Page 57 of Missing Justice
“Yes. At the time of Felicity’s disappearance they were considering doing a hospital birth in case the blood pressure became an issue during delivery. Walt wanted to be at the hospital, just in case.”
“Did the birthing center know that? Because everything I have indicates it was all-systems-go with them.”
“Not to my knowledge. Felicity went missing before they’d made a final decision. Why?”
Matt sat up and set his feet on the floor. “I visited the birthing center. Call it an undercover mission.”
Meg’s perfectly arched eyebrows rose. “You…” She shook her head. “Huh?”
“Special Agent Sinclair and I posed as a married, pregnant couple and toured the facility. It’s a helluva setup. Before that, we visited the hospital where the nurse told us Felicity had everything lined up. She’d scheduled a C-section so she could, without question, lock in all the doctors she wanted.” He held up the folder with copies of the birthing center welcome kit. “These are copies of the forms from the birthing center.”
“Felicity’s? How’d you get that?”
“Not hers. I’d need a warrant for that. These are the blank forms. It’s pretty involved. Everything buttoned up. I think Agent Sinclair might be working on a warrant, but I’m gonna head over and see Walt. See if he has copies of their paperwork.”
While Meg stayed in the doorway, casually leaning on the doorframe, Charlie grabbed a coaster from the holder on the corner of his desk and set her mug down. He eyeballed the mug. That right there meant his plan for quiet study just flew out the window.
Charlie wasn’t going anywhere.
“Something wrong?” Matt asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“Okay. Want to elaborate?”
“Your association with Agent Sinclair.”
Yep. Here we go. The whole thing was sticky business, riding the edges of ethical because Walt was his client. One he’d signed a confidentiality agreement for stating he wouldn’t discuss his wife’s case outside of Schock Investigations. Taylor was an outsider. A federal one currently investigating said client.
His only net was the fact that Taylor had been with him at the hospital and birthing center and had heard everything first hand. So far, he hadn’t revealed anything she didn’t already know.
A stretch? Totally. If Jarvis took him to court, he’d be screwed. No doubt. If it meant finding Felicity’s killer and her missing baby, he’d, without question, hand over his investigator’s license.
Matt held up his hand. “I haven’t gone outside the boundaries of confidentiality.”
Charlie scoffed. “Really? Going undercover with a federal agent working the same case is exempt?”
“I didn’t tell her anything she didn’t already know. And, yeah, before you do that you’re delusional thing again, I get it. It’s under control. If there’s heat, I’ll take it. You two will be out of it. I’ll be the rogue investigator you reprimanded and fired. In fact, draw up the paperwork and backdate it. Fire me. Then you’re in the clear.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Meg said. “No one is getting fired. We’re having a conversation.”
Charlie didn’t say anything. Not unusual for her. She liked to process, get her thoughts aligned before speaking.
Finally, she picked up her coffee mug. “Meg is right. No one is getting fired. But you’re on a short leash with this, Matt. I trust you, but this is a United States senator. Don’t fuck this up.”
Ewww-eeee. Charlie dropping an f bomb. Pissed. Royally. “Yes, ma’am. I got it.”
“Good.”
She nodded and headed toward the door.
“Before you go,” Matt said, “something about the silver truck Walt claimed was following Felicity is bugging me.”
“What about it?”
“I don’t know. Can I take a look at your notes again? See if I missed anything.”
“Sure, but all Walt said was Felicity spotted a silver pickup with a window decal.”
