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Until she realized that would be a never-ending quest, anyway.
She led the way to the huge office off the back of the kitchen. Where even more unpacked boxes waited.
“Once again, love what you’ve done with the place. Ever thought about getting an office plant?”
“After I figure out the controls on this place. Why I agreed to live in one of Luc’s smart houses, I don’t have a clue.” There were more gadgets in this house than in the TSP computer forensics lab alone. It would take Zoey weeks to figure them all out. Months, even.
The house itself was overwhelming—but she wasn’t telling her nerd big brother that at all. But before these little gadgets hit the market—someday, he didn’t seem in a hurry—he really needed to dial the gadgetry back. Considerably. Sometimes less really was more.
“Because that man is incredibly persuasive at convincing people to do exactly what he wants. Besides, it was just sitting here. He was so proud of himself for buying the land before Houghton could. Those two…”
“I know. They are like kids on the playground competing to see who can get highest on the swings.” And give their sisters—or sisters-in-law—things they didn't need. Like smart houses, for instance.
In Sydney’s case—it washotels.Houghton just kept giving her more and more shares of various hotels around the country. Almost like he was just needling Sydney because he could. It was a game between the two. If Houghton gave Sydney money, she gave it away to those who really needed it.
But hotels? A little harder to just give away, apparently.
“But woe be to the one who tries to take one of those swings from those besties. They’d kill for each other, those two. Such a cute little bromance.” Sydney went to the digital whiteboard and turned it on. “I’ve found something. Well, maybe.”
“What?”
“Connections. You’ll have to tell me if I am on the right track.” She started writing on the screen. “I have a Saint Daviess, born to D period Daviess, signed off on by Dr. Daniels. A year before Paige. Then I have a Paige Daviess, also signed by Daniels. Then…here’s where it gets interesting. I have medical records for a Dee—as in D-e-e—Daviess at the Garrity clinic. And her infant daughter Page, no i. Both diagnosed with a nasty strain of the flu. Birth dates match, for the baby. Names match, spelling doesn’t. And I found a record for six weeks after that—for a D-e-eDavis.And her daughter Jayne. Birthday matches Paige’s, again. Follow up. The baby, now three months old, had pneumonia. Our little P.J. number one had a rough first year, from what I can find.”
“Ok. Are we reasonably certain they are the same records?”
“Patience, old one. I’m getting to the good part. I found another record…for the birth of her second daughter. D-e-e Daviess gave birth to a Zoe—no Y—middle name Sophia—p-h, not f—a bit less than three years after Paige Jayne. Follow up care was given to D-e-eDavissix weeks later. Baby had been put up for adoption, according to a handwritten note I found in a medical record in Dallas, for Denise Daviess.”
“So, unless someone is a horrible speller—”
“Multiple someones, actually. Funny coincidence, that.”
“Denise could have been D period or D-e-e Davis as well?”
“Yep. She most likely was. And…here’s where it getsreallyinteresting, old one. Dee—spelled out again—Davis was a patient at Finley Creek General Hospital two times between Paige Jayne and our precious Zoey Sofia.”
Zoey waited. Sydney was snarking at her. And enjoying it.
“And once before our Paige, and onceafterour Zoey. Well,afterour Ariella, actually.”
“For what?”
“Take a wild guess. You are most likely baby five of seven born atFCGH, attended by Daniels, to a woman named D-e-e Davis. At least, that’s what’s showing up. But whether those records are falsified, who in the hell knows at this point? I have records stating Caine and Rafe were born at FCGH, but Caine’s uncle Henry distinctly recalls Caine being in the NICU in Dallas. Transferred from Garrity Medical Clinic. I don’t think you were born at the Garrity Medical Clinic, Zo. I just seriously doubt it. Nor that Coleson Hospital—it closed two years before Caine and Rafe’s birth. But Caine and Rafe might have been at the clinic. I just can’t seem to find anything to confirm you or Pen or Paige or Ariella were born there. Just Rafe and Caine. Maybe. I can’t find any records of Simon anywhere, though. I’m sayinganywhere.That scrawny boy may have been an actual home birth. As could have some of the others. Which really just complicates things even more.”
“You’ve found leads on more?”
“I think I have. Or I’ve found a dozen more false leads. It’s like someone put them all there years ago, just to keep people from lookingnow,I swear. It’s insane. The puzzle is driving me nuts. I’ll have you some names as soon as I confirm them. But…I think your next stop is going to be following up on this Dee Davis, toots. Good luck.”
That was the firstsolidlead they’d had since Ariella had found Caine.Penhad been the one to find Ariella and Simon.
Their first solid lead in years. Zoey was afraid to hope.
Zoey hugged Sydney gently. “I think tonight I want to celebrate.”
“Going to find that blond wild man of yours and get him the rest of the way naked?”
“Nope. I’m going to get to work.”
“Pitiful. You need a life, Zoey Sofia—however you spell it—Daviess. You’re starting to grow cobwebs.”
