Page 46 of Enigma (Pros and Cons Mysteries #6)
C helsea’s living room was decorated in warm earth tones, with family photos covering every available surface. Henry had been deposited in a playpen with a collection of toy cars, where he proceeded to make vrooming sounds that provided an oddly normal soundtrack to their tense conversation.
Dr. Schmitt settled into an armchair across from the couch where Jason and Olive sat, while Chelsea remained standing near the kitchen doorway—close enough to hear everything but positioned to grab her son and run if necessary.
“I want to be clear about something from the start,” Dr. Schmitt began, his hands folded in his lap.
“I’m not involved in whatever criminal activity you think is happening in this town.
I bought a legitimate medical practice from a retiring doctor, and I’ve been running it as a legitimate business for two years. ”
“But?” Jason prompted, as if he sensed there was more.
“But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed some . . . irregularities . . . connected to Lloyd’s time there.” Dr. Schmitt glanced at Chelsea, then back to Jason. “Things that made me wonder what exactly had been going on before I took over.”
“What kind of irregularities?” Olive asked.
“People stopping by the office asking for Lloyd. These were people who seemed surprised when I told them he’d retired. They’d ask when he’d be back, if I had a forwarding address, that sort of thing.”
Chelsea shifted uncomfortably. “What kind of people?”
“Professional types mostly. Well-dressed, drove expensive cars. But there was something about them . . .” Dr. Schmitt paused, searching for the right words. “They didn’t seem like the kind of people who would normally be patients at a small-town family practice.”
“How many times did this happen?” Jason asked.
“Regularly for the first six months after I took over. Maybe once or twice a month. Then it just stopped.” Dr. Schmitt rubbed his jaw.
“The other thing that struck me as odd was how quickly Lloyd retired. I contacted him about buying the practice, and in less than two weeks he’d accepted my offer and was packing up his office.
Most doctors take months to transition their patient files, to make sure continuity of care is maintained. Lloyd was gone in ten days.”
“Like he was in a hurry to get out,” Olive exchanged a glance with Jason as she said the words. She hadn’t realized he’d left so quickly.
“Exactly. It was almost like he just wanted to cut all ties as quickly as possible.”
Chelsea looked between them, her expression growing more concerned. “Are you saying Dad was involved in something illegal?”
Dr. Schmitt held up his hands. “I’m not saying anything definitive. I’m just telling you what I observed.”
Olive leaned forward, cutting through the diplomatic language. “Dr. Schmitt, why are you here? Why did you follow us to Jason’s sister’s house to tell us this?”
She’d been wanting to ask him that question from the moment he’d pulled up.
The doctor’s composure slipped slightly. “Because after your visit to my office last night, I started getting phone calls. People asking questions about what you might have found, whether you’d taken anything, if I’d spoken to the police about you.”
“What people?” Jason’s voice sharpened.
“I don’t know. They didn’t give names. But the calls made me nervous.” Dr. Schmitt stood and smoothed his jacket. “I came here to make sure there are no more misunderstandings between us. I don’t want to be drawn into whatever this is about.”
“What kind of misunderstandings?” Chelsea narrowed her eyes skeptically.
“The kind where people break into medical offices looking for things that might not be there anymore.” Dr. Schmitt looked directly at Jason. “The kind where old secrets get dug up and cause problems for people trying to live quiet lives.”
Olive stood as well, matching his energy. “Are you threatening us, Dr. Schmitt?”
“I’m asking you to be careful. For everyone’s sake.” His gaze moved to Chelsea and the toddler playing in the corner. “Some investigations can put innocent people at risk.”
The room fell silent except for the sound of toy cars crashing into each other.
After Dr. Schmitt left, Jason and Olive stayed to catch Chelsea up on things.
She listened with rapt attention, her eyes widening with each new detail. When they finished, she buried her face in her hands. “Oh, Dad . . .”
Olive and Jason exchanged a worried glance.
