Mystery Woman

Chapter 5

      Two weeks later McKenzie still hadn't heard from the hospital. A phone call to the ward gave him the report that her condition hadn't changed. Her identity was still a mystery. No one had asked after her. Her photo was shown in the media in the hope that someone would recognise her, but with no result.

McKenzie should have closed the file on the case, but he had a nagging feeling there was more to it than a simple botched kidnapping. Len and Jimmy were petty crooks. Armed robbery and kidnapping were way out of their league. What made Kate think there was large amounts of cash in the house? The Hendersons had assured McKenzie that they never kept more than a small amount of cash in their home.

The next evening he had just arrived home from work when the phone rang. It was Ryan. "This will make your day," he said. "Your mystery woman in the hospital has just woken up. The doctor says you can talk to her tomorrow."

The next morning McKenzie and Ryan entered Kate's room at the hospital.

"She has shown some improvement since she came out of the coma," the doctor had told them a minute earlier. "She's eating and talking to the staff. I think I can safely say she is no longer in danger, but it will be a long recovery."

"Don't worry, she'll have a nice long time in jail to recover," Ryan said, grinning.

Kate was lying in her bed with her eyes closed. She looked very pale, but still much improved on the last time McKenzie had seen her lying on the warehouse floor. Her matted untidy dark hair had been washed and brushed by the nurses and she looked quite attractive. He estimated her age at around twenty five.

"Kate," he said gently, "if that's your name. Are you awake?"

She slowly opened her eyes and regarded him without saying anything.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

She didn't answer.

"I'm Detective McKenzie and this is Detective Ryan. I have to tell you that you will be charged with armed robbery, kidnapping and firearm offences. I need to ask you a few questions. You may have lawyer present if you wish. Do you want me to call a lawyer for you?"

No answer.

"All right, how about you tell me your full name?"

Again she didn't answer, but turned her head and looked away.

McKenzie looked at Ryan who said, "Listen young lady. You're in a hell of a lot of trouble and you're probably going to jail for a long time. If you cooperate with us you may help yourself. Now what's your name and why did you get involved with a couple of petty crims? If you were so sure there was cash in the house, why didn't you just break in on your own when the Hendersons were out? Len and Jimmy were planning to kill you once they got the money. Did you know that?"

She didn't answer.

Ryan continued. "They both died in the shoot-out, by the way. A policeman was wounded, and the Hendersons were traumatised."

She turned to look at him and said in a quiet voice "Are the Hendersons all right?"

"So you can talk," snapped McKenzie. "Physically they're all right, but they may never get over the nightmare you inflicted on them. I believe you threatened to blow their heads off?"

"I wouldn't have done it. I had no intention of hurting them."

"Yes, well they didn't know that, did they? Are you going to tell us who you are?"

"I'm Kate."

"Kate who? Where do you live?"

No answer.

"All right," sighed McKenzie, "It makes no difference. We'll be back tomorrow to officially charge you. There will be a police officer outside your door twenty four hours a day. When you're well enough you'll be transferred to a state prison hospital facility, and you'll also have a court hearing and eventually a trial. Have a think about that until we come back tomorrow, then maybe you'll talk to us."

They got up to leave, but as they reached the door, she called after them with some effort. "Detective McKenzie."

Yes, what is it?"

"I'd like to apologise to the Hendersons. Could you get them to come here?"

"Not likely. They don't want to see you ever again. They want you to rot in jail."

"I don't blame them. Detective could you please tell them I said I'm really sorry for what I put them through. If there had been any other way...."

"All right Kate, I'll tell them, but it won't be much of a consolation for them."

She nodded, then turned her head away and closed her eyes.

"A strange one," Ryan said as they drove back to the police station. "Maybe once we officially charge her it will sink in to her what she's done and she'll be a bit more cooperative."

"I still have a feeling there's more to this than meets the eye," McKenzie replied. "Why would an attractive young woman with no record hook up with those two slime for an armed house robbery? Unless she's stupid, she must have realised those two would double cross her."

"Unless she talks, we'll never know," Ryan said.

The next day Kate was charged at a bedside hearing. She lay silently as the charges were read out. Another attempt by McKenzie to get her to answer his questions proved futile.

That night McKenzie stayed late in his office going over the Hendersons' interview. They both agreed that Kate had been in charge, but Len and Jimmy didn't trust her and were planning to take her share of the money and get rid of her. Did that mean killing her? She didn't look surprised or shocked when Ryan revealed this to her at the hospital. When she was in the house she was keen to search the lab on her own, but the men insisted one of them was with her at all times. They didn't allow her to be on her own. She wanted to go to a payphone in the next suburb by herself to call in the ransom demand, but Len insisted on going with her. Was she trying to skip out on them?

He gave up and went home.

Two weeks later he went to see Kate on his own without Ryan. She was sitting up in bed reading a magazine. "Hello Kate."

"Detective."

"You're actually talking to me, good. I don't suppose this means you'll answer some questions?"

She didn't answer.

Here we go again with the silent treatment thought McKenzie. "The doctor says you're well enough to be moved, so the day after tomorrow you'll be taken to the hospital at the state prison where you'll remain until you're fully recovered in a few months which will be just in time for your trial. If you still don't want to help yourself you'll probably get a sentence of at least twenty years. What do you think of that?"

She spoke in a soft voice, "What could I possibly say that would make any difference to my sentence?"

"For starters was it your idea for the robbery? Were you forced into it by Len and Jimmy? Was it just cash you were after? We know you were using an unloaded gun when you were shot. Tell me something to help your case."

She paused and eventually said, "I have nothing to tell you."

"Kate, come on, please. Tell me about the robbery. It wasn't just a robbery, was it?"

But she turned away, refusing to say any more, and McKenzie left.

Things get more interesting in the next chapter as McKenzie thinks he has worked out what Kate was really up to.
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