public or police to worry about though, I run a tight securitystaff.”
“Where did you work before you came to LabKote?” Ella asked, keeping her tone casual.
“When I left the marines, I did some security work in Europe for several years, then I came back to the States. When I met Landreth and heard about LabKote, I signed on. The rest is history.”
Morgan sat down his empty Coors bottle, and gestured toward the files. “It’s all in there, one place or theother.”
“I’ll look over the papers in a minute,” Ella said, sitting on the sofa. What do you personally know about Dr. Landreth?”
“He grew up in California, middle-class, and went to UCLA and got degrees in biochemistry and physics. He had his own company for a while, but it didn’t work out, so he decided to do something different. He and I clicked from the start, and it wasn’t long before wewere working together.”
Morgan stood and crossed his arms. “That’s pretty much it. You can read the files about the rest.” He walked into the kitchen area, and took another Coors from the refrigerator.
“What about your family?” Ella picked up Morgan’s folder, and noticed he’d listed the names of his parents, but no addresses or phone numbers. No other relatives were mentioned either.
Morganseemed to think about it for a while before answering. When he did, his voice was without expression. “I lost contact with my parents and my only sister several years ago. We never got along much anyway. I don’t even know where they live now.”
She couldn’t even imagine being without family. “Were you ever married?” Ella probed a little further.
“That’s where it becomes none of your or LabKote’sbusiness. I don’t discuss that part of my past.” Morgan’s tone suddenly became confrontational. “I don’t suppose you want to tell me about your personal life?” he added, deliberately looking her up and down with cold appraisal.
It was a creepy feeling. “I think I’ve heard enough. Let me take a pass through these files, then I’ll be leaving.”
Ella began to write down phone numbers and Landreth’saddress. She’d confirm these records from other sources, then leave it at that unless something pointed back at the two supervisors as suspects.
Five minutes later, she thanked Morgan for his time, and left. There was more to learn about Morgan, that was for sure. She sensed that behind the loner stood a man struggling to deal with his own demons. But Ella knew that unless Morgan became moreconnected to the case, looking further into what made the man tick would become an unpleasant experience, as well as a waste of time.
* * *
Hours later, after plowing through a stack of paperwork on her desk, Ella finally took a break. She was standing by the window when Justine came into her office and sat down, a worried look on her face.
“I spoke with Hansen’s ex-wife briefly on thephone. She works in Aztec, and her number was in Hansen’s file. She said that she rarely saw her ex-husband and that was the way she wanted it. She also told me that the lighter’s a silver-plated Zippo with the initials “K. H.” on it, and wasn’t really worth very much.”
“Now some bad news,” Justine continued. “Myrna Manus is on the war path. She’s got a list of fifteen missing patient files,and some of those belong to influential people, like Senator Yellowhair’s wife, Abigail.” She stopped and, looking decidedly uncomfortable, added, “Your medical file is one of those missing.”
Ella felt a tightening in her chest, knowing what was in the file now. This wasn’t the way she wanted news of her pregnancy to get out. She wanted a chance to let Kevin and her family know first, then she’dtell others.
“Did Myrna give us a complete list of everything that’s missing?”
Justine nodded. “Big Ed has a copy.”
As Justine finished speaking, Ella’s buzzer sounded.
Ella was in Big Ed’s office a few moments later.
“Where did you work before you came to LabKote?” Ella asked, keeping her tone casual.
“When I left the marines, I did some security work in Europe for several years, then I came back to the States. When I met Landreth and heard about LabKote, I signed on. The rest is history.”
Morgan sat down his empty Coors bottle, and gestured toward the files. “It’s all in there, one place or theother.”
“I’ll look over the papers in a minute,” Ella said, sitting on the sofa. What do you personally know about Dr. Landreth?”
“He grew up in California, middle-class, and went to UCLA and got degrees in biochemistry and physics. He had his own company for a while, but it didn’t work out, so he decided to do something different. He and I clicked from the start, and it wasn’t long before wewere working together.”
Morgan stood and crossed his arms. “That’s pretty much it. You can read the files about the rest.” He walked into the kitchen area, and took another Coors from the refrigerator.
“What about your family?” Ella picked up Morgan’s folder, and noticed he’d listed the names of his parents, but no addresses or phone numbers. No other relatives were mentioned either.
Morganseemed to think about it for a while before answering. When he did, his voice was without expression. “I lost contact with my parents and my only sister several years ago. We never got along much anyway. I don’t even know where they live now.”
She couldn’t even imagine being without family. “Were you ever married?” Ella probed a little further.
“That’s where it becomes none of your or LabKote’sbusiness. I don’t discuss that part of my past.” Morgan’s tone suddenly became confrontational. “I don’t suppose you want to tell me about your personal life?” he added, deliberately looking her up and down with cold appraisal.
It was a creepy feeling. “I think I’ve heard enough. Let me take a pass through these files, then I’ll be leaving.”
Ella began to write down phone numbers and Landreth’saddress. She’d confirm these records from other sources, then leave it at that unless something pointed back at the two supervisors as suspects.
Five minutes later, she thanked Morgan for his time, and left. There was more to learn about Morgan, that was for sure. She sensed that behind the loner stood a man struggling to deal with his own demons. But Ella knew that unless Morgan became moreconnected to the case, looking further into what made the man tick would become an unpleasant experience, as well as a waste of time.
* * *
Hours later, after plowing through a stack of paperwork on her desk, Ella finally took a break. She was standing by the window when Justine came into her office and sat down, a worried look on her face.
“I spoke with Hansen’s ex-wife briefly on thephone. She works in Aztec, and her number was in Hansen’s file. She said that she rarely saw her ex-husband and that was the way she wanted it. She also told me that the lighter’s a silver-plated Zippo with the initials “K. H.” on it, and wasn’t really worth very much.”
“Now some bad news,” Justine continued. “Myrna Manus is on the war path. She’s got a list of fifteen missing patient files,and some of those belong to influential people, like Senator Yellowhair’s wife, Abigail.” She stopped and, looking decidedly uncomfortable, added, “Your medical file is one of those missing.”
Ella felt a tightening in her chest, knowing what was in the file now. This wasn’t the way she wanted news of her pregnancy to get out. She wanted a chance to let Kevin and her family know first, then she’dtell others.
“Did Myrna give us a complete list of everything that’s missing?”
Justine nodded. “Big Ed has a copy.”
As Justine finished speaking, Ella’s buzzer sounded.
Ella was in Big Ed’s office a few moments later.
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