Page 106 of Her Last Whisper
“It’s for Chris D. Randall. He lived at Basin Woods, but it’s weird. There’s a big chunk of his history that just ends—it’s missing. Like off the grid.”
That caught Katie’s attention. “Usually when people have clean chunks of history, it means that they are using another name. Everyone leaves some type of footprint, debit cards, applications, employment…”
“That’s why I’m looking for aliases, monikers, and other names used. I don’t see anything, no ID or driver’s license, but he did work as a maintenance trainee at the hospital under that name. It looks like he was also paid under that name.”
Katie had an idea. “Cross-reference anyone at the hospital with the first or last name Chris or Randall. I know we’re assuming that the killer is currently employed. He could have quit by now, but let’s see if anything pops.”
McGaven keyed up the spreadsheet of all current employees at the hospital and did a quick search using Chris or Randall. He waited until a few things came up. “Oh, it can’t be…”
“What?” she asked.
“Let me double-check a few things.” McGaven had a pained expression that Katie had never seen before.
Katie began to pace in the small office that now had blueprints scattered everywhere.
“Crap. I hate this database,” he said.
McGaven typed quickly and was clearly troubled. He stopped and stared at the computer.
“What?” she asked and stared at the screen.
McGaven said slowly, “Chris D. Randall also known as Randall Christopher Drake.”
“Who is that?” Katie looked confused.
“It’s a nickname—of course. Randall is Randy the security guard at the hospital that I’ve spoken to several times.” He stared at the database. “He’s the guy that gave me the video of Amanda and Marco Ellis. I can’t believe…” He was out of words as things began to tumble into place.
“Wait a minute. What’s his connection to Basin Woods?”
“From what I can see, he lived there with his wife.”
“Is he still married?”
“It says he’s a widower.”
“What happened to her?”
“It just says that Tara Drake died. And Maggie Drake is also deceased.”
“Who’s Maggie?”
“Their three-month-old baby.”
“Well, wait,” Katie said. “Are they connected to the Highland Project?”
“It says that he and his wife lived there too—their last listed residence.”
“Drake is off work now. Have patrol go by his house to see if he’s there.
He picked up the phone. “On it.”
Katie waited while he made the call.
“They’re going by his residence now.”
Katie grabbed her coat. “Let’s go check Basin Woods out now—if Tess Regan was taken by the killer, she could be at this location. It’s familiar. It fuels his internal need to fulfill a fantasy. I know it’s almost dark, but we can still do a reconnaissance. We’ll update the sheriff when we get there. We cannot afford to wait if someone’s life is hanging in the balance.”
McGaven followed suit by grabbing his jacket.
