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Chapter 21
Travis contacted the FBI and made arrangements to turn over the evidence. Gunner still had work to do. Things were about to heat up, yet an important issue hadn’t been resolved.
“The FBI task force will be all over this,” Travis said. “The Times has been covering their OxyContin investigation, with a tally of people who have died from overdoses of opioids.”
“It’s big business,” Gunner said.
“OxyContin is popular,” Travis said. “Matt waded into deep water when he hooked up with that operation.”
“He turned to a life of crime,” Gunner said. “But he needed access to the Waters Clinic to get the drugs.”
“I’m guessing that Matt was discreet, and Robert Waters hadn’t a clue what he was up to.”
“If Robert had, then he would have put a stop to it,” Gunner said. “But that brings me to the question that we have yet to answer.”
“Did Matt have a motive for murder?”
“Exactly, and I think he did,” Gunner said. “To avoid getting busted, Matt needed control of the clinic—which should have been easy.”
“How do you figure?”
“Matt had planned to marry Lori,” Gunner said. “That would have given him control, or so he assumed. All he had to do was remove her father from the equation.”
“That didn’t go well.”
“No, but Matt had no idea that Lori would break off the engagement after her father died.”
“He probably thought the loss of her father would make her more dependent on him,” Travis said.
“Matt didn’t know Lori very well if he thought that,” Gunner said. “So, what happens now?”
“We handed over a solid case,” Travis said. “Once the bureau concludes that a crime was committed, agents can make an arrest. A grand jury doesn’t need to be convened.”
“That will speed things up,” Gunner said.
“They could delay until they gain more evidence,” Travis said. “But it’s more likely they will proceed with an indictment based on what we’ve given them.”
“Also, Matt had a motive for murder,” Gunner said. “I can talk to the police, but that conversation would be premature. I need to give them proof that he committed the crime.”
At his desk, Gunner thought it over. He needed to warn Lori that the FBI was now involved. Plus, he wanted to share his theory about Matt. Maybe she would have an idea how to get proof. Before Gunner left his desk, Daniel texted. He wanted to get together for dinner.
Gunner groaned; he would have to put that off. With all that was going on, he wouldn’t be able to get away. Once again, he was forced to disappoint his son. He wanted to be different, to show his son that he was a good father. Yet circumstances worked against him.
*****
Lori cooperated with the FBI by providing a copy of the medical supplies documentation that she’d given to the police. She hadn’t been contacted directly; Gunner had turned the package over to Travis, and he’d handled the delivery.
Whatever transpired, Lori didn’t want to be implicated in drug dealing. Yet the distribution line from her clinic could put her under scrutiny. On Gunner’s recommendation, she had retained a criminal attorney, in case any charges were brought against her.
Tensions ran high. Lori tried to behave normally, while Matt become more irascible. One morning, as she spoke to the receptionist about patient appointments, government agents entered the lobby. They wore dark jackets with FBI in yellow letters.
Lori’s heart pounded when the agents fanned out. The lobby was empty, so she was relieved that no patients were on site. Two agents stood at the front entrance and others swarmed into the clinic. In hushed tones, a couple of agents told the staff to stay behind the reception desk.
Sarah stared at the FBI team, and Katherine cowered behind her. Adam stood next to Lori, keeping his composure. Lori hadn’t been able to warn them, so the appearance of the agents came as quite a shock.
Two agents went down the hall, and Lori watched from her vantage point. The commotion attracted Matt’s attention and he stepped out of his office, then froze.
“Are you Matthew Carter?” an agent said gruffly.
