19. Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen
Theo Neville January 2025 Saturday — 11:49 am
A pleasant fragrance of lavender hung in the air as Theo and Sylvie entered the dimly lit fertility clinic. The calming scent was a welcome change from the usual sterile odor of such waiting rooms. Soft music played throughout the empty area, filling the tranquil space despite the lack of patients occupying the rows of chairs.
“Good afternoon,” Theo greeted quietly as he approached the receptionist behind an open window.
He reached for his credentials, but the receptionist spoke before he could make any introductions or explain the reason for their visit.
“I am so sorry,” she exclaimed, glancing toward the sign displaying the clinic’s office hours. We don’t take walk-ins. We are also seeing our last patient of the day, but I can go ahead and schedule the two of you for next week. Is there any particular weekday that best suits your schedule?”
Theo caught Sylvie’s smirk at the woman’s misconception that they were a couple. He continued to lift his badge until he could flip open the leather billfold to display his identification.
“We are with S&E Investigations. We’re working a homicide investigation with the Montgomery County Police Department, and we need to ask you a few questions regarding a possible patient of Dr. Natalie Nash.” Theo tucked his credentials back into the interior pocket of his jacket. “I’m Theo Neville, and this is my colleague, Sylvie Deering. You are…”
“Kate Moore.” She hesitated before pushing her chair back slightly. “Do you have a warrant? I think it best that you speak with Dr. Nash. I can't release any information without a warrant.”
“We’re in the process of obtaining one, and we should have it in hand shortly," Theo explained as he loosened his scarf. “In the meantime, the patient’s name is Miles. Mara Miles. If she wasn’t a patient here, you could save us both a lot of time.”
Kate bit her lower lip thoughtfully.
“I don't recognize the name,” Kate finally admitted before pulling her chair close to the desk. She reached for the keyboard and quickly typed in the name. She shook her head when the search results were revealed on the screen. “I’m sorry. Ms. Miles wasn’t a patient here.”
“Have you been watching the news lately?” Sylvie inquired, curiosity lacing her tone.
Theo understood why she would have asked such a question. Jordan and Mara’s picture had been plastered all over the local news. Kate should have recognized the name.
“Between my job here and my two boys who are both involved in school sports, I barely have time to make them dinner,” Kate replied with a small smile. It quickly faded when she realized the reason for Sylvie’s inquiry. “I take it that this Mara Miles was murdered?”
“Yes.” Sylvie reached into her purse for her cell phone. Before too long, she had Mara Miles’ picture pulled up on the display. “Do you happen to recognize her?”
Theo monitored Kate’s expression as recognition flickered across her features. She frowned in confusion as she continued to stare at the photograph.
“That isn’t Mara Miles,” Kate insisted as she pushed her chair back once again. This time, she stood from the seat. “That's Mara Queller.”
The revelation didn't surprise either Theo or Sylvie, but it confirmed that Mara had chosen not to use her married name during her visits to the fertility clinic. It made sense since she had done her best to keep her decision to have a child from everyone, including her husband.
“Thank you for your help,” Theo said sincerely before offering Kate a reassuring smile. “If you don’t mind, we'll wait here until we have that warrant in hand.”
They stepped away from the front desk. Sylvie took the time to read a text message before tucking her cell phone back into her purse. Theo unzipped his jacket to make himself more comfortable. While the waiting room wasn’t too hot or too cold, the difference between the outside temperature and the inside was staggering.
“Brook is on her way to speak with Nora Miske.”
“Kitsis said there were no signs of foul play,” Theo divulged as he took a seat. There were a ton of magazines spread out on several coffee tables, all having to do with pregnancy and motherhood. “Do you get the sense that Brook is leaning toward a female unsub?”
“I do. Brook mentioned to me that—”
The vibration of Sylvie’s phone cut her off, but it was Kate opening a side door that prevented Sylvie from finishing her thought.
“I spoke with Dr. Nash. She is just finishing up with her last patient and would prefer you wait in her office.” Kate held the door open with one hand while stepping back for Theo and Sylvie to cross the threshold. “Can I get the two of you anything? Some water, perhaps?”
