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“You don't have to worry,” I interrupt her, “it is more for my sanity than any security threat to you. They won't get in your way, in fact, you won’t even know that they are there.”
I can see her thinking about it, mulling over the information I just bombarded her with, at a time when she really didn’t need more to think about, and I internally curse myself for bringing my problems to Molly.
“Okay,” she says, firmly with finality.
“Okay,” I reply and we continue the drive to her office in silence.
As we reach her building, I am happy to see a lot of cars and people coming and going. It is actually a hive of activity so early in the morning.
“The whole team is here. I’m not sure how the day will progress, but I will call or text you when I can,” Molly says, looking at me.
I kiss her quickly. “Go, baby, they need you. Call me when you are ready, and I will come pick you up.”
She nods and jumps out the door, rushing inside the office to help find Jasmine.
After I drop Molly off at work, I head to my office at the club. It is a quick commute because there are not too many cars around so early in the morning. It is quiet when I arrive, a small handful of security people are around, but aside from them, the place is empty, all cleaned up already from the previous night. I use my shower and put on my spare suit I have stored in my office for such occasions, then get a start on work. Not knowing how long Molly will be and in case my day gets interrupted, I think it is best to catch up on the previous night that I missed and get a head start on the day. I am pleased to see that the revenue for the past few nights has been great, full house both nights and a slight increase in liquor sales which is good. That along with the fact that I had Molly in my bed last night has put me in a great mood this morning.
Checking my emails over another cup of coffee, I notice a message from the specialist Doctor Evans, who I have in charge of Shirley. I am glad Shirley let me help her and is happy for me to be across her medical needs. It has been a few days since I have heard from him but after seeing Shirley last night, I am comfortable that she is doing well, and I suspect his email will confirm this.
As I read through the email, I do in fact read that Shirley is doing really well and can be discharged tomorrow which is wonderful news. I write a note to contact Mary to organize the spare room at my apartment for Shirley. Each of the four bedrooms in my apartment have their own bathroom, and I have one room in particular that receives a lot of sunlight and has a great view that I am sure Shirley will love. It is also the farthest from my room, giving Molly and I plenty of privacy. I am certain that after pitching the idea to them both yesterday at the hospital, and after the break-in, that both Shirley and Molly will come stay with me at least initially. Then, I will be working hard to make it a permanent arrangement.
Going farther into the email, I discover that the good news stops there. Doctor Evan’s report goes into detail, telling me that the work Doctor Byron completed with Shirley raises questions for him. Wrong drugs have been administered to Shirley, making her weaker and they didn’t help her condition at all. In fact, the medication he directed Shirley to take prolonged her hospital stay. There is no medical reason for Byron to be giving Shirley the medication that he did other than to keep her in hospital.
Keeping Molly at the hospital.
This information doesn’t sit well with me at all. The email finishes with Doctor Evans informing me that as it is his duty of care, he will be reporting this to the medical board, and they will conduct a thorough investigation. I sit back in my seat, trying to take in all the information. It has been weeks since I have had the thumping in my head, but the sickness that I have felt in my stomach these past few days intensifies.
***
26
MOLLY
The office is a madhouse. All the staff have gathered in the common room, and fresh coffee has been set up as a myriad of people crowd around waiting for information. I take my bag to my office and turn on my computer to check my messages on my office phone in case there are any from Jasmine. No messages and no emails. I look at my cell, for perhaps the hundredth time this morning, and still no calls from her either.
Where could she be? Kelly pops her head in my office.
“Meeting in the common room in five minutes, grab a coffee and I will meet you out there.”
I refreshed my emails again to check once more, before heading into the room and getting a fresh cup of coffee. It is great to see so many staff in, all pulling together in a time of crisis, and I see Byron sitting talking with a few other staff members. It is unusual for him to be here given that he is a volunteer and not here full time. I haven’t seen him since our run-in when Stephen was with me, and I can’t say I feel very comfortable with him now, but with Jasmine missing, I have bigger things to deal with.
Just as I take my seat, Kelly walks in with some of the other senior leaders of the organization, the sight of them suddenly making this very real. Kelly takes charge, talking us through the timeline of events as they currently understand it and encourages us all to think about the last time we saw Jasmine. Each of us is tasked with writing down the last date and time of our interaction and anything we remember from that, including how she was acting or feeling. We can’t officially report her missing for 24 hours, but the police have been briefed and given the spate of missing girls over the past few months, the police are now doing more checks and asking more questions.
After the meeting ends, we all file out of the room and I go to my office to start the download of information I have about Jasmine, trying to think of every small detail as I know that anything I can think of might be helpful. As I type furiously, there is a small knock at my door and Byron walks in - not waiting for an invitation.
“Here, I got you another coffee, I think after such an early morning you might need it.”
Taking his peace offering, I give him a small smile. “Thank you.” I swallow the hot liquid, noticing that it tastes a little funny, but I don’t want to upset him, so I continue to sip.
“Listen, I don’t want to step on your toes here, but have you considered that your friend Stephen may have a hand in Jasmine's disappearance?”
“What?!” I gape at him, shocked to even hear such a thing.
“I mean, no disrespect, I know he is a friend of yours, but he was here talking to the kids the other day - don’t you think that is odd?”
“No, I don’t. He was here to see me and also left a very significant donation to the kids. So, no, I don’t think he had anything to do with it,” I say angrily, hoping that it ends this very uncomfortable conversation, but I am without luck.
“It’s just with everything that happened with his father, surely the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, you know, like father like son and all that?”
