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“Could well be. Careful out there.”
I take my cup to my desk and boot up my computer. I may as well follow up on some work while I await my turn.
“Take the Explorer. I’ll grab a cruiser for the time being,” I insist, pressing my keys into Dana’s hand.
She was in with Mancuso for over two hours and looked like she was put through the wringer when she walked out of the interview. I suggested she go home and take the day off, but she insisted she needed to be at the clinic before noon. Apparently, whoever was in this morning has a shift starting elsewhere in the hospital at that time.
I’m just walking her out to the parking lot while the agent is making a call.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, it’s not a problem. You can keep it until you get stuff sorted out with your insurance.”
She flashes me a tired smile, and once again I wonder what it is my sister may have said to her this morning. But I don’t get a chance to ask her, when Mancuso pokes his head out the door.
“Althof, you ready?”
“Be right in,” I tell him before turning back to Dana. “Give me a call when you’re done at the clinic.”
As soon as I’m done with the interview, I plan to head to her place and meet up with Omar. Hopefully, we can have a lot of the cleaning done before she gets there.
“I will. Thanks.”
I pull her in for a hard kiss and wait for her to get behind the wheel. As soon as she backs out of my spot, I turn and head inside.
“Start from the beginning,” the agent prompts me.
“I had the foresight to bring a radio,” I start. “Which was good since there was no cell reception when I called in the fire. I can’t remember exactly what time, but there should be a record of my call. Anyway, I left my car on the side of the highway and had to cut through the woods to get to Dana’s—”
He abruptly raises his hand, cutting me off.
“You didn’t see anyone else? No one parked, no passing cars.”
I start shaking my head, but then I remember the silver four-door sedan I passed right before I spotted the smoke from the fire.
“I passed only one car on my way there.” I describe the vehicle to him. “Why are you asking?”
“Was it in the ditch?”
His questions puzzle me. “No, it wasn’t in the ditch. What gives?”
“Apparently, Dana only found out there was a fire because she got a call to lend a hand with a car that got stuck in the ditch. She drove down, saw she couldn’t pass, and headed back up to the house.”
“Who was it?”
“Her old boss and mentor, Doc Wilson.”
“Don’t tell me, his first name is Edward?”
“One and the same.”
Chapter 30
Dana
* * *
Maggie is eating a sandwich at her desk when I walk into the clinic.
