Page 49 of Every Last One

“That makes sense to me, but clearly there’s something your wife must have done to make Celeste feel slighted by her.” Though maybe not sticking up for her was enough. In thatcase, Eric could see motive for Celeste to hate Megan Beal. Her career would be over before it began, and she’d be hundreds of thousands in debt from medical school with no way to pay it off. Eric pulled out his phone to show Wyatt the pictures of the three armed suspects. “Let me know if any of these people look familiar to you.”

Wyatt leaned in toward the screen. “Nope.”

Eric shuffled to the next and received another no, and the same for the third picture. He then pocketed his phone.

“Who are those people?” Wyatt asked.

“They are working with the woman who is holed up in the boardroom with your wife.”

“Yeah, well, I swear, I’ve never seen any of them before. I can’t even believe this is happening.” Wyatt raked his hand through his hair.

“Well, it is, and I need to leave. But I’m taking this with me.” Eric referred to all the threats, and he pulled an evidence bag from his back pocket that he’d grabbed before coming into the house.

“Sure, do whatever you need to do. Call when you know more.”

Eric turned around in the doorway. “I will. You should clear your schedule until all this is over and keep your phone nearby.”

Wyatt patted his hand over his suit jacket, indicating the interior pocket. “It’s always right here.”

Eric left the house and called Phyllis Hudson from the department car. The woman answered on the fourth ring, just when Eric thought he was destined for voicemail. “This is Detective Birch with the Metropolitan PD. I understand from Wyatt Beal that you are close friends with his wife, Megan.”

“That’s right.” Leery, and Eric couldn’t blame her.

“Do you know anything about a letter Celeste Barrington sent her?”

“Threat, you mean. And yes. What’s going on? Is Meg okay?”

“There is a situation at the hospital, and it’s on lockdown. An armed woman is in the boardroom with Ms. Beal.”

“Oh my God. If it’s Celeste, she’s crazy, Detective. There’s no telling what she can do.”

“Did you see the threat from Celeste, or did Megan just tell you about it?”

“I didn’t see it for myself, but Meg was shaken by it. Celeste sent clippings of Meg’s hair with it.”

Nothing creepy about that…“And she was sure it was hers?”

“I don’t think she had it tested, but it was the right color, and she received the letter a day after a haircut.”

Maybe Megan had submitted the hair for testing, and that’s why it was no longer attached to the letter. “And that was when?”

“Toward the end of last week. Thursday.”

“Was the letter sent to the hospital or her house?”

“The hospital. Left on her chair.”

It sounded like Celeste was building up her nerve to confront Megan Beal face to face. “Why didn’t Megan call the police?”

“Are you blaming the victim here?”

“Not at all. I was just curious.”

“She might have thought you had better things to do,” Phyllis added.

Nothing like brutal honesty…As a seasoned detective, Eric had encountered prejudice against the police before. He even understood why it existed and wasn’t about to fault anyone for their opinions. “Before I go, Megan left a note on the threat that Celeste was a failed intern who was fired. Is that how you know it, or is there more you can tell me? The more details, the better.”

“That’s about right. She just couldn’t hack the job or stay in her lane. She fainted at the sight of blood and advised the parents of a dying child against taking the advice of their doctor. That child died.”