Page 102 of Girl Betrayed

“Do it.” Richter ordered. “If there’s another death while he’s in lockup, we know we’ve got the wrong guy.”

87

Dana stoodin Dvita’s office while Richter and his team photographed the scene. She was in the way, having to move every few seconds to avoid being in the shot. Dvita’s lawyer had shown up making sure no one ventured to other areas of the house so her only option was to wait in the car or remain in the crowded office.

She decided to stay put. Something was keeping her there. She let her gaze rove over every inch of the office, waiting for some new discovery to jump out at her. Rows of pristine built-in shelves lined with books mocked her, their pages whispering the promise of secrets that just might be the answer, but she was unable to touch them.

Dvita’s lawyer perched in the doorway like a hawk, waiting for someone to make a false move.

“Excuse me,” Agent Garcia said, nodding to the portion of the room yet to be photographed.

Dana moved out of the way, stopping next to Dvita’s desk. A hunter green ink blotter was the only color on the mahogany monstrosity. He’d even chosen a leather planner in the same reddish-brown hue as the tropical hardwood. She looked at thedate staring back at her. It was off. The planner’s pages lay open to a date two days past.

That seemed out of character for someone as meticulous as Dr. Dvita.

She glanced at the lawyer, whose attention was occupied by Agent Garcia. Dana quickly scanned the planner, reading the handwritten notes scrawled in Dvita’s overindulgent cursive. Clients’ names with appointment times dominated the page. Everything looked normal until she got to the small, shaded box at the bottom of the page labeled: Don’t Forget.There were two things scribbled there. The wordMilkand the number 241, which was circled twice.

She stared at the number, letting it rub against the shadowy recesses of her mind until all at once it clicked.

Meredith!

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Dana grippedher seatbelt as Richter tore through another intersection, sirens blaring. If she was right, time was their enemy. But so was every car on the road with the way Richter was driving.

“We can’t help anyone if we’re dead!” Dana yelled as they narrowly swerved around the car in front of them.

“I still think you’re wrong,” Richter replied. “There’s no way Dvita or anyone else can get to Meredith. She’s in a secure psychiatric facility.”

“Dvita’s a doctor. He’s treated her before and can easily get access.”

“Well right now he’s locked up. The only person he has access to for the next twenty-four hours is his attorney.”

“He could’ve set this plan in motion already. It was written in his planner two days ago. I’m not taking any chances.”

“Then I suggest you let me focus on the road, while you get a hold of someone over there.”

Dana dialed St. Elizabeth’s again. This time someone picked up. “Hello, this is Dr. Dana Gray, I need to be transferred to the floor nurse on two.”

“Hold, please.”

Dana bit her lip while the smooth jazz of the hold music filled the car. The juxtaposition of the slow instrumental sound and the speeding car was jarring. Dana felt like she’d been suddenly transported into an action movie. Particularly the scene right before the car careens off the road in a series of slow-motion flips and fireworks.

Finally, the music cut off and another voice filled the car. “Floor two, Avery speaking.”

Dana sighed in relief. She knew Nurse Avery! The level-headed floor nurse was as old as St. Elizabeth’s and had been on Meredith’s floor since Dana first started visiting her. “Avery! It’s Dana Gray. I need a favor.”

“Dr. Gray? What can I do for you, baby?”

“I need you to check on Meredith Kincaid.”

“What about her?”

“Is she in her room?”

“Sure was last I checked.”

“When was that?” Dana asked.