Mystery and Crime Fiction posted January 29, 2025 Chapters:  ...21 22 -23- 24... 


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Hospital Drama Unfolds
A chapter in the book Veil of Secrets

Veil of Secrets - Chap 23

by Begin Again


NOTE:
THIS IS THE 2ND HALF OF THE HOSPITAL SCENE
CATCH CHAP. 22 FIRST

Meanwhile, Jack Lexington pulled himself from the floor, glancing into the mirror. He winced at the bruising, muttering. "A small price to pay, I guess."

He could hear voices in the hallway. Shifts were changing. He moved fast, tugging the janitor coveralls from beneath the mattress.

Moments later, he pulled the cap low over his face and nonchalantly pushed the mob bucket down the hall. No one gave him a second glance.

The service elevator slid open. Jack stepped inside, pressing the button to the second floor. As the doors closed, he let out a slow breath. His heartbeat had barely spiked.

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped off. Over the PA system, he could hear a voice requesting security to the ICU stat. The second floor was buzzing with the changing of shifts and the current gossip about what was happening in the ICU.

Leaving the mop bucket behind, Jack eased his way down the hallway and entered the bathroom.

A man was drying his hands near the sink. He tossed the damp paper in the waste collector and moved toward the door. His eyes met Jack's for a second, and then he was gone.

Jack walked into the wheelchair-accessible stall. His favorite suit was waiting. A smile crossed his face as he quickly changed, jamming the coveralls into a briefcase.

He left the bathroom and headed for the stairwell, descending quickly. On the ground floor, he exited the building, where a dark sedan idled at the curb. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh morning air, and looked upward, hoping Donatelli was still alive.

As he slipped into the passenger seat, his driver grinned. "Everything go as planned, boss?"

"Like clockwork, Morgan. It was the best few minutes of reminiscing I've had in a long time." He smiled at his driver. "I'm starving. I know this off-street cafe that serves the best steak and eggs, and the waitresses aren't bad either." Both men laughed.

Before Jenna ever saw the breaking news alert, before hospital security rushed to the ICU, Jack Lexington was already vanishing into the morning haze. The game had just begun.

*****
Danni flipped through a magazine — the same one she'd been flipping through for hours. The pages were blurred as she worried about her partner, clinging to life down the hall. Across the waiting room, Jenna was curled up on a small sofa, asleep, exhaustion written all over her face.

Danni's phone buzzed, and a text message from DeLuca flashed across the screen. "ICU Stat."

Her eyes shifted to Jenna for a moment before rushing down the hall, her boots barely making a sound against the polished hospital floor.

As she passed the elevator, the doors slid open. A group of hospital security guards stormed out, their radios crackling. Their expressions were tight — something was very wrong. Danni picked up her pace, following close behind as they moved toward the ICU.

A uniformed officer stood at the entrance, blocking the way. Without breaking stride, Danni flashed her badge. "What's going on?" she demanded.

The officer barely spared her a glance before nodding toward the hallway. "Somebody did a number on Detective Donatelli."

Danni's breath caught. No. No, this can't be happening. Heart hammering, she pushed past the officer and sprinted toward Donatelli's room.

Then she saw it.

The body on the bed.

Blood soaked the pristine hospital sheets, staining the once-white fabric a deep crimson. The machines were still beeping, their tones warbling like a funeral dirge.

Danni's entire form shuddered, an unnatural cold crawling over her. The tether — her bond to Donatelli — frayed, snapping like a taut rope under too much strain. For one breathless second, she thought she was losing him. How could Donatelli be dead?

A strong hand gripped her arm, jerking her back. He hissed, "Danni, it's not him!"

DeLuca was standing there.

She twisted in his grip, wild with confusion. "Not him? What the hell are you talking about?" Her eyes darted back to the room.

"It's not him."

DeLuca pulled her into an empty room, shutting the door behind them. His voice was low but firm. Danni's body was trembling. "Listen to me. That's not Donatelli's body."
Danni's breath came in quick, shallow gasps. "But the blood — the Feds —"

"It's staged," DeLuca said, his tone deadly serious. "Jack Lexington got word there was a hit out on Donatelli. He tipped off Frank DiVito, who told the Feds. There wasn't enough time to loop us in."

Danni's head spun. She pressed her palms against her temples, trying to process. "So where is he? And whose body is that?"