“We’re doing everything we can to find him,” Jason assured her.
“I know.” She lifted her head and reached for her phone. “I need to tell Dean.”
“Wait!” Jason pressed his lips together as if contemplating how to continue. “We need to keep this under wraps.”
“Even from Dean? He could help you.” Then realization swept over her features. “Wait . . . you don’t think he has something to do with this?”
Jason shook his head. “No, but we do believe someone in the police department might be involved.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately, yes. We don’t want to pull you into the middle of this, Chels.” Jason’s gaze softened as he glanced at her. “But I couldn’t keep this from you any longer either.”
“I appreciate you telling me this. Did you tell everyone else?”
Jason shook his head. “No, I was hoping you might do that for me. Not because I don’t want to, but because I need to keep looking for him.”
“Of course,” Chelsea said. “Whatever I can do to help.”
Henry began to cry. He’d abandoned his toys and rubbed at his eyes. It was clearly time for his nap.
Olive and Jason excused themselves to grab lunch and promised to stay in touch.
Then Olive and Jason headed to the Oasis Diner.
The restaurant had red vinyl booths, black-and-white-checkered floors, and a menu that featured chicken-fried steak as the house specialty. She and Jason had chosen a corner booth that gave them a view of both the entrance and the parking lot.
“I still can’t believe Dr. Schmitt just showed up like that.” Jason picked up his burger, which was at least four inches thick with glops of mayo dripping out on the sides.
Olive picked at her chef salad, knowing she should eat but not feeling especially hungry. “He knows more than he’s letting on. I’m sure of it.”
Jason didn’t argue with her.
Her phone buzzed on the table between them, and Tevin’s name appeared on the screen.
“Excuse me a minute,” Olive told Jason before grabbing the phone and answering. “Hey, Tev.”
“Where are you right now?” His voice carried an urgency she hadn’t heard before.
“Having lunch. Why?”
“Where specifically are you having lunch?”
Olive frowned at the odd question. “The Oasis Diner on Main Street. Tevin, what’s going on?”
“I’m in Oasis and on my way to you right now.”
The words hit her like a cold splash of water. “You’re what ? Why are you here?”
“Because you’re in over your head, Olive. Way over your head.” An engine revved in the background.
Olive imagined Tevin in a vehicle, driving fast. The image didn’t make her feel any better.
“I’ve been digging deeper into those financial records,” Tevin continued. “And what I found . . . well, we need to talk. Face-to-face.”
Jason looked up from his burger and seemed to note the change in Olive’s expression. He squinted as if curious—and cautious.
“Listen, you and Jason are walking into something that’s going to get you killed if you don’t have all the information,” Tevin continued.
Olive’s grip tightened on the phone. “What kind of information?”
“The kind I can’t discuss over the phone. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
The line went dead.
Olive stared at her phone a moment before looking up at Jason. “That was Tevin.”
Jason’s brow furrowed. “I gathered that. What did he want?”
“He’s here. In Oasis. Says he’s on his way to the diner right now because we’re in over our heads.” Olive set her phone down and rubbed her temples. “He found something in those financial records that he says we need to know.”
Jason’s expression grew serious. “Something he couldn’t tell you over the phone.”
“Apparently.” Olive looked at the diner’s front window. “He sounded . . . I don’t know. He almost sounded scared. That’s not like him.”
“And he flew all the way to Texas to tell you in person.”
“Seems that way.” Olive continued pushing her salad around her plate, her appetite completely gone.
Suddenly, she couldn’t sit still—and she definitely couldn’t eat.
She stood from the booth. “Excuse me a minute. I’m going to run to the restroom.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for Tevin.” Jason was already scanning the parking lot through the window.
Olive nodded before stepping away.
Part of her dreaded hearing whatever Tevin had learned. But if she had to hear some uncomfortable information in order to get to the truth, then so be it.
It was time to face reality head-on.