Double Cross (9 page)

11:45 A.M. MONDAY

Laurel drove home from the FBI office with a boxful of belongings. The looks she received from other agents when she was escorted off the property were that of disgust, especially from Su-Min. Laurel expected it, needed it for credibility with her assignment. Her personal mission was twofold
 
—stop the elderly fraud and prove Wilmington should stay behind bars.

She was honored to go undercover again, but working with Wilmington would take all of her acting skills.

Her cell phone rang, and she recognized the caller as Abby Hilton.

“Laurel, I have critical information for you.” Her voice quivered.

“What’s going on?”

“I received a basket of funeral flowers. . . .”

When Abby finished, Laurel wanted to turn her car around and drive to Silver Hospitality, but she couldn’t. Not with most of the FBI office believing she had been dismissed. “Did you see the deliveryman?”

“No. The flower shop is local and confirmed the order. They said a woman walked in and paid cash. Wore a baseball cap. Nothing on their security cameras.”

“No one’s that slick. We’ll end this. Did you call the police?”

“Not yet. Wanted to tell you first since we have an arrangement.”

“I’m no longer with the FBI.”

Abby gasped. “What happened?”

“I’ve been dismissed. Driving home now.” Wish she could have told her in a more gracious manner. “Anyway, call HPD and your grandson. The FBI are scheduled to be there again this afternoon, and you’ll want to give them the note and tell them what you learned about the origin of the flowers.”

“Got it. Call HPD and Daniel, and then make sure the FBI has all the info too. I’m really sorry about what happened.”

“I should have been more careful.” Laurel hated lying to a sweet lady. Part of the job description. Abby had enough on her plate. Too frail to be taking care of a husband whose mind worked like a light switch. Her thoughts sounded condescending, and she didn’t feel those emotions at all. The situation made her angry. Bad guys victimizing the defenseless needed to be locked away permanently.

“I have confidence in you. My grandson pretends he doesn’t like you,” the older woman whispered. “But I know better.”

“Abby, we don’t have a thing in common, and I’m not interested, nor do I have the time.”

“He’s a man and you’re a woman. Both independent. Neither looking for a relationship. Works for me,” Abby said. “I wasn’t sure how I felt about Earl, afraid of a relationship. Then one day he smiled just the right way, and it’s been heaven ever since. We’ve weathered bad times and rejoiced in the good ones. Even here with all of us inching toward our coffins, I see the boy, the man, who stole my heart.”

Laurel searched for the right words, but there weren’t any. If only she could meet a man who treasured her as much as Abby treasured her husband.

“No need to answer,” Abby said. “One day soon we need to have a nice chat. I learned something today that I’m not sure the FBI is aware of.”

“Which is?”

“Liz Austin’s personnel file is missing.”

“Can you find a discreet way to tell the FBI?”

“I’ll think on it. I could tell them I didn’t trust her and hope they look for her file.”

“Sounds good.”

“I also talked to Chef Steven. He told me Liz has a boyfriend and spent a lot of time texting him and playing games on her iPad. He also avoided a question about whether he’d ever seen her boyfriend. I believe she could have used her iPad to disarm the security camera at the rear of the kitchen.”

Great observation. “You should call SSA Preston with what you’ve learned.” Laurel gave Abby the phone number.

Liz Austin’s name had come up on more than one occasion.

2:15 P.M. MONDAY

Daniel had made a decision. Once he picked up his grandparents from Silver Hospitality, they wouldn’t be returning. He’d arranged for off-duty policemen to work 24-7 and nurses to do the same. Gramps could kick all the fuss he wanted. Didn’t matter.

What he didn’t understand was why Laurel no longer worked for the FBI. Did he dare call her? That thought lasted ten seconds. Fifteen minutes were left on his lunch break, and he’d use them. She responded on the third ring.

“Officer Hilton, are you at Silver Hospitality?”

“Not yet. Gran told me you’re no longer with the FBI.”

“True.”

His gut told him something else was happening. “Is there anything I can do?”

She sighed. “If you uncover anything about your grandparents, don’t hesitate to contact the FBI. I’m taking a little time to look for a job.”

“Who’s taking over the elderly fraud case?”

“I don’t know who’s been assigned. SSA Preston is your go-to
agent at this point.” She paused. “Don’t really care either after what they did to me.”

“All right. Once I have my grandparents safe at home with a police officer, I’m checking on Emma Dockson, the woman who gave money to Russell Jergon.”

“Call me later?”

“Sure.”

Daniel smiled. Laurel was still on the case.

4:30 P.M. MONDAY

Daniel introduced his grandparents to the bodyguard at their home and promised to be back by six thirty. Gramps didn’t know why they’d left the facility early or why a stranger sat on their front porch, and the confusion upset him. Once he was calmed, Gran coaxed him with a favorite TV show. She was on board with Daniel’s plan. Although frail-looking, she had the inner strength of a bulldog.

Daniel had left directly from his precinct office, not taking time to change, and headed toward Houston Methodist to check on Emma Dockson. According to Gran, this was Mrs. Dockson’s second hospitalization due to a bleeding ulcer, but she’d progressed well. How wonderful if she had good recall. Her testimony likely wouldn’t hold up in court, but she could provide vital information.

Emma’s niece transported her to Silver Hospitality every weekday. The elderly woman’s deceased husband had owned a lucrative commercial construction business, plenty for predators to scam. But how were the thieves gaining access to victims? Any suspicions regarding Marsha Leonard had dissipated when he saw her twelve-year-old Honda, and he figured the board of directors had undergone an extensive background check. For certain the FBI was on it.

While traffic inched ahead, his mind wandered to his grandparents’ safety.

The idea of keeping up-to-date with the latest findings through the media agitated him. HPD and the FBI worked together on task forces, but unless something happened on his beat, he was clueless. And where did Laurel fit?

At the hospital, Daniel greeted the receptionist. “I’d like to see Emma Dockson. She’s a patient in geriatrics.”

The woman checked her computer. Lines etched across her forehead. “I’m so sorry, but Mrs. Dockson passed this afternoon.”

Doubts soared through him. “What happened? I called at noon, and she was fine.”

“Are you family, sir? Or is this police business?”

“Both. I’ve known this woman long enough to be considered family.” He stretched the truth a little, but he needed answers and access to those who had them.

The receptionist picked up the phone and explained Daniel’s visit. “The head nurse on Mrs. Dockson’s floor will speak to you.”

Daniel nodded his appreciation and took the phone. “Thank you for talking to me. What happened to Mrs. Dockson?”

“She went to sleep this afternoon and never woke up. Poor thing. From all indications, her heart simply gave out.”

His pulse sped at the unlikelihood of a heart attack when she’d been hospitalized for a bleeding ulcer. “Is her niece here?”

“She’s with me now.”

“I’m on my way.” Daniel took the elevator to the sixth floor. How would he recognize the woman? The one crying? A familiar face from Silver Hospitality?

A sixtysomething woman stood at the nurses’ station, red-eyed, tissue in hand.

“Are you Emma Dockson’s niece?” he said.

When she affirmed it, he reached out his hand. “I’m Officer Daniel Hilton. So sorry for your loss.”

She grasped his hand as though he were a lifeline, then released it. “Lila Dockson. Why are the police involved?” Uncertainty edged her words. “Are you a friend of my aunt’s?”

“My grandparents are clients at Silver Hospitality. I provide transportation for them. I just got off duty, ma’am.”

She relaxed. “You look familiar. I’m sorry if I sounded rude.”

He gave her a sincere smile. How would he handle the same moment when his grandparents passed? “I understand the challenges of loving an Alzheimer’s sufferer. My grandparents are concerned about your aunt, so I wanted to check on her.”

The woman’s shoulders slumped. “Emma is my husband’s aunt, and we’re her caretakers. She’s lived with us for over ten years. Her days were numbered, but today was still a shock. She had pneumonia twice last summer, and her body must have succumbed to it with a heart attack. Such a dear lady. Even when she didn’t recognize us, she was kind.”

“Gramps is the same way. Did your aunt have a history of heart problems?”

“No, but I gather it’s not uncommon for her age.” She took another tissue from the box on the nurses’ counter. “I really wish my husband were here. Unfortunately he’s out of town.”

“Can we talk for a few minutes?”

