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“Yes. He only recused himself for political reasons. With the media tearing him apart, it’s becoming more costly to pursue the case.” Her jaw firmed. “I’m sure Thomas is behind the leaks. Or his attorney is. But proving that will be impossible and a waste of time. Thomas’s trial starts in five days. His lawyer will claim Cash killed Julie, and right now, I have no way of refuting that.”
“We’re no closer to identifying him, but there are still avenues to pursue.”
“Like Lorrie.” She rose from her chair. “Let’s go see what she has to say.”
SIXTEEN
Lorrie Michaels lived in a high-rise building on the outskirts of Austin. A doorman kept unwanted visitors—like reporters—away, giving her a semblance of privacy. Still, Hannah caught more than one lurking photographer on the street outside the building as they signed in before taking the glass elevator to the penthouse floor. The doors swished open directly into Lorrie’s apartment.
She was standing in the entryway, waiting for them, dressed in workout gear. Lorrie was thirty-five, but she could’ve easily passed for someone a decade younger. Her trim figure and bleach blonde hair gave her the resemblance of a living Barbie doll. It’d been a while since Hannah had seen her, and there were slight changes to Lorrie’s face—fuller lips and smoother skin—as if she’d undergone cosmetic procedures.
“ADA Lawson. Ranger Montgomery.” Lorrie shook each of their hands and then waved forward. “Come in. Can I get either of you something to drink? Some water or coffee?”
“I’d love a glass of water, if it’s not too much trouble.” Hannah’s gaze swept across the spacious living room as they moved deeper into the apartment. It was decorated in a mix of ivory, cream, and silver. Large windows provided sweeping views of the city. The throw on the couch was designer and the artwork on the walls appeared original. The floor plan was an open-concept so the living space flowed into a kitchen with marble countertops and state-of-the-art appliances.
This was a definite upgrade from the tiny home Lorrie had when she was living in Fulton County. Either she’d come into a great deal of money recently, or she’d been living frugally before. From the faint purse of Ryker’s lips, he was thinking exactly the same thing.
“Your home is beautiful.” Hannah raised her voice so it could carry across the distance to the kitchen, where Lorrie was preparing glasses of ice water on a silver tray. “Are you still working at the children’s hospital?”
“No. I took a job as a traveling nurse.”
“Traveling nurse?” Ryker asked, taking a seat next to Hannah on the couch.
“When a hospital is short staffed, they hire agencies to fill those positions temporarily. The job requires me to travel to different cities for months at a time, but the pay can be three or four times a normal nurse’s salary.” She carried the tray into the living room. “It’s the only way I could afford an apartment like this.”
Hannah made a mental note to review Lorrie’s financial records. It was possible she was telling them the truth, but given the price tag associated with some of the items in the apartment, she’d need more than a traveling nurse's salary to explain their presence.
She accepted the glass of water from Lorrie with a smile. “How often do you travel?”
“Oh lots. After…” Lorrie’s gaze skittered away from Hannah’s toward the windows overlooking the city. “Well, I needed a distraction and dove into work. In fact, you’re lucky to have caught me. I just finished a contract yesterday with a hospital in San Diego. They wanted me to stay longer, but it was impossible since I’ve been subpoenaed to testify at Thomas’s trial next week.” She licked her glossy lips. “Is that why you’re here? To discuss the trial?”
“Not exactly.” Hannah set her glass on a coaster. “Have you been watching the news?”
“Heavens no. Those nasty reporters tore my life apart and practically sent me into a depression with everything that was said after Julie died. I don’t watch the news or use social media. Too much vitriol.” Her gaze skipped between Hannah and Ryker. Her muscles stiffened. “Why? Has something happened to Thomas? We broke up months ago and I haven’t talked to him since, but I noticed there were reporters downstairs this morning when I went to the gym.”
“Thomas is fine.” Hannah opened her leather file folder and removed the still image of Cash taken from the surveillance video at the courthouse. She handed it to Lorrie. “Do you recognize this man?”
The other woman frowned, although her mouth didn’t turn down very far. “That looks like a former patient of Julie’s. I recognize him because of that scar on his neck.”
Hannah kept her gaze locked on Lorrie. “Do you know his name?”
“Um… let me think. He only came in a time or two while I was working as Lorrie’s office manager. Cathy had a horrible car accident and was out for months…” She squinted at the photograph. “He had a problem with a tooth in the upper right quadrant. Goodness, what was his name?”
Lorrie seemed genuinely perplexed, but Hannah silently reminded herself that Thomas’s ex might simply be an excellent actress. It was hard to get a bead on the other woman. Her lack of facial expression, probably due to Botox, made it difficult to deduce whether she was lying.
“Edward…” Lorrie shook her head, her blond hair shimmering in the late afternoon sunlight. “No, Dusty.” Her lips curved into a wide smile and her eyes brightened with triumph. “Dusty Stillman.”
Hannah glanced at Ryker as he rose from the couch with his cell phone already in one hand. He moved away from them toward the far end of the living room before lifting the device to his ear, probably to run Dusty’s criminal record. She let out the breath she’d been holding. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. He came in twice, both times in late February.” Her brow crinkled slightly. “Why are you asking?”
Hannah ignored her question. “What were Dusty’s interactions with Julie like?”
Lorrie lifted a slender shoulder. “I’m not sure. I only handled the front desk.”
“Did Dusty ever ask about Dr. Anderson?”
“Thomas? No.” Her gaze narrowed. “What is going on?”
