Chapter 99
NINETY-NINE
Mystic Hospital
The drive to the hospital seemed to take forever.
Ellie had to push through the snowy streets at a snail’s pace, careful on the black ice.
Snowplows and salt hadn’t yet been dispensed by the county to this area and might not be for days, meaning people could be trapped in their homes or possibly on the roads during that time.
But she desperately wanted to speak to Mabel and prayed she’d regain consciousness, so she could lead them to the killer and to Dana Jo and the missing children.
Derrick drummed his fingers on his legs, his body tense. “Have you heard from Cord?”
“Not yet,” Ellie said. “But in this storm, he’ll have to call off the search and rescue teams and get them out of the elements until the snow tapers off.”
Derrick’s jaw tightened. “At least the weather might keep the unsub from moving around tonight.”
“That worries me, too,” Ellie admitted. “If he’s stuck inside and Dana Jo is still alive, what is he doing to her?”
Derrick’s expression darkened. “True. But it could also mean that if the children are being transported out of town or the state, they would be slowed down.”
Ellie tensed as she hit a patch of ice and skidded. Focusing on driving in inclement weather, she didn’t fight the skid or brake too quickly but managed to right the vehicle. Ahead she spotted the entrance to the hospital.
Thankfully the backup generator had kicked on and there were lights inside as they parked and hurried into the ER entrance. They brushed snow from their coats as they entered and wiped their feet on the mat. Already wet footprints dotted the floor, making it slippery.
Ellie rushed to the front desk while Derrick made a phone call to his partner.
“A car accident victim, Mabel Putnam was just brought in.” Ellie flashed her badge to the desk nurse. “I need to question her as soon as possible. She might have important information regarding the missing children in the Midnight Ridge case.”
Alarm flickered in the nurse’s eyes. “I’ll have a nurse consult with the doctor.”
She made a quick phone call then addressed Ellie. “I’m afraid the accident victim is unconscious at the moment. But the nurse has been instructed to inform me when she comes to.”
Ellie cursed a blue streak in her mind. Dammit, she needed Mabel awake and talking. Every minute they lost gave the killer either time to escape or to torture Dana Jo or for the children to be transported farther and farther away.
Anxiety needling her, she walked down the hall to the vending machine, bought two cups of coffee, then returned to the waiting room.
“Nice to have cell service in here,” Derrick said as he accepted the coffee from Ellie. “I just talked to Bennett about the background check on Mabel.”
“And?” Ellie asked as she blew on her coffee to cool it.
“Apparently, Mabel has no living family. She was married but divorced and attended counseling after that. Due to the circumstances, Bennett managed to persuade Mabel’s counselor to reveal that Mabel had three miscarriages, which led to depression and then she developed a drinking issue.”
“Wow, we need him working on all our cases,” Ellie said. “That’s not easy information to obtain.”
“Bennett can be very persuasive,” Derrick said with a twitch of a smile. “Anyway, after a DUI, Mabel lost her license for a while and it was a lengthy process to gain reinstatement.”
“Who handled her DUI?”
“The same attorney who handled Minnie’s,” Derrick said, deadpan. “He also assisted Mabel in her efforts to have her license reinstated.”
Ellie’s breath quickened. “The miscarriages could have driven her to desperation and given her reason to encourage teenage clients to choose adoption. With the nursery she’d already decorated, Clara so close to delivery, and her showing up then running from Hazel’s, she probably hoped to convince Clara to allow her to adopt the baby. ”
“Exactly.”
Ellie’s thoughts raced. “We need to speak to the attorney.”
“Yes, Will Whittaker.” Derrick frowned. “I asked Bennett to find out whatever he could on the man. He certainly was slick and composed when I met him,” Derrick said.
Ellie grimaced. “Sociopaths usually are.”