Chapter 8

After Pride left, Rachel sat in the interrogation room as bad memories of her former employer mixed with the bittersweet ones of her lost son. She always considered Leland Hollister a major league asshole, but had tolerated him because they worked together. She could have filed a sexual harassment suit against him, but since he was friendly with a lot of the higher ups at the hospital, she didn't want to sabotage her career there.  At the time, her husband Ronnie was distraught over the loss of his job, their eldest son, Junior, was in law school, Matt was in college, and Luke and Grace were still in high school. She had to get a stable income; there was no room for drama.

She had heard rumors about Davis slinking around his brother's practice at odd hours, but took them with a grain of salt - the hospital was a giant petri dish infected with gossip. Now it appeared that those stories were true. The Hollisters came from an old southern family peppered with doctors, lawyers, judges, and a congressman or two. It always confounded her when seemingly intelligent people from so-called good families chose the dark side. Maybe they were rebelling, or maybe they just thought they were above the law. Whatever the cause, they only left a trail of destruction. Unfortunately, she saw the effects of this evil everyday in the victims of abuse, gunshots, and drunk drivers. She never understood it in any incarnation.

She thought of her sweet son who, lacking direction, left college for the Marines. She had begged him not to enlist, but he said he wanted to test himself and find his passion. Of course, she had noticed some changes in him after he was shipped overseas, but she figured it was the effects of war. Had he been on drugs? She racked her brain but still could not recall seeing any signs. Of course, it might not be obvious over a FaceTime connection. Maybe he was only suspected because he hung around with the others. But, Pride was right, no matter how this all shook out, she had to have him exhumed to know. There was a chance that his body was too deteriorated for any definitive answers. If tests showed he was involved, then she'd deal with it and move on-it would never negate his heroism. But, if he wasn't, then she could stop the rumors. She owed it to him.

While it felt better to have a plan, she didn't relish having to follow through. She was almost relieved when she heard a knock on the door that diverted her thoughts.

"Pride?" she called out. When there was no answer, she got up and opened it. There stood Ginny Dow.

Rachel wouldn't be more surprised to see the devil himself. "Ginny, what are you doing here?"

"I knew you'd make a beeline here, when I told you they wanted to talk to you," Ginny sneered. "You always were the obedient type Rachel."

She was confused. "I thought they wanted me to come."

"Oh, I'm sure they would have gotten around to it, given all the crumbs I left leading to your perfect little self," Ginny taunted. "Of course, I didn't know you had any real information. I didn't know there was a list, until I found out the agents were snooping around the old records."

"You were the one who called the code that day," Rachel realized, her eyes getting wide. "You're the one who injected the sailor with air."

"Wouldn't have had to if Davis had been more accurate with his gun," Ginny sniffed.

"But, why..." Rachel stuttered.

"Loose ends, dear," Ginny said with resignation. "And now, you're another one dangling in my way."

Rachel's heart quickened at the sight of a pistol pointed at her midsection.

"Unfortunately for you, I am a much better shot." Ginny motioned with the gun. "Let's go! I want to be long gone before Dudley Do-Right gets back."