Another Chance (A Penelope Chance Mystery Book 2) Read online

  “Meddling? Jacob was shot and could have died today. I just want to be kept in the loop.”

  “Just in the loop, huh?”

  “Yes. Just in the loop,” Penelope reassured him. “What do you know so far?”

  The detective shrugged, took another sip of his coffee, and flipped through his notes. “Not much. There were two armed white or Hispanic males. One about six feet tall with dark hair and eyes. The other about five feet eight inches with light blue or gray eyes. They gained entry to the pharmacy and grabbed a bunch of pills. They knew what they were looking for and where to find it. A few dozen bottles of—” Donny paused and squinted at his notepad. “Oxycodone and diamorphine. Drugs like that have a high street value. Ballard’s been working three other robberies in the Gainesville area in the past three months, all with the same MO. But this is the first time anyone has been injured.”

  “Was anyone else injured or just Jacob?”

  Donny paused as a female orderly in her mid-twenties pushed an empty wheelchair into Jacob’s room. After the attendant had disappeared into the room, Donny turned his attention back to Penelope.

  “You better watch out. Looks like the doc has a date.”

  Penelope rolled her eyes.

  She and Donny had first met while attending the police academy ten years ago. He had come to her defense when several recruits accused her of cheating on the obstacle course. With a few well-chosen words, Donny put the recruits in their place. She didn’t need the help—she had set the course record fair and square—but she appreciated Donny’s gesture. They’d been great friends ever since.

  He later joked that he only spoke up so she would go on a date with him, but she put a stop to that before it started. He was always cracking jokes to try and lighten the mood, but today wasn’t the day for jokes.

  Donny took her gesture of annoyance in stride and continued, “They assaulted the pharmacist and the security guard during their getaway.”

  “What about security cameras? They’ve got one pointed right at the pharmacy, don’t they?”

  “Yeah, I watched the footage with Ballard this afternoon. The perps were dressed in dark clothes, and they never looked at the cameras head on.” Donny took another sip of coffee and sighed. “We have this under control, Chance. Why don’t you head on home and take care of the doc?

  “Yeah, I’ll do that. But take my number in case anything comes up.” The minute the words left her lips, she knew he’d have a smart remark.

  “I’ve been waiting a long time to hear you say that,” he said with a coy smile.

  CHAPTER 13

  As Penelope and Donny exchanged numbers, the door to Jacob’s room swung open, and the orderly wheeled Jacob out. He looked strangely vulnerable in the wheelchair. It was such a great contrast to the able man he usually was, dealing with emergency situations without ever losing his cool. He flashed Penelope an unbalanced smile.

  “He’s all yours, Penelope,” Dr. Bray said.

  At those words, Jacob winked at Penelope. Under any other circumstance, she would have been amused, but tonight his playful attitude outlined the fact that she’d nearly lost him. She tried to conjure up a sense of humor and failed.

  “All mine? Are you sure he’s ready to come home? Wouldn’t it be safer to keep him here overnight?” she asked.

  “That would be best, but your fiancé is a stubborn one,” Dr. Bray said.

  “I want to go home and sleep in my own bed,” Jacob said. His medically induced good mood had faded.

  “What he needs is good old fashioned rest and TLC. He sustained a serious head trauma, so keep an eye on him. Wake him every two hours or so to make sure he’s coherent.”

  “Every two hours?” Penelope and Jacob asked in unison.

  The doctor smiled at Jacob. “If you won’t spend the night here, I’m going to have to insist that someone check on you.” The doctor turned to Penelope. “Just for the next twenty-four hours and just to make sure he’s still coherent. And I’d suggest recruiting a few friends or family members to help. That way you can take turns checking on him. I’ve given him some paperwork that explains what you need to do. And if anything seems out of place, then send him straight back here.”

  Penelope glanced at the stapled pages on Jacob’s lap and gave the doctor a nod.

  “Call if you need anything,” the doctor said, walking away and motioning for the orderly to follow.

