The Good Doctor, page 9
Dr. Mays held Ava’s gaze and completely ignored his attorneys. Their assurances fell on deaf ears.
Confused, Ava nodded. She looked at each of the attorneys.
“Will you ask him?” Mays repeated.
“Um. Sure. Right away.”
Looking relieved, Dr. Mays looked down at his hands and let Keenan and Boyle fire questions at him about the quality of food he was receiving.
Ava left the jail and called Agent Silvers. His voicemail picked up. “Agent Silvers, I suppose you’re out cruising in the Lexus with the ugly paintjob and ignoring your phone. This is Agent James. Give me a call when you get a chance. Dr. Mays asked me to ask you if you had any mayo because it would be okay to have some right now. Weird, I know. Give me a call. Thanks.”
The Prodigal Agent Ellis
As she put the car in reverse to back out of the parking spot, her phone rang. Thinking it was Silvers returning her call, she picked up without looking to see who it was.
The call connected to the speakers in the car, and a man said, “Hi, Ava.”
Her heart skipped two full beats, time suspended, and for a beat, the world went silent. Her foot pressed hard on the brake, stopping her just as the car’s frontend cleared the parking space.
“Agent Ellis?” she asked. Where had the hollow, airy sound in her voice come from? She put the car in drive and let it putter toward the end of the row.
“Okay. When did I become Agent Ellis? What happened to Jason?”
Was he kidding? She couldn’t tell. He was a hard man to read. “Well, I don’t know, it just came out.” She didn’t want him to know she suspected him in the Housewife Murders. Did she suspect him, though? Did she really think he was capable of killing random women, mutilating their bodies, and then positioning them like some morbid art display?
“Listen, I just called to apologize,” he said in his trademark monotone.
“Really? What for?” She eased the car forward and turned left to head for the road. What was wrong with her heart? Why did it insist on fluttering every time she spoke to Jason? And why did she suddenly smile at the thought of him calling to apologize for anything?
“For being short with you on the last couple of calls, and for not always answering your calls, or returning them. I guess I’m apologizing for being so distant lately.” He chuckled.
It was a genuine, honest-to-God chuckle. Out of character for Jason, but nice all the same.
“No pun intended,” he said, still chuckling.
Ava picked up the laugh, and her heart wasn’t so heavy anymore. The world didn’t look so overcast and depressing. Her mind raced for the right thing to say. “I figured you were having a hard time with a case, or you were just overwhelmed with work. I know you’re busy. No need to apologize for that.”
“Yes, there is.” His good humor cut off. “I don’t mean to be that way. Especially not with you.”
Awkward. Silence stretched as she tried to think how to respond.
“Are you still there?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, I’m sorry. Just navigating this traffic. You know how it gets. Thank you, Jason. Thank you for thinking enough of me to apologize. Apology accepted. Now, if we don’t move on, I’m going to hang up on you.”
“Still not much for the feels, are you?”
“Not much, and if memory serves, neither are you.”
He laughed again. “No, I’m not. And you were right. I have been covered in work for weeks now. They have me running all over the place. From New Mexico to Nevada, and from Washington to Wisconsin. I’ve barely been home more than ten hours in weeks. I’m here long enough to grab fresh clothes, or wash the old ones, and then I’m off again.”
Jason sounded much different than the last times she had talked with him on the phone. It was nice that he was back to being the old Jason Ellis again—or at least that he seemed to be back. No matter how nice it was, she couldn’t trust him. Could she?
But her heart wanted to believe his apology had been heartfelt. Her detective’s mind tended to back it up. Work was work, and their kind of work was stressful, hectic, and more than a few days out of every week, she had frayed nerves and a short temper. Could she blame him for being the same way?
“Yeah, work is a pain sometimes, huh?” She could hear her mother admonishing her for being so stilted with him. What would it hurt to fall in love? Everyone needs a little romance in their life.
“Uhm, yeah. It certainly is. That case I was working in New Mexico was a real beast. I didn’t think I would ever be finished with it, but then, out of the blue, I got that unexpected lead that really paid off. You ever have one of those cases you think you’ll never figure out and it just preys on your mind ’til you can’t even sleep?”
“Haven’t we all?” She tried for a casual laugh, but even that sounded stilted and forced.
Another silence stretched between them, filling up the geographical miles with nothingness.
“I guess we have. How has work been on your end?”
She could tell him the truth: Work had been rather slow and boring, but she had decided to investigate not only her suspected Housewife Murder victim, but all of them. Plus the cases that hadn’t been attributed to the apparently bi-coastal serial killer of young single mothers who made questionable decisions.
“You know, it’s been work. Same old, same old really.”
The silence was a little longer. “Same old, same old. Very detailed. I’m going to have to add that to my repertoire of detailed answers.”
She laughed. He didn’t.
“Okay, since you’re not going to volunteer, what’s going on with the Margot Carter case? Have you solved it already?”
“No. I haven’t. It’s still open.” And he would have known that if he had looked up the case in the system. Maybe he had and just didn’t want to seem stalkerish. Maybe he hadn’t because he really wasn’t interested enough in her or her cases to do that. Or, just maybe he didn’t want his name associated with it in the system because he had something to do with it.
