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“But I wouldn’t, would I?” Nate asked, at his most snobbish. “Patient confidentiality.”
Not put off, Rawlins said to him, “Concerned as you are over that patient, I thought you’d be at the lab running tests on those time-sensitive blood samples, trying to match…what was it? Cell markers?”
“I dropped the samples at the lab on my way here. I wouldn’t want to impose a tedious explanation of the matching process on Senator and Mrs. Hunt.”
“I’m sure they appreciate that consideration,” Rawlins said. “You ever locate Dr. O’Neal?”
“No. I’m almost glad I haven’t. I’m very upset with her. Terribly disappointed.”
“For not overseeing the tests with you?”
“Among other things,” Nate replied and gave a delicate shudder.
Richard set his cup and saucer on the small table at his elbow. “Nate has told us about Dr. O’Neal’s seeming infatuation with the pilot and their ill-timed interlude this morning.”
Wilson said, “They left the rendezvous spot with your Goliad and another man.”
“Who would that be?” Pretending ignorance, Delores looked to Richard for clarification.
“A new man Goliad has taken under wing to train,” he said to the deputies. “I believe his name is Timmy. I don’t know his last name.”
She waved her hand as though those details didn’t matter. “This is so out of character for Dr. O’Neal. Ordinarily she’s so stable, entirely devoted to treating that sweet little girl, and in pursuit of every possible avenue for her survival.”
The two deputies looked at each other. Wilson came back to Delores. “Sweet little girl?”
“Dr. O’Neal and Nate’s patient.” When the two officers gave Delores blank stares, she looked at Nate with perplexity and a trace of asperity. “Even without divulging Violet’s name, I was under the impression you had explained everything to these gentlemen.”
Delores could have slapped him. He just sat there like a ventriloquist’s dummy, his mouth opening and closing but nothing coming out.
Fortunately, neither of the deputies was paying attention to him. They were looking at her and Richard. Wilson coughed behind his fist. “Excuse us, senator, Mrs. Hunt. We had surmised that these blood samples were being tested for one of you.”
“Oh,” she said on an exhalation. “No. Richard and I are blessed with good health.” She let her smile falter. “Sadly, not so for Violet. I learned of her situation through one of the foundations that Richard and I support. We wanted to do something meaningful for her and her family.”
“Why don’t we play them the DVR?” Richard suggested. “That will explain things.”
“We had just as well make some use of it.” Her smile to the deputies was modestly apologetic. “We wanted to keep this between us and the girl’s family, but the media got wind of it. There’s no longer a need to protect her identity.”
Richard used an iPad on the end table to turn on the flat-screen fitted into a bookcase. The DVR had been p
aused at the place in the newscast where the story of Violet began.
The deputies watched with interest, and, when Richard paused the recording on their private jet disappearing into the clouds, the two looked justifiably embarrassed. Wilson said, “Very generous gesture.”
“Thank you. She’s had it rough and deserves some happy days.” Richard came to his feet. “If that’s all, Del and I have had a long day, too.”
Both deputies stood up. Wilson threaded his hat through his fingers. “That’s not quite all, senator.”
With visible but contained impatience, Richard divided a look between the two.
Rawlins said, “We’ve still got a man up in Howardville who was attacked last night.” Turning to Nate, he said, “We’d like to ask Dr. O’Neal a few more questions about what happened out there at the airport.”
Nate said, “Granted, Brynn has been indiscreet today, but she isn’t the sort to knock a man unconscious.”
“But he’s the sort.”
“Mallett?”
Rawlins nodded.
