I look around the bathroom. It’s a small space with everything you would expect, including a closet. I close the door behind me and start with the closet, finding nothing.
Next, I check the cabinet under the sink and the sink itself. Straightening up, I look at the toilet. I crouch behind it and feel along the back. There’s nothing on the wall side or bowl rim. I lift the lid of the tank. And there it is. A see-through waterproof pouch, suction-cupped to the inside of the tank lid. It’s a list of all the staff working at the hospital, including their contact details and home addresses. This would be valuable information to the Mainland.
I close my eyes for a second and shake my head.
Crap!
It’s exactly what I expected, and yet I’m still gutted.
“Noooooo,” I say under my breath. “Fuck!”
I lower the lid back down, gently, exactly the way it was. I straighten up and look at myself in the mirror as I walk past, and I don’t like what I see.
Grabbing my laptop bag, I dig out a pair of disposable gloves and an evidence bag. I pull the gloves on as I cross back to the bathroom, where I lift the tank lid again. It doesn’t take long to gently peel the pouch off the underside. The suction is good, and the pouch is surprisingly dry.
I slide it into the evidence bag, then put the pouch in a second evidence bag. I seal both. I wipe down the lid where I touched it and lower it carefully back into place. I check the floor and the surrounding area for anything I might have dropped or spilled.
When I’m sure that everything is as I left it, I leave.
The evidence bag goes into my laptop bag. I’ve only just stripped off the rubber gloves when I hear someone approach. I stuff the gloves into the bag as the door opens.
Robyn walks in. Her hair is in a messy ponytail, and there’s color in her face.
She looks tired, but she’s smiling. “Hi,” she says.
“Hey. How did it go?” I clear my throat because my voice is gruff. I force a smile.
“It was a mess. Lots of blood. But we got him back together. Dr. Patel is going to have to keep a close eye on him tonight. Some of the dragons don’t respond as well to the sedatives we give them. You guys have a fast metabolism.”
“We do, indeed.” I nod.
She notices that I’m standing, and her eyes drop to my laptop bag.
I unplug my computer because why else would I be standing with my bag in my hand?
She frowns. “Are you heading out?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Are you nearly finished?”
She glances at the clock on the wall, and her eyes go wide. “I had no idea it was that late. No wonder Carla’s desk was empty when I went past — she’s probably gone home.” She turns back to me. Her smile is softer. “Are you coming over later?”
I push my hand into my pocket. “I’ve got something I need to take care of tonight.” I need to log the evidence and speak with Reed to fill her in. It would feel wrong to go to Robyn after hanging her out to dry.
“I have a couple of things I need to do, so I’m not sure I’ll make it. I’ll do my best.”
“How is the assessment going? Are you nearly done?”
“I need to spend some time in the hangar tomorrow, if that’s okay?”
She nods. “Of course. You have an all-access pass.”
“That should conclude my assessment. I’ll need one more day to finalize everything, and then I’ll be done.”
I see the disappointment written on her face. She looks away, trying to hide it.
“So, two more days and you’re gone?” Her voice is soft.
I nod. “Yep. I’ll be out from under your feet.”
