The Gatekeeper's Sons

Chapter 7A

"I just saw his face. I don't know."

"Do you think you can remember enough details about his face to work with an artist from my department?"

"I can try."

"Anything else you can remember? Anything at all?"

"Right before I went out, I saw a bright light and someone swimming toward me."

The lieutenant nodded. "Yeah, that would have been the rescue crew. They went in and pulled you out of the car."

"Oh." She wondered if they got her parents out then, too.

"Therese, do you know if either of your parents had any enemies?"

"What? You mean you don't think this was just some random school shooting? An angry student gone postal? Like Columbine?"

"That's a possibility, Therese," the lieutenant said. "But your car seems to have been the primary target. Other people suffered some minor injuries when the perpetrator drove recklessly through the parking lot, but your car was the only one shot at."

The hair on her neck stood up and she felt her heart go wild. She could hardly breathe. She never imagined someone would want to murder her parents.

"Do you know if your parents had ever received any threatening phone calls, emails, or letters?"

"No, sir. I don't know of anything like that. My dad got letters and emails from his readers, but they were fans, not enemies. My mom's students all loved her. Both of my parents were well liked by everybody, I think. I can't imagine why anyone would want them, want them..." She lost her voice and broke into sobs again. "I'm sorry."

The lieutenant closed his notepad and stuffed it back into his front shirt pocket. Then he added his ballpoint pen. "Thanks, Therese. I'll follow up with you again soon. I'll have an artist meet with you for that description later today, while your memory is fresh."

A panicky feeling threatened to surge through Therese again. "Lieutenant Hobson?"

"Yes?"

"What do you know so far? Who do you think did this?"

"I shouldn't discuss the case with you, Therese. You just focus on getting better."

"That's not fair." Therese's voice was desperate. "I have a right to know. They were my parents."

"Get some rest, and I'll come back and tell you something when I know more. Maybe your description of the face will give us the lead we need." The lieutenant reached out and took her hand, shook it, patted it, and said, "You take care, now. Call me if you think of anything else."

"Okay." She wiped the tears streaming down the sides of her face.

The lieutenant handed his card to Carol.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Carol said.

Just as the lieutenant walked out of the hospital room, Therese's three best friends—Jen, Ray, and Todd—walked inside carrying balloons and a toy stuffed animal lemur.

"She's really awake!" Jen cried, rushing in and grabbing Therese's hand.

"Hi guys," Carol said. "Therese? Are you sure you're ready for company?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I need some cheering up."

"Well, if you're really sure..."

"I'm sure."

"Then I'm going downstairs for a bit. Enjoy your visit."

Once Carol left the room, Ray said, "Todd wanted to get you the lemur. You should have seen him moaning and groaning in the shop if either one of us picked up anything else. So if you don't like it, blame him." Ray was tall, chubby, and Native American.