The Silence That Speaks (Forensic Instincts 4)

“Madeline was part of the team that day?” This time Casey didn’t have to feign her surprise.

“Indeed she was. Once she heard the announcement, she knew exactly who and where the Code Blue was. She and the others rushed down a minute after Conrad flew back into the O.R.”

“I don’t understand. What was happening? What does the code team do?”

“Ronald started bleeding out after Conrad had closed him up. That’s the point where the code team does its job. CPR, intubation, arrhythmia treatment—whatever. Once the patient is reopened, their job is done and they all leave. Only Madeline didn’t leave. She stayed on and watched while my husband died. She did nothing. And Conrad didn’t do enough. That’s why I loathe them both. I’ll never forgive them. They deserve—”

“Mother!” Felicia was on her feet, going over to stand beside Nancy and squeezing her arm. “I don’t want you reliving this again.” She turned to Casey. “I don’t mean to be impolite, but I think it’s best that you leave. This is a very difficult subject for my mother. I want her to take a sedative and lie down.”

“Of course.” Casey rose, setting down her plate of uneaten tea sandwiches. “I’m terribly sorry if I upset her.”

“You had no way of knowing.”

“I apologize, Ms. Woods.” At Felicia’s urging, Nancy stood up shakily. “I didn’t mean to draw you into my grief and anger. I appreciate your donation. Ronald would have, too. Now please excuse me.”

She left the room with Felicia’s arm wrapped around her shoulders.

“I’ll show you out.” Ron got up and gestured toward the foyer. “I’m sorry for the family drama,” he said as he led Casey to the front door. “Our father’s death hit us very hard. My mother is still reeling from the shock.”

“I understand.” Casey shook Ron’s hand. “Thank you for having me.”

Casey did nothing until she was heading out of the elevator on the ground floor. Then she whipped out her iPhone and called Madeline.

“I need to see you now. I’m on my way.”

* * *

Joseph Buzak, another of Patrick’s security team, opened the door for Casey.

“Hi, Joe,” she greeted him. “It’s good to see you.”

“You, too.” He was a tall, husky man who’d retired from the Secret Service a few years back, and who’d known Patrick for ages.

“Casey.” Madeline appeared almost instantly, her brow furrowed with concern. “You sounded urgent. What’s wrong?”

“You tell me.” Casey didn’t even take off her coat. She just strode into the living room and sat down, pointedly waiting for Madeline to join her.

Madeline complied, walking into the room and perching nervously at the edge of a chair. “You’re clearly angry at me. What did I do?”

“You failed to mention to me that you were in the O.R. when Ronald Lexington died.”

Madeline still looked blank. “I was part of the code team that day. I frequently am, as are anesthesiologists, respiratory therapists and most of the nursing staff. It’s routine. So yes, I was there along with the others. But we didn’t—couldn’t—do anything. Conrad had already opened Ronald up again and was trying to stop the bleeding. Once the patient has been reopened, the code team leaves. I stayed behind because I was praying that the expression on Conrad’s face didn’t mean what I thought it meant. Unfortunately, it did.” She made a wide gesture, using both hands. “I’m still not sure why that makes you so angry.”

“Because it goes to motive.” The tension eased a bit from Casey’s body. Okay, so Madeline’s omission had been based on foolishness, not deception. That, Casey could handle.

“Someone is trying to kill you,” she said. “They’re also now trying to kill Conrad. The FI team is searching for any common link. That’s a big one, especially given the meeting I just had with Nancy Lexington.”

“You met with Nancy?” Madeline’s eyes widened, more in curiosity than discomfort. “What happened?”

“She spewed a lot of pertinent rage.”

“I told you that Nancy blames me, in some misguided way, for Ronald’s death.”

“Yes, but you didn’t tell me why.”

“It’s because I was in the O.R.?” Genuine surprise laced Madeline’s tone. “Are you serious?”

“You bet. You have no idea how deep Nancy’s hatred runs. It would have helped if I hadn’t been blindsided by what she told me. She laid out the whole Code Blue scenario, with you as the villainess who did nothing to keep her husband from dying.”