"Lissa Satanta was born to Jasper Satanta and Joselyn Bishop four years ago. SPD found Joselyn’s body three months ago in a shooting gallery in West Silverton. If Lissa's timeline is correct, she spent two and a half months with Uncle Boyd. Tighe reports Lissa is drawing pictures. He's pushing as hard as she'll let him. Lissa's nurse, Vanessa, called me. She's worried Tighe is becoming too attached. I'll talk to him. Um, Boss, we’re all losing a bit of perspective," Mike sighed.
"Ian and I are aware."
Mike rolled his pencil between his fingers. "Noah and Kip went at Krystal Slater for six hours. They think she sang as much possible. She loved Knox, and the bastard played her. She doesn't know anyone higher than Hailey and never mentioned Pietra. They don't think it’s an act."
Tate added, "We think that's why this worked so long. No one knows too much."
"Hailey Ullman is in the wind. No sign of Pietra Hahn at her apartment. Covert eyes are on her address, and her car remains under surveillance in the hospital garage. Archie is going through video frame by frame, looking for how she left the hospital. Her cell phone is off," Zach said.
"Rerunning this in my head, there’s this pyramid of medical personnel. Someone is giving them cover. Hal Dufour? He's hospital administration. But he doesn't have the power to make schedules or provide medical care," Tate said.
"Craig Hillinger is the Chief of Medicine. The hospital legal department is diverting all our attempts to question him," Ford said.
Julian turned his eyes downward. "I don't want to carry this thought through, but if they were euthanizing adults, what about kids? Or when they’re done with them, are they trafficking them?”
"Tech is running every pediatric death and missing child in the past two years." Mike shook his head. "Legal is trying to negotiate for Hillinger to come in on his own."
Kieran forced the update ahead, "Where are we on Corrections?"
"One of the corrections officers is Boyd Thomas. Not a common name. If he's Uncle Boyd…" Julian's voice trailed off. "Tighe is waiting for the treatment team to grant permission for Lissa to view photos. To be honest, I hope they never do. Alden McAllister was implicated by Tonette Torres as her rapist. Red reports he and Boyd are interested in Troy as well.”
Kieran pulled out his phone. "The second we hear anything more about Troy, I want to know. Ford, talk to Shaun Murray and make a formal request for his help. Ian got permission for a legal wiretap on the phones going into Silverton PD. Anything new on the bombing?"
"Interesting. Trip Mathias of SWAT is handling the explosives investigation. He's saying all the right things, but my gut says otherwise. Beck Ferguson is questionable. Murray said he hates Austin," Ford said. "Did he pull the cops off Tonette's door to give Satanta time to kill her? And then they could kill Satanta? Both Shaun and Emerson reported Mathias was pissed off that Martin didn't kill Satanta. Remember, Mathias used to work for Talbot Reed when he was governor.”
Kyle Cooper came into the room. "Folks, listen to this. Thibodaux Spooner grew up as Cicely Moody. She married Fulton Spooner thirty years ago. Fulton died eight years ago. After his death, she transitioned to become Thibodaux Spooner. The Assistant Director of Corrections is related to Cecile Dufour and Celine McAllister." Their pictures on the whiteboard received marked connections in red. "Clay Jenner is another issue. There is no footprint of him earlier than nineteen years ago. Mike, I need your permission to tap into WitSec. If he's not there, then I don’t know. Also…"
"What?" Mike asked.
"Clay Jenner spends many weekends in Chicago. He stays at the Omni. Review of their security photos from two weeks ago showed an interesting face checking in an hour after he did: Todd Duran from Homeland."
"I want that connection confirmed," Kieran said.
"One more thing—the background on Cleo Nolan came up clear, but my gut is still burning." Kyle shook his head.
Tate frowned. "Follow your gut. Take her to dinner. Work her."
The faces around the conference table displayed angst. "As far as I can figure, credible evidence exists for the prosecution of some of the lesser players. We have a lot of suspicion for more, but insufficient proof," Mike said.
"Four more films hit the internet. Recognition is complicated. Certain men in the films are masked, so we’re looking at other identifiers," Julian said. "It kills me there’s a market for this depravity."
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sunday, July 23rd
Martin awoke to a jab at his side, the wail of a monitor alarm, and Tuck's calming voice. Light filtering into the room cleared his momentary confusion as Elizabeth began to stir and moan. She flailed more, using the space Martin vacated.
"Sunshine, it's me, Marty."
Pete stopped her hand from ripping out her IVs as Miles Gerba ran in, alerted by the telemetry. He restrained Elizabeth's free leg before it got tangled with her femoral line. "She's going to hurt herself. Martin, take her hands. Beth." When she didn't respond, he turned to Martin. "I don't want to do this, but I'm going to order Ativan and soft restraints until she settles down."
Martin was surprised at her strength. "No, let me try something. Pete, hold her wrists. Tuck, Miles, take a leg," he said as he shimmied behind her. Elizabeth shrieked. "Shh, Sunshine." Taking her wrists and avoiding her head butts, he enveloped her with his body and started to sing.
Nothing to worry your head about today,
You are always safe in my embrace.
As I gaze into your beautiful face,
