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Would they match that of Natalie Thorne’s case?
Why would Devin not have been privy to the facts? Why hadn’t he been questioned regarding Andrea’s disappearance? While Sylvie could have made some calls, she was close to the police station. It would be easier to stop in and speak with the officer who’d handled the missing person’s case.
With the right questions, maybe there was another way to solve their investigation.
Chapter Twenty
Brooklyn Sloane
December 2022
Friday — 1:26pm
“Brook,weneedto—“
She held up a hand as she turned toward the entrance of the conference room. Theo returned the gesture to say that he apologized for the interruption. She was on the phone with her father’s nursing home. Lilith, one of her father’s nurses, was in the middle of explaining how he’d taken a turn for the worse in recent days following his fall.
Lilith was in the middle of suggesting hospice care as a possible avenue in the near future.
Brook had already anticipated that this decision would inevitably come, especially after her last visit. Her father had lost so much weight that he didn’t even resemble the man he’d once been. He could no longer bath himself or feed himself. She’d already been explained in detail how the last stage of Alzheimer’s Disease affected the body. Soon, her father would forget how to swallow…and then eventually forget how to breathe.
“I trust the doctor’s opinion, Lilith.” Brook noticed that Theo was no longer standing in the doorway. She reached for another yellow string to attach Dr. Cranston’s photograph to Natalie Thorne’s picture. “Please do what is necessary to make sure that he’s comfortable.”
Brook spent the next ten minutes listening to Lilith explain what to expect over the coming weeks. By the time that she’d disconnected the call, there were voices from somewhere inside the main offices that were vaguely familiar. She quickly set her phone down on the conference room table as she made her way out into the hallway. Because she’d unconsciously wrapped the yellow string around her finger while digesting the change in her father’s care, she hadn’t bothered to take the time to unwind the thread.
“…last week. I was wondering why you would need a firm like this, but it makes sense now,” Kyle said as he stood facing Millie. Two men stood off to the side. “The media is saying that you were the one who came forward about the bodies that were found in a remote area outside the city. Is it true that one of the surgeons you worked with is a serial killer? I can’t imagine what—“
“Millie, is everything alright?” Brook asked as she came to a stop in front of the firm’s client. She looked good considering the changes to her daily life, and she nodded her reply leaving Brook to be able to address Kyle. “You mentioned last week that you recognized Millie at the pub. I didn’t realize that the two of you were so well-acquainted.”
“We have some friends in common.” Millie shot Kyle a warm smile. “We haven’t seen each other in years, though.”
“How about grabbing a coffee after you’re through here?” Kyle asked as his gaze darted to the two men who served as Millie’s security detail. “Unless now isn’t a good time?”
Brook caught Kate’s expression of disbelief, but she wisely concentrated on the computer screen in front of her.
“Maybe in a couple of days?”
“Of course. And if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate…”
Brook turned to leave Kyle and Millie to finish their conversation, almost running into Bit as he emerged from the hallway.
“Boss?” Bit glanced over Brook’s shoulder to make sure that he wasn’t overheard. “The fourth set of remains had some pins and a plate attached to the radius. They were able to get the serial number and link it to an orthopedic patient at the hospital. She also happened to be an employee.”
“Name?”
“Margo Urie, twenty-five years old, and she worked in admissions.”
“Thanks, Bit.”
Brook didn’t have to ask if he’d already informed the others. As he walked back down the hallway, she retreated to her office. Millie wasn’t far behind, and she ended up taking a seat in one of the guest chairs in front of the desk instead of the seating area. Her protective detail remained in the foyer to allow for privacy while being able to keep an eye on their subject.
“I’m glad that you stopped by the office, Millie,” Brook said as she took a seat at her desk. She’d unwrapped the yellow string from her finger before setting it aside so that she could pick up her tablet. “I have a few questions that I’m hoping you can answer.”
Millie had already touched base with regards to her reinstatement on the ICU floor. Everything had gone back to normal, although Brook had convinced her to keep the protective detail for the time being.
“Did you happen to know Natalie Thorne, Laura Keery, Andrea Firth, or Margo Urie?” Brook was able to access the most current information that Bit had already uploaded to everyone’s tablets. It didn’t take her long to access Margo Urie’s picture. “They all had connections to the hospital.”
“Laura Keery rings a bell,” Millie said as she furrowed her brows in concentration. “I believe that she was a nursing student. Why?”
