Page 57 of Her Last Whisper

Bear shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“Again, take a guess.”

“He liked this girl.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere. What’s her name?”

“Gaby or Nady, I think.”

“Last name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where does she live?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did he visit her when he was living here?”

“Yeah. Somewhere in town.”

“If I put this away are you going to behave like a gentleman?” she asked, drawing attention to her gun.

“Yes.”

“Okay,” she said and holstered her Glock. “C’mon, let’s go.”

Katie walked back to the cabin with Bear and neither spoke until they were back at the wood chopping area.

“Mr. Hamlin, thank you for your time,” she said, not knowing what else to say.

“Ms?”

“Detective,” she corrected.

“Detective, when you find him let him know that he was a great roommate and it’s not the same around here.”

Katie smiled. “Will do. And sorry about the misunderstanding. Please take my card. Call me anytime if Mr. Haines contacts you or comes back.”

Bear smiled, took her card, and shyly turned away from her.

Katie hurried back to her car and didn’t waste time in case there were more misunderstandings with locals with an ax to grind against the cops.

Quickly maneuvering her vehicle around and away from the cabin, Katie retraced her route and made it back to the freeway. There was still time before the visiting window at the psychiatric ward. She headed toward James Haines’s last known job in the special effects department at the California Studios and Amusement Park.

Thirty-Three

Wednesday 0840 hours

After he got off the phone with Katie and they had confirmed the duties for the day, McGaven decided that he would take a few moments to find out who worked at the First Memorial Hospital before barging in and asking questions. There was always information about any work employees on social media, through team sports, and the hospital roster.

He didn’t have to search the Internet long. There was a social media page that highlighted several hospital employees and first responders that had league baseball teams. McGaven looked up at the closed office door and realized that it was extremely quiet. He sighed just to hear a noise.

At first, hearing about the new cold-case office in the forensic basement, it sounded like the best thing ever, but in reality, it was isolating and lonely. He wasn’t sure if he could work case after case in solitude—even though it was probably just a one-case assignment. At least in the detective division there were other detectives coming and going, phones ringing, and people coming in for interviews and polygraph testing. There was something going on at all times—it made it seem like you were part of a team.

He looked around the large space, still amazed at how Katie was so at ease and able to put together comprehensive lists and observant deductions from such a difficult case file. Not wanting to admit it to anyone, but the first day they had met, which was under unusual, if not stressful conditions, he liked Katie right away. He may not have shown it, but he respected her tenacity and being able to stand up to people. She was the kind of partner that every police officer hoped for.

McGaven was able to find out a couple of the nurses’ names, Abigail Sorenson and Lisa Lambert, who both worked on the same floor as Amanda. There was a longstanding security officer by the name of Randy Drake who seemed most likely to have a good overview of all the staff. All of them were on social media, so he decided to memorize some of their interests before leaving.