Judge & Jury - James Patterson [38]
“I don’t know. Some kind of explosion. Maybe a fuel line.” The scent of gasoline and cordite hung in the air.
They heard sirens. Two police cars rushed past them toward the courthouse, lights flashing.
“Something’s happened!” the driver exclaimed, turning on the news. “This is not good.”
Nordeshenko looked back and saw a cloud of black smoke rise up above the buildings, coming from directly behind them.
He placed the gift for his son in his traveling case. Two rings came from his cell phone—Reichardt and Nezzi were safely away now.
“Let’s go,” he said to the driver. “We’ll listen on the way. I have a plane to catch.”
Chapter 43
SHE OPENED HER EYES very slowly.
She felt no pain. Just woozy and unreal. She was here—but she wasn’t. A leaden pressure was in her chest. Where was she? What had happened? Tubes were coming out of her, attached everywhere. She tried to move but couldn’t.
Nothing. No power over her own body. Was she paralyzed? How had it happened?
Then Andie began to panic. Something very heavy and bulky was blocking her throat. Making her gag. She couldn’t speak because of the obstruction.
A nurse came in. Just the look on the nurse’s face told her. Something terrible has happened. What?
“Andie. Don’t try to talk, sweetheart. There’s a tube down your throat to help you breathe. You’re in Bellevue Hospital. You’ve been in surgery. You’re going to be okay.”
Andie made herself nod, eyes flicking wildly around the room. The hospital room.
Then it started to come back to her.
The jurors’ bus. She had been on the bus. A gray van had pulled up. . . .
That’s when the panic started to grip her chest again. Her eyes darted anxiously toward the nurse. What happened next? She tried to speak again, but could only cough and gag. Her fingers found the nurse’s hand somehow. She managed to grab two fingers. She held on as tight as she could.
My son . . . Where is Jarrod?
“Please.” The nurse squeezed back. “Try and stay calm now, Andie.”
She knew something horrible had happened, something unbelievable. She tried to sound out Jarrod’s name, but her air passage was blocked. And her mouth was as dry as sandpaper. Please, please, my son.
But something was forcing her to close her eyes, and Andie couldn’t fight it.
Chapter 44
WHEN SHE OPENED HER EYES again, someone else was standing there. She blinked sleepily. FBI. The one with the smile.
But he wasn’t smiling now. Actually, he looked terrible.
Memories of what had happened began flashing in her mind. The bus stopped at a red light. Then the van. The two men running away. She had reached out and tugged Jarrod close to her.
Jarrod?
Her eyes went back to the FBI man. She tried to scream out her son’s name. Please, don’t you understand? Can’t you read it in my eyes?
He just looked at her and shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
Sorry? she repeated to herself. It took a moment to register. What is he saying? Sorry for what?
She felt him place his fingers lightly on her hand. Then a squeeze. His touch told her everything.
It was rushing back at her now. Her panic when she saw the men running from the van. The terrible explosion. Then she was thrown back. She remembered calling Jarrod’s name over and over.
Her body spasmed in shock now.
Andie felt something burn a path down her cheek. This can’t be real. This can’t have happened.
The FBI man wiped away her tear.
She still hadn’t been told what happened. They didn’t have to tell her now. She knew. She could see it in his eyes.
Oh, my poor Jarrod.
Tears began streaming down Andie’s cheeks, and she had the feeling that they would never stop.
Chapter 45
THEY DON’T USUALLY ALLOW anyone inside the cell blocks at this time of night, even law enforcement. Tonight, I was on my own.
“Nick, it’s late,” said Trevor Ellis, who was in charge of the sixth-floor cell block, where witnesses and defendants were held in the Manhattan County Jail. We passed through the electronic doors together. Only the