  Penelope was careful to keep her face blank as her mind sorted through the events of the evening. She didn’t want to leave now. She wanted to view that surveillance footage. She wanted to find the criminals responsible for doing this to Jacob. But she also wanted to take care of the man she loved.

  “Donny, are you going to be around for a while?” she finally asked. “I’m going to call Doug and see if he can help watch Jacob.”

  Donny drew up his eyebrows and Jacob’s medically induced good mood disappeared completely.

  “You’re dumping me off with Doug?” Jacob said before Donny could answer Penelope. It was an accusation, not a question.

  “I’m not dumping you off. If you’re not going to spend the night here, under proper medical supervision, and if someone needs to check on you every two hours, I’m going to need some help. We can go to Doug’s house or your Aunt Jessica’s. The choice is yours. But you’re not staying home alone.”

  A playful smile returned to Jacob’s lips. “But I won’t be alone. I’ll be with you.” Apparently, the pain medication hadn’t worn off completely.

  “You heard what the doctor said about getting family help. If I fall asleep, I need to know you’re taken care of.”

  “Then why did you ask Donny if he was going to be around?”

  “Yeah,” Donny chimed in. “I love you guys, but I’m not playing nurse.” He placed a hand on Jacob’s shoulder and added, “No offense, Doc.”

  “None taken,” Jacob said.

  “I want to come back and review a few things related to the robbery,” Penelope said.

  Jacob pursed his lips into a thin line before he spoke again. “Isn’t this supposed to be the part where we celebrate your court victory and thank God my injuries weren’t life-threatening?”

  “It is . . . and we will. But I need to do something while you’re resting.”

  “This isn’t even your case. Why can’t you let Donny and the other detectives do their jobs?”

  She didn’t look him in the eyes. She couldn’t. This wasn’t just about Jacob and finding the people who did this. It was about doing something to keep her mind busy—so she didn’t lose it emotionally and shatter into a million tiny pieces. If that happened, she might not be able to put herself back together. Jacob was the first person she had trusted not to leave her since she was a little girl when everything she loved was ripped away from her. He was the only person she had believed when he said he would stay forever. And the thought of losing him had cut close to the bone.

  After five grueling months of the Michael Findley trial, and being strong for Doug, she didn’t know how much longer she could keep it together. Work was the one place she could escape. And if it meant finding the suspects, it would be a bonus. Two birds with one stone. That kind of thing.

  “I’m sorry, Jacob. I need to do this.”

  “What are you trying to prove?”

  A bubble of emotion pushed up into her throat, and she attempted to breathe around it. “I’m not trying to prove anything.”

  Jacob wanted to argue. She could see it in the tick in his jaw. But she didn’t need to be convinced. There wasn’t much more that she could do that Donny wasn’t already doing, but she had to do something. She pulled herself together and slipped her mask in place. “Donny, you think you can okay it with Detective Ballard for me to watch the surveillance footage?”

  Donny rubbed his chin.

  She leveled him with a hard stare, telling him as much with her eyes. He looked unsure for a moment like he was going to try to dissuade her. But then he seeme
d to change his mind.

  “You still studying for your detective exam?” he asked.

  Penelope nodded. She’d been bugging him on occasion to take her on a ride-along so she could get a feel for how he operated. She wanted to be prepared when she became a detective. Even though she had Chief Jackson to show her the ropes, her life so far had taught her that she was often thrown into the deep end.

  “I am. What are you thinking?”

  Jacob’s eyes burned into her back. She ignored him.

  “I’ll ask Ballard if you can view the tapes in an unofficial capacity. If you bring me dinner, I’ll stick around until you get back.”

  And with that Penelope called Doug and wheeled Jacob off.

  CHAPTER 14

  “This isn’t necessary,” Jacob said, looking out of the passenger window of Penelope’s MGB. “I don’t need someone watching over me.”

  “Jacob . . . you heard what the doctor said. I don’t want to take any chances and Doug insisted on helping.”

