Page 14 of Fighting for Tawny

As the thought entered Tawny’s mind, Dr. Sadler burst onto the scene with her medical bag and a portable defibrillator. “How long has she been down?”

“Two, three minutes,” the guard answered.

Dr. Sadler used scissors she pulled from her medical bag to cut away Bette’s jumpsuit. She charged the defibrillator and ordered, “Clear!” Everyone moved away from her. She shocked Bette twice before her heart started beating again.

Someone must have already contacted 911 because sirens blared in the distance. At this point, Warden Stoltz commanded a lockdown. The women were hustled inside and forced into their cells. Tawny paced as she clenched and unclenched her hands, worried their plan had gone terribly awry and whatever happened to Bette was an actual medical emergency. She wouldn’t know unless she asked Dr. Sadler the next time she saw her or one of the guards who was present when the fake paramedics arrived to treat Bette. But what if…

Stop torturing yourself. Have faith in the plan. In the people who have your back.

The women were confined to their cells for the rest of the day, probably due to an investigation of the incident. Lunch was delivered to them much later than usual. When they all gathered in the dining hall for their last meal of the day, a pall hung in the air attributed to their subdued moods. Instead of being loud and raucous, the women spoke in hushed tones. Gossip and speculation abounded.

“Have you heard anything?” Jo asked Yolanda and Tawny.

Tawny shook her head. “Not in my unit.”

“It looked like a drug overdose to me,” Yolanda commented. “First her cellmate Lucy and now Bette. It’s not a coincidence.”

“It could have been a seizure,” Jo pointed out. “Foaming at the mouth and all that.”

They both turned to stare at Tawny. “What do you think, T?”

The trust she heard in Yolanda’s tone stung. She hated this charade.

“I honestly don’t know what to think.” She told the truth.

“I’ll tell you what I think.” Jo lowered her voice. “I think Bette’s crazy conspiracy theory was right on the money, and they took her out. She’s probably dead, and we’re all just sittin’ ducks.”

No one disagreed.

Hours earlier…

“Package is secure,” Finnigan spoke to the LAPD SWAT command center from behind the wheel of the fire rescue truck as it barreled toward Los Angeles. There, SAC Cofield waited with two members of her team and Justice to take Bette Simpson into protective custody. Brielle’s father, Cameron McAdams, was also present to ensure Bette’s civil rights. Finnigan hoped to catch a glimpse of Tawny, but no luck. Warden Stoltz had ordered a swift lockdown.

“Good work, Sergeant Finnigan.” He’d recently been promoted in the wake of Brielle’s extended leave due to her high-risk pregnancy.

“How’s she doing back there, Macklin?”

“We’re rousing her now.”

An EMT with the LAFD rode in the back of the fire rescue truck. A moment later, Finnigan heard a strangled cough and a gasp.

“Where am I? Oh, Jesus, everything hurts!”

The EMT responded, “You’re in an ambulance on your way to St. Joseph’s Hospital. I need to examine you before I give you something for the pain.”

“I’m out? I’m really out?”

“It’s not that simple, Bette,” Macklin answered. “After you get cleared at the hospital, you’ll be taken to a safe house, then placed in witness protection.”

“But I didn’t witness nothin’.”

“Maybe not. But whoever killed Lucy, and possibly others, doesn’t know that. And when they discover you’re missing, they’ll be coming after you.”

“So, I have to hide? How long?”

“Until we solve this case. In the meantime, Cameron McAdams will investigate what happened to you and file an appeal on your behalf. He’ll be with you every step of the way.”

“Really? The Cameron McAdams?”

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