regular medications for comparison,” Peyton said.
“The ME will handle that,” Liam said.
Although if someone had gone to the trouble to frame Peyton and the same person had killed Leon, and they worked at the Gardens, they could have tampered with his medical records.
Jacob gestured toward the door. “Let’s go talk to Brantley.”
“Wait here,” Liam told Peyton. “I’ll drive you to the hospital when I’m finished.”
Peyton pulled her phone from her purse. “I’ll call and check on Mama.”
Liam gave a little nod, then followed Jacob from the room, into the hall. They crossed to Interrogation Room 2 and entered.
Herbert Brantley sat scowling, his hands knotted on top of the table, his shoulders rigid.
“Why the hell am I here?”
Jacob dropped a folder on the desk, then sank into the chair across from the man. Liam remained standing, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.
“You worked at Whistler Hospital five years ago,” Jacob began. “You were on duty the night Gloria Inman died.”
Brantley shifted. “So were a lot of other hospital staff members.”
“True.” Jacob tapped the file. “But not all of them have a record for selling drugs.”
The man’s breath wheezed out. “That was a long time ago. I was practically a kid.”
“Yet now you work in a field where you have access to opioids and narcotics on a daily basis.”
“I work in a field to help people,” Brantley said. “And for the record, I don’t know what happened to Mrs. Inman. Why don’t you ask that nurse who was in the ER with her? Maybe she screwed up.”
Liam didn’t like the fact that he was so quick to point suspicion toward Peyton. “You were also on duty the night of the hospital fire.”
Brantley’s eyes flared with anger. “If you’re suggesting I had something to do with that fire, you’re wrong.”
Jacob let the silence stand for a minute, and Brantley shifted again, then flexed his fingers.
“Where were you last night and early this morning?”
“Home. In bed asleep,” Brantley said flatly.
“Can anyone verify that?” Jacob asked.
A seed of panic flared in the man’s eyes. “No, I was alone. Why? Do I need an alibi?”
“A patient at Golden Gardens died in the night,” Jacob said. “Leon Brittles.”
“I have no idea who he is, so why would I hurt him?”
“Money,” Liam suggested. “You never did explain how you bought all those things we asked you about.”
“And I don’t have to,” Brantley said.
Liam didn’t like this bastard. He had to keep pushing him.
“Where were you night before last?”
Brantley jiggled his leg. “Had the night off so I went to a bar.”
“I’ll need to know the name of that bar.”
Brantley worked his mouth from side to side.
“Let’s talk about the night Gloria Inman died again.” He tapped the tabletop. “Did you know Mrs. Inman had a large number of opioids in her system when she was admitted to the hospital?”
Brantley folded his arms. “How would I know? I wasn’t in the ER with her.”
“I have a search warrant for your house and belongings,” Liam interjected. “Am I going to find opioids there?”
Brantley went stone still. “I’m done talking. I want a lawyer.”
“All right.” Liam glared down at him. “But if you started that hospital fire and had anything to do with these other people’s deaths, no lawyer will be able to save you. You’re going to rot in prison for the rest of your life.”
* * *
PEYTON ASKED TO speak to the head nurse in charge of her mother’s room, who turned out to be a kind older woman named Letty Hutchins. “Your mother’s condition is the same. Her vitals are good, but she still hasn’t regained consciousness.”
That worried Peyton the most.
“Did the doctor run a full blood panel?”
“Yes, when she first arrived. He’s ordered a CAT scan and an MRI for this afternoon.”
“Good.” She worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she thought about the oddity with Mrs. Inman’s toxicology report.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Peyton told the nurse. “Please call me if there’s a change.”
“I will.”
Just as Peyton ended the call, her phone dinged. Joanna. She pressed Connect. “Hey, Jo.”
“I just talked to the director.” Worry laced Joanna’s tone. “What’s going on, Peyton? He said that federal agent wants a list of all the employees at the Gardens. He can’t possibly think someone here hurt Leon or your mother.”
He thought exactly that. “He’s covering all the bases. Something’s going on at the Gardens, Jo. First my mother, then Leon.”
A heartbeat of silence passed. “Your mama is going to make it,” Jo assured