Before DeLuca could answer, both their phones buzzed simultaneously. A news alert lit up their screens.

BREAKING NEWS: Bayside's Decorated Detective Matthew Donatelli Confirmed Dead
The FBI and local authorities have not released further details at this time.

Danni's stomach plummeted. "Jenna!"

Panic seized her as she bolted from the room, sprinting back to the waiting area.

*****
Jenna stirred, blinking sleepily at the phone in her hands. Then the words sank in.
A strangled cry tore from her throat. "NOOOOO!"

She jumped to her feet, the phone clattering to the ground as a gut-wrenching scream ripped through the hospital.

Danni reached her just in time as Jenna's knees buckled. She caught her, holding her tight as sobs wracked her body.

"It's not real," Danni whispered in her ear. "Do you hear me? It's not real."

Jenna's nails dug into Danni's arms, her breathing ragged. "The news says he's dead."

"No," Danni swore, locking eyes with her. "Listen to me, Jenna. He's not." People were watching. Danni needed Jenna to calm down, but she had to be careful to keep the truth under wraps. "Jenna, listen to me. We have to play along until we figure out what the hell is going on."

Jenna's sobs quieted into shaky breaths, but her entire body trembled. "If he's not dead, where is he?"

Danni exhaled, glancing over her shoulder. "That's what we're about to find out."

As they turned toward the hallway, a sudden chill passed through the waiting area — not the cold of the hospital air conditioning, but something else.

Danni stopped mid-step, her detective instincts kicking in. She turned just in time to see Eleanor exit a room near the entrance to the waiting room.

Jenna's breath hitched the moment she saw her.

The moment their eyes met, Eleanor's heart clenched. The pain radiating from her daughter was unbearable.

"Jenna —" Eleanor started, but Jenna shook her head violently, stepping back like her mother's presence was a physical blow.

"No!" Jenna's voice was sharp and furious. "No — you don't get to do this."

Eleanor took a hesitant step forward. "Jenna, I —"

"You should have known!" Jenna's face was flushed with rage and anguish. "You always know, Mom!" Jenna's voice cracked as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "But not this time? Not when it mattered most?"

Eleanor swallowed hard, shaking her head. "Jenna, I —" But what excuse could she give? For once, her instincts had failed her.

"Where were you?" Jenna demanded. "I was screaming in that waiting room. And you —" She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "You were nowhere."

Eleanor swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay steady. "Jenna, that's not fair. I felt something was wrong. I did. But I thought —" she hesitated, the truth feeling inadequate. "I thought I was feeling his pain from being shot. And with everything happening at the Vineyard, I couldn't separate it. I didn't realize it was you."

Jenna let out a sharp, shaky breath, her body stiff. "You didn't realize?" she repeated, her voice dangerously soft. "You always realize, Mom."

Eleanor's fingers twitched at her sides. "So much has been happening. I was wrong."

Danni, standing close, finally interjected. "Let's take this inside." Her voice was firm, though not unkind. "We all need to talk."

Jenna let out another shaky breath, her anger still burning hot, but she turned on her heel and stormed toward the consultation room.

Eleanor closed her eyes briefly before following.
 
The moment they stepped inside the private consultation room, Jenna whirled around, her face red with emotion. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she took in the people around her — Danni, DeLuca, and her mother.

"You all just let me think he was dead?" Jenna's voice cracked, raw from crying. "You let me fall apart out there, begging for answers, while you stood there."

Danni took a step forward, trying to calm her. "Jenna, we didn't —"

"Don't." Jenna's eyes burned with fury, and her hands clenched into fists. "You expect me to believe none of you knew?" Her gaze landed on DeLuca before shifting to Danni. "You two are detectives. You were supposed to have his back. Both of you do this for a living, and you're telling me you had no idea?"

DeLuca exhaled, his voice steady but weary. "Jenna, we only found out after the fact. The moment we knew, Donatelli was already gone."

Jenna scoffed, shaking her head. "Gone? Where? Another room in the hospital? And why does the news think he's dead?"

The silence was deafening.

Her heart pounded in her ears, her pulse hammering against her skull. "Where is he?" she repeated.

Eleanor's phone buzzed. She glanced at the caller ID — €"Frank".

She hesitated before answering, stepping away from Jenna's gaze. "Frank?"

"He's safe, Eleanor."

Relief and guilt crashed over her. "Where? With you?"

