“For what specifically?”
“Patent date and shelf life.”
“Okay. Why?”
“Destiny Carter’s mother was treated for gout, but it was several years ago. I’m wondering if the drug was available back then and if it would still be viable after so long a time.”
Vanessa pulled her keyboard closer. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
Jason dialed Natasha Ellard.
“Hello?”
“Natasha?”
“Yes.”
“Detective Strong.”
“Hello, Detective. It’s not a good time—what do you need?”
“I’ll be quick. Have you ever been treated for gout?”
“Gout!” Incredulous, her voice rose markedly. “The old peoples disease?”
“It’s not specific to the elderly.”
“Well okay, but no, I’ve never had it. Why would you ask?”
“I can’t say right now. Could you ask Mr. Davis for me?”
“He’s not here, but he’s never said anything about it.”
“What about family? Either of you know anyone who has been treated for it?”
“I don’t, but he has an elderly father who I’ve never met. I guess it’s possible.”
“Will you have him call when he comes in?”
“Sure. Anything else?”
“No.”
“Then I have to go.”
The line went dead.
Jason began to punch in the next number when Vanessa looked up. “Two-thousand-nine.”
“What about it?”
“That was the year Uloric was approved for use in the U.S.”
“What about shelf-life?”
Vanessa shook her head. “All I can find is that you’re not supposed to use it after the printed expiration date.”
“Perhaps we should call the manufacturer.”
“We?”
He laughed. “Or you.”
Vanessa grinned. “On it.”
Meanwhile, Jason punched in the number of Elaine Smith.
“Hello?”
“Mrs. Smith, this is Detective Strong again.”
“Hello, Detective.”
“I mentioned I might call back if I had more questions. I hope it’s no trouble.”
“None at all.”
“Great. Could you tell me if you were ever treated for gout?”
“Gout? No, but my husband was.”
Jason’s heartrate surged. “How long ago was that?”
“Three, maybe four years ago.”
“Do you remember the medicine he was treated with?”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry. Why?”
“I’m afraid I can’t elaborate at the moment. Do you happen to have any of the medicine still laying around?”
“I…I doubt it.”
Although Elaine had not been in town around the time of Janet Ellard got ill, it was the possibility that Dale Ellard might have gotten the pills from Elaine—either with or without her knowledge. He needed to know what Tony Smith took. “Would you check for me?”
“Well sure, but it will take a few minutes. Would you like to call back?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Very well. Goodbye.”
Jason hung up at the same time as Vanessa. She held up her pad and read from it. “I reached the drug manufacturer of Uloric. This was their response to my question about the shelf life of the drug, and I quote. ‘The toxicity level of Uloric has not been tested beyond the expiration date. However, we recommend that patients treat all drugs to be containing as if they contain still-active ingredients for the life of the pill.’ End quote.”
“Spoken like a corporate lawyer.”
“Indeed.”
“Elaine Smith’s husband was treated for gout three or four years ago.”
Vanessa raised an eyebrow. “With Uloric?”
“She doesn’t remember, but she’s checking to see if any of the medicine remains in her possession.”
“Interesting. Dale Ellard could have got it from her, or just stole it from her cabinet.”
“That was my thinking, too.”
The phone rang and Jason scooped it up. “Homicide. Detective Strong.”
“This is Damon Stern.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for calling me back. We have some more questions for you.”
“I thought I made myself clear the last time we met. I’m not talking to you people.”
“In that case, I’ll have to assume the information I have about your and Janet Ellard’s relationship is true.”
“What information?”
“I can’t reveal that over the phone.”
A long pause followed. “Where and when?”
“Here at the precinct. Two hours.”
“I’ll be there.”
The line went dead. Jason hung up and looked at Vanessa. “Damon Stern has decided to visit with us.”
She smiled. “I look forward to it.”
“Me, too.” He picked up the phone again. “Time to call Colton Ellard.”
He dialed and waited. “Hello?”
“Colt?”
“Yeah.”
“Hey…” He tried the informal approach with the younger man. “Jason Strong.”
“Oh, hi. I’m kinda busy. What can I do for you?”
Jason wondered what a barely employed young man could be so busy with. “We didn’t get a chance to talk the other day at the house and I’d like to follow up on our first interview. Perhaps you could come by the precinct?”
“I guess, but it will have to be tomorrow.”
“That’s fine. Say, nine in the morning.”
“Okay. Gotta run.”
“Bye.” Jason hung up.
Vanessa was watching him. “Another fifty-fifty to show, if you ask me.”
Colt Ellard’s avoidance tactics were becoming troublesome. “I agree, but you were wrong about Stern calling back, let’s hope you’re wrong again.”
He called Elaine Smith back.
“Hello?”
“Detective Strong, Ma’am.”
“Sorry, Detective. If I had any of the medicine left, I can’t find it now.”
“Thank you for checking.”
“You’re welcome. Bye.”
Jason hung up. “Negative on the medicine from Elaine Smith.”
“What if she can’t find it because by Dale Ellard took it?”
