Then his face changed.
“You see it.”
The detective did not answer.
The boss placed another photograph beside it.
His sister’s arm from the original medical record.
The retired detective looked from one to the other.
“Similar.”
“Same pattern?”
“I’m not a doctor.”
“Your opinion.”
The detective leaned closer.
“Grip injuries.”
“From somebody restraining both women.”
“Likely.”
The boss placed a third document down.
The foundation name.
The detective sat back.
“No.”
The boss watched him.
“You know.”
The older man rubbed his face.
“Your sister called me three days before she died.”
The boss stopped breathing.
“What?”
“She wanted to report financial fraud.”
The diner noise seemed to disappear.
“You never told me.”
“She made me promise not to.”
“She died.”
“I know.”
The boss stared.
“You knew she was investigating them?”
“I knew she suspected them.”
“What did she find?”
“Patient assistance money being moved through consulting companies.”
The boss looked down.
Exactly what the nurse suspected.
The detective continued.
“Your sister did volunteer bookkeeping.”
“She noticed payments.”
“Asked questions.”
“Then got scared.”
“Of the chairman?”
“She never said directly.”
The boss’s hands tightened.
The detective noticed.
“Don’t.”
The boss looked at him.
“You think I’m going to hurt him.”
“I think you’ve wanted somebody to blame for nine years.”
The detective leaned forward.
“That makes you dangerous to the truth.”
The same warning.
From the nurse.
Now him.
The boss sat back.
“Continue.”
The detective looked surprised.
Then nodded.
“Your sister called the night she died.”
The boss stared.
“Not me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“She said she had proof.”
The detective’s voice lowered.
“She wanted to meet.”
“Where?”
“A parking lot near the river.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
The boss stared.
“I was working another case.”
The detective looked ashamed.
“I told her morning would be safer.”
The boss’s jaw tightened.
“She never made morning.”
“No.”
“What happened to the proof?”
“Never found.”
“Her apartment?”
“Searched.”
“Car?”
“Searched.”
“Phone?”
“Destroyed in the crash.”
The boss looked away.
That old anger returned.
Not explosive.
Heavy.
The detective continued.
“There was one strange thing.”
“What?”
“Her handbag was found twenty feet from the vehicle.”
“That is strange?”
“Not necessarily.”
The detective hesitated.
“But it had been emptied.”
The boss looked back.
“By impact?”
“We assumed.”
“You don’t anymore.”
The detective stared at the coffee.
“I stopped assuming a lot after retirement.”
The boss sat silently.
Then the detective asked: