Kurt frowned. “Like Lori Clang, but she supposedly knew the sender and went on a date or two.”
Mia didn’t like the coincidence of the flowers. “The canvassers already tracked down the florist, and the bouquets were purchased over the phone with a cash Visa. So no lead.”
“Definitely a coincidence,” Kurt muttered.
Mia kept reading. “We got a quick phone dump, and I don’t see any blocked numbers. Everyone is listed. We’ll have to have an intern or somebody go through this, but I’m not seeing anything interesting. It looks like the woman had calls from work, her gym, and a doctor’s office. Not a lot of friend calls,” she murmured.
“Maybe she was in hiding?” Todd mused.
Kurt flicked a glance over his shoulder and jerked, coming face-to-face with Todd. “Sit the fuck back.”
Todd snorted and moved away.
Kurt swore under his breath and pulled down the long driveway to the Lost Asylum, its manicured lawns spreading out on either side of the vehicle. He pulled to a stop in front of the weathered brick building. The three stories looked like they’d been there forever, as did the intricate iron sign spread across the second story proclaiming it asLost Asylum.
Once again, it gave Mia the chills. “All in all, there isn’t much about Bobbi in the file.” Mia opened her door and jumped out. “Let’s see what we can find out.” Her boots crunched on the gravel as she made her way to the front door and opened it.
She walked inside with the men on her heels to see a six-foot-tall female nurse in a pristine white uniform cap. It was the same one who’d been here during Mia’s last case.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“Hi,” Mia said, plastering on her brightest smile. “I’m FBI Special Agent Mia Stone, and we have an appointment to speak with Dr. Bankston.”
“Ah, yes.” The woman’s expression softened. “You’re here about Bobbi?”
Mia scrutinized her closely. “Yes. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
“As am I. I’m Joley Nelson. I really enjoyed working with Bobbi. She was a kind person.” Tears filled the nurse’s eyes.
Mia kept her stance casual. The place was eerily quiet. “The background on Bobbi showed she worked here for three years, is that right?”
“Yes,” Joley confirmed. “She was an excellent caretaker to many of our patients. She had a calming effect, which was very nice.”
“Do you know who would want to hurt her?” Kurt asked.
Joley shook her head, yet her starched white cap remained firmly in place over her dark hair. “I don’t. I mean, I didn’t know a lot about her personal life because we only shared work, so I can’t really tell you much about that. I will tell you that nobody here wished her harm. The patients loved her, and like I said, she was really easy to work with.”
Mia looked around at the empty reception area. “Had Bobbi mentioned having any problems or concerns lately? Or had her routine changed?”
“No,” Joley said. “Honestly, I can’t imagine anything being wrong in her life. She had yesterday off, so the last time I saw her was the night before at six when she left work.”
So far, that was the last timeanybodyhad seen the victim. “Was there anything odd about that last encounter?” Mia asked.
“Not at all.” The nurse sighed. “Come on. I’ll take you back to Dr. Bankston.”
“Thank you.” Mia looked over her shoulder at Todd. “Why don’t you hang back and speak with some other nurses and even a few patients if you can get into the reception rooms? The lower one is pretty quiet,” she whispered.
“Sure thing.” Todd leaned against the wall.
Mia and Kurt followed the nurse beyond a metal door and up a set of stairs, then down a hallway with doors on either side. They walked to about the middle, and the nurse knocked.
“Come on in,” Brother Jeremiah said.
“Go ahead,” the nurse urged, turning and ambling back down the hallway, her shoulders slumped. Sadness cascaded off her.
Mia opened the door and walked into a surprisingly modern-looking office with a glass-topped desk and credenza. A wide window framed the dark forest outside, and behind the shrink were several diplomas, including one from a college in DC.
“Have a seat,” Jeremiah said. Today, he wore black pants and a white shirt with a blue-striped tie beneath his white lab coat. His hair was ruffled, and lines spread out from his eyes. “I take it you’re here about Bobbi?”
