Critical Exposure

by Ann Voss Peterson

  Or was it? Was this what a nervous breakdown was?

  Could he finally be losing it? Could Richard’s death and shooting Sid Edmonston have taken more of a toll on him than even Nick had feared? Could seeing Maxie Wallace’s body have been the final push that sent him over the edge? Was he going down the same dark path as his father?

  A dark path he’d helped push his father off?

  He shook his head. There had to be some other explanation. Something happening within those walls.

  Something happening within those walls…

  He started the car. Gage Darnell had agreed to help with the investigation. And it was about time Rand took him up on it.

  THE SCENT of freshly brewed coffee swept over Rand as he entered the lobby of Five Star Security. He’d downed two cups on the drive to Baltimore, but after what he’d been through, he needed more. And he needed it strong.

  “Hello, Detective.” The friendliness in Peggy Olson’s voice nearly knocked him over. Apparently since Rand had cleared Darnell of murder charges, he’d gone from villain to hero in the office manager’s eyes. “Want some coffee?”

  “Love some.” He looked through the sliding window and into the main office. Except for the two employees sitting at desks surrounded by security monitors tapped into businesses all around Baltimore, Peggy seemed to be the only one here. “Is Gage around?”

  “He’s in his office catching up.” She handed him a steaming foam cup and started back toward the private offices. “I’ll tell him you’re here.”

  “Thanks.”

  Rand had just taken his first sip when Gage appeared. “Detective. What’s going on? Any news about Bray?”

  “No. I need to ask you a few more questions about Cranesbrook and the Beech Grove Clinic.”

  “Come on back. I was just typing some notes into my computer about everything that’s happened. It helps me think. I’m also working on hacking into Cranesbrook’s files.”

  Rand held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear about that. Not officially, anyway.”

  Gage gave a knowing nod and led Rand to a room filled with a nice-size desk and comfortable chairs. They each took a chair. As soon as they sat, Gage leaned forward, his dark brows pinching with concern. “So what do you need?”

  “More about what you experienced at Beech Grove.”

  “This might help.” He opened a desk drawer and pulled out an envelope. He shoved it across the desk to Rand. “My medical records from Beech Grove.”

  Rand opened the envelope and leafed through the photocopies inside. Nothing resembling what he’d experienced jumped out at him. “How about what you remember?”

  A dark cloud seemed to pass over Darnell. “I already told you all of it. I was tied down. Sedated much of the time.”

  “Did you experience any emotional problems?”

  “Emotional problems? Like what?”

  “Fear. Depression. Nightmares that seemed real. Voices in your head. Maybe thoughts of suicide.”

  Darnell leaned back in his chair and stroked his jaw. “The whole thing was like a nightmare. Being tied down for days with no way to reach anyone, no way to even let Lily know I was alive. That’s pretty damn depressing. But you lost me on the voices and suicide. Did someone commit suicide? Vanderhoven?”

  Rand shook his head. “I just talked to Vanderhoven. He’s fine…well, considering the circumstances.”

  “Then what is all this depression and suicide stuff?”

  “Things Vanderhoven described feeling in the days after the accident.” Rand shifted. Of course, it wasn’t just Vanderhoven.

  “I didn’t have any of those problems.” Darnell’s face tensed, as if even thinking about what he’d experienced still brought him pain. “I remember being very confused. Angry. Scared. I might add paranoid, but since people actually were out to kill me, that was more of a reality.”

  “You said there was an explosion. And that you experienced nausea and lost consciousness. But do you know if the other strange effects you felt were from the lab, or could you have been given something in the hospital? Something that caused your disorientation and emotional turmoil?”

  “I don’t know. I overheard some things when I was there. Enough to tell me Dr. Morton and Nurse Dumont were helping cover up the accident. Things like they were being paid to keep their mouths shut and keep Vanderhoven and me out of sight.”

  “But nothing about additional experimentation?”

  “No. What makes you think it’s a possibility?”

