Ферн Майклз - Truth and Justice

Maggie let out a loud whoop. “I got it! I got it!”

“Then by all means share!” Kathryn snapped.

“Sara Nolan was married to Steven Conover for three years. But it says here that her name was Sara Windsor Nolan Conover. So either she was married to someone else or she was adopted or the siblings had a different parent. When she was married to Conover, they lived in Baltimore. He still lives there. He’s a sculptor. I went on his website. His creations sell for five digits. They’re quite beautiful. He’s actually famous. No children. Their divorce was finalized the week that Bella and Andy were married. Sara, that’s the sister’s name, did not attend the simple justice of the peace ceremony in the courthouse. I’m guessing on this, but I think it doubtful that Sara even knew that her brother got married. I can’t find out what she does for a living or if she ever had a job. I can’t find a trail. Isabelle will have to try to find out her social security number so we can track her,” Maggie said, as she shuffled the papers in front of her. “According to this army report, the only address they have for Sara Nolan is the husband’s address in Baltimore. As we all now know, their records are hopelessly outdated. Back to you, Annie.”

“I was up a good part of the night, couldn’t sleep for some reason, so I went down to the kitchen to make some coffee and fiddle with the computer. Myra was there waiting for me because she couldn’t sleep either, so we more or less, sort of, kind of, started looking into things. We decided, and of course it will go to a vote with all of you, but we think Avery should go to Oklahoma and Kansas and find out everything he can about Major Nolan and the sister, Sara. He’s got the manpower, and we don’t want to spread ourselves too thin here.

“We also need to find out more about Bella. Doesn’t matter that she’s our client. Clients have been known to gild the lily, as the saying goes, so in the interests of leaving no stone unturned, we think it’s a wise move to have her checked out as thoroughly as her deceased husband is. So, later that’s up for a vote, too.”

“We need a tracker on the sister. That means a vehicle and her phone, and the only one I know capable of placing and monitoring them is Avery Snowden. Once we locate her, I want her under surveillance twenty-four/seven. My gut is telling me she’s the key to this whole sorry mess,” Alexis said. “Avery will be able to do all of that plus more depending on what he runs into for us, and that frees us up to do other things. Avery’s people will be able to get the sister’s early background, but we need to know what happened to her, the how, the what, and the when of it all when she left Oklahoma, probably around the age of eighteen or so.

“And, of course, we need someone to talk to the ex-husband. I’m thinking he is going to be a gold mine of information. Who’s up for that? I can’t go because I have to update and replenish my red bag. I’m dangerously low right now, and that’s not good when we’re just about to start a mission.”

“I’ll take the ex-husband,” Nikki said, smacking her hands together in gleeful anticipation. “Maggie, you want to partner up with me?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Maggie said smartly. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

Myra scribbled some notes on a legal pad. It was how she kept track of what she called “all the little and also the big details,” because she hated using her laptop. More often than not, at least once a day, she professed her deep hatred for all things electronic. One of her favorite sayings was, “Just give me a piece of paper and a pencil with an eraser, and I’ll see you at the finish line.” Most times, her boast was on the money.

Annie held her hand up. “Yoko, how about if you and Kathryn take on the Samaritan Clinic. I think you two look the part of prospective clients. Don’t make an appointment. Go in unannounced and catch them all by surprise. You’ll get a feel as to whether they’re hiding something or not. Don’t tell them who you represent until you are satisfied you’ve gotten all you can get by way of information from them. If you get the feeling you’re giving off vibes, then don’t admit to why you’re there. I personally don’t think the staff deliberately or knowingly did anything wrong. They were sloppy, yes. So, unless and until we come up with something different, I’ll assume that to be the case.”

“Sure, no problem.” Yoko looked over at Kathryn, whose head was bobbing up and down just as fast as Maggie’s fingers were flying over the mini keyboard.

“All right then, that’s settled.” Myra scribbled on her pad. “I thought, if you all have no objections, Annie and I will take on Walter Reed, the hospital where Major Nolan was cared for, and see what we can come up with?”

“Are we voting?” Nikki queried. “I vote yes to everything.” The others seconded Nikki. Myra scribbled some more.

* * *

The morning passed quickly. At noon, Annie called a halt to announce that it was time for lunch. “I hear Lady barking, so that has to mean Avery is at the gate, just in time for lunch. Let’s hop to it, girls, I’m anxious to get this mission underway.”

The greeting over, Myra ushered Avery to a seat at the counter while the Sisters set the table and warmed up lunch. By the time Kathryn removed the crusty bread from the oven, Avery had been brought up to date. He was busy tapping out instructions to his operatives as the girls set his plate in front of him.

“I hate to eat and run, but I just got a booking on a two o’clock flight to Tulsa. I’ll be back in touch sometime late tonight. Does that work for everyone?” Avery asked. The Sisters said they were good with his decision.

“Then let’s eat!” Maggie said, as she dived into her spaghetti and meatballs. “Eat hearty, Nikki, because when we’re finished here, we are heading off to Baltimore. I’ll sign out the Post van and we hit the road. I can’t wait to meet Mr. Steven Conover.”

Annie looked at Myra and smiled. “I think that means we are officially on the case. Everyone has an assignment, including you and me, so I say we all split up and do what we have to do. We report back here tonight. I realize dinner will be whenever anyone wants to eat. Nikki, if you and Maggie feel the need to stay in Baltimore, by all means do so. Just check in.”

The gang ate with gusto, then tidied up with their usual thoroughness. They all said goodbye to Avery and split off to do their own thing.

And then it was just Myra and Annie.

“I think we need to dress up a little more, don’t you, Annie? I don’t think these schmata dresses will work at Walter Reed. A little makeup, too. Fifteen minutes, and I’m driving.”

Both women literally flew up the stairs, Lady and her pups hot on their heels, to do Myra’s bidding. They recognized a mission was about to commence, and they were scheduled to go on guard duty.

Just another exciting day at Pinewood.

Chapter 8

Maggie typed Steven Conover’s address into the GPS before she drove out of the underground garage at the Post . “Forty-seven minutes to Baltimore once we hit I-95, if we do it nonstop. Then we have to find Steven Conover’s place, and that could take us a little time. I feel safe in saying we’ll need another thirty minutes, so, technically, we’re looking at an hour and a half until we lay our eyes on Mr. Steven Conover.”

Nikki nodded as she settled herself more comfortably by adjusting the seat belt across her chest. “Maggie, do you remember Bella’s telling us, or maybe you weren’t there yet, but she said something was bothering her that she couldn’t remember. She said it was something she either heard or read, and she couldn’t remember what it was. I have that same feeling. It’s something I must have read in the paper or something I saw on the Internet. Whatever it was, it had to do with the military. I must have glanced at it or skimmed through it, but because it was of no particular interest to me at the time, I just forgot it. You’re in the newspaper business. Do you recall anything about the military? It was recent, I’m thinking. Something in the last six months that’s ringing a bell in my head. For the life of me, I can’t think what it is. Now, wouldn’t it be something, and lucky for us, if Bella and I are on the same page and neither one of us can remember the same thing. Crazy flukes like that happen all the time,” Nikki said fretfully, her brow furrowed in thought as she struggled with her memory.