slow motion.
Suddenly woozy, she muttered she’d be back, then hurried from the room. She stumbled down the hall to the restroom, splashed cold water on her face again and stared at herself in the mirror.
A liar’s face stared back. She’d been running scared for five years. If the hospital fire was connected to Gloria Inman’s death, her silence might have caused other people to lose their lives.
Including Agent Maverick’s father.
The events of the past played through her head and tears ran freely down her face.
She’d kept silent when questioned about Gloria Inman’s death. Lied to the police when they’d asked if she suspected foul play.
Even this week when that agent had shown up, she’d maintained her original story.
But her mother lay in a hospital fighting for her life anyway.
Something had to change. She could not let whoever was doing this dictate her life and hurt her mother.
Her hands trembled as she plucked a paper towel from the holder and wiped her tears away. She refused to be victimized anymore.
She might face consequences for her silence. If she lost her license, how would she support herself and pay for her mother’s care?
But if she didn’t do something, her mother might die anyway.
Her hand trembled as she retrieved her phone and Agent Maverick’s card from her pocket. Another female entered the restroom, and she stepped outside, then walked to the waiting room. Full.
Frustrated and wanting privacy, she headed toward the cafeteria. There, she could blend in with the staff and patients’ family members and find a quiet corner to make the call. As she entered, she scanned the room in case someone was watching her.
Although she had no idea who’d sent her that text message. The voice on the phone from five years ago had been distorted.
Deciding it was too loud in the cafeteria, she headed toward the staff lounge, but since she no longer worked at Whistler Hospital, she didn’t have the code to enter. Nerves on edge, she walked back to her mother’s room to make certain she was stable. Satisfied when she saw her heart rate had steadied, she told the nurse to call her if there was a problem, that she was going to get coffee.
Then she veered down the hall to an atrium area which housed a coffee shop at one end and small seating alcoves for visitors. She bought a cup of coffee, then claimed an empty table in the corner by the window.
Nerves clawed at her as she pressed Agent Maverick’s phone number.
* * *
“I’M SORRY, AGENT MAVERICK,” Dr. Hammerhead said. “I can’t find the toxicology report on Mrs. Inman, although I’m certain I ran one.”
“Do you recall seeing anything suspicious?” Liam asked. “A drug interaction?”
“No, but I can’t say with all certainty. I’ve worked on hundreds of autopsies in the past five years. It would be a disservice to simply guess.”
Liam’s phone buzzed with another call. Peyton Weiss. But he needed to finish this call first. “I’m requesting an exhumation order for Gloria Inman’s body. If her death has anything to do with the hospital fire, learning what happened to her is key.”
“I’ll be happy to work it in when you get approval,” Dr. Hammerhead agreed.
“All right. I’ll let you know.”
Before he returned Peyton’s call, he rapped on Jacob’s office door. “I want to talk to Inman again.”
“New evidence?”
Liam shook his head. “It’s about his wife’s autopsy.”
Jacob retrieved Inman while Liam grabbed the man a bottle of water and carried it to the interrogation room. Inman shuffled in a few minutes later, looking even more ragged than he had when they’d first brought him in. Dark circles rimmed his eyes and despair robbed the color from his face. Liam wondered if he was suicidal as his mother had suggested.
Although he’d had five years to kill himself if he really wanted.
Then again, he was in jail now. Maybe he’d survived because he hadn’t had to face the consequences of his actions.
He shuffled through the door, head lowered as Jacob led him to the table. He sat down with a thunk and an angry scowl. “You don’t have proof I did anything but leave town after my wife died. And that was after I tried to find out what caused her to die.” He muttered a low sound in his throat. “Course I was the only one who wanted the truth.”
Liam maintained a neutral expression. “If you’re as innocent as you claim, help us prove it.”
The man spied the bottle of water, grabbed it, twisted the