“What if, indeed.”
Chapter 10
Damon Stern showed up as promised, but he wasn’t alone. Jason guided Stern and his guest into an interview room.
The small man wearing a white shirt and green tie, and carrying a briefcase that seemed too large for him, handed Jason a business card. “Howard Pritchard. I’m Mr. Stern’s attorney.”
Jason fingered the card. “Detective Strong. This is my partner, Detective Layne. Please make yourselves comfortable.”
They sat on opposite sides of a small table, Stern and his lawyer with their backs to the wall, Jason and Vanessa with the backs to the door. The small room closed in around them, the tension thick as black tar.
Jason tossed the card on the table. “We just have a few questions for your client.”
Stern held the briefcase on his lap, nearly resting his chin on it. “Do you intend to read him his rights?”
“No. Mr. Stern is not under arrest.”
Pritchard nodded. “Fine.”
Jason placed a digital recorder in the middle of the table. “I’m going to record this interview.”
Pritchard drew in a long breath. “I’ll want a copy of the tape.”
“I will make sure you get one.”
“Good. You may begin.”
Jason resisted the urge to say an irritated thank you. Vanessa just scowled, her mouth clamped shut, the muscles in her face twitching.
Jason directed his attention to Stern. “You’re a pharmaceutical rep, correct?”
“Yes.”
“What sort
of drugs do you represent?”
“Anything my company carries.”
“Do you happen to have a list of those drugs?”
“No, but it’s available online.”
“Does your company carry Uloric?”
Pritchard’s face scrunched up in concern, and he held his hand up to stop Stern from answering. “Why do you want to know about that drug?”
“I’m not at liberty to say.”
Pritchard leaned back to whisper in Stern’s ear. Damon shook his head, and Pritchard lowered his hand, a sign that his client could answer.
“No, my company does not sell Uloric.”
Strike one. Jason pressed on. “Mr. Stern, have you or anyone you know ever had gout?”
Pritchard raised a hand and his brow furrowed, as if it might be a trick question. “Of what pertinence is that?”
Jason ignored him, remaining focused on Stern. “It’s a simple question.”
Pritchard hesitated, then lowered his hand.
Stern shook his head. “Not me nor anyone I know.”
Strike two. “You visited the office of Janet Ellard on the morning she got sick. Can you tell us the purpose of that visit?”
Pritchard’s hand shot up. “Don’t answer that, Damon. Detective, surely you know that is privileged information.”
“I’m aware, but if your client is willing to answer the question, it might clear him of any suspicion.”
“Suspicion of what? Mr. Stern spent an hour with Doctor Ellard and she was healthy when he left.”
Vanessa jumped in. “We have reason to believe there was a romantic element to Doctor Ellard’s and your client’s relationship.”
Both Stern and his lawyer looked shocked. Stern leaned forward. “That’s not true! She and I—”
Pritchard glared at his client. “Damon!”
Stern clammed up and sat back in his chair, but his anger remained painted across his face. The lawyer leaned over and exchanged hushed words with him. Finally, after several animated exchanges, the lawyer nodded.
He turned back to look at Jason. “My client is prepared to answer your question, IF…” He paused for dramatic effect, drawing an eye roll from Vanessa. “What he tells you never leaves this room.”
Jason exchanged a wary look with Vanessa. She shook her head. Jason agreed. “I don’t know how I can make that promise. It depends on what he has to say. If he’s going to confess to murder, all bets are off.”
“Mr. Stern is not about to confess to any such thing. What he has to say is of a highly personal nature and it can go no further than this room.”
Jason shrugged. “If it provides him with an alibi or clears him in some way, we will honor his request. But only if that’s the case.”
Pritchard met Jason’s stare for a moment, then nodded at Stern.
Stern sighed. “My meetings with Janet were in no way romantic, but their content was secret. She was treating me for mild schizophrenia.”
Jason looked at Vanessa. Her eyes were wide, suggesting she shared his surprise. Jason regarded Stern warily. “Why are there no records of the visits? The office manager said she never saw any notes from the sessions.”
“That’s because I could have lost my job. A pharmaceutical company doesn’t want someone with a mental illness having access to their drugs. I would have been terminated immediately.”
Vanessa leaned forward. “How do we know you didn’t kill Doctor Ellard to keep her from exposing you?”
“She wouldn’t do that, and our sessions were protected by law anyway.”
“But doesn’t she have an obligation to notify your employer if she perceives a public threat?”
Pritchard groaned. “Come on. You’re reaching, Detective. And besides, a question like that is outside my client’s purview.”
Vanessa wasn’t dissuaded. “How do we know your sessions hadn’t developed into something personal? It’s happened before.”
Pritchard raised his hand again, but Stern ignored him this time. “Ask Dale. Janet cleared our sessions with him before she started treating me. He knew all about the situation.”
Strike three. Jason was quickly coming to the conclusion that Stern wasn’t their man. Even if he was at the office that day, so was Shawna Robinson. And they hadn’t found any reason to suspect her, meaning the day’s appointments were turning into dead ends.