  Because when I was talking to Vanderhoven today, I felt some strange things. Rand let the words run through his mind, but cut them off before they reached his lips. “Things Vanderhoven told me. But then, maybe he was more injured in the blast than you were.”

  “Maybe.” A muscle twitched along Darnell’s jaw. “I can’t help worrying about what that means for Bray. He was caught in the blast, too. And with no medical attention afterward…”

  Rand nodded. He’d considered the possible outcomes for Sloane. And after meeting Echo, they’d burrowed into him like a sharp pain. If Sloane had a role in the explosion, he might deserve what he got, but Echo didn’t deserve it. And Rand got the feeling that she’d been stuck with a lot of bad outcomes she didn’t deserve. “What about Sloane? Was he tense before the accident?”

  Darnell thought about the question, a pained look on his face. Finally he gave a reluctant nod. “He was a little tense. Maybe more short-tempered than usual. I thought it was just money pressure, like I told you before.”

  Money pressure. And yet Echo had sworn Bray was in good financial shape. “Do you have any reason to believe he was in debt?”

  “He mentioned he was helping his sister. That’s all. She had some pretty big medical bills.”

  Maybe that was why Echo didn’t want to think her brother needed money. He needed the money to help her. Or maybe she didn’t know about it. “Big medical bills, huh? What would the destruction of Project Cypress be worth to a competing corporation?”

  Darnell shook his head. “I don’t know what Project Cypress is, but I do know Bray. And I just don’t…”

  “Even if he needed money for his sister?”

  Darnell pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. “God, I don’t think so. At least, I hope not. Have you asked Echo?”

  “She doesn’t want to face the possibility that her brother might have jaywalked at some point in his life.”

  Gage nodded. “Bray and Echo’s father took off when Echo was pretty young. They’re close.”

  And now she felt like Rand was trying to drag down her big brother. Rand forced his mind off Echo. He couldn’t protect her feelings. God knew, he had a horrible track record on that score. “Did you see Sloane during the explosion?”

  “He took Dr. Kelso out of the building and I entered the lab. That’s the last I saw of him. Did you ask Vanderhoven?”

  The memory of his emotional breakdown lurked in the back of his mind like a persistent headache. “I…didn’t get the chance.”

  “Vanderhoven was in the lab before the explosion happened. By the time I got there, he was unconscious. And when I woke up after the explosion, he and Bray were gone. I don’t know if he regained consciousness or Bray got him out or what happened exactly, but he might be able to tell you more than I can.”

  Great. Another trip to the nuthouse. Rand pushed himself up from his chair and walked to the door. “Let me know if you find anything in those Cranesbrook files. Off the record, of course.”

  “If I can get in this time, you mean.”

  “I get the idea you can do anything you set your mind to. You just need time to concentrate.”

  “You mean time without the law breathing down my neck?”

  Rand gave him a grin. “Yeah. I’ll focus on breathing down someone else’s neck, someone who deserves it.” And he couldn’t help but hope that someone wasn’t Bray Sloane—for Echo’s sake.

  Darnell rose from his chair. First
to the door, he pulled it open for Rand and paused, his hand resting on the knob. “I know I agreed to stick around Baltimore in case you need me, Detective McClellan, but…”

  Rand focused his attention on Darnell. “You planning to take a trip?”

  “Just over the state line in Delaware. Rehoboth Beach. A place called the Sunrise Bed and Breakfast.”

  “Sounds nice.”

  Darnell shrugged a shoulder. “I’ll take my laptop. I promised Lily we’d spend some unin terrupted time together. And I need to know she’s safe.”

  “Not a bad idea. With some of the strange things going on around here…”

  Darnell’s brows arched toward his dark hair. “More strange things?”

  Rand shook his head. He shouldn’t have let that slip. He sure as hell didn’t want to get into it. “You don’t want to know.”

  Darnell opened his mouth, but the chirp of a cell phone stalled his response. Releasing the doorknob, he pulled out his phone and checked the readout. A smile spread over his lips and glowed in his eyes. His wife’s call, no doubt. “You’re right, Detective. I don’t want to know. I have all I can focus on right here.”

