Page 33 of One Last Smile

But I need to learn something.

In desperation, I walk behind Dr. Chalmers’s desk and start digging through the files. I am breaking every privacy law known to man doing this, but if I can find some angle, anything that will lead me to concrete evidence of wrongdoing that I can bring to the police, then the effort will be worth it.

Perhaps my luck is starting to turn, because just at the back of the files is one marked M., Minerva. I pull it out and open it.

My leap of joy fades quickly. Most of the file is redacted. It contains only her name and basic information such as height, weight, eye color, and hair color. It has an address for a home in the village, but that won’t help me since her family no longer lives here.

The data I can gather only confirms that she was seen by Dr. Chalmers approximately four weeks before her death. She was seen for ninety minutes and sent home with a prescription for vitamins and told to avoid caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol.

My brow furrows. Those instructions are fairly typical for a wellness checkup, but it’s odd that they would be included in a medical report.

Unless she was pregnant

My eyes widen. I think I’ve just found a motive for Minnie’s murder. If she was pregnant, and the father didn’t want it to be known that he was the father, then perhaps he would have conspired to get rid of her.

But if Dr. Chalmers knew about the pregnancy, then why hadn’t he said anything after Minnie went missing? It’s better than being “disappeared” too, I suppose, but he showed no fear of Eliza or Veronica, and if he was coerced by a member of the family into hiding Minerva’s pregnancy and eventual murder, I would expect some sign of fear.

I hear the door handle begin to turn and quickly shove the file back into the drawer and close it. I don’t have time to return to my seat, but I am at least standing in front of the desk when Dr. Chalmers walks in. He smiles at me and says, “Sorry to keep you waiting. I have that prescription for you. If you’re willing, I can send the pills home with Eliza by the end of the day so you don’t have to wait for the pharmacist to fill them.”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

“No trouble at all.”

I shake his hand goodbye. I manage to keep my cheerful demeanor when I say goodbye to Eliza, but my mind is once more in turmoil.

The man Dr. Chalmers described as the possible kidnapper reminded me disturbingly of Alistair. I can’t help but wonder if Dr. Chalmers knows that for sure and is just afraid to say. Could Alistair have threatened him to remain quiet? Could he simply be afraid of the Carlton family and be unwilling to say anything to explicitly incriminate one of their own?

Whatever the case, it is yet another piece of evidence against Alistair, but still not enough for me to draw any definite conclusions. Before I can do that, I need to learn what exactly Alistair’s relationship with Minnie was.

I head home in silence. Part of me is intrigued to come closer to the answer to this mystery. Another part fears that I am simply spiraling deeper into a conflict that can only end in more tragedy.

But it’s too late for me to walk away. My earlier resolution to stay out of the family’s business has crumbled utterly. For better or for worse, I am committed to finding answers about Minerva Montclair’s death.

I’ll simply have to hope I don’t end up falling to the same fate she did.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I am quiet for the first few minutes of the drive. Horace remains as quiet as ever, his hands stoically on either side of the wheel, his eyes fixed firmly ahead at the road.

I finally break the silence by asking, “How long has Eliza worked with Dr. Chalmers?” I’m not sure if I hope to learn anything by asking this or if I simply can’t bear the quiet.

“This past year and a few weeks or so,” Horace replies. “She was hired to replace Miss Minerva.”

Perhaps I can learn something. “Were she and Minnie close?”

“More or less,” Horace says. “Can’t ever tell with these rich types. They smile at their enemies and stab their friends in the back. Different world, innit? Me? I’m just happy to keep my mouth shut and collect my paycheck.”

“She seems to get on well enough with him.”

“Aye, she likes him.”

“It’s a dreadful thing what happened to Minnie,” I say. “She was so young. Ready to begin life—fall in love, start a family.”

“Aye, I reckon it was awful.”

“I can only imagine how hard it must be for Eliza working in the same building her friend worked, being reminded of her every day.”

“Aye. But life goes on.”

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