Page 88 of Rescuing Ryder
“Shit,” Ryder muttered. He returned to the house, searching for Leo.
“Did you find anything in the cups, or did she empty them?” Ryder asked.
“Both appeared empty,” Leo reported. “Why?”
“Can you ask Matthew to ask them to check for any substances in the cup? The neighbor said Claire leaned against him and held her head down as if she suffered a headache. He might’ve drugged her.”
Leo pulled out his phone and made the call.
Kassie slid the folder back to Chase. She pointed at the notes and murmured. He nodded and flipped to the next page.
“Leo,” Chase called the leader over.
“Dr. Klein wrote these notes. Kassie noticed how he directed Claire by pointing out details and listing reasons why Kilner must be declared permanently insane. When she poses an argument, he redirects her as if trying to convince her with his experience in the field, insisting Kilner was insane.”
“Claire noted she felt him sane when he killed his wife and mother-in-law. Why did she go along with Klein’s diagnosis?” Leo asked.
Kassie interrupted the two men. “Kilner only became Claire’s patient because Dr. Klein’s mother fell sick. He worked on the file first. When Claire reviewed it and interviewed Kilner, she seemed to doubt the diagnosis. She left notes in the margins. Then he responded as if manipulating everything Claire observed and pointed her in the direction he wanted the case to play out.”
Ryder shook his head. “Claire’s too intelligent to fall for manipulation.”
Kassie shook her head. “You’re missing the point. She interned with him. Dr. Klein handed her a case already in progress. She never meant to testify. Claire mentioned she took his place when his mother turned ill. After the trial ended, she immediately switched her focus to teens and veterans. I know how Claire thinks. She loves to fix people. Klein wanted Kilner admitted to the psychiatric hospital. If she thought Kilner sane, she jeopardized Klein’s ability to control Kilner. I don’t understand his motives for wanting Kilner committed, but it makes sense.”
Chase went over to Leo. “Can Matthew pull Dr. Klein's phone records?”
Leo paused. “He’s working on the fingerprints and will need probable cause to search the records. Did you find something?”
Chase frowned. “We didn’t find enough for a search warrant, but enough for us to follow the lead.”
Ryder pulled out his phone and dialed someone he knew could expedite Dr. Klein’s phone records.
“Tex. I need a favor,” Ryder greeted his friend.
“What do you need?” Tex caught the tension in Ryder’s voice.
“Claire’s missing. We believe Kilner worked with someone or there’s a second person involved. Shit, we don’t know the specifics.” Ryder scratched his scruff as his thoughts raced.
“What do you need, Ryder? I’ll do whatever I can,” Tex assured him.
“We need the phone records of one of her colleagues, Dr. Gregory Klein. If you can do a background check on him, too, it might prove helpful.” Ryder paced.
“I’m on it. If you need anything else, shoot me a text while I get this started.”
Ryder heard Tex already clicking away on his keyboard. He swallowed down the lump in his throat. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it. We gotta find her.” He knew his words soundeddesperate, but he didn’t care. Claire became all he cared about and he needed to hold her in his arms again.
“We’ll find her, Ryder. Don’t doubt it.” Tex hung up the phone.
Twenty minutes later, the men pulled up computers and combed through Dr. Klein’s calls.
“He made calls to the Seattle Mental Health Facility,” Matthew pointed out.
“I’ll call and speak with the administrator. Dr. Klein might hold privileges over there.” Chase pulled out his phone and walked away as the men continued scouring the material.
Ryder swiped his forehead. Whiskey placed a hand on his shoulder. “Go make some coffee and grab a pad of paper. Think back through your conversations with Claire concerning Dr. Klein.”
Ryder stood and mechanically walked into the kitchen to start the coffee maker. Returning to the dining room, he grabbed paper and pen. His mind started a movie reel in his head. What did Claire mention about the man? Dr. Klein gifted her with a first-edition book. Which one? He rose from the chair and crossed over to Claire’s office. He pulled the novels one by one. Dr. Klein didn’t seem like the type of man to inscribe the book and ruin it, but Ryder bet money he left a note and Claire kept it.
His fingers landed on one particular work and his heart leapt into his chest. He slowly pulled “Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” from the shelf and opened it carefully. The note card with purple flowers bordering the edge lay in front.Shit.The sick fucker gave her a book slapping her in the face at her naivety. How much did Klein relate to the fictional characters?