Chapter Nine: Lisa takes charge
Lisa's point of view
Surprisingly, to me, the politician refused to leave until Ted was looked after. He pulled off his jacket and firmly took charge. "I was a combat medic in the army years ago. I haven't forgotten everything. Hmmmm." He moved Ted's hair and examined his head. Then, he wiped his hands on his shirt and opened Ted's eyes one at a time, giving each eye a quick look.
"Good news, it doesn't look bad. It looks like the bullet glanced off and didn't penetrate."
I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until it sobbed out of me. The tears that had been threatening to take over were unleashed. Both Hawk and Mary held me, softly speaking words that didn't really register. I could see Sue crying uncontrollably while Stan held her just a few feet away.
"He might have a concussion. His pupils don't look quite the same size," Ramon continued, "but if so, I don't think it's too bad. I'm a little concerned because he passed out, but all things considered, Lisa, I think he'll be fine."
It took a few minutes for me to get my composure back. I sat there on the ground holding Ted's hand while Hawk and Mary comforted me and Ramon held a handkerchief on the wound. Ted woke up a few minutes later. Sue came over and we kept him talking to keep him awake. He seemed dazed but lucid.
The next few hours were chaotic, at best. Sue and I stayed at Ted's side as the Sheriff's deputies and paramedics swarmed the scene. When they took him to the hospital, I made a very hard choice and told him I would be there as soon as I could. Sue went with him, and Stan would have if he could've escaped.
When I caught up with Hawk, she was hip deep with the other police, questioning people that were still lingering. She was seated at a small table with a man and woman, writing as the woman spoke. "So, you saw a white man about five nine or ten run into the parking lot with what looked like a gun. Dark hair, slim build, but you never saw his face. He tore out of here in some kind of black SUV. That about sum it up, Jo? Earl?" At their nods, Hawk stood up and shook hands. "Thank you both. I hope the rest of your vacation is less dramatic."
After they left, I stepped up and Hawk smiled at me. "The Bellers have a possible lead for us. They seem to have been the only ones in the crowd to see the shooter at all. It was a man but they didn't really get enough of a look to help with an ID. It could be Price or Kotov, if that was even him I saw."
"I'm finished pussy-footing around," I growled. "We need to get this settled before one of us gets killed." Hawk nodded.
"Then, it's a damned good thing I'm here to get it all figgered out for you," a deep baritone voice said from behind me. I turned and found a tall, broad, white man in his late forties. He was dressed in western clothing and had a badge hanging from his shirt pocket. His upper lip was dominated by a huge, bristling walrus-like mustache in the same salt and pepper black as his balding head. "Digger Jamison, Texas Rangers. Who's Hawkins?"
Hawk looked pretty steamed already just at seeing him. "I'm Hawkins. This is related to an investigation I'm running. What can I do for you?"
Digger grinned but there was no humor to it. "You can thank me for takin' over this case. Since a politico was a possible target in this shooting, the Rangers are taking charge of this investigation and the one in Houston, too. You're now my contact with HPD, Hawkins. Don't you worry none, I'll make sure you look good, not that you don't already." He winked at Hawk.
"This is bullshit," Hawk snarled. "De la Cruz wasn't the target. Stansbury or Davis were."
Digger scowled at Hawk. "Let's not fight, now, y'hear? I've looked over your case file and my experience tells me that the two are connected," he said with a superior tone.
"Of course they're connected. I just told you that, you..." Hawk started hotly.
"I think," I said interrupting Hawk smoothly, "that we can agree that they are connected. Lisa Davis, Galveston County District Attorney's office." I held out a hand and Digger took it.
"Ma'am," Digger drawled. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about all this. I'll get right down to the bottom of what's goin' on and get the varmint behind bars in two shakes of a lamb's tail."
My mouth dropped open. Digger's statement was so outrageous, I didn't know what to say. I thought this kind of misogynistic behavior was a thing of the past. After all, women could be more than secretaries now. Hawk was silent and a glance showed her agape and speechless as well.
Digger filled the void himself. "There, I knew that would set both of you fillies at ease. It's already purdy obvious that feller, Price, is likely the killer."
"Oh, puh-leeze!" Hawk said, finally catching her voice. "I cannot believe I am hearing this! I'm going to call my Captain and get this fixed, Lisa." She stalked off without a word more to Digger, but I could hardly blame her. It's not every day you meet someone that pushes so many buttons all at once. She was on her cell phone before she was five feet away.
Digger shook his head. "That happens all the durned time, missy. She'll come around when she gets to know me. So, tell me what happened the night your friend blew up." He pulled out a well-chewed stub of a pencil and a cheap flip notebook.
I considered, really considered, losing it like Hawk but
barely
held myself in check. "Calvin. His name was Calvin and he didn't blow up. My car was bombed. Calvin was driving it when my car blew up." I started going over the details again and he quickly started asking questions about Ted. What I knew about him and who or what I had seen around. Who he knew. About Price. It didn't take more than a minute for me to figure out he had already focused in on Price targeting Ted, and that he was looking for information shaped to fit his preconceptions rather than keeping an open mind.
"Look, Ranger Jamison..." I started.
"Just call me Digger, ma'am," he interrupted. "And I'll call you Lisa. There. All comfortable like." He patted my hand.
I was saved from tearing his head off by Hawk exploding behind me. "Goddammit, Captain! That's not right! This is my investigation and he doesn't know squat about it or Houston. I tell you, the man is a bloomin' idiot!"
I grimaced at that. Even given the short time that I had known her, I already knew that tact wasn't very high on Hawk's list of merits when she was angry. I couldn't tell what her conversational partner was saying but it was loud enough to buzz in the air, even over here. Amazingly, Digger didn't seem upset at being called an idiot.
"I think she might not know me well enough, jest yet. Give 'er time and she'll be seein' me in a better light. She's jest upset that I outrank her," Digger said in a sotto voice.
