He would talk to Michael and Faith when they were all together again, but in the meantime, he didn’t want to spend the entire week just waiting.He couldn’t fly to Texas, and phone calls were dangerous for him.He’d tried using burner phones, and the 93rdhad still figured out it was him.That left him nothing to do but follow up on the other names on the list.Maybe he’d get lucky and find some more answers that way.
His door opened, and Jackie poked her head in.“Your patient is ready, Dr.Friedman.”
“Be right there.”
“Okey dokey.”She smiled at Rogers, then pranced down the hall.
“She’s cute,” Rogers said appreciatively.
“Taken,” David said, saving his research and closing his computer.“Sorry.”
“All the best ones are,” Rogers replied genially.
“There’s a Mrs.Rogers out there for you,” David assured him, getting to his feet.“Women like enormous, freakishly strong gentle giants.”
Rogers chuckled.“Maybe one day.I just haven’t met the right one yet.”
“You will.Can I convince you to run to the coffee bar and grab me a latte?”
“Sure, but if I come back and find you did anything other than see to that dog, I’m not gonna be a gentle giant.”
“Sure, you will,” David said with a grin.“You act tough, but you’re secretly a big softie.”
“You got me there,” Rogers replied amiably.“Decaf, right?”
“Screw you.”
Rogers laughed and clapped a massive hand on David’s shoulder.“Back in a minute.”
David winced and rubbed his shoulder.For her sake, he hoped the one for Rogers was a powerlifter.
He headed to the exam room to see his next patient, and to his surprise, he was able to put the 93rdTesting Brigade from his mind.
He was on the scent now.There was no need to rush.Slow and steady would win this race.The noose was tightening around the 93rd, and when it cinched closed, David would be the one holding the leash.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Jessica handed Faith her latte, an oat milk honey brew that Jessica swore would be the best latte Faith would ever have.Faith sipped it.It tasted like bread dipped in pancake syrup.“It’s good,” she lied.
Jessica laughed.“I’m notthateasy to fool.You hate it.”
“Hate is a strong word.”
Jessica laughed again and sipped her own latte.“Well, I don’t regret ordering it for you.You need to stave off the grumpiness.It’s growing thicker and thicker around you, and eventually you’re just going to be a bitter old SAC drinking motor oil and grumbling about how things ain’t like they used to be.”
“A for effort on the humor,” Faith replied, “but you tell jokes like a cop.”
“What does that mean?”
Faith shrugged.“I don’t know.”She sipped the latte again, found it as distasteful but drinkable as before, and asked, “So did we confirm Thomas’s medical ailment?”
Jessica's smile faded into a heavy sigh."Yeah, primary progressive MS.His doctor lectured me about patient confidentiality, then assured me that Thomas would have trouble picking up a gallon of milk, let alone strangling someone to death."
Faith nodded.“Okay, so there goes that lead.Here’s my next question.How the hell does our killer put dog tags on the victims that all match records searches Thomas did over the past few weeks, records searches that were all unrelated to each other?”
Jessic sighed again.“That’s a head scratcher.Chief’s alibi is good, I verified it, and the girls really don’t strike me as the type to murder chaplains, inject their joints with expanding epoxy, then arrange them in a prayer position in public.I’ll still look up their alibis, but I think we can assume that we’re back to square one.”
Faith’s lips thinned.“Shit.”She sipped her coffee and stared moodily down at Turk, who cocked his head questioningly as he returned her gaze.
