"Okay, so that’s three people connected to Riverside," Derek continued."Now, we also have Hartman’s sister there on two separate occasions."
"Hartman’s sister?"Moore asked.
"Right after the initial trial, when Hartman was found not guilty on a plea of insanity, she had a mental breakdown and was admitted to the facility for three months.Then, when Hartman almost killed that couple and was shot by the cop, she had a psychotic episode and was found walking down the highway in the middle of the night, completely unclothed."
"What?"Moore asked.
"And that’s not even the most interesting part about all of this," Derek said."At the initial trial, she testified against her brother.She told them that he should go to jail for the rest of his life and that he was a danger to society.She testified that she knew her brother and that he was pretending to be insane to avoid prison.That he should be locked up for the rest of his life."
"So, she was in the same facility the first time at the same time as her brother?"Alison asked.
"It was partly why the appeals failed," Derek said."The jury was massively swayed by Hartman’s sister testifying against him, but when the appeals came around, her testimony was discounted because of her psychotic episodes.It was argued that she couldn’t be trusted."
The three of them were sent for a while after that as they all contemplated what it all meant.
"Greene and his sister, Hartman and his sister," Derek eventually said."I don't know what that means, but that’s four people all connected with the same facility.Three of them were there at the same time, and the fourth would have visited.Do we have something?"
"It’s a strange coincidence," Moore admitted.
"We might have something," Alison agreed."Find out where the sister is now."
"I’m on it," Derek said.The line clicked as he ended the call.
"What do you think?"Moore asked.
"It fits," Alison said."We’re looking for someone who wants justice for how Hartman was treated.He should have gone to jail, but he didn't.If anyone should know him, it’s his sister.She testifies at his trial, then watches him being declared insane and committed to a mental health facility.Then she has a breakdown and is committed to the same facility."
"Who made that decision for her to go there?"Moore asked."She would have seen her brother there.That would only have made things worse."
"And she might have seen Judge Greene at the facility, too, a constant reminder of what happened," Alison pointed out."She sees her brother being released, almost killing two people before being shot dead.Even if she hates her brother, there's still a connection there, and then he’s shot dead.She knew she was right, but no one believed her."
"So, she sets out to punish those who were in the wrong," Moore said."She wants to punish those whomishandledher brother."
"We suspected Diana of wanting to punish those who could be seen as failing Hartman and society, and there’s a possibility that she was mimicking the frenzied murders Hartman committed, but the recent murders feel too real for it to be a copycat.But Hartman’s sister?"
"She was committed twice for psychotic episodes," Moore finished."What if this is her third breakdown?"
"We need to catch up with that patrol car that I sent out there," Alison said."We need to speak to the sister directly."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Sarah Hartman was Michael Hartman’s younger sister.She had spent two separate stints at Riverside, the first of which had been at the same time as he older brother.Both times had been when Judge Greene’s sister had been there.
"The officers are at the house, but there’s been no answer yet," Moore told Alison once the latter got off the phone.
"I just spoke to Derek," Alison replied."No one has been able to get through to Sarah or Dr.Connor.They sent a car to his house, but there’s no sign of him."
"Has she taken him?"Moore asked."Is she the killer?"
"She could be," Alison said."I mentioned before about the timing.Why now?Why go after these people now?It might not matter.If Sarah is the killer, and she's had another psychotic episode, when she does, it doesn't matter.The pain of what happened to her brother, and the people around him, will have festered inside for years, and she could have snapped."
"We need to find her before she kills again," Moore said.
"She might be going in and out of psychosis," Alison said."She’s conscious of what she’s doing, and then she lets the psychosis take over when she comes to kill them.Like un-caging a wild animal."
"I don’t care about a warrant," Moore said."If we get there, and we still can't get in contact with Sarah or Dr.Connor, we’re going in.We can't let someone else die, and we can't wait around for more information.We need to know what’s going on, and I’ll deal with the consequences."
When they arrived at Sarah’s house, a small home on the edge of Oakland, they found two offices standing by the front door.It was obvious that they hadn’t been able to gain entry to the house and that no one was in.
