“Yeah, I can be persuasive if I need to be.”
“I’m not talking force here, dude.” Dev laughed.
Micha didn’t find any of this funny. “You have any hints on what might tip him my way?”
“Hmm.” Dev drummed his fingers on the table in front of him. “He’s really big into military battles. Wars. Especially World War II. You find a way to work that into the conversation and it could get you some brownie points.”
“Are you kidding?” Micha gaped at his teammate. “I studied battles in the Marines, but how does a guy causally bring World War II into a conversation?”
“That’s a tough one. But you have all night to figure it out ’cause I know you won’t be closing those eyes while Ava’s in any danger.”
Dev was right. Micha wouldn’t be closing his eyes. But then, that didn’t at all mean he could come up with a way to mention World War II to Toby. Still, he had to figure it out.
Especially when Ava’s life could depend on it.
10
Micha didn’t want to leave Ava behind at the apartment the next morning, but he couldn’t risk someone at the ME’s office recognizing her. He trusted Colin to watch over her, but he trusted his own skills more. He could’ve let Colin interview Toby, but Colin had work to do on his computer. Micha knew deep down Ava was safe. He just needed to suck it up and relax a notch on that protective stuff.
He pulled into the lot of the large building located on the far east side of the Portland metro area. The Clackamas County Medical Examiner’s Office took up the right side of the modern building while the Oregon State Crime Lab filled the other half. He’d had a chance to tour both facilities in the past and was most impressed, but not as impressed as he was with the Veritas Center.
He parked and entered the small vestibule to ring the bell for admittance. Smiling up at the camera that he knew the receptionist would be watching, he waited until the buzzer sounded and the door popped open.
He entered the industrial-looking reception area. A woman with her hair buzzed short on the sides and sticking up like a scrub brush on top, gave him a tight smile. “We only have one appointment on the books this morning, so I suspect you’re here to see Dr. Wetzler.”
He nodded. “Micha Nichols.”
“I’ll need to see some ID for my log. While you get it out, I’ll give him a call.” She lifted the receiver on her phone and relayed the information to Toby.
Micha fished out his driver’s license and provided it to the woman.
She studied it. “Shadow Lake, huh? I grew up in that area of the state. Lovely place, but not a lot of jobs and opportunities, so I came to the big city to make my fortune. Not hardly doing that here.” She chuckled and started writing down his details in a formal-looking logbook. “Where do you work there, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Did you know the Maddox family?” Micha asked. “They owned a resort on the lake.”
“Boy, did I.” She lifted her head to stare at him. “I was two years ahead of Reid in school, and those boys were involved in everything. Including making a lot of young girls’ hearts swoon. Is their family still running the resort?”
Micha shook his head. “Their parents moved to town, and the brothers run a wilderness survival group out of the family lodge. That’s where I work.”
“And you’re here to see Dr. Wetzler, so you must have a big problem.” She handed back his driver’s license and watched him expectantly.
“No problem at the resort. Just need some background information.” He felt like he was lying, though, in fact, hewashere to get background info. The cause of death.
The back door opened, and a guy in his early thirties with unruly red hair and a freckle-covered face stepped over to them. He wore scrubs and white sneakers, a risk in Micha’s book. Even wearing protective booties didn’t likely protect them from all the body fluids they must deal with.
He shot out a hand. “Toby Wetzler.”
Micha shook and winced at a punishing grip he didn’t expect from the slender guy.
“Come on back. You can catch me up on what Devan is up to as we walk.” He led the way to the door that he released with a key card.
As they strode down a hall with doors to offices, Micha told him about Shadow Lake Survival and Devan’s role in the company.
“I’m glad he was able to get out of law enforcement.” Toby opened the door to a small office. A glorified closet really. “He was burning out. This place is a pressure cooker, and I totally get how the demands of a job can affect your life.”
The opening Micha needed. “So what do you do to relieve your stress?”
Toby slipped behind the small desk that held a pair of glasses, a laptop, and a pencil cup filled with stick pens. “You’ll probably find this weird. I know I do. With all the death I deal with here, you’d think I’d look for something like yoga or meditation. Something more life-affirming, but my real passion outside of work is battles from World War II.”