“No, thank you,” Theo replied as he nodded toward a nurse sitting at a small desk in the hallway. She didn’t bother to hide her curiosity. Once they were alone in the doctor's private office, he called Kitsis. “Any word on that warrant? We’re not going to get far if we don’t have one in hand.”
The music drifting in the waiting room and throughout the clinic couldn’t be heard in Dr. Nash’s office. There were no overhead speakers, offering the space its own ability for silence.
The walls were painted in soft hues of blue and cream. There were two guest chairs positioned in front of her desk, and Sylvie had already claimed one. She hadn’t removed her coat, but she had retrieved her cell phone once more to presumably get an update from Brook. Theo figured he was wrong when Sylvie made herself comfortable and began scrolling on her phone.
“I’ve been a bit busy, Neville.”
“I’m aware of that, but if the prosecutor wants another motive, you’ll get us that warrant.” Theo wasn’t under any misconception. Discovering that Mara wanted a child only gave the prosecutor another motive to present in court. In all likelihood, the prosecutor would attempt to paint a picture of Jordan not wanting a child who would ultimately have a claim on the family fortune. “We found the clinic where Mara was being seen by a fertility specialist. We’re in her office, and until we have—”
“I’m busting your balls, Neville.” Kitsis practically barked out a laugh. “The warrant came through. I’m sending it to you now.”
Theo disconnected the call, but he kept ahold of his phone in order to present Dr. Nash with the warrant when it finally came through his email. Sylvie was still absorbed in whatever had captured her attention on her screen.
“What has you so glued to your phone?”
“That house in Georgetown.” Sylvie glanced at him as he took the seat beside her. “I made an appointment to see it one more time later today before I put an offer on it, but depending on what Dr. Nash tells us regarding Mara, I might just cancel.”
“No. You won’t cancel,” Theo advised, mentally laying out the route they needed to take so Sylvie wouldn’t miss the appointment with her realtor. “We can make time.”
Theo understood Sylvie’s need for change after all she had been through. After his eye injury, he had craved control over every aspect of his life. Fortunately, his situation had ultimately led him to S&E Investigations. He recognized Sylvie’s desire to leave behind the apartment where she had almost lost her life and where her father had taken his dying breath.
“We’ll swing by somewhere for lunch and then drive over to Georgetown. I’d love to see the house.”
Sylvie couldn’t contain her genuine smile, and her excitement was evident.
The door suddenly opened, revealing a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length, ash-blonde hair. She had an air of authority, enhanced by her white lab coat and stethoscope. Without hesitation, she closed the door behind her before offering her hand.
“Rebecca Nash,” she introduced herself. Once Theo and Sylvie did the same, Dr. Nash walked around her desk to take a seat. She instinctively removed the stethoscope from around her neck. “Kate explained the situation to me. I’m so sorry to hear about Mrs. Queller.”
“Mara Queller was her maiden name, and she was murdered inside her home last weekend.”
“Awful,” Dr. Nash muttered as she turned on her computer. “Just awful. As Kate already explained, though, we can’t release any information to you without a warrant.”
“Actually, the warrant has come through,” Theo advised her as he leaned over and handed her the phone. “I apologize that we don’t have a hard copy as of yet, but the judge just signed the order.”
Dr. Nash took the phone from Theo, not apologizing for taking a good four to five minutes to read over the small print. Once she was satisfied that she could release private information on one of her patients, she relinquished the phone.
“Everything looks in order. I’ll have Kate print out the records on hand for Mara Queller, but I’m afraid there won’t be much,” Dr. Nash revealed as she leaned back in her chair. “We were supposed to schedule her surgery on her last visit, but she made the decision to postpone it.”
“Did Mara give you a reason?”
“No. She just said that now wasn’t a good time.” Dr. Nash wavered slightly before making a conscious decision to ask her own question. “Was Mara Queller really Jordan Miles’ wife? I met him once at a conference. I had heard on the radio that he had been arrested for his wife’s murder, but I never put two and two together.”