Her gaze darted. “I suppose. Nothing I can do while they take care of Aunt Emma. The funeral home has been contacted, and our pastor will be here soon.”

Daniel pointed to a waiting area. “We could sit there. Do you mind answering a few questions for me?”

She raised a brow over reddened eyes. “What about?”

He sighed. “My grandparents have made a few comments concerning unusual happenings at Silver Hospitality, and I’m looking for answers. Both are clients, as I stated earlier. However Gramps has Alzheimer’s, and Gran spends her day with him.”

She blinked. “The facility is so highly rated.”

“I agree. I’m more than pleased with the care, and the staff is amazing.”

They seated themselves on a leatherette sofa in the corner away from the others. “I appreciate your time, considering the trauma
of the afternoon. Did your aunt ever mention someone selling her a life insurance policy?”

Lila Dockson startled. “Why?”

“So she did.” When the woman glanced out the window, he continued. “It’s all right. I’m facing the same questions. Money missing from my grandparents’ savings account. We’re uncertain exactly how it happened.”

She dabbed her eyes. “Aunt Emma talked a few times about doing something special for us. We had no idea what she was talking about. We thanked her and changed the subject.”

“Does the name Lifestyle Insurance sound familiar?”

She shook her head. “Like I said, Aunt Emma babbled a lot. Can’t say if the name is familiar, but I can ask my husband. He’ll be home late this evening. Since you’re a police officer, is the facility under investigation?”

“I’m looking into a possible elderly fraud case involving a couple of people at Silver Hospitality because of my grandparents’ experience. The FBI is making inquiries. My grandfather said your aunt had given a salesman money.”

Her eyes widened. “Someone took money from an Alzheimer’s patient?” Indignation rose in her voice. “Why did the facility permit it?”

“They have no record of anyone visiting other than family, friends, and clergy. Nothing on the security cameras or the sign-in register.” He paused for her to consider the lack of evidence to substantiate claims. “No receipts either. All I have is a brochure from Lifestyle Insurance, which has no contact information.”

“How odd people with dementia have similar stories. One always hears reports of scams and such, but I find it hard to believe someone could have gotten past the front desk.”

“That part has me baffled too. But elderly fraud is not uncommon.” Another thought occurred to him, one he’d need to investigate further. “How often has your aunt been hospitalized?”

“Several times, actually.”

The right keystrokes into a hospital’s medical records would offer valuable data from Social Security numbers to diagnosis codes. He wouldn’t reveal his suspicions
 
—a link to dementia patients who were financially secure. “Have you noted a substantial withdrawal from your aunt’s accounts?”

She touched her heart. “We take care of Aunt Emma’s financials.”

“All someone would need is a routing or Social Security number to hack into her accounts.”

Lila pulled her cell phone from her purse. A few moments later, she dropped her cell into her lap. “The account we use to pay bills is fine. But her savings shows two extremely large withdrawals, the latest from this afternoon. I can’t believe this.”

“You need to file a report immediately. I can help you with that.”

She rubbed her arms. “Of course. I need to call my husband before he boards a plane in New Hampshire.”

Daniel wanted to ask one more question, one the family might meet with resistance. “Would you and your husband consider an autopsy?”

She paled. “Surely you’re not suggesting
 
—”

“It’s a possibility.”

“I’m not sure. Maybe we should, under the circumstances. What do you suggest?”

“I only know what my grandparents have stated, and I could be way out of line.”

“But you could have stumbled onto something horrible.”

5:50 P.M. MONDAY

Daniel left Lila Dockson at the hospital in the capable hands of a pastor friend. He’d love to be the one to break the elderly fraud case, but with the FBI’s investigation, his chances looked slim. His motives were selfish, and he retracted his thinking. The ones
preying on innocent people needed to be behind bars, no matter who broke the case. Law enforcement was a team project. Period.

He phoned Marsha Leonard about Emma Dockson’s death. The director of Silver Hospitality had always been the epitome of caring. Not once had he seen her act in an unkind way toward the clients or staff. For that matter, he’d not experienced her being rude to anyone. Except when he got under her skin. Still wanted to believe she was innocent of any wrongdoing.

“Miss Leonard, this is Daniel Hilton. Do you have a minute? I have