The Silence That Speaks (Forensic Instincts 4)

“Then why do you want the recording...?” Again, Madeline’s voice trailed off. “It was Diana. She did it. She did something before the rest of the team came into the O.R.—something that killed her father. And whatever it was is on that recording. What was it?”

Janet didn’t answer. She looked far away, and her face was contorted with pain.

“Oh, my God.” Madeline squeezed her eyes shut for just an instant, then reopened them to focus on the truck that had just cut her off. “Oh, my God,” she repeated.

Snapping back to the moment at hand, Janet pressed the barrel of the gun to the back of Madeline’s head. “She’s not a murderer. She’s a wonderful person.”

“You’ve been protecting her. You trashed both Conrad’s and my apartments looking for the tapes. You tried to kill us both to shut us up about information we never had.”

“I did what was necessary.”

“How did you get past Crest Haven’s security?”

“It’s amazing what a professional uniform, a self-assured attitude and a big smile will do for you.”

Madeline shook her head in amazement. “And now you’re going to destroy the recording.”

“Not just the recording—you, too, if you don’t get us to that mini-storage fast.” Janet leaned forward. “Traffic’s moving now. Talk time is over.”

Madeline didn’t say another word. She just accelerated slightly and drove down Second Avenue and toward her destination.

* * *

The Forensic Instincts team tore into the hospital parking lot three minutes after the police.

Casey had called Madeline’s cell phone five times. Voice mail. Voice mail. Voice mail. Her phone could be on Silent while she did her work in the E.R., but Casey doubted it.

Dave jumped up as the entourage arrived. “What can I do?”

“Just stay out here until I call you.” Casey was already walking through the revolving door, Ryan and Claire in her wake.

The cops took off for the E.R. Casey was scanning the area for any sign of Patrick.

She spotted him weaving away from the tables at Au Bon Pain.

“Patrick!” She was by his side in a dozen steps, holding on to his arms to steady him. “What happened?”

“Some woman,” he slurred. “She knocked over my coffee and bought me a new cup. She must have drugged me.”

By then, Claire and Ryan had reached Patrick and Casey. Ryan went around to Patrick’s side and slung Patrick’s arm over his shoulders. “Easy, guy. I’ve got you.”

“The woman who drugged you,” Casey said. “Middle-aged, attractive, glasses, hair up in a chignon?”

Patrick nodded. “That’s her. Who is she?”

“I’ll fill you in later. Did you see Madeline leave the E.R.?”

“Not before I passed out, no.” Despite Patrick’s glazed eyes, he looked grim. “Did that bitch take her?”

“We think so, yes.”

Casey paused as Emma came crashing into them. “What’s going on? Marc came barreling through here a little while ago, demanded to know if I’d seen Madeline, and then—when I said I hadn’t seen her—he took off.”

“Took off for where?” Claire asked, brows drawn.

“Wherever Madeline is,” Ryan replied. “He took her Apple ID and password. That means he’s using the Find My iPhone app to track her down.”

Detective Harvey Zimmer strode out of the E.R. “The woman named Madeline Westfield left with another nurse maybe forty minutes ago.”