On the dining room table, Kate found a stack of mail that had been left unopened.She photographed the return addresses without disturbing the envelopes: electric bill, credit card statement, and what looked like medical insurance correspondence.There was also a flyer for home security services and an advertisement for a local pharmacy.
She was examining a small bookshelf near the window when she heard a car door slam outside.Kate walked to the living room window and pulled the curtain aside.She was a bit surprised to see DeMarco walking up the front path.She, too, looked surprised as she regarded Kate’s car in the driveway.
"Kate?"DeMarco called as she entered the house."What are you doing here?"
"Taking another look," Kate replied, pulling off her gloves."Sometimes a second pass reveals things we missed the first time around.It was also a little crowded the first time we were here.What brings you by?"
DeMarco chuckled and said, “The exact same thing, actually.Great minds really do think alike, it seems!"DeMarco paused for a moment and said, "Actually, I'm glad you're here.I spoke with Dr.Chen again after you left.”
“That lawyer still watching like a hawk?”
“Oh yeah.But… listen, I think it’s becoming pretty obvious we may have gone after the wrong person.It’s one of the reasons I’m back here… trying tofindanything.”
Kate nodded."I had the same feeling after my interview with her this morning.She seemed genuinely confused and distressed about being arrested for murder.Even with legal counsel present, Chen was completely cooperative and forthcoming about her treatment of both victims."
"What did you find in your conversation with her?"DeMarco asked.
"She provided detailed records of her sessions with both Thomas Rodriguez and Carol Bennett.Her criticism of their family situations was purely professional, based on her clinical experience with similar cases.She didn't have any personal animosity toward either patient.But, there's something else.I called forensics and asked them to test the individual pills found in the medication bottles at both crime scenes.We've been assuming that the Lorazepam was tampered with, but we need to verify what those pills actually contain."
"You think someone substituted different pills?"DeMarco asked.
"It's possible.Or added something to the existing medication.The point is, we need to confirm that the pills found at each scene actually match what Dr.Chen prescribed."
“Maybe whoever is behind these deaths was able to frame Dr.Chen by finding prescription bottles with the same doctor's name in two different victims' homes," DeMarco hypothesized."Think about it: both victims were elderly, both were dealing with anxiety related to family situations, both would likely be seeing psychiatrists or taking anti-anxiety medication."
"So the killer could have looked for victims who were already patients of the same doctor," Kate said, already warming to the idea."That would make the connection look deliberate and planned."
"Exactly.But that means the killer needed access to these victims' homes to identify them as potential targets and to tamper with their medication."
DeMarco nodded slowly."Service people have access.Handymen, housekeepers, delivery drivers, home health aides."
"We need to figure out who had access to both victims' homes," Kate said."It might not be the same person or service, but there could be a pattern we're missing.Speaking of which, I did find a handyman business card on the fridge.I took a picture of it… I’ll send it to you."
"Sounds good.And I’ll start pulling together a list of service calls, deliveries, and appointments for both households," DeMarco said."If someone had legitimate access to both homes, there should be a record of it somewhere."
Kate looked around the Rodriguez kitchen one more time, her investigative instincts telling her they were finally moving in the right direction."We also need to check with Carol Bennett's family about any service people who might have been in her home recently.The killer would need time and privacy to identify targets and plan the attacks."
"You really think Dr.Chen is innocent, too?"DeMarco asked.
"I think she's a convenient scapegoat," Kate replied."Someone who had legitimate medical contact with both victims and who expressed professional opinions that could be twisted to look like a motive.But the more I think about this case, the more I believe we're dealing with something much stranger than a psychiatrist killing her own patients."
As they prepared to leave the Rodriguez house, Kate felt the familiar mixture of frustration and anticipation that came with realizing a case was more complex than it initially appeared.They had arrested the wrong person, which meant the real killer was still out there, potentially planning their next attack.
It felt like wasted time, sure, but it was also hopefully pushing them in the right direction.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Diana stood at the self-checkout station, scanning items with deliberate slowness while keeping one eye on the entrance doors.The digital clock above the customer service counter showed 9:07 AM, and she felt the familiar flutter of anticipation in her chest.Melissa's shopping routine was as predictable as clockwork: every Tuesday morning between 9:00 and 9:15, she arrived at this particular grocery store to do her weekly shopping.
She had been tracking this pattern for three weeks now, making careful notes about timing, parking preferences, and shopping habits.Melissa always used the self-checkout lanes when possible, always parked in the third row from the store entrance, and always took exactly forty-five minutes to complete her shopping.The precision of the routine had made planning this encounter surprisingly straightforward.
The items in Diana's cart had been chosen specifically for this moment.Heavy cans of soup and tomato sauce that would create maximum scatter when dropped.Glass jars of pickles and olives that would roll dramatically across the pavement (if they didn’t shatter first).Boxes of cereal and crackers that would split open and spill their contents.Everything designed to create chaos and confusion while appearing completely accidental.
Diana scanned a can of green beans, then pretended to have trouble with the barcode, requiring her to try several times.The delay was intentional, allowing her to maintain her position at the checkout while watching for Melissa's arrival.She'd already paid for most of her items but was drawing out the process to ensure perfect timing.
At 9:09, she spotted Melissa walking toward the self-checkout stations.Diana could see the familiar blonde ponytail and the oversized handbag that Melissa always carried.She wore jeans and a light blue sweater, the same casual style Diana had observed during weeks of surveillance.
Diana quickly finished scanning her remaining items, declined the receipt, and began gathering up the groceries into flimsy plastic bags.She maneuvered her cart toward the exit, timing her movement to intersect with Melissa's path through the store.The positioning had to be perfect.Too early, and Melissa might still be inside when Diana reached the parking lot.Too late, and the opportunity would pass entirely.
