Ben had met Trevor’s wife, Sarah Donovan, once, at the Christmas party last year. A quiet, pretty lady who had seemed to prefer to stay in the background than have attention centered on her. Ben had liked her. The verdict was still out on Trevor.
Several hours later, their search of the house hadn’t revealed anything. Still no closer to knowing what was going on, Ben left the crime scene techs to finish up at the Pike home and secured an SAPD officer to stand watch near the barn.
Ben headed to the hospital. Hopefully, their mysterious victim had awoken and could shed some light on the night’s events. He drove through the quiet streets of San Antonio, noting that on this late September night there was little traffic and the hospital parking lot was nearly empty.
After stopping by the administration desk where he was given directions, Ben made his way to the fourth floor. Daniel and Marvel stood guard in front of the closed door of their victim’s room.
“Hey, Ben,” Daniel greeted him.
“Has he awakened?” Ben asked.
Daniel’s eyes looked troubled. “No. Doc says the guy’s in a coma. He can’t predict when or if he’ll come out of it.”
Not the news Ben wanted to hear. Disappointment fed his anger. “I’ll contact SAPD and get around-the-clock guards on this guy. Until then, you two okay to stay?”
Marvel nodded. “I don’t have anyone waiting at home for me, so yeah, I can stay.”
“No hot dates tonight?” Daniel teased.
Marvel grinned, even white teeth flashing against his chocolate skin. “Nope. Free agent these days. But I do have my eye on a little filly I met in the park.”
Marvel was a real ladies’ man, but so far no woman had captured the marathon runner’s heart. “How about you, Daniel? You good to stay the night?”
Daniel shrugged. “Whatever it takes.”
Ben nodded, knowing he could always count on the Ranger. Daniel came from wealth but chose to live a life dedicated to serving justice. A life that sometimes came with a price. For Daniel, that had been the loss of his marriage and estrangement from his son.
“When the uniforms show, you’re free to leave. We’ll convene in the morning at the office.” Ben pressed his lips together as a wave of sorrow hit. He wouldn’t be seeing Greg tomorrow. Not ever again.
Daniel put his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “We’ll find the guy who did this.”
Ben wished he had the same confidence echoing in Daniel’s voice. He cleared his throat, forcing back his emotions. “Yeah. Call if anything develops.”
The sound of rubber-soled shoes on linoleum disturbed the quiet hallway. Ben turned to see a white-coated man in his mid-thirties approaching.
“Doctor Vargas,” Daniel said below his breath.
Ben stepped forward. The doctor came to a stop.
“Gentlemen, I see you’re still here,” the doctor said in a thick Spanish accent.
Ben stuck out his hand. “Ranger Fritz.”
“Doctor Ramon Vargas.” They shook hands.
“We’ll be arranging an around-the-clock guard detail for the man in this room,” Ben said.
The doctor’s dark eyebrows rose. “I thought he was a victim, not a criminal.”
“We don’t know what he is at this point. And until he wakes up, we’re sticking close.” Ben glanced at the door. “I’d like to see him.”
“I’m sure you’re aware he’s unconscious,” the doctor stated with a slight rebuff in his tone.
“I understand,” Ben said, his voice mild, but he held the man’s gaze, making it clear he’d have his way.
Doctor Vargas inclined his head. “Of course. Always willing to cooperate with the authorities.”
Something in the doctor’s voice snagged Ben’s attention. But the congenial expression on the man’s face belied any antagonism. Shrugging it off as trauma from the night’s events, Ben entered the hospital room.
The man lying on the bed was a Caucasian male, with shaggy black hair, pale skin. He looked to be about five foot ten in height with an average build. There was a slight scar under his left eye. No tattoos on his arms, which rested on the blanket covering his body. IVs and monitors were hooked up to the guy. He looked like he was peacefully sleeping.
Somewhere Ben had heard that people in comas could hear what was going on around them. Maybe he’d wake up if Ben talked to him. It was worth a shot.
Because at the moment, this man was the key to finding Corinna’s father’s murderer.
Ben moved to stand next to the bed and leaned in close. “I don’t know if you can hear me or not. My name’s Ben Fritz. I’m with the Texas Rangers. You should wake up now and tell us what happened.”
Ben waited. The man didn’t stir. Disappointment spiraled through him. Maybe it was too soon.
“I told you he was unconscious,” Doctor Vargas said from the foot of the bed.
“So you did. Any idea when he’ll wake up?”
The doctor gave him a droll look. “I’m not a psychic, Ranger Fritz. When his mind and body are ready to heal, they will.”
Ben nodded. “I pray it’s sooner rather than later.”
The doctor inclined his head and left the room. Ben followed him out.
“Keep me posted,” he said to Daniel and Marvel before leaving the hospital.
Fifteen minutes later Ben arrived at his apartment complex outside downtown San Antonio in the northern suburb of Hollywood Park. His one-bedroom apartment was on the second floor in the back overlooking the pool and hot tub. On cool evenings like this it was quiet, but in the summers, when the children were out of school, the noise level rose to deafening decibels. Ben didn’t mind.
He rather liked the sound of kids having fun as they played in the curved swimming pool and visited in the common area. Happy noises that stirred hope of one day having a family, a wife and children of his own. His dismal upbringing—orphaned by the drug trade at five and then bouncing around foster homes—could have squashed that dream, not to mention his occupation…but the hope of a family of his own still thrived.
Tonight, only the gurgle of the hot tub floated on the cool air as he made his way up the stairs. He entered his dark apartment and went to his bedroom to sit on the edge of the double bed. His numbed feelings slowly gave way to the grief and anguish of finding his captain murdered. Ben slipped from the bed to land on his knees.
Welling grief, sorrow and anger expanded in his chest until he thought he might explode. Silent sobs wracked his body. His heart throbbed with pain.
“I don’t understand, Lord. Why did this happen?”
Silence met his cry.
Ben dropped his face into his hands and wept for the man who had been the closest thing to a real, loving father that Ben had ever known. Greg had taken the time to teach Ben not only about law enforcement, specifically being a Ranger, but had taught him how to be a man. To be kind and fair yet never back down from the principles that they lived by. Greg had included Ben in his and Corinna’s family circle, small as it was.
He’d enjoyed and looked forward to many holidays spent together at the Pike house.