Jason extracted a business card from his pocket and gave it to Pritchard. “Here’s one of ours. If you or Mr. Stern think of anything else useful, please call.”
Pritchard accepted the card and stood. Stern joined him and they left without another word.
Vanessa slumped back in her seat. “Cross Stern off the list?”
“After verifying his story with Dale Ellard—yes.”
“Where does that leave us?”
On a whim, Jason punched in Dale Ellard’s home number. It rang just twice before being picked up. “Hello?”
“Mr. Ellard?”
“Yes.”
“Detective Strong.”
“Oh, hi. I just got home.”
Jason did the time calculations in his head. Ellard had more likely been home for over an hour, maybe longer. “Since you’ve been on the road, we won’t ask you to get back in the car. Is it okay if Detective Layne and I come by?”
“I guess.”
“Great. We’ll see you shortly.”
Jason hung up. “Time for Dale Ellard to face some hard questions.”
Vanessa nodded, but her face was pale. “For sure.”
Jason regarded her carefully, suddenly aware how tired she looked. “You okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. Fine. Ready to go?”
Jason glanced at his watch. “It’s nearly dinner time. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’ll visit with Ellard and catch you up in the morning.”
She sighed. “No. I’m fine.”
It was the first time Jason had noticed his partner struggling since coming back from the shooting incident, and his level of concern ramped up. “Vanessa—”
“Go home, Layne.”
Jason and Vanessa both turned to see Lieutenant Savage standing in his office doorway.
Vanessa forced a smile. “Really, I’ll be fine sir.”
“Oh, you’ll be fine alright. Because if you don’t go home and get some rest now, I’ll put you on desk duty for a week to make sure you rest.”
Vanessa would usually argue her point, but the fight wasn’t in her now. “Yes, sir.”
“Which?”
“Going home, sir.”
Eric Savage’s face softened. “Good. I don’t want one of my best detectives on desk duty.” He turned and went back into his office, then reversed himself. “I almost forgot what I came out for. How are we coming along on finding the source of the drug?”
Jason shrugged. “Nothing so far.”
“What have we determined?”
“That the two appointments Janet Ellard had on the day she got sick are probably not the source.”
“Well, that’s something. Keep me updated.”
“Yes, sir.”
Savage went back in his office and shut the door. Vanessa stared at Jason. “You find out anything interesting, you better call me.”
He held up his hand. “Scout’s honor.”
“I didn’t know you were a Boy Scout.”
“I wasn’t.”
She groaned. “I’m out of here. See you in the morning.”
“Okay.”
*******
The driveway of the Ellard home was empty. Jason went up to the door and knocked.
Dale Ellard answered, a beer in his hand. “Come in. You want one?”
“No, thank you. Still on the clock.”
“I won’t tell if you don’t.”
Jason smiled politely. “No, I’m fine.”
They went down the hall and into the kitchen, which was the only room in the house with lights on. Jason spotted two empty bottles in the trash can. If Dale Ella
rd were an actual suspect, Jason would cancel the interview, but such was not the case—yet.
“Mind if I sit down?”
Ellard waved his beer bottle at the chair. “Not at all. Sit.”
Jason detected no slurring of words. “Thanks.”
Ellard glanced into the darkened dining room before dropping into the chair on the opposite side of the small table. “House is too quiet.”
“I gather Colt is not around.”
“No. Off dealing with his grief in his own way I guess.”
“Is your son still living with you?”
“For the time being.”
Jason broached what might be a sore subject. “I understand you and Mrs. Ellard were at odds over your son.”
“You could say that.” Ellard didn’t hide his disdain. “I was tired of his irresponsible lifestyle and constant sponging off his mother. Janet never could tell the boy no, at least, not until just recently.”
“You mentioned Janet being the one who gave Colt money—may I ask why it wasn’t both of you supporting him?”
“We had separate accounts.” The beer was loosening his tongue. “Janet was never happy with the way I handled money.”
Jason took out his notepad and clicked his pen. “Your visit to Elaine Smith. What hotel did you say you stayed at?”
Ellard didn’t take the bait. “I didn’t stay at a hotel. I told you that because I didn’t want things to look bad. I actually slept on her couch.”
“You realize that by lying to me, you made it look even worse?”
He sipped his beer. “Yeah. Kinda figured that out after I said it.”
“And there’s nothing romantic between you and Miss Smith?”
“No, I swear.”
Jason switched topics. “I have a question relating to your medical history.”
“Okay.”
“Have you ever been treated for gout?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Consider it background. Have you?”
Ellard sighed. “Yes. Last year.”
“You’ve recovered from it?”
“Yes. Painful thing.”
“What was your treatment?”
“Why?”
“I’m curious about the medicine you took.”
“Why?”
Because your wife died of an overdose of gout medicine! Jason held his tongue. That information was not public knowledge and likely wouldn’t be disclosed until someone was arrested.
A TWISTED MIND (Clean Suspense) (Detective Jason Strong Book 21) Page 10