Chapter 25

K ate frowned at the text, not able to leave right now anyway, as she sat on the steps of the deck in the backyard of the Feldspar house, watching as the handler took the cadaver dog and swept through the property. They'd come close to the area Simon had indicated, and the dog had tugged in the right direction, but the handler wouldn't let him go there yet, as they were doing a systematic grid system, which Kate didn't really understand. Why not just let the dog run directly to the spot and see if he reacted? Of course, it wasn't her dog or her area of expertise, so it really wasn't up to her to make that decision.

But, sure enough, as soon as the dog got closer again, he immediately sat down. The handler looked back at Kate and waved her over.

She got up and walked over to exactly where Simon had stood. "What does that mean?" she asked.

"A body is here," the handler confirmed.

"And we know that it's human?"

"This cadaver dog is only trained for human remains," he explained. "Even if pets are buried all over the yard, we only search for people."

And, with that, Kate picked up the phone and called Colby. It would likely take about an hour for forensics and a digging team to get here, but, once they had the area cordoned off, Kate would just sit back down and wait. Shortly they arrived and got set up and started digging. It didn't take too long before they found remains. She got up and walked closer but couldn't tell what she was looking at, except white bones. Smidge walked past her and glared, as had become a custom greeting for the two of them, and she glared right back.

"This better put an end to it," he grumbled.

"I sure hope so," Kate muttered, "because things are definitely breaking apart right now."

"Yeah, well, remember that you're pissing in somebody's backyard." Laughing at his own joke, he replied, "Quite literally, I might add."

She rolled her eyes at his attempt at humor. "Yeah, backyard , got it. Yet somebody won't be a happy camper about this, so keep an eye out."

"Are we in danger here?" he asked.

He had mentioned it so casually that she wasn't sure he even gave a damn if they were or not. "No clue," she said, showing her palms. "I'll be back in a little bit. Let me know what else you find." But he had already bent down to the work at hand. She got in her vehicle and headed straight to the Felden Spark House. As she got up to the proper floor, she looked at the photo on her phone, shook her head, and stepped inside.

A woman looked up and gave her a professional-looking smile.

Kate held up her badge and immediately the receptionist's smile fell away.

"May I help you?" She looked alarmed.

Kate nodded. "Yes, I'm looking for Alison Feldspar."

"She's one of our favorite patients here," she replied, with a smile.

"May I see her?"

"Not without family permission," she noted in a quick and fast tone. "I'm sorry. We can't have strangers coming in off the streets."

"Even a stranger with a badge?" Kate asked caustically.

"Yes, even a stranger with a badge. Just a moment while I get the director."

Kate waited, and, moments later, an officious-looking man raced toward her.

"Yes, Detective. What can I do for you?"

"I want to see for myself that Alison Feldspar is here."

"Of course she is." He frowned. "Why wouldn't she be?"

"It's just a detail I need to verify," she replied, with a casual tone.

"She did go through a rather horrific experience."

"I know that, sir." Kate motioned at him. "Please take me to her."

He hesitated, and she just stood here and waited.

"I can't let you enter her room, but I can take you to the door, where you can look in through the window."

She nodded. "That's a start, but, if I need to get a court order, I will."

His face turned white with alarm. "What could possibly be the problem?" he asked, as he hurried down the hallway, with Kate in tow.

"Hopefully nothing. I understand that she had a very difficult head injury?"

"Yes, yes, she did," he confirmed, "and she won't recover from it."

"Ever?"

"No, not ever," he declared, with an overly sorrowful tone.

Kate sighed. Given that he was dealing with the families of these patients all the time, she doubted that his sorrow could possibly be sincere. When they neared the room in question, he pointed out, "It's this next one up here."

As Kate reached the door, she stared in through the window but couldn't see anything. "I need to see her face," she stated, turning to look at the director. When he frowned, she added, "I won't say anything, and I won't touch her. I just need to look at her face." When he still hesitated, that did not sit well with her. "Or I can get that court order, and then I can come back in with a whole team, and we will see all the patients and all your records while we're at it."

"Whoa, whoa, I can assure you that won't be necessary," he replied hastily. "We aren't doing anything illegal here. We just take care of some of the most vulnerable members of society."

"That's why I'm here as well. Consider it a courtesy call. I'm trying to confirm that the vulnerable members of society are being taken care of."

Confused, he opened the door and stepped inside the private room with Kate. She walked toward the bed and stared down at the woman. "So, this is Alison Feldspar?"

"Yes, she's been here since almost the beginning of her injury," he replied, with a nod.

"Of course, and let me see.… Is somebody named Darrian Jackson a major contributor to your place?"

He looked at her in shock and then nodded slowly. "I really don't like what you're implying."

"I'm not implying anything yet," she stated, as she continued to stare down at the woman in the bed. "So, now I have another request. "

"I'm afraid I can't help you any further."

"Oh, I think you will because I'll need a DNA swab on this woman."

"Oh my." He stared from the woman in the bed to Kate and back again. He didn't appear to know what to say.

"Surely that's not an invasive act," Kate noted. "We can just take a swab from her mouth."

"Yes, yes, that. I must contact the family."

"Feel free. I'll be standing right here, waiting."

"Oh dear."

"I spoke to her brother Doug just this morning."

"Right, yes, I could call Mr. Feldspar. Excuse me." He hurried outside, then quickly disappeared down the hallway, almost running.

Kate stared down at the woman who was way too old to be Doug's sister. After all, Kate had just met the man two days ago. Something was seriously off.

*

Simon walked back to the main part of the reception area, and, when he heard what he thought was Kate's voice, he turned to see her down a hallway, standing outside of a door while on her phone. He wasn't at all sure what was going on, but she turned in his direction and then frowned and narrowed her gaze.

He smiled, looked down at the receptionist, and, appearing grateful, said, "Thank you very much for your time."

"No problem," she murmured in obvious delight.

"Do you have a rate sheet or something?"

"No, sir, I'm sorry. It will all depend entirely on the needs of the patient," she murmured. "We can certainly set you up with a consultation though. "

He nodded. "Okay, let me consider my options, and I'll get back to you." She gave him a beaming smile and he headed out to his car. As soon as he got there, he sent Kate a text. What's up? But he didn't wait long before she came out of the building and down the front steps and headed right for him.

"Why are you here?" she asked him.

Such an ominous tone filled her words that he shook his head, then smiled. "After talking to Harry and his cousin Reenie, who works here, I decided to check it out. Alison has been here as long as Harry's cousin has worked here, and she didn't think there was any chance of Alison's improvement or recovery."

Kate nodded. "According to the medical records, that's quite true."

"I just didn't want it to be another case of someone being drugged and held against their will."

"I'm not even sure it's a case of that," she muttered. "It may well be far more sinister."

He frowned at her. "What is more sinister than not letting the sister ever wake up again?"

She sighed. "In this case, I don't think the patient here is Alison Feldspar, the sister."