Page 39 of Chilled
“Yes, sir.” She went back to the computer and clicked several keys. As the printer beside her engaged and several sheets of paper emerged, Melissa turned back to Nick, her gaze darting from him to Brenna. “Something else you need to know.” She lifted a sheet and crossed the room to hand it to Nick. “Special Agent Brenna Jensen is the last one in the group of articles.” Her lips twisted. “Sorry, Brenna.”
“Don’t sweat it. I’m not. We knew I was in his crosshairs from day one.” Her chin tipped up. “I’m not running scared from him. I’m going to work.”
Nick almost smiled at her back as she walked to her laptop.
“The lady has spunk,” Melissa murmured.
“Yes, she does.” And Nick was getting too familiar with it, along with those smooth curves, tight muscles and...
An elbow to his gut made Nick grunt.
“Oops, sorry,” Melissa said, her look implying anything but an apology. “Careful, Nick. She’s likely to crack that I’m-all-about-the-case veneer. How long has it been since Trish?”
Nick frowned. “None of your business.”
“Still, it’s about time you thawed a little and gave yourself another chance.”
He tore his gaze from Agent Jensen and straightened. “It’s not in the job description.”
“Sometimes, you have to say, ‘what the hell’ and go with your gut.”
Nick rubbed his belly where Melissa had elbowed him. He couldn’t remember when his gut had been more knotted, and he had a feeling it all had to do with one North Dakota Criminal Investigator. But he wasn’t ready to admit to that.
Melissa dropped into the swivel chair. “What’s wrong, Nick? Worried you’ll fall like a ton of bricks?”
“Shut up, Melissa.”
She smiled and turned to the computer. “Just calling it like I see it.”
“Stick to the work, Bradley. You’re not ready for a career in counseling.”
“Chicken.” Her lips curled in a knowing smile.
Nick turned his back on her and hurried from the room. He needed coffee. Lots of coffee.
The files were cryptic,and Brenna had difficulty deciphering some of Dr. Drummond’s notes, but with a few calls to Mrs. Keckler, she learned enough to get a picture of each patient’s concerns and diagnosis.
One by one, she worked through the male names first, scanning for any clues. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but maybe something would jump out.
When Brenna got to Klaus, she opened the file. The notes indicated a couple seeking marriage counseling. Brenna stopped when she got to the couple’s name. Stanley and Alice. Brenna sat up straighter. Could it be? Her sister and brother-in-law had the perfect marriage. Why would they have sought counseling? No, surely this troubled couple was another by the same name. She clicked on the address to be sure, her hand shaking as she moved the mouse—214 West Nodak Street. Her sister’s home.
Wow. Her sister’s perfect marriage wasn’t so perfect after all.
Instead of being elated by this little piece of information, she felt her stomach roil as if it fought to digest a lump of clay. All these years, her mother had told her Alice’s marriage was perfect, and it wasn’t. Alice was human like Brenna. Instead of vindicating her, the knowledge led to another conundrum. What should Brenna do with this information? She didn’t like prying into her sister’s troubles, but if Alice was having difficulties, maybe she needed her sister’s help, a shoulder to lean on.
How could she bring up the subject with her sister if she was never supposed to know anything was wrong? Patient confidentiality was sacred, and her sister's marriage had nothing to do with the murder case.
Still...
Brenna glanced over the notes, guilt weighing like a lead blanket on her chest. She had no right to pry into her sister’s private life.
She closed the file and moved to the next one.
After several hours pouring over cryptic notes and psychiatric jargon, she had only two names that stood out. Victor Greeley and Jason Conlin. Both had been Dr. Drummond’s patients, they had notes in their files about potential violence and both rang a bell with Brenna.
She found Nick in Chief Burkholder’s office using the computer. “I have a couple names we should check out.”
“Okay, shoot.” He stood and stretched. The circles under his eyes were more pronounced than earlier this morning. Nick Tarver hadn’t gotten much sleep last night, and the way things were going, wouldn’t until they solved this case.
