was a compassionate PA who took extra time to make them comfortable and cared for. Many of the residents had lost loved ones and were alone, leaving them with few to no visitors.
Liam received a text from his brother requesting they meet at the sheriff’s office, so they drove there after finishing the interviews. Dread filled Peyton when she saw his brother’s face.
“Come on back.” Sheriff Maverick led to the same interrogation room where they’d brought her before.
A man sat at the table, wearing a lab coat, square glasses, his sandy-brown hair combed neatly off his forehead. A file sat in front of him, his hand placed on top.
The sheriff gestured for her and Liam to sit, and they did. Judging from the sheriff’s body language, he had disturbing news. Liam introduced her to Dr. Hammerhead, the ME.
“Brantley is in the other room,” the sheriff told Liam. “I was just about to question him, when he arrived.”
Dr. Hammerhead adjusted his glasses, then opened the file. “I have the results of Mrs. Inman’s autopsy.”
Sheriff Maverick folded his arms. “It doesn’t look good, Peyton. This report indicates that you gave the woman a lethal dose of morphine.”
Chapter Eighteen
Tension knotted Peyton’s stomach. She’d sensed something wasn’t right in the ER, and then when Dr. Butler had shown her that drug log.
“I explained that to Liam,” Peyton said. “I did not give Mrs. Inman morphine.”
Liam’s jaw tightened. “What did you find, Dr. Hammerhead?”
Dr. Hammerhead cleared his throat. “Cause of death was heart failure due to cardiac arrest.” He gestured to the file. “But the cause of the heart issue is what’s interesting.”
Liam stiffened. “What caused it?”
“I’m getting to that.” Dr. Hammerhead rubbed a hand down his face. “The toxicology report indicates that Mrs. Inman had large amounts of opioids in her system.” He glanced at Peyton. “Was the hospital aware of that when she was brought in?”
Peyton shook her head. “No. The only medications Mr. Inman listed were blood pressure medicine and a statin for high cholesterol.”
The lines on the ME’s forehead crinkled. “The autopsy indicates she was a long-term user—abuser.”
Peyton’s mind raced. “But Mr. Inman never mentioned a history of drug use.”
“Maybe he didn’t know,” Liam suggested.
Some people hid their addiction from friends and family. Val had at first, until the situation had gotten out of control and had taken over her life.
“An overdose of opioids could have affected her heart and triggered her to go into arrest,” Peyton said.
“Exactly.” The ME held up a finger. “But there’s more. According to the tox report, she was given morphine within a half hour before her death. Which would mean she received it in the hospital.”
Peyton shook her head. “We did not administer morphine or any pain meds when she came in. We were assessing her condition and I gave her a shot of epinephrine.”
“One shot?” Dr. Hammerhead asked.
Peyton tensed. “Yes, why do you ask?”
Dr. Hammerhead removed his glasses. “Because there were two injection sites and double the amount of epinephrine in her system.”
“That makes no sense,” Peyton muttered. “Unless someone else gave her a shot before I did. But we record every aspect of the treatment so mistakes like that don’t happen in the ER.”
“Except, according to the log report,” Sheriff Maverick said, “your code was used to check out both morphine and the epinephrine.”
Peyton went cold inside as she glanced at Liam. She knew exactly how it looked. Just like Dr. Butler had said it would.
It either appeared she’d made a mistake in the ER, or she had killed Gloria Inman.
She gripped the chair with clammy hands. “Is this the point where I ask for an attorney?”
Liam and Jacob exchanged furtive looks. “Do you need one?” Jacob asked.
Peyton’s lungs strained for air. “I don’t know. I haven’t done anything wrong, but I’m not naive enough to believe that my word is enough when evidence points to the contrary.”
It was one reason she hadn’t come forward sooner.
* * *
LIAM DIDN’T BELIEVE that Peyton was responsible for any of this. But he also couldn’t discount facts.
Those facts needed to be backed by motive which Peyton lacked. She certainly seemed competent enough not to inject a patient with the wrong meds or too much medication. And paperwork could be doctored.
He wished to hell he had autopsies on the three other patients who died where Miller Conrad had worked.
“Let’s get the autopsy for Leon Brittles,” Liam said. “The tox report should tell us if he had opioids or epinephrine in his system.”