Forever With You

Chapter Twenty-One

"What makes you think this is your fault?" Vera asks as she hands the box of Kleenex to Bridget. She wipes her eyes as she sniffs. "If I hadn't thrown her out..." Vera frowns and wraps her arms around Bridget. "Shhh. That has nothing to do with it. I promise." She gently rocks her back and forth, trying to help calm her down. "I'm sure there is an explanation..." Bridget's land line ringing cuts her off. Vera backs up and looks at Bridget. "Do you want to get it this time?" Bridget nods as she sniffs again, trying to regain some composure. "You should really turn your cell back on when you're done." Vera adds, just as her cell begins to ring.

"Yeah?" Fessler says as she answers her phone. "They did what?" She looks over at Erica who looks even more concerned than when she heard about Franky. "Yeah, I'll ask. Hold on." She covers her phone with her other hand. "Do you know a Joanne Ferguson or Kim Chang?" Erica starts to pale. "I, um. Kim Chang was in Wentworth with Franky. They were lovers, I guess you would call it. The other name doesn't ring a bell..." Fessler frowns. "Have you any contact with Chang?" "Fessler, what's this about?" Fessler uncovers the phone. "Chang yes, but no contact. Ferguson...wait. Isn't that the name of...I'll call you back." Fessler disconnects the line. "When did you last have contact with Chang?" Erica's brow creases. "Um, four years ago...before I left Wentworth. Why?" Fessler leans against the back of her chair. "She caused the accident Franky was in. Cut off the car in front or her, causing her to rear end it. Then swung around and rammed into the side of her car." Erica's eyes begin to glisten. "The thing is. Someone else approached the car before Chang did. I guess to taunt Franky, she won't say. But no one knows who this other woman is. However, my contacts have discovered this Joanne Ferguson following Franky." Erica moves to the edge of her seat. "Do you have pictures of this person?" Fessler raises an eyebrow at her. "I need to make things up to Franky...and Bridget. I'll get my people on it." Fessler nods and goes through the file.

Officer Davidson looks over the report and back at the detective. "So, Chang's prints are not on the piece of javelin. Who the hell carries something like that around with them?" Officer Anderson chuckles. "Someone with motive." The Detective Jones looks in through the window at Kim. "Book her on assault with a motor vehicle. Unless we can find something to pin the javelin on her, we can't charge her with attempted murder. Call Fessler. See what info she has."

"Bridget. It's Alan. How are you doing?" Bridget sniffs and chuckles lightly. "I could be better. How is Franky? I know she doesn't want to see me right now..." Alan interrupts her. "She just got out of surgery about an hour ago. She's still in ICU pending more testing. Look, I don't know the details about Saturday, but this is not your fault. The police said she was rammed after rear ending another vehicle. Apparently, it was setup." Bridget lets out a shaky sigh. "By whom? And surgery for what?" Alan begins pacing through the house. "They don't know yet. At least they haven't told me. She was in surgery for internal bleeding..." Bridget gasps. "Someone stabbed her with a metal rod. It wasn't from the accident." Bridget feels the floodgates open as tears slide down her cheeks in a continuous stream. "I um. Franky left something here for you. I um. Don't know if she planned on mailing it or what." Bridget feels a bit of dread. "She didn't..." Alan picks up on Bridget's thoughts. "Oh God no Bridget. Nothing like that. But I think you should see it. Can we meet somewhere?" Bridget feels her knees shake and sits down at the kitchen counter. "I don't know if I'm ready to go to the hospital..." Alan feels his heart ache. "How about a cup of coffee?"

Joanne waits until the water begins to boil, then slowly adds the entire contents of the rat poison box. She stirs it occasionally, waiting for it to dissolve completely. It's the easiest thing she could think to buy on such short notice, that wouldn't leave a suspicious trial behind. When she is content that it is dissolved enough, she takes the large syringe and sticks the needle into the boiling water, then pulls the plunger, filling it to its max. She replaces the cap on the needle and sets it on the counter to cool. 'Now to watch the hospital for shift change.'