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“I thought Lorrie worked as your nurse.” Hannah studied the man across from her. Thomas was definitely guiding them down a certain path. No matter how innocent and helpful he tried to be, she was more and more convinced of his guilt. Could she prove it in court though? Right now, Jose and Thomas were laying out the argument they’d present to the jury, and Hannah had to admit, it was compelling.
“Normally, Lorrie did work as my nurse, but Julie’s office manager had a car accident in January. She was out for weeks. Lorrie filled in since she knew the billing and how that side of the office was run.” He tapped on the photograph. “I think this man came in around mid-February, but Lorrie could tell you for certain. She’s got excellent recall for patient faces and their medical history. Talk to her.”
Hannah's suspicions deepened. The conversation she’d had with Pam yesterday replayed in her mind. Had Thomas and Lorrie teamed up to convince everyone he was innocent of Julie’s murder? How did Cash play into everything? And what about the stash of money discovered in the bookcase at the Anderson’s offices?
Jose wouldn’t allow Thomas to answer any of those questions, so Hannah held them back. “We’ll speak to Lorrie.”
“Good.” Thomas’s gaze turned pleading. “I made serious mistakes in my marriage, ADA Lawson. I cheated on my wife. I hurt her emotionally, and I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life. But I didn’t kill her.” His voice broke on a sob. “I loved her. Find whoever did this. Please.”
Hannah clicked her pen closed. “I will.” She met his gaze dead-on, conviction bleeding into her voice. “I promise you, Dr. Anderson, I won’t stop until whoever is responsible for Julie’s murder is behind bars.”
FIFTEEN
Ryker watched as Thomas and his attorney left the sheriff’s department. His gut was churning and his temper piping hot. Pitching his voice low to keep everyone in the bullpen from overhearing, he turned to Hannah. “Why did you do that? You practically drew a bull’s-eye on your chest by challenging Thomas with that promise to go after whoever was responsible for Julie’s murder.”
“I already have a bull’s-eye on my chest, in case you haven’t noticed.” Her eyes flashed with determination. “I refuse to allow him to bully me. Before today, I had my doubts about his involvement, but now… he’s definitely up to something. We need to interview Lorrie, along with the other staff members. I want to know if Cash was actually Julie’s patient or if he’s lying about that.”
“Do you think he’s telling the truth about breaking up with Lorrie?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. After news about their affair hit the media, she moved jobs and cities to get away from everything. Lorrie never believed Thomas had killed Julie, but the stress of this situation may have been too much for their relationship.”
The door to the electronics room opened. The sheriff, along with Hannah’s boss, exited. From the grim looks on their faces, they’d listened to the interview. Claire nodded toward Ryker and Hannah before peeling off toward a cubicle where Gavin was working.
Bruce approached them on long strides. His cheeks were flushed, as if he was ready to explode. “Hannah, could I have a word, please?”
His tone indicated it wasn’t a request. Hannah glanced at Ryker briefly before following her boss to a glass-enclosed conference room. Bruce shut the door behind them and immediately started yapping. His expression morphed into something hostile, and his posture towered over Hannah’s petite frame. Fresh anger flared as Ryker’s hands balled into fists. He took a step forward, but a firm hand grabbed his arm.
“Don’t.” Eli’s voice was low and commanding. “He’s the District Attorney. It’s not a smart career move to interfere in an argument between him and his subordinate.”
Ryker didn’t give a fig who he was. He shook off Eli’s hand and marched forward. “He’s aggressive. Hannah doesn’t deserve to be talked to like that. Especially after everything she’d been through these last few days.”
“She can hold her own.” Eli circled around to block Ryker’s path, this time placing a hand squarely in the center of his chest. “Trust me, you go in there and Hannah will tear you apart later. This is her boss. Her job. Let her handle it.”
Ryker peered over Eli’s shoulder and saw his friend was right. Hannah wasn’t yelling at Bruce, but it was clear from her body language that she wasn’t backing down either. Bruce started to say something, and she cut him off, punching her finger on the table for emphasis.
Whatever she said caused him to spin away from her and start pacing the room. Hannah kept talking.
Ryker blew out a breath, letting the tension in his shoulders ease. “I’m good. Unless he gets in her face again. Then all bets are off.”
Eli dropped his hand. “I never thought I’d see the day. Ryker Montgomery in a twist over a woman.” He gave him a knowing look. “Just be careful, man. She’s been through a lot. Don’t mess with her heart unless you plan on taking it seriously.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“I think you’ve put your heart in a vault since Alison died and kept it there, which has led to some stupid choices in relationships. Fear can cause us to do messed up things. Take it from someone who’s been there. There are some decisions and actions you can’t take back. Some hurt you can’t undo.”
Ryker had the sense Eli was talking about his ex-fiancée. They’d broken up five years ago, and he hadn’t been the same since. His friend never discussed what’d happened. Clearly whatever it was, it’d had an impact. And Ryker had to admit, Eli had a point. He shouldn’t be flirting with Hannah or pursuing her romantically until he got his act together.
“Your advice is noted.” Ryker’s gaze drifted again toward Hannah. She was still speaking to Bruce, her expression calm but determined. The woman was downright amazing. After everything she’d been through over the last few days, she still fought for what was right. “The last thing I want to do is hurt her. I’ll figure it out.”
“Let me know if you need a friendly ear.” Eli clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re a good guy, Ryker, and you deserve happiness. What happened with Alison wasn’t your fault. I hope someday you come to realize that too.”
Before he could respond, the door to the conference room opened and Bruce stormed out. He marched across the bullpen toward the exit. Hannah lowered herself to a chair and placed her head in her hands. Her shoulders slumped. She looked exhausted and emotionally taxed.
Ryker moved around Eli and made a beeline for the conference room. He shut the blinds so everyone in the bullpen couldn’t see them. Then he crossed the room and placed a hand on the back of Hannah’s neck. He gently kneaded the tense muscles. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head. “Bruce is frustrated. Someone is leaking details of the case to the media, and they’re tearing him apart for not forcing me to drop the charges. It doesn’t help that Thomas is his friend. Bruce believes he’s innocent and listening to today’s interview only reinforced that idea.” Hannah dropped her hands. “I convinced Bruce to give me a bit more time, but he’s running out of patience.”
“He recused himself from this case. Can he force you to drop the charges?”
