Page 33 of Silent Sin

The mind was a very powerful thing, and Sylvie had always believed there was something to the saying about mind over matter. To that end, she let the darkness close around her to the satisfying vision of Lorena Dobbs being placed in handcuffs and…

Chapter Seventeen

Theo Neville

February 2024

Sunday — 9:31 am

The elevator doors glided open with a muted hiss, revealing the brightly lit first floor of the hospital. The lobby made it hard to keep one’s eyes open as the large windows acted more like mirrors than single panes. They reflected an endless expanse of white snow that was brought short by a long line of parked cars. No one seemed to mind the irritating glare as hospital staff and visitors were too keen on reaching their destinations.

Theo stepped out of the way as a frantic couple rushed to catch the elevator doors from closing shut. Had he caught sight of them earlier, he would have remained inside the doorway until they had made it safely inside. He blamed his slow reaction time on lack of sleep. He would have to grab some coffee on the drive to Erin Smith’s neighborhood, but only after he had spoken with Detective Beeson about the slight change of plans.

Brook had the right idea of how to separate the grid, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still irritated by the way she had handled the situation. It hadn’t been until Graham had mentioned Brook had attempted to reach out to them that Theo finally understood why he had been receiving random texts regarding a new gym opening a block down from the office.

For one, he had never signed up to receive such messages.

Two, he would bet his last paycheck that there was no new gym.

Many services provided an individual with the means to text people anonymously, but he had never considered such a platform for coded messages. There had even been a date and a time window given for the grand opening of said gym, but he had been too tired and clouded by resentment to receive the intended meaning behind the text.

“Theo?”

He turned at the sound of his name, completely caught off guard by the sight of Mia standing near the information desk. The beads at the end of her long black braids clicked together as she began to close the distance between them. There was a confidence and grace about her that couldn’t be denied, and while he admired both qualities, he couldn’t help but question her motives for being at the hospital.

“Mia, what are you doing here?” Theo asked after she came to a stop in front of him.

He hadn’t meant to come across so cross, but the two of them weren’t even in a relationship. Their first dinner together had been interrupted by a phone call stating that Sylvie had been rushed to the hospital. He hadn’t talked to Mia since.

“An employee of mine gave birth to a baby boy last night,” Mia replied warily as she readjusted her purse strap. She was wearing dark jeans and a red sweater underneath a black puffer jacket, which made an irritating swishing sound when she held up a small teddy bear with a blue bow. Normally, he would have found the gift endearing, but his senses were a little frayed after the past few days. “I was just dropping by to say congratulations before meeting a patient at eleven.”

Mia was a chiropractor who owned her practice, which had grown exponentially over the last few years. It was obvious from her expression that Theo angered her with the way he had greeted her. He couldn’t blame her. He hadn’t handled the situation the way he should have, and he wasn’t sure she would—or should—allow him to make amends.

“I’m sorry, Mia,” Theo said as he gestured toward a quiet area that contained plush chairs and sofas arranged in a semi-circle. The space offered some semblance of seclusion amidst the chaos of the lobby. He waited until they had come to a complete stop in front of a large oval coffee table. “I should have responded to your texts. It’s been a long few days, but that’s no excuse.”

“Is there anything that I can do to help?” Mia asked tentatively despite his lack of manners.

“I appreciate the offer,” Theo replied with a small smile. “As you know, a colleague of mine was rushed to the hospital on Thursday night. It’s a long story, and one that I can’t get into at the moment. Just know that I’ve found myself caught up in an investigation. I’m not sure when I’ll have downtime to make up for my leaving in the middle of our dinner. You deserve better, and I didn’t mean to come across as rude a few minutes ago. I was just surprised to see you, that’s all.”

Mia studied his face, and he figured his exhaustion was evident.

“Here. Let’s make this easy.”

Mia clutched the teddy bear between her elbow and side as she reached for her phone inside her purse. She pulled it out, and it wasn’t long after that her fingers were flying across the display.

Seconds later, Theo’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

“I don’t give out my home address often, but given your ties to the FBI, I’d say the odds are in my favor that you’re one of the good guys. Anyway, I just sent you the rest of my contact information. When your case is over, I’ll cook you a nice dinner at home. That way, if you need to leave in the middle of our meal, I’m not sitting at a table getting pitiful glances from the other couples at the restaurant.”

Mia had a beautiful smile, and Theo found himself reaching for his phone. Once the facial recognition opened his screen, a notification was waiting for him with her home address. He swiped up, only to have to close his photo app. He had been studying Lorena Dobbs’ facial features just in case she had opted to dye her hair or alter her appearance in the past few days. He was finally able to see Mia’s text, and he took note of her neighborhood.

“Georgetown,” Theo said with an approving nod. “I can see why we jog the same trails.”

Mia had been staring at his phone, but it wasn’t long before she lifted her inquisitive brown eyes to meet his. At first, he thought she was curious about his comment on the trails. He never expected her to comment on the picture of the woman responsible for attempting to murder Sylvie.

“Theo, can I ask you a question?” Mia inquired as her gaze drifted back down to the display of his phone. “Why do you have a picture of Belinda Rhodes on your cell?”

Chapter Eighteen

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