Page 73 of Fatal Fame

"I was. Why?"

"Just checking to make sure you don't have any more bones. The family will want all the remains returned for proper burial. You didn't keep any others, did you?"

"No. Look, do you know if the lab will be able to match the bones to the glove?"

"What glove?" Anita asked.

"The latex glove from the original Hale case. It was submitted as evidence for DNA analysis."

Anita frowned. "I don’t believe there is any glove at the office."

"But it was part of the case file. It was found at the crime scene and submitted for DNA testing."

"How would you know that? Has your father or someone else working for the department provided you with confidential information about evidence?"

"No, no one has told me anything confidential."

"Be honest, Mia. You could get in a lot of trouble for lying about this."

"I'm not lying. The official case report mentioned a latex glove being found at the scene."

"If there was such evidence, we’ll find it. Don't worry, we'll be able to match the bones to all existing DNA samples. If this is Travis Rudd, then I guess that solves one mystery." Anita took a deep breath. "You know, Mia, you have good investigativeinstincts. You should consider joining the sheriff's department when you're ready. I'm sure it would make your grandfather proud."

"Right," Mia said, not trusting herself to say more.

A knock at the door interrupted the conversation. Ethan appeared in the doorway, and Mia felt a wave of relief at seeing her brother's familiar face.

"Looks like you have a visitor," Anita said, standing and smoothing her uniform. "Well, if you remember anything else about the incident, call me, okay?" She handed Mia a business card. "Take care. I'll check in on you again soon."

Anita nodded to Ethan as she passed him in the doorway, her departure leaving behind a silence that felt charged with unspoken tension.

Ethan cautiously enteredthe hospital room. He pulled a chair closer to Mia's bed and set his phone on the side table, his expression carrying worry mixed with something that looked like guilt.

"How are you doing, sis?" he asked, squeezing her uninjured hand.

"Alive. Though I feel awful about Gideon. He's in a coma because of this investigation."

"Yeah, that's rough. I'm just glad you're okay." Ethan sounded relieved, but there was also an undercurrent of anxiety that seemed disproportionate to the situation.

"Ethan, how did you know where I was?"

"I didn't."

"No. Dad told me you found us. On the way here in the ambulance."

"You must have misunderstood or were too drugged out. They had you on some pretty strong medication."

"No. I asked him twice. How did you know I was at that farm?"

She noticed him glance at his phone, then look away quickly. "Look, don't worry about that. All that matters is you're alive. Can I get you a drink?"

"No. I want you to tell me how you knew where I was."

"I just told you, it wasn't me who found you."

She studied him for a moment or two then shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I misheard." Mia looked at Ethan's phone on the side table. "You know, I think I will have that drink."

"Hot chocolate?"