Free Checkmate (Caitlin Calloway Mystery Book 2) by Mavis Applewater Page B

Detective Calloway.”
    “CC?” Stella asked and grinned when Mulligan nodded. “She must be loving this.”
    “Would you like me to contact my partner to confirm how many volts?”
    “Not necessary. I can find Detective Calloway if I need her. Thank you, Detective Mulligan. If you don’t mind, we have to help Mr. Stern. I’ll come get you.”
    “CC has a new partner?” Stella questioned as they continued their work.
    “News to me.” Jamie sighed while her patient pleaded for his momma.
    Jamie and her team did what little they could to alleviate Mr. Stern’s pain before arranging to admit him. Once she felt confident enough to leave the fledgling doctors alone, she sought out Detective Mulligan. It wasn’t hard to find the attractive woman, who was easily chatting with the nurses.
    “Detective?” Jamie was curious about the woman who was suddenly working with her wife.
    “Any news?”
    “Not much to tell you.” Jamie kept her tone even. “Mr. Stern suffered from a severe electrical shock.”
    “No kidding. Got to see it firsthand.”

“Poor bastard.” Jamie cringed. “We’re admitting him. He’s heavily sedated at the moment. He didn’t say anything useful during his treatment. Mostly he just wailed, cried, and generally begged for mercy.”
    “Hey, I don’t have the same equipment, and I felt for the guy.”
    “Me, too,” Jamie couldn’t help but agree. “Then again, you mess with your kid’s nanny…”
    “We don’t think he did,” Mulligan said. “We think the wife is a bit off. Right now, your wife sorry, I recognized you from the picture on Calloway’s desk, she’s questioning Mrs. Stern.”
    “I bet she’s enjoying that.” Jamie gave a laugh. “Are you all right?” She noticed a slight bruising on Mulligan’s jaw.
    “His wife punched me,” Leigh grumbled. “One of your people already checked it out. Not that I needed it.”
    “You needed it for the arrest report.” Jamie smiled. “I’m familiar with the need for paperwork.”
    “Being married to CC, you must be well versed in police procedures.”
    She was pleased that Mulligan had acknowledged her relationship with CC. It was a small thing, but it gave her comfort that this woman understood that CC was spoken for. She trusted CC; it was just nice to have all the cards on the table. In their early days, CC and Jamie had more than their fair share of misunderstandings.
    “Are you new to homicide?” she asked.
    “No,” Mulligan said with a charming smile. “I’m with missing persons. This case turned into a kind of a crossover.”
    “I get it.” Jamie nodded. “Can’t talk about an ongoing investigation.”
    “An ER doc married to a cop. It must get interesting at times.”
    “To say the least. I need to get back to it.” Jamie offered her hand, pleased when Mulligan returned the gesture with a firm handshake. “It takes a long time to find a bed for a new patient. Why don’t you keep Mr. Stern company?”
    “Thank you, Dr. Jameson. I’ll have a uniform stay with him. I need to go.” Mulligan’s voice turned grim as she checked her cell phone.
    Jamie turned to resume her duties when she heard her name being paged. “Ah, that would be my wife calling to tell me know she’s working late.”

     
     

Chapter 7
    CC had spent the better part of an hour with Mrs. Natalie Stern listening to her grouse about being held captive and calling her husband the most unflattering names. Then she expanded her vocabulary to some very nasty words regarding teenage girls.
    “Again, Mrs. Stern, I advise you that you do have the right to remain silent.” CC prayed that the nasty woman would heed her advice.
    “Why are you keeping me here?” Mrs. Stern screeched. “I need to be with my children.”
    “Your in-laws are with the boys,” CC said. “And you’re here because you’ve broken the law.”
    “Please.”
    CC cringed at the way the woman tried to dismiss her. “Again, possession of a taser gun is