| |
Maggie slouched in Will’s car and pressed her palms into her eyes. Tried to blink away the tears that prickled like needles.
No. It couldn’t be true.
Todd couldn’t have taken life. Not deliberately.
She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, willing the scene of Ray’s lifeless body on the living room floor to dissolve.
Will’s hand, heavy and warm, settled on hers. “We’ll find Todd and figure this out, Mags.”
Maggie leaned her head on his shoulder. “I don’t know how you do this every day. Apparently twice, sometimes.” No wonder he’d closed himself off so tight that even the disappearance of their own son hadn’t shaken him.
“It never gets easier.” He smoothed her hair.
She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. “That’s a lot of weight to carry.”
“Yeah.” He took a deep breath and released it. “I can’t work this case. Conflict of interest. But that doesn’t mean I can’t help you find Todd and make sure he’s safe.”
Maggie let her hand rest on his firm chest. “Thank you,” she whispered.
As hard as she tried to push Will away, he always kept coming back and trying to restore their marriage. But every time she looked at Will, the pain cut her to the bone. It was her fault Drew went missing, but Will never blamed her. Not once.
She did not deserve him.
Will shifted in his seat. “I don’t get it. Todd’s never been so violent. Are you sure he hasn’t gone off his meds?”
“It’s a monthly injection. I’ve taken him every time. Watched them administer it.” She lifted her head off his shoulder. “What’s bugging me is that Dr. Fischer didn’t see any warning signs or pattern of escalation. And if he did, why didn’t he call me?”
“Sounds like we should go ask him.” He pressed the ignition switch and his car rumbled to life.
Maggie wasn’t sure she wanted to see Dr. Fisher with Will after last time. It’d ended in a shouting match with Will and Maggie hurling blame at each other and ignoring Fischer’s attempts to mediate. “Maybe we should let the investigating detective handle it?”
“Fisher will just hide behind a confidentiality wall. You’re Todd’s guardian so he can’t shut you out.”
“But it’s so late. Do you think he’ll meet tonight?”
“It’s an emergency and I can be very persuasive.”
Ten minutes later, Will pulled the car to a stop and shifted into park. The flickering neon sign of the Serenity Haven mental health hospital cast an unsettling glow across the cracked asphalt.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.” Will swiped her hair off her shoulder and massaged the back of her neck. “We can do this.”
Inside, the dim lights painted long shadows on the sterile walls. A lone nurse waited at the reception desk. Her tired eyes stared at them with suspicion. “Can I help you?”
“We’re here to see Dr. Fischer.” Will flashed his badge.
“Head on back. The doctor will meet you.” There was a loud buzz and a click as the door unlocked.
“Detective Sears, Maggie.” Dr. Fischer greeted them in the hallway outside his office. “This is... unexpected.”
“We appreciate you making the time,” Will said as they entered the office.
Maggie’s eyes scanned the wall of framed diplomas beside Dr. Fischer’s desk. One from the University of Central Florida caught her attention. She tapped the glass. “I never noticed you went to UCF. I was at Missouri University the same year. We played UCF in football. I wonder if we’ve ever crossed paths?”
Fischer’s brow furrowed and Maggie caught a flicker of recognition in his eyes. “That’s possible.” He sat on the edge of his desk and clasped his hands in front of him. “Pardon me for cutting to the chase, but it’s very late. What can I do for you?”
“Todd’s getting worse.” Her voice hitched, but she pushed on. “We need your help.”
Dr. Fischer’s lips formed a thin, strained smile. “I’d love to help you but, confidentiality—”
“Confidentiality doesn’t cover murder, Doctor. Maggie is his guardian. She has full access, so we’re going to ask some questions and you’re going to answer, or we’ll take this down to my office.” Will cross his arms.
“Murder?” Dr. Fischer’s eyes darted between them.
Maggie didn’t speak. Neither did Will. The silence stretched taut.
Finally, Fischer sighed. “Fine, okay. But this conversation stays here.”
“We’ll see,” Will said.
“Earlier, Todd came to me screaming about the gladiator. Do you know what he’s talking about?”
Dr. Fischer, looking more harried than Maggie had ever seen him, spoke of stress triggers and medication adjustments. Yet, his practiced demeanor couldn’t conceal the tremor in his hands.
Maggie was no detective, but even she could see the flicker of something hidden in his eyes. “But something else is going on, isn’t it? Something you’re not telling us.”
“Look, as you know, there is no cure for schizophrenia.” Dr. Fischer leaned forward. “The older a patient gets, the more difficult treatment can be. We’re continuing weekly psychotherapy, and honestly, I haven’t seen anything abnormal.”
“Nothing abnormal?” Maggie’s voice came out sharp. “He crashed into a crowded restaurant and threatened people with a knife. Almost stabbed me. And poor Ray—”
Will jumped in. “Clearly his medication isn’t working, and we’ll need to address it. Right now, Todd is missing, and we have reason to believe he is a danger to himself and others. If he comes to you, keep him safe and call me right away.”
He handed his card to Fischer and Maggie followed Will out.
She could have kicked herself for almost telling Fischer about Ray’s murder. She’d all but labeled Todd as the murderer. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? She had to stop thinking like a big sister and think like an attorney.
As Will started the car, his phone buzzed. “Sears.”
Maggie couldn’t hear the caller, but a pit formed in her stomach at the way his face hardened. He responded with curt, one-word answers, thanked the caller, and hung up.
“What? Is it Todd? Is he okay?” Her voice
“It’s not that.” Will met her gaze and took her hand in his. “Maggie, listen. Those lab results came back. The blood we found on our first victim...it’s a familial match to yours. Todd’s the prime suspect in the serial murders.”
The world tilted. It couldn’t be. She clung to Will’s arm, not just for support, but for a desperate need to feel grounded.
“Are you—” Her breath hitched, and she fought to speak. “Are you saying Todd is a serial killer?” The image of her brother’s wild eyes, haunted by invisible threats, flashed in her mind. The dissonance between the fragile, medicated Todd she knew and the image of a brutal killer ripped at her.
“I’m not saying he’s a serial killer. The deaths haven’t even been ruled as homicides. I’m giving you information.”
“Good. Information is good.” But what if that information ended up sending her brother to prison for life?
Maggie’s phone rang and she checked the screen. Her heart stopped mid beat when she saw Todd’s number. “Hello? Todd? Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean too—I don’t know what’s wrong with my head.” He was breathing heavy. Words coming rushed.
“It’s okay, we’re going to help you. Just tell me where you are.” She looked at Will and he started the car.
Fabric rustled over the line. There was a long pause then he said, “I’m...I’m with Drew.”