Ms. Murray nods and sniffles, and then she grabs a tissue out of her handbag and unceremoniously blows her nose. Tears well in her eyes. To be honest, I’m surprised she made it this far without sobbing.
“Listen, Ms. Murray—Janine,” Donny says. “I am going to find out who did this. I am going to find out who tried to poison my father. I have unlimited resources and a brother who’s stronger and meaner than I am. We will not let this lie. We will find out who’s behind this, and we will make sure they pay. Especially someone so horrible that they would use an innocent six-month-old baby.”
Ms. Murray nods, hiccupping again.
“Here’s something I don’t get,” I say, thinking out loud. “You work in a hospital. You have access to all the drugs. Why would they put drugs in your baby’s diaper? Why wouldn’t they just force you to get the drugs yourself at the hospital and then poison the patient?”
Donny’s eyes widen.
“What?” I ask him.
“Ms. Murray,” Donny says. “Do you know if atropine is used for any veterinary purpose?”
“For animals?” She shakes her head. “I’m not sure. Probably.”
I grab my phone and do a quick search. “Says here that it’s used for pupil dilation in dogs. Also as a preanesthetic to reduce salivation.”
“Damn,” Donny says, raking his fingers through his hair.
“Why does this matter?”
“Because…I think I may know who’s behind this. Or who’s at least a person of interest.”
“Who?” I demand.
“Let’s just say that things are converging.”
I nod. In other words, he’ll talk to me about it later.
Ms. Murray starts talking then. “I don’t know how I could’ve forgotten this. We learned about all the drugs in nursing school, and even about how they’re used in nonhumans. You’re right. Atropine is sometimes used as a preanesthetic for dogs to keep them from salivating. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Because you were concerned about your baby,” Donny says, again using his comforting tone. “But you’re confirming that a veterinarian would probably have atropine. Or easy access to it.”
“I can’t say for sure. I mean, I’ve never worked with a veterinarian. I have a cat. I go to a veterinarian.”
Now she’s rambling. “Don,” I say, “we need to talk.”
He nods. “We do. Did you want to ask Ms. Murray anything else?”
I stand. “Not right now.”
“We have your information, and we will be in contact with you. In the meantime, I want you to call this security company.” Donny hands her a card.
“Monarch security. Why?”
“Tell them Donny Steel referred you. Tell them to get your place set up with twenty-four-hour security and to bill it to me.”
“Oh, I couldn’t.”
“These are bad people, Ms. Murray,” I say. “They threatened your infant child. Please do as we ask.”
She nods, gulping.
“Can we give you a lift home?” I ask.
“No. I have my car. My mom is with Maria.”
“I’m going to have one of our investigators check out your house,” Donny says. “We might be able to tell how the perpetrator got in.”
Ms. Murray gulps again. “Okay.”
“Brock and I will be in touch. We’ll walk you to your car.”
Ms. Murray stands. Her pallor is gray, her lips thin. Her blond hair is beginning to fall out of the scarf on her head.
She’s frightened. And rightly so.
After Ms. Murray is safely on her way, I turn to my cousin. “Anything you want to let me in on?”
Chapter Nine
Rory
After my three morning students on Monday, I have the afternoon free. I could go by the courthouse and see if Callie wants to have lunch, but I figure she’ll be doing more research and probably having lunch with Donny.
I sigh. My small studio is above what used to be Raine’s beauty salon. It’s a simple studio apartment, one of two apartments above the salon.
Willow White, Ashley Steel’s mother, bought the business from Raine, and she’s downstairs now, working at getting the salon ready for her reopening.
I still have some stuff down there that I need to move out and take back home. Or at least move it up to the studio. I also have stuff in the apartment across the hall. Just a few boxes that I haven’t bothered moving yet. Now is as good a time as any since I have the afternoon free.
I leave my studio and walk a few steps to the door to the apartment, pull out my key, and try to open the door.
Except my key no longer works.
Willow must’ve had the locks changed.
Okay, then. This is embarrassing. Didn’t she realize I still have stuff up here? She’s getting her salon stuff moved in, but as far as I knew, she wasn’t actually moving into the apartment for another day or two.
I walk down the stairwell in the back of the building that leads to the rear entrance to the salon. The door is locked, so I walk around to the front. That door is open, and it jingles as I enter.