Rohn Federbush - Sally Bianco 03 - The Recorder's Way by Rohn Federbush Page A

uttered a complete sentence. All his words were coached in tentative questions. “You want to share my brother?”
    “Weren’t you taught to go halves with the neighbor kids?” He punched her shoulder.
    Helen could smell the soap he used from where she was standing. As easily as she had kissed her father she bent closer to kiss his cheek. But Max slipped his hand around her neck and drew her head down for a real kiss. She felt unwilling to move away from his lips, but blinked and took a step back.
    “You don’t kiss like a sister.”
    Helen slapped at his shoulder. “I believe I have just heard the first unqualified statement you ever made.”
    “Do you think it will be my last?”
    She laughed at the ornery twinkle in his eyes.
    ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
    Max studied Helen’s elliptical path. She wore a soft blue sweater which complemented her coloring better than her red suit. Her slim body seemed tense, her hands clenched and unclenched. “What else is going on?” He rose and walked over to her. He stretched out his arms for a brotherly embrace. “We took on more than we could chew, asking for the whole truth from the universe, didn’t we?”
    Helen melted into his chest . “Sally Bianco was right. We should only invade people’s privacy when a crime has been committed.”
    He touched her soft hair and patted her back, as if to burp any hurt away. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. She seemed frightened, trembling. It seemed so natural. Max kissed her teary face.
    Helen pushed him away. “ Sally Bianco could be dead?”
    “No. Sorry. I mean, kisses just happen, don’t they?” Helen stood there wiping her mouth, brown eyes dilating. Neither of them noticed Andrew Costello turn away from the open office door. Max searched for a safe subject. “Should we listen to Sally’s message again? Could we have missed anything?”
    Max heard Helen sigh as she followed him down the stairs to the computer room. Max did not want to analyze what had just happened. They needed to find Sally Bianco before delving into their feelings about each other…whatever they might be. “Andrew?” Max called too urgently. “Do you want to listen to Sally’s message again?”
    “Sure,” Andrew didn’t look directly at either partner as he restarted the messages. “Helen, write down the phone number on the ID screen.”
    Max listened to the excitement in Sally’s voice, as Helen wrote down the number. “I’ve found a case. St. Anthony’s Hospital allowed three patients to die in 1990. See you tomorrow afternoon, about two. We need to find records of the deaths.”
    ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
    Sure enough, when they started to play back Mrs. Bianco’s message, a phone number appeared on the small identity screen. After hitting the speakerphone button, Helen dialed the number. “St. Anthony’s Retreat Center. Please dial one for the main reception desk.”
    Helen hung up. “She could have been at an AA retreat.”
    Max ran his fingers through his thick hair. “Don’t AA people like to stay anonymous? They won’t be able to tell us if she attended, will they?”
    “ Monday and this is already Wednesday.” Helen pulled at her sweater’s hem. “The convent in Adrian is run by Dominican nuns. The nuns will take our inquiry more seriously, if a male descends on them.”
    Max smiled halfheartedly. “Well, I proved I’m a man, haven’t I?”
    Helen’s father gave her a questioning look. Helen had no intention of commenting on the subject of fathering children. “Dad, while we are gone find someone at the police department to issue a warrant for St. Anthony’s Hospital records.”
    As Helen put on her coat to leave, Max called, “Helen?”
    She stopped, then turned around with her prepared let’s-go-get-‘ em smile firmly in place.
    “Is the convent connected to the hospital?” Max was pulling on his curls.
    “We ’ll find out, won’t we?” She realized she was mimicking Max’s mode of communication. He