Snorting, she said, “I’m not sure about that.” She reached up and touched his face and he leaned into her palm. “I do know that I’m better when I’m with you.”
“Tell you what. I’ll still drive you to work since I’m gonna need to talk to the people at the clinic. Evan can follow.” She nodded her acquiescence, and he stood, pulling her up gently with him. He offered a chin lift to Brock as they passed by, and he escorted her to her car. Once she was settled in the passenger seat, he stood for a few seconds, his hands on his hips and his head tilted back, taking a moment to remind himself that she was fine. Now, just to keep her that way.
“So, you have no idea what she might have been referencing?”
Carter was sitting in Dr. Tiller’s office, carefully observing him. After taking Tara back to her office at Ever Hope, he listened to the recorded message. He stayed while Tara told the other social workers what had happened, and once he was assured she was going to be okay, he headed to the clinic.
Not wanting to encroach on Brock’s homicide investigation, he nonetheless wanted to question Dr. Tiller about the cryptic messages from Kate to Tara. The clinic had closed early and the staff was openly grieving.
Dr. Tiller had not been able to shed any light on Kate’s personal life, but Carter accompanied him back to his office to continue questioning him about Kate’s concern about switched meds.
“It’s just all so bizarre. None of it makes sense,” Dr. Tiller said, shaking his head slowly. He squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds, his face scrunching.
Carter wondered if he was going to begin crying, but the doctor sucked in a ragged breath, cleared his throat, and reopened his eyes. “I’m afraid I honestly don’t know my staff in any way beyond this clinic. We’re so busy from the time we open until the time we close. After the patients are gone, I have reports to write, orders to sign—all the things necessary to keep the clinic going.” He shook his head again and continued, “Even my evenings and weekends are sometimes spent making sure the clinic has funding.” He lifted his hand weakly and waved toward the door. “I know the staff is closer to each other. They sometimes celebrate each other’s birthdays. Perhaps one of them knows if she was dating someone or involved in something. I don’t know.”
“And what about here at the clinic? What kind of nurse was she?”
“I had no complaints about her at all. She was an efficient nurse. Very friendly. The patients seemed to respond to her, especially families with children. I know it was very difficult when Polly was… um… well, when Polly left. Kate stepped in to take more hours and take over some of that responsibility.” His gaze shot up to Carter’s, and he gasped. “Could this have anything to do with Polly?”
“What do you think, Dr. Tiller? You know the workings of the clinic better than anyone.”
The doctor dropped his gaze to his hands resting on his desk. Sighing, he said, “No, I can’t see how the two had anything to do with each other. Polly was just taking antibiotic samples that should have been dispensed only by me to patients that I saw and giving them to others. There was nothing that was switched.” He lifted his palms up and shrugged. “I’m sorry, Detective Fiske. I just have no idea what Kate was referring to.”
A knock sounded on the door and before Dr. Tiller could react, the door flung open and Robert hurried in.
“Oh, my God, Doug. What the hell? I mean, Katie? What the hell?” The words rushed from Robert, and Carter noted his deer-in-the-headlights expression. The pharmacist did a double-take when he saw Carter sitting in the office, and he began to blabber. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry. Uh… Detective?”
“Mr. Atkins. I have a few questions for you. I’ll come to your office in a couple of minutes.”
Still wide-eyed, Robert bobbed his head up and down, glancing between Dr. Tiller and Carter. “Sure, sure. Yeah… sure.” He turned and hurried down the hall.
Carter shifted his gaze back to Dr. Tiller, finding the doctor’s attention riveted to the now empty doorway before slowly moving back to him.
“Robert… I don’t know how well he knew Kate, but he handles our medication.” Dr. Tiller continued to shake his head and added, “Trust is a strange thing, Detective Fiske. When it’s questioned, we’re shaken, it’s hard to get back. If he’s got something to hide… Well, as head of the clinic, I’ve got some decisions to make.”
After leaving Dr. Tiller’s office, he glanced toward the front door where he spied Beth standing with one of the nurses. Not wanting her to leave before he had a chance to talk to her, he stalked toward her. “Ms. Washington?”
Her gaze shot up to him, and he could have sworn her eyes lit as she smiled widely. “Yes?” Her voice was breathy, and she immediately left the side of the tearful nurse and sidled up to him.
“I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Of course. I’m all yours. But I assure you I know nothing about poor Kate’s demise. It’s just too, too horrible.” She placed her hand on her chest, a maneuver he recognized as trying to draw eyes to her cleavage.
Refusing her invitation, he got right to the point. “Do you know Lewis Washington?”
Her face registered shock before she quickly adopted a blank expression. “I’m afraid the last name of Washington is very common. I certainly wouldn’t know everyone who has that name.”
“I didn’t ask if you knew everyone who had that name. I asked if you knew Lewis Washington.”
Blinking, her smile did not reach her eyes and her voice hardened. “No. I’m unacquainted with someone of that name. And since I had