  “That’s not the point. We haven’t spent much time together since . . . I can’t even remember when. And now you want to barrel headfirst into the next case?”

  “This one is personal,” Penelope said stiffly.

  “They’re all personal to you, Penny,” Jacob said in a gentle tone. “The last one was about Doug. This one is about me.”

  He was right. The one way she knew how to deal with life when it threw her a curve ball was to immerse herself in work.

  “This isn’t even in your jurisdiction,” he said, bringing in another angle. Being a doctor made him persistent and talented at stopping people from bringing more harm on themselves.

  “I want to keep busy while you’re resting, okay?” Emotions rose up into her throat, and she swallowed them. Jacob was her everything. She shook her head and silently handed the panic over to God. Lord, please keep me safe, and ensure that I don’t end up in a situation I can’t handle. And if she did, she had faith that He had a purpose. Still, sometimes it was difficult not to be selfish and to want to lock up everyone she loved so that nothing could happen to them.

  “I’m okay, Penny. Just take me home. I don’t want to be a bother,” he pleaded, giving it one last shot as they turned onto Paradise Road—the road that led to Doug’s house.

  “Nope. Doctor’s orders,” she said, with a hint of sarcasm. “I need to know you’ll be okay. Plus you’ll get to spend some quality time with Trevor.”

  She pulled into the driveway at Doug’s place, and Trevor bounded through the front door followed by a scruffy looking spotted tabby cat the boy affectionately called Fruit Noops. Trevor was already in his pajamas, with little Batman logos scattered across the flannel pants. His blond hair was still damp from a recent bath.

  “Uncle Jay-Jay!” Trevor cried out.

  “Remember he’s hurt, Trevor,” Doug called from the house, and Trevor slowed to a walk. He stopped in front of Jacob and tipped his head to the side, studying him.

  “He doesn’t look so bad,” the six-year-old said.

  Jacob laughed. “If only doctors were so optimistic,” he said, ruffling the boy’s blond hair.

  “Not exactly the celebration I had in mind, but come on in,” Doug said, joining them in the driveway. “Dinner is ready if you’re hungry.”

  “We made sloppy joes,” Trevor said.

  “I don’t have much of an appetite. You don’t have to go to all this trouble,” Jacob said to Doug, and then he looked pointedly at Penelope.

  “No trouble at all. We were expecting you. Happy to help,” Doug said. If he noticed the tension between Penelope and Jacob, he didn’t show it. The easy-going smile that he wore so often lingered on his face, always ready to make her laugh and lighten the mood.

  “Come on. I’ll show you your bed,” Trevor said, running ahead of them as they walked into the house.

  “He’s excited,” Penelope said.

  “I don’t know how I’m going to get him to sleep tonight,” Doug admitted.

  Penelope watched with concern as Jacob shuffled slowly along behind Trevor toward his room.

  Doug studied her the same way she was studying Jacob. “He’s going to be fine, Pen,” he said. His blue eyes intensified, the concern he felt for her appearing in his glance. He swept his messy brown hair to the side and his brow creased.

  “I’m nervous,” she admitted. “It was a close call. You hear about these things every day, you know? Especially in my line of work. Then something like this grazes past you, so close you can feel the shivers of death on your skin.”

  “I know how that feels.”

  She’d been so caught up in her world that she hadn’t been considerate of Doug’s feelings. He’d been through an immense ordeal and had to deal with some intense emotions.

  “I’m sorry,” Penelope said.

  “Don’t be. I’m saying I understand what you’re going through, and I’m here for you.”

  Jacob and Trevor met Doug and Penelope in the living room, and Jacob sank into an armchair. He was pale, and he breathed in shallow gasps. He still had very little energy, and Trevor was enough to wear anyone out with his vibrant personality.

  “So, what do I need to know?” Doug asked.

  Penelope handed Doug a paper bag containing prescription pain medication and explained how and when Jacob had to take them.

  “I’m still alive, guys,” Jacob said irritably. “I can remember my own medication.”