“Do you think it’s related to the Housewife Murders, or has that theory been upended by another one?”
“It’s not been upended by anything. I don’t know if it’s related or not. Like I said, the case is still open, and I’m still actively pursuing leads. I’m just keeping an open mind, as one should.”
“You are absolutely correct. An open mind is good in our line of work. You never know how a case is going to turn out. Hey, would you want some long-distance help with it? The Margot Carter case. If you’re stuck, I wouldn’t mind. I have time now.”
Floundering, she stuttered. “It’s not solved, and I don’t have anyone in mind for it, either. As for it being related to the Housewife Murders, I thought it was at first, but now, I’m just not so sure. I doubt it, though. How many bi-coastal serial killers are there?” She laughed nervously.
“That wasn’t an answer at all, but okay. You’re right about the bi-coastal thing, too. I don’t know that there is such a thing. Not unless there’s more than one killer. They could be working together. One on each side of the country.”
“I don’t think that’s it, either. Not really, but I’ll keep an open mind about it.”
“I’m sorry I called and bothered you. If you need to go, I’ll get off the phone. You don’t have to stay on with me.”
“No, it’s fine, and stop apologizing, would you?”
“You don’t seem to have much to say. I know that sound. I make it a lot, and I never appreciate being interrupted when I’m in that mood.”
“I’m driving. I told you that. I’m fine, and I’m not in a mood.”
“I want to see you again, Ava.”
Her throat tightened.
“Hello?” he asked.
“I’m here.”
“I said, I want to see you again soon. When can you come out again?”
“I can’t right now.”
“Well, I didn’t mean today. I meant anytime, but kind of like this weekend? Next?”
“Work is keeping me busy. I’m looking over a case as a favor to someone, and I’m still helping Molly with a lot of stuff.”
“If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you were trying to avoid me, Agent James.” His tone deepened.
“No. Not at all. Soon. We’ll get together again soon,” she stammered.
“Yes, we will.”
She could hear her blood rushing like the tides of the ocean as the silence between them lingered and became more awkward.
“Well, I can tell you are very preoccupied, Ava. I’ll let you go and call another time. If you want to talk before then, you have my number.”
“Yes, I do. Talk soon,” she said.
“Talk soon.”
She punched the button on the media center to end the call. When the line disconnected, she blew out a long breath.
Checking her appearance in the rearview at the stop light, she blinked several times to get the muscles around her eyes to relax and soften. “Conflicted much?” she asked her reflection.
Her heart screamed that she was just being paranoid. She could mess up a perfect relationship before it ever was properly begun if she didn’t watch her step. How could she think so badly of Jason when she knew she had feelings for him? Deep feelings. Was she damaged goods? Rotten to the core with suspicion?
A quiet voice in her mind spoke up and said her misgivings and mistrust might be the result of the nasty incident in Prague all those years ago.
She shook her head. It could just as well be something that had happened much more recently. “Like putting my life on the line every single day at my job,” she said aloud, gripping the wheel so tightly her knuckles burned.
Had the job jaded her until she was no longer capable of trusting anyone?
The Popular Doctor
Ava sat in the parking lot for a long time after reaching headquarters. Her mind was jumbled with questions about her personal life, Jason Ellis, Margot Carter, and Jillian Santos.
She stared at the building. Somewhere inside, the unflappable Agent Chance Hoilman stalked for the next person he could skewer with his double-edged questions about Santos and their relationship with her.
That was the last thing she needed to tack onto the day she’d already had. She might blow a fuse if he cornered her. Eventually, she would have to speak with him, but she was going to put him off as long as possible. When it became impossible to do otherwise, she would sit down with Agent Hoilman and truthfully answer all his questions, no matter how stupid or pointless she considered them. She had nothing to hide about Santos because she didn’t know anything of her personal life.
Ava went inside and kept her eyes peeled for Hoilman. She wouldn’t jump in the trashcan to avoid him, but she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t hunker behind the vending machine if it came down to it.
She made her way past the bullpen, which was oddly empty, and went to Sal’s door.
“Come in,” Sal said. “I’ll be right with you.” She motioned for Ava to close the door and take a seat while she used her shoulder to hold the phone to her ear and simultaneously flipped through papers. “Yes, sir. Yes, it’s right here. I will. Tomorrow morning, first thing. Of course, sir. Okay, bye.” She dropped the phone to her hand. “Couldn’t even be bothered by the pleasantry of saying goodbye. He hung up before I could even say it.” She placed the phone facedown on the desk and smiled at Ava.
“Assistant director, or deputy director?” Ava asked.
“Assistant. And in his case, the emphasis is on ass.” Sal looked serious for a second and then laughed, flapping her hand. “It’s all part of the job. No worries, right? The more you sit at the desk, the more you realize it’s just politics. One great big dog and pony show so the citizens don’t know what a mess it is up in here.”
“Tell me how you really feel now,” Ava said, laughing lightly.
“Oh, there isn’t enough time left in the day for that. What’s on your mind? Been on the Mays case all day?”
