Page 34 of Her Only Hero

“Yes, Dr. Hamid. Have a great evening.”

Aram continued down the hall to his office.

“Can we put this piece of ceiling tile into evidence and be on our way?” Patrick said.

“Of course.” We walked to the lab, and I flicked on the lights. As I expected, everyone was already gone for the day. I put my purse on the bench.

“How are you doing?” Patrick asked. “You’re quiet.”

“Am I?”

“Did being at the crime area upset you in any way?”

It had. I twisted my shoulder forward in a half shrug. “How do you do it, day in and day out?”

“It’s a job. I’ve become somewhat desensitized. But once in a while, something will throw me.”

He got a faraway look. Perhaps one day I’d question him about this more, but not now. I wouldn’t push the conversation anymore. I moved forward and kissed him lightly on the lips and slipped the zipped bag out of his hand. I sat in front of a computer and entered the ceiling tile into evidence.

Patrick chuckled. “Smooth move. Before long, we’ll have you working undercover with the force.”

“God help the force,” I said and remembered my sleuthing the week before. “Actually, I have something to tell you.” I bit my bottom lip.

He came over and sat on a stool beside me. “Yeah? What’s up?”

“Do you remember the night of the storm last week?”

“I do. I had to work late that night.”

“Right. Well, that evening I went for a drive to the crime scene.”

“On Landry?”

I nodded.

He furrowed his brows. “Why? You didn’t go inside, did you?”

“No, no. But I walked around the house. And I asked a neighbor walking her dog some questions.”

His face slackened into a smile. “Like I said. You’d be an asset.”

“I really don’t know why I went there. I guess I was hoping to face fears. And maybe recall more details.”

I walked to the steel refrigerator and placed the bag inside with the other evidentiary items.

“Did you remember anything?” he asked.

“No. I just roamed about the yard. It was getting dark, and it poured. On the dash to my car, I saw a speck of white under the hedge. I dug it out and discovered it was a business card. I’ve been meaning to show it to you, but I figured it was probably nothing. But then I thought it may be something.”

“Do you have it with you?”

“No, it’s at your place.”

“What was on it?”

“On the front, it had the name of Dr. Stanley Fulthorpe, Hematologist. And on the back, in blue ink, is the Landry address.”

“One-o-nine Landry?”

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