[10:32AM, Karellon University maintenance shed]
Kate rushed back to the car and picked up the radio. "This is Special Agent Kate Calloway, FBI. I’ve got one of your officers down. We are in what looks like a maintenance yard near the stadium. Get someone out here right away."
A volley of overlapping questions came back over the radio, but Kate ignored them, turning her attention to getting into the shed. She glanced up at the window she had looked through, but it was too small. She located a crowbar in the trunk of the patrol car and went around to the door of the shed. Even before she tried it, she could tell that it would never work, but she tried anyway. She pushed the crowbar through the padlock and pushed down on it with all the force she could muster. The lock wouldn’t budge, though after a few moments, the bolts in the door groaned a bit under the strain.
Kate dropped the crowbar and stood back to analyze the situation. Quinn was inside the shed. Whether he was dead or alive, she had no way of telling, but if he was alive, she had to get to him. Just in case, she knocked on the door. "Quinn, if you can hear me, get down and stay down," she called. "I’m going to have to shoot the lock off this door." She waited a moment, listening for a response, but heard nothing.
Moving back to a safe distance, Kate unholstered her gun, assumed a proper firing stance and carefully lined up the shot. She squeezed the trigger slowly, as she had been taught to do ever since she was a child, and braced against the force of the bullet exploding from the chamber. Once freed, the projectile cut neatly through the padlock and into the metal door of the shed, where it came to a stop.
Kate rushed forward, pulling the lock off its hook and pushing the door open. She found a light switch just inside the door, and turned on the overhead fixture. The inside of the shed was a jumble of old tools and equipment, scattered about in no particular order. Officer Quinn was laying on the floor behind a workbench in the center of the room. His eyes were wide open and his breathing was erratic, but he was very much alive. She checked his pulse, finding it to be steady and strong. There was no visible indication of an injury.
Kate knelt down beside him. "Officer Quinn? Can you hear me?" Quinn gave no indication that he could. Kate took his hand. "Will," she said sharply, "listen to me. If you can hear me, squeeze my hand." A few seconds passes, then finally Quinn’s fingers flexed weakly. Kate hoped it wasn’t just a reflex.
"Good, that’s very good, Will," she said, relieved. "There’s an ambulance on the way. You’ll be just fine. Do you think you could answer some questions for me? All you have to do is squeeze my hand if the answer is yes. Can you do that?" Quinn’s fingers moved again, still weakly, but somehow with more certainty.
"Do you know who did this to you, Will?" No response. "Was there someone here with you?" His fingers moved. "Do you remember who else was here?" No response. "Do you remember seeing someone here?" Movement. "But you didn’t see who it was." He squeezed her hand, she assumed to indicate that her statement was correct.
Kate sighed. Coming up with yes or no questions when the ones she really wanted to ask required essay answers was a frustrating process. "Okay, Will, did you tell anyone about the conversation we had last night?" There was a pause long enough that Kate assumed the answer was no, then Quinn moved his fingers. His facial expression did not change in the least, but Kate could have sworn she saw an apologetic look in his eyes. "The same person who was here with you?" Squeeze.
Sirens sounded in the distance. A moment later came the sound of people shouting somewhere near the gate. "Very good, Will. Help is here." She looked up as two officers came through the door.
"What happened," one of them asked, practically pushing Kate aside to get to Quinn.
"I heard a car running back here and came in to investigate," she said.
The ambulance pulled up outside, and the other officer, who was standing near the door, motioned the medics inside. Kate stepped back out of the way while they tended to Quinn, pulled out her cell phone and dialed Eithne’s number.
[Llewellyn.]
"Eithne, it’s Kate. Have you seen Jennifer yet."
[We’re still with her. There’s no change in her condition.]
"Have they run a tox screen on her?"
[I don’t know. Flynn got the name of her doctor, but he’s off duty right now. Why?]
"I just found one of the campus police officers in a similar condition. I have to wonder if there’s a connection."
[I’ll find out. Have you found anything else?]
"I’ll be coming in with Officer Quinn. I’ll fill you in when I get there." Kate cut the connection and dialed Sandra’s number.
[McCormick.]
"It’s Kate."
[I just got back to the car. Where are you?]
"Long story. Is the tow truck there yet?"
[Just arrived.]
"Good. When you’ve got things squared away there, meet me at University Hospital."
[The hospital? Has there been a change in Jennifer Roberts’ condition?]
"I don’t know. Officer Quinn is being taken in." The paramedics lifted Quinn onto the gurney and started wheeling him toward the waiting ambulance. "I’ll tell you everything when you get there. I’ve gotta go." Kate cut the connection and followed the paramedics.
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