“Yes, Mara was Jordan’s wife.” Theo tucked his phone back into the interior pocket of his jacket. “Dr. Nash, we’re aware that Mara came to you a few months ago seeking a tubal ligation reversal procedure. Did she happen to mention her husband? Did anyone ever accompany her to any of the appointments?”
“There were only two appointments. The first was to discuss the procedure itself and the possible outcomes. It wasn’t as simple as she had hoped, though. You see, the time between when she had her tubes tied and her desire for a reversal was quite significant. We also had no way of knowing the condition of her fallopian tubes without further examination.”
Dr. Nash paused when a soft knock came at the door. She called out for the visitor to enter, but it wasn’t Kate. The nurse who had been sitting at the desk in the corridor handed off a file. She then closed the door behind her, leaving the gravity of Mara’s situation to settle in.
“Taking all factors into consideration,” Dr. Nash continued without handing them the file just yet, “there was only a fifty to eighty percent chance that Mara would be able to conceive after the reversal. Still, she seemed determined to try."
“Until?” Theo sensed that Dr. Nash had more to say on the subject.
“Until the second appointment. As I said, the first meeting was primarily a consultation. The second appointment went into more detail regarding the procedure, along with the financial aspects involved. She made it clear that money wasn’t an object, but she was adamant that the timing of it all would need to be delayed by a few months. When I asked if there was a particular reason for the delay, she didn't provide one. And to answer your previous question about her husband, no. She did not bring him into the conversation. She also came to both appointments alone.”
“Dr. Nash, does anyone with the initials 'AM' work at this clinic?” Sylvie inquired after the fertility specialist handed over Mara’s medical records. The thinness of the manila file spoke volumes. “I’m assuming that Mara had blood drawn at some point. Maybe the phlebotomist has the initials ‘AM’?”
“My nurses draw my patients’ blood here at the clinic, and no—I have no one on staff with those initials. I can have Kate print out a list of employees, if that would benefit you in any way.”
“Thank you,” Sylvie replied as she lifted the strap of her purse. “We would appreciate that.”
“At any point during your interactions with Mara, did she seem upset or mention anything that might indicate she was in trouble?” Theo asked, wanting to ensure they had covered everything before leaving the clinic.
“No.” Dr. Nash had considered his question carefully before responding. "Mara came across as determined and focused on her goal. I didn't sense any signs of distress or concern. She had the same attitude when saying she was delaying the surgery for a few months.”
“Thank you for your time, Dr. Nash,” Theo said as he stood, extending his hand. The doctor’s grip was strong and confident. “Would it be alright to call you if we have any other questions?”
“Of course.” Dr. Nash leaned forward and retrieved a small piece of paper. She scribbled something in black ink before holding it out for him. “This is my cell phone number should you need to reach me after hours.”
Theo and Sylvie proceeded to the door. Sylvie's additional question had him resting his hand on the knob.
“Dr. Nash, one more thing.” Sylvie fastened the middle button of her coat. “Does your staff ever call to confirm appointments? It took some digging for us to even know that Mara had seen you for a consultation. We didn't find any such calls on Mara's phone from your office.”
Sylvie's ability to recall even the smallest details from the vast amount of information they had at their disposal was astounding. He had caught her staring at Dr. Nash’s business card in the small holder on her desk.
“Yes, Kate is usually the one who confirms our appointments. We haven’t switched over to a texting service yet. We find that a personal touch during such struggles in a woman’s life goes a long way.” Dr. Nash motioned at the manila folder in Theo’s hand. “Mrs. Queller…I mean, Mrs. Miles’ contact information is with her medical records.”
Theo released his hold on the doorknob to open the folder. At the top of the first page was an address and phone number that he didn’t recognize. Sylvie held out her hand, and he could sense from her reaction that something on the page had caught her attention.
“Thank you again, Dr. Nash.”
Theo led the way out into the corridor, closing the door behind them.
“The same number Mara used to confirm her appointments is the same burner phone she used to keep in touch with her brother,” Sylvie said in a soft tone. Theo glanced toward the desk where one of the nurses had been earlier, but she was no longer in view. “The same burner phone that still hasn’t been recovered.”