False Fortune by Twist Phelan

Author:Twist Phelan [Phelan, Twist]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General
ISBN: 9781615951550
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Published: 2011-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Thursday, November 5

Dresden’s call came midmorning.

“You were right.”

“I’m sorry?” Hannah said.

“Garth Weller was shot. Small caliber in the back of his head. The ME missed it in the prelim because there was so much head trauma from the crash.”

“What? ”

“My question exactly. Ms. Dain, what is going on?”

“I’m not sure. Let me get back to you.”

Hannah hung up and dialed the hospital.

“Nathalie Soule, please. She’s a patient.”

The operator put her on hold briefly. “There’s no one registered by that name.”

“I just visited her yesterday. She was upstairs, in a private room.”

“I’ll transfer you to the third-floor receptionist.”

Thirty seconds of music grated against Hannah’s already raw nerves, then another female voice came on the line. Hannah repeated her request.

“Are you family?”

Hannah didn’t hesitate. “Sister. I just flew in.”

“Ms. Soule signed herself out this morning.” The woman’s voice was disapproving. “Against doctor’s orders.”

Hannah thought quickly. “I better call her. Jeez, my PDA is dead and the charger is in my luggage. Let’s see…her home number is…” Hannah recited the Pinnacle Peak prefix, then let her voice trail off, hoping the woman would supply the missing digits. She did, and Hannah tapped them into her phone.

Another female voice, this one Hispanic-accented, answered.

“Señora Soule is at work.”

“At the university?” Hannah said.

“Sí. ”

“Gracias. ” Hannah closed the phone.

She was looking up the geology department’s number when Shelby appeared in the doorway. Her sister wore a soft pink top that was bright next to her pale skin.

“I don’t really know why I did this, but I persuaded Franklin to postpone the settlement meeting until tomorrow,” she said.

“Thank you. I’m leaving for ASU right now to check on the samples.”

And to find Nathalie.

***

Neither Nathalie nor Glouster were in their offices. Hannah found the geology department’s reception area.

“Nathalie Soule? She was in a car accident,” said the woman behind the counter. “We don’t expect her back until next week. And Dr. Glouster is teaching a class in the East Hall.”

Hannah found Glouster outside the lecture hall, looking like a caricature of a professor—dressed in a worn tweed jacket, he was being peppered with questions by a group of twenty-somethings. The students dispersed, and he caught sight of her.

“Hannah! What brings you here?”

“Checking on the samples.”

Glouster glanced at his watch. “Why don’t we go to my office? The lab report should be ready.”

The space was as overstuffed as Hannah had remembered. Glouster shut the door, then crossed the room to crack the window. He took a pack of Marlboros from a drawer.

“Hope you don’t mind. Just a few puffs, and I’ll put it out.”

Hannah loathed cigarette smoke. “No problem,” she said, discreetly edging away. Her glance fell on the desk, and an unfinished sketch of what looked like a dinosaur. Either that, or a really scary bug. Anuja would know.

She looked closely at the drawing, seeing its similarity to those on the walls.

“You drew these!” She indicated the framed pieces.

Glouster looked embarrassed. “A hobby of mine.” He slid the sketch into a folder, then thumbed through the papers in his inbox, blue tendrils of smoke curling above him.

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