Ava sat back in her seat. “Have you ever tried to talk to anyone through two lawyers who act like it’s their life duty to keep anyone from helping their client?”
Grinning, Sal stretched her arms back and put her hands behind her head. Some things never changed. “Bateman Law Firm. I saw that. Did you luck out and go head-to-head with Bateman’s son and his rabid right-hand man, Dickson? They’re the top attorneys there.”
“No, it was Ms. Keenan and Mr. Boyle.”
“I take it you didn’t get much from Dr. Mays, then?”
“Not much at all. Detective Booth, who I am pretty sure hates me because of the Castaneda thing, was more help than any of them.”
“He doesn’t hate you. Castaneda, Grubbs, and Paulson were dirty. Dirty cops are not above the law any more than dirty agents. They have to be held accountable, and to a higher standard than your everyday civilians. That’s just how it is. Somebody has to do it, and you did a good job with that case, Ava.”
“Even though it has caused so much trouble around here? I wish someone else had done it.”
“You did nothing to cause this trouble. If Santos is clean, she has nothing to worry about. Neither does anyone else here. Have you talked to Agent Hoilman yet?”
“No. I’m avoiding him right now. Is he even here?”
“He left a little after lunch. Said he’d be back in a couple of days. Apparently, everyone on the team is too busy to talk to him very long.” One corner of her mouth rose. “Know anything about that?”
Ava shook her head. “Absolutely nothing. I’ve not been here all day.”
“He noticed that, too.”
“I can’t stop my work to go sit and stare at him across the table while he asks questions that I don’t have answers to. I don’t have any knowledge of Santos’ personal life, and I seriously doubt anyone else on the team does, either.”
Sal brought her hands down and put them on the desk to lean comfortably forward in her chair. “You’re right. She’s definitely a private person. Borders on being a hermit outside of work, I think. But you know that you’re going to have to speak with Hoilman. The sooner, the better.”
“Have you?”
“Yes. I speak to him every time he’s here.”
“About Santos?” Ava pried.
“I did. I don’t want it hanging over my head, Ava. I have too much to do in here to have something like that lingering and lurking in the back of my mind all the time. I suggest you and the rest of the team do the same. Don’t drag this out unnecessarily. We need closure on it.” She picked up a paper. “What do you think that call was about?”
“Politics,” Ava replied.
“It was. The politics of the Santos case. Doesn’t matter that three dirty cops were taken off the streets. They’re worried about how this is going to affect the Bureau’s image.”
“I’ll talk to the others in the morning. I doubt I’ll see them this evening.”
Sal nodded. “Yeah, I doubt it, too.”
“I’m going to go through the list of Dr. Mays’ friends and coworkers now. I want to find something, somewhere in that case even if it doesn’t prove he’s innocent.”
“Finding that is still finding something, eh?”
“Exactly.”
“It’s all about closure,” Sal said, giving her a knowing look.
“I’ll talk to them in the morning.”
“Good. They listen to you.”
Ava went to her office and pulled the list of friends and coworkers from the file Booth had given her. It was a long list. There were too many friends. Instead, she pulled the roster of surgeons who rotated through New Beginnings.
“Might as well start at the top and work down,” she muttered. Even the list of surgeons was long.
She dialed Dr. Coolidge first.
“Are you kidding?” Coolidge asked. “Alastair is no killer. We often joked that he needed to put some iron in his backbone and stop allowing people to walk all over him.”
“So, you’re saying you don’t think he’s capable of killing his wife even if she angered him, right?”
Coolidge laughed. “God, no. I’m surprised he didn’t need surgery on his back a long time ago because that woman had him wrapped around her little finger from day one. He did anything and everything she asked of him, and more.”
“Then why would she ask for a divorce?”
Coolidge went silent for a few seconds. His good mood sobered. “I don’t know. Some people get bored. Our lives aren’t as glamorous as people think. It’s a lot of long hours in school that turn into even longer hours in the office. Then there are the interviews, if you’re at the top of the game, which all of us at New Beginnings are. At the top of the game, I mean. That’s why Norah wanted us there. She handpicked every one of us to be on the roster.”
“You sound proud of that, Dr. Coolidge.”
“I am. So are the others, if they’re smart. We all make good livings, but being so closely associated with Alastair gives us each a nice boost in income and popularity among certain, elite circles.”
“Did Dr. Mays ever have a problem with drinking that you were aware of?”
“No more than the rest of us. High-stress jobs lead to drastic ways of relaxing when the opportunity arises. But if you are questioning whether he was a drunk, no. Absolutely not. Even back in med school, he never went to class with a hangover, and he definitely never went to class smashed like the rest of us.”
“That’s comforting,” Ava said, imagining what the surgeons of the future had missed while being lit or drunk off their butts during class back in the day. “How well did you know Norah?”
“Not very. It was by proxy, mostly. You understand, through Alastair and the things he would tell me. Not just me. He told anyone who would listen how wonderful she was and how much he loved her. He was proud of her, but I’m not sure I can say the same was true in reverse.”
“What do you mean, she wasn’t proud of him?”