  Rand nodded and slipped out the door. Darnell had been through hell—a hell Rand had made worse by believing he was a murderer. The least Rand could do now was leave Darnell alone with his phone call.

  Besides, Rand knew what he had to do next.

  THE LAST PERSON Rand expected to see standing in the reception area of Beech Grove was Echo Sloane. But there she was, looking soft and feminine in a gauzy blouse and jeans. And ready to take on the world, judging from the determined set of her jaw.

  “Echo.” His body tensed as she turned to look at him. “Why are you here?”

  “Hello to you, too, Detective.” She lifted a hand to her face, shoving chestnut hair streaked with blond back from her eyes. “I could ask you the same question. And I’ll bet we’d have the same answer.”

  “You’re here to talk to Wesley Vanderhoven?”

  “If he knows anything about what happened to Bray during the explosion, I need to find out. I need to help my brother.” Her voice hitched on the last word.

  She might be putting on a brave face, but underneath she was afraid of what she’d find. She should be. She could believe all she wanted that her brother was innocent, but each day that passed with no sign of him suggested otherwise. Unless, of course, he hadn’t shown up because he was dead. “Listen, you don’t have to look into this yourself.”

  “And what? I should leave it up to you?”

  “It’s my job.”

  “Funny, yesterday it seemed like your job was proving Bray did something wrong.”

  “I don’t want to get into this with you, Echo. The evidence is the evidence. Whatever it shows is what I’ll believe.”

  “As long as you don’t twist it, that’s fine with me.” She crossed her arms.

  Obviously she would never look at this rationally. “Where’s Zoe?”

  “She’s at home with a babysitter. So you see, there’s no reason I can’t be here. And no way for you to keep me from talking to Mr. Vanderhoven. So if you think I’m just going to smile and let you shoo me away, you’re crazy.”

  Crazy. Yesterday’s breakdown flashed through his mind—and the prospect of having Echo as a witness if it happened again. Even more reason to convince her to leave Beech Grove. “I would never say you can’t talk to Vanderhoven. But you have to realize this isn’t a game. Several people have died as a result of their involvement in this case.”

  She raised her chin. “And I have to make sure Bray isn’t one of them.”

  “I’m not talking about the danger to Bray. I’m talking about the danger to you. Sid Edmonston killed to keep the truth from coming out. But it didn’t stop with him. There’s been at least one death since. Asking questions is risky. Dangerous. Have you thought about that? Have you thought about what your daughter’s life would be like without her mother?”

  “That’s a low blow.”

  “Maybe. But it’s reality.” And even as worried as Rand was about breaking down in front of Echo, the prospect of her becoming a victim of whatever was going on—like Richard, like Maxie—was worse.

  She shifted her feet, the rubber soles of her athletic shoes squeaking on the waxed floor. Finally her chin came up once again, and she looked at him with determined gray eyes. “I have to find the truth. Bray would do it for me.”

  “That doesn’t mean he’d want you to endanger yourself for him.”

  Her gaze wavered, then dropped to the floor.

  “If I learn anything, I’ll let you know.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t bother. I’ll talk to Mr. Vanderhoven after you’re done.”

  “You haven’t heard a word I said.”

  “I heard. And if I feel there’s a danger, I’ll be careful. But I love Bray. I believe in him. And I’m not going to turn my back on him. Not when he’s never turned his back on me.”

  He blew a stream of air through tight lips and focused on the young nurse with short blond hair who was heading their way. He might not be able to talk Echo out of getting involved, but he could keep her from facing Vanderhoven and whatever else she ran into alone. At least then he could make sure she was safe. He might not be able to protect her from getting her faith in her brother dashed, but he could protect her physically. “If you have to do this, you might as well come with me.”

  She looked at him from the corner of her eye, as if she didn’t trust what he was offering. Finally she nodded. “Okay.”

  “But I’ll ask the questions.”

  “As long as you ask what needs to be asked, I won’t make a peep.”