  The bite in his voice was very uncharacteristic, and Penelope shook it off.

  “He also has to be woken up every two hours, to make sure he’s still coherent.”

  “That’s only for children. I’m fine,” Jacob groaned.

  It was going to be a long night for him. All he wanted to do was sleep.

  “You have to perform a cognitive assessment.”

  “What’s that?” Trevor asked.

  “It’s a test to see if Uncle Jay-Jay’s brain is still working right,” Penelope said, and Trevor giggled. It didn’t sound too flattering, putting it that way, but how else was she supposed to explain it to a child? “When we wake him, we have to ask him questions,” she continued. “He has to remember five words. If he can, it means he’s okay.”

  “Any words?” the boy asked.

  “Any words, just different ones every time.”

  Trevor bounced up and down.

  “I can do that! Dad, can I do that? I can test him to make sure his brain doesn’t need to be fixed!”

  Penelope couldn’t help but laugh. Jacob rolled his eyes, but a smile played on his lips as well. He couldn’t be irritated with Trevor’s enthusiasm and his childlike way of interpreting things. It was nice to see the old Jacob surfacing. The one she loved with every fiber of her being.

  “If you need to go back to the hospital, Trevor and I can take the first shift.”

  “That would be great. Thank you. I shouldn’t be long. I want to review the surveillance footage with Donny.”

  Doug held up a hand and smiled. “No need to explain. I understand. You still have your spare key?”

  “I do. I’ll check on Jacob at midnight, if you and Trevor can check on him at ten o’clock.”

  Doug smiled at his son. “We can do that. Can’t we, Trev?”

  “We can do that, Aunty Penny.”

  “Doug, do you mind if I grab a sloppy joe to go? I promised Donny I’d bring him dinner.”

  “Donny Greene? You better bring two.”

  Penelope made Donny a sandwich, and when she returned Jacob was asleep in the chair. She walked over to Trevor and bent down. “You be good and watch Uncle Jay-Jay for me while I’m gone. I want a full report. Okay?”

  “I’ll give Uncle Jay-Jay a gold star every time he gets the right answer,” Trevor said with excitement and gave Penelope a hug.

  Penelope walked over to Jacob, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and then whispered, “I’ll check on you in a couple of hours.”

  It was going to be a long n
ight for Jacob.

  CHAPTER 15

  Penelope hit traffic as soon as she turned onto State Road 20. Her fingers tapped on the steering wheel, vaguely following the tune of an old Roy Orbison song on the radio. The station had been cutting in and out and she turned the dial when the song ended, trying to find a station with less static. She flipped through a top forty pop station, a mariachi station, and another pop station. She switched over to the AM stations and tried to find a talk show. She heard someone droning on about the weather and stopped. There was a forecast of rain.

  Penelope glanced at the looming darkness in the evening sky. Unfriendly clouds covered the half moon. The next instant a crackle and roll of thunder lit up the sky with an eerie glow.

  Storms in Florida could be violent and sudden. She turned the radio off. She would need all her wits about her to drive in a thunderstorm. Another flash and she started counting. “One-one thousand. Two-one thousand. Three-one thou—”

  Another whip-crack sounded and the first drops of rain pelted the canvas convertible top.

  “No, no, no! Not now!” Penelope grumbled, watching the drops on her windshield grow fatter and fatter.

  Soon her windshield wipers were on full speed, and visibility was still poor. She craned her neck trying to see past the curtain of water and the endless line of cars. She wasn’t going to get back to Grace Memorial Hospital any time soon. If only she had her police cruiser. Normally she didn’t like to draw attention to herself, but on this day she wouldn’t have minded trading her anonymity for a faster trip.

  Moments later, two Florida Highway Patrol cars sped past her on the right-hand side of the one-lane road. Their lights were flashing, but there were no sirens. The gaps between the lines of cars were small, but the travelers were in a hurry and used to navigating both this traffic and this weather.

  She heard the blurp and whoop of the sirens kicking on. Whatever they were rushing toward had happened very recently.