Page 30 of Her Last Promise

"Your aunt mentioned you come home after visiting hours," Rachel said, watching his reaction carefully."Always straight home?"

"Yes.I mean, sometimes I stop for groceries or gas, but mostly I just go home.”

“Do you ever speak with your aunt when you come home?”Novak asked.

“If she’s awake.But she usually just leaves me to my thoughts, you know?She knows how much the visits take out of me emotionally."

Rachel nodded slowly."And your brother, Michael?When was the last time you spoke with him?"

Something flickered across Nathan's face—so brief Rachel almost missed it."Michael?He...he left years ago.Before Mom got sick.I haven't heard from him since.He’s living in France somewhere."

"No contact at all?"

"None.He made it pretty clear he wanted nothing to do with the family anymore."His voice had grown quieter, heavy with what seemed like old pain."Why?Do you think he has something to do with this?"

Rachel kept her expression neutral.His claim that he and his brother hadn't spoken in years didn't line up with what they'd gathered from the case files."We're just exploring all possibilities, Mr.Mitchell.Would you be willing to write down his last known address?Any contact information you might have?"

Mitchell nodded, though his movements had become more hesitant."Sure, but like I said, it's been years.I doubt any of it is still good.And I’d have to get it from home.I don’t have it in my phone or anything.Hell…you’d probably be better off to just get it from Aunt Tanya."

"One more thing," Rachel said."The night Judge Smith disappeared—where were you?This would have been four nights ago."

He thought it over for a moment before answering.“I went straight home from the hospital.Aunt Tanya can verify.We watched some TV.I had a beer, read for a bit, then went to bed around midnight."He paused."I know that's not much of an alibi, but it's the truth."

Rachel stood, signaling the end of the interview."Thank you for your cooperation, Mr.Mitchell.We'll be in touch if we need anything else.I do hate to say that until we can get an address for your brother, you have to stay here for a bit."

“Are you kidding me?”he asked venom rising up his voice.He was clearly angry that they were taking him away from precious time with his mother.

“I’m sincerely sorry,” Rachel said as she and Nova left the room.“Someone will be in momentarily to instruct you where to go next.”

When they closed the door to the interrogation room, she could hear Nathan screaming something in anger behind it.

Novak turned to Rachel out in the hallway."What do you think?"

Rachel shook her head because, honestly, she wasn’t sure."I think his routine is too perfect.Like he's built himself an alibi without actually building an alibi.Also, I think he got very interesting when we mentioned his brother."

"Want me to give Tanya a call, see if she has Michael’s address and phone number?"

Rachel nodded."And while you do that, I’ll run a check in the database for Michael Mitchell.We pretty much know that Nathan isn't being entirely truthful about their lack of contact."

The precinct's activity had settled into its afternoon lull, but Rachel's mind was racing ahead as she went in search of an available laptop to do some more digging.There were answers just within her reach…she could literallyfeelit now.And even though she’d much rather be out in the field getting those answers, she knew the hardest, coldest truths were often found in hunts through history and paperwork.Hopefully, that’s where she’d find paydirt for this case as well.

Because of not, she wasn’t sure where they could turn next.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Jennifer Martinez's footsteps echoed through the hospital corridor as she made her way toward the elevator.Each step was a reminder of the twelve grueling hours behind her.Her shoulders ached from checking vitals, administering medications, and turning patients, but it wasn't just physical exhaustion weighing her down tonight.It was usually the emotional toll of it all, even on the best days.Still, she loved her job and was happy to bear the brunt of such a burden.

However, there was one part of today that was resting particularly heavy on her: the news about Nathan Mitchell had shaken her more than she cared to admit.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the darkened window of an empty patient room—faint, dark circles under her eyes, her dark hair escaping from what had been a neat bun twelve hours ago.The cross around her neck glinted in the artificial light, and she touched it reflexively, a habit formed over years of seeking comfort in moments of uncertainty.

The elevator seemed to take an eternity to arrive.Jennifer leaned against the wall, her mind replaying the moment she'd first heard the news about Nathan.She'd been at the nurses' station, updating charts, when Noelle from the day shift had rushed over, her voice low and urgent: "They just took Nathan Mitchell away.”

“Who did?”Jennifer had asked.

“I’m not sure.I heard it was a pair of FBI agents.They're saying something about murder."

Jennifer had nearly dropped her tablet.Murder?Nathan?The same man who had once brought coffee to the night shift nurses during his mother's worst nights…before things between him and the hospital had gotten tense?The man who cared so deeply about his mother that he was willing to risk everything?

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