"My team is doing everything possible." Frank paused. "He made the trip, but I can't promise anything. Matthew's in critical condition. He's safe. No one will get to him, and no one will leak his location."

Eleanor's shoulders sagged as she whispered, "Thank you, Frank."

"We're family, Eleanor. Don't forget it. Send Jenna and Maggie and you, of course. I'll have the helicopter ready within the hour."

Eleanor closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. "I can't leave. Rebecca is missing, and Garth is out there looking for her."

Frank sighed. "I hadn't heard." He felt torn between Donatelli and Garth now. He closed his eyes, trying to focus. "Jenna doesn't need to be in that hospital another second. Can Danni come with her?"

Eleanor turned back to her daughter. Jenna's entire body was trembling — rage, grief, exhaustion all threatening to consume her.

"Jenna," Eleanor's voice was gentle but firm. "Donatelli is alive. He's in critical condition but safe with Frank's people."

Jenna froze, her throat tightening. "He's alive?"

Eleanor nodded. "Yes. But he's not out of danger."

Hope flickered in Jenna's eyes for a second, but the weight of everything else quickly drowned it. "Then I'm going to him."

Eleanor took a slow step closer. "Frank's sending the helicopter. It'll take you and Maggie to him."

Jenna's chest rose and fell in uneven breaths. "You're not coming?"

Eleanor's heart ached at the question, but she couldn't lie. "I can't. Rebecca is missing, and Garth needs me here."

Jenna let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Of course." Her voice cracked as her shoulders slumped. "Of course, you're staying here. There's always something more important, isn't there?"

Eleanor flinched, guilt clawing at her chest. "Jenna, that's not fair. I love Matthew as if he is my son."

"Really?" Jenna's voice rose, her eyes wet with unshed tears. "So why didn't you sense this? Why weren't you there when I was losing my mind thinking the father of my child was dead?"

Eleanor swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because I was torn in too many directions. I felt something was wrong, but I thought I was feeling his distress over being shot. And everything at the Vineyard — I didn't realize it was you."

Jenna let out a shaky breath, rubbing her hands over her face. "I just —" Her voice broke, and she shook her head. "I just need to see him."

Eleanor reached out hesitantly. "Jenna —"

Jenna took a step back, blinking rapidly. "No," she whispered. "Just get me on that damn helicopter."

Eleanor's throat tightened, but she nodded.

Danni placed a firm hand on Jenna's shoulder. "I'll go with you," she said softly. "You won't be alone."

Jenna sniffled, nodding stiffly.

DeLuca, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. "I'll make sure you both get out of here without drawing attention."

"Frank's helicopter lands in an hour. Danni, can you take Jenna to get Maggie?"

Danni nodded.

Eleanor watched as Jenna turned away, refusing to meet her gaze.

She had lost her daughter's trust tonight.

And that wound cut deeper than any bullet ever could.

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Main Characters -
Spirits from the past -
Eleanor Bennett - ghost detective
Danni - jr. ghost detective working with Matthew Donatelli
Cornelius Webb - Miriam's nemesis and murderer
Miriam Cascio - Trevor's murdered bride, Rebecca's grandmother and protector of the Vineyard
Antonio Maggio - Rebecca's grandfather and Miriam's first love

Bayside's Community --
Jenna Bennett - Event planner, Eleanor's daughter, Maggie's mother, Donatelli's love
Matthew Donatelli - Bayside's lead detective and Maggie's father
Rebecca Cascio Stillwell - recently inherited the Vineyard after discovering her adoption
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and widower (Allie) and potentially interested in Rebecca
Joseph DeLuca - Bayside detective
John Doyle - Ex-judge, nemesis to all, and escaped prisoner from Joliet State Prison.
Vince Rossi - mobster and Doyle's cellmate and escaped prisoner
Grayson Webb - grand nephew and recently inherited the Webb Estate
Althea Webb Cascio - mother to Travis and half-sister to Rebecca
Travis - missing boy
Phil Henderson - Bayside family lawyer
Criminals -
Zhang Wei - once involved in human trafficking with Doyle, seeks revenge for his career losses after Doyle's downfall from the Judge's bench.
Frank DiVito - retired gangster and childhood friend of Garth
Sam - Frankie's right-hand man and friend
Jack Lexington - Chicago kingpin
Tony "The Hawk" - Salvatore "Sal" and Vito Greco -- the New York mob
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