  He should leave it at that. Let her face whatever it was that Vanderhoven had to say. But somehow, he couldn’t. Not without giving her a warning. “You know, if he does have information about your brother, it might be something you don’t want to hear.”

  She raised her chin. “I’m used to facing things I don’t want to, detective.”

  Fair enough. He certainly couldn’t protect her from the truth. As much as he might feel he should. And if she had been able to keep herself from falling apart for the last week, she could probably handle ten more minutes.

  He’d just better make sure he could do the same.

  The young nurse reached them, and with her came a wave of lemon scent. Probably some sort of citrus shampoo. She gave him a confused look, the hair framing her face damp with sweat, as if she’d just finished a workout. “Ahh, Detective? Can I help you?”

  He held up a hand. “We’re here to talk to Wesley Vanderhoven. If Dr. Morton or Nurse Dumont has a problem with that, they’ll know where to find me.”

  The nurse nodded and continued down the hall, as if she didn’t have the energy to deal with him. “I’ll let her know.”

  “That was strange,” Echo said, watching the woman walk away.

  “Very.” Rand hadn’t had a lot of contact with the staff, beyond Morton and Dumont, but he had seen this nurse around the clinic before. And though she might be pretty and young, she’d never seemed anything but perfectly professional.

  Turning his attention back to Vanderhoven, Rand led the way to the room marked with the lab tech’s name. Inside, Vanderhoven was reclining in his bed as before. This time, instead of Star Trek, the television hummed with what had to be the music from a porn movie.

  Rand glanced up at the television. Sure enough, bodies tangled on the screen. Thankfully, it seemed to be more nudity and kissing, rather than the hard stuff. Rand shifted his feet on the floor, overly conscious of the fact that Echo was standing next to him.

  When he looked back to Vanderhoven, a knowing smile lifted the corners of the lab technician’s pale lips. “Detective McClellan, are you feeling better?”

  He could just imagine what Vanderhoven thought of him after yesterday’s visit. “I’m fine. How are you feeling?”

  “Stronger. More awake. Dr. Morton adjusted my medicat
ion. He said I should be able to think more clearly.”

  Oh, that was what he was doing. Thinking. Rand raised a skeptical brow at the TV. “Glad to hear it. Then you’ll be able to answer a few more questions. Turn this off, and we can get started.”

  Vanderhoven ignored the request, instead turning his pale-blue eyes on Echo. His smart-ass expression morphed into a smile of clear sexual interest. No doubt he would like to see her starring in his entertainment of choice. “I think you need to introduce me first.”

  Annoyance pricked Rand’s skin. “This is Echo. Echo Sloane.”

  Vanderhoven raised his nearly invisible blond brows. “Are you related to Brayden Sloane?”

  “He’s my brother.”

  “What a relief.” His smile widened. “I thought you were going to say he was your husband.”

  Rand fought to keep from rolling his eyes. A smooth operator Vanderhoven was not. “Let’s talk about Bray Sloane.”

  “I can’t tell you much. Macho military types don’t hang out at the same lunch table with geeks like me. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed since high school. But some women are attracted to a brilliant mind, aren’t they, Echo?”

  “Mr. Vanderhoven, I—”

  Keeping his eyes on Echo, Vanderhoven nodded to the television. “You’ve got to see this, Echo. It’s the best part.”

  On the screen, a woman gathered each side of her blouse in her hands and pulled, popping buttons into the air and baring her breasts.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Rand saw Echo look away from the screen and focus on him.

  He almost groaned. Even though he hadn’t suffered a breakdown like that last time he was here, this interview was still turning out every bit as bad as he’d imagined. Only, in his worst-case scenario, he was the only one humiliated. Not Echo, too. “Turn that off, Vanderhoven. Now.”

  Vanderhoven didn’t seem to hear him. Instead, he stared at Echo’s breasts. “I’ll bet you’d be great at that.”

  Anger rose in Rand like a soaring temperature. He didn’t know what he’d do first, turn off the TV or shove his fist through the skinny geek’s face. He stepped toward the bed.