Page 214 of Chameleon Killer

“Same.”

I leaned back against the counter. “Do you believe him?”

Mallory didn't answer immediately. I watched her consider every possible version. She took her time, and when she finally spoke, she said, “I believe he believes the distinction matters.”

“That wasn't my question.”

“I know.”

“Mal.”

She sighed. “I believe him enough to want to verify what he told me.”

That wasn't reassurance. Maybe it shouldn't be. “What did he tell you?”

“He pointed to the second toxicology.”

I nodded. “We know Brewster knew about it. What else?”

“He told me where to look.”

My attention sharpened. “Where?”

“Laboratory billing reconciliation for the final seventy-two hours of Guy's admission. Compare accession numbers against pathology's specimen log.”

That was incredibly specific. Far too specific to ignore.

“And?”

“One number won't belong.”

I felt the journalist in me wake up despite exhaustion. “Which could mean…”

“I don't know.” The same tiredness wore away at her that dragged at me.

“Missing specimen?”

“Possibly.”

“Different patient?”

“Maybe.”

“Off-book test?”

“We verify.”

Of course. Mallory crossed her arms. “He also said there was more than one gap in the records.”

“That matches the billing anomalies.”

“Yes.”

He gave her a lot. “Anything else?”

She looked at me.

I knew immediately there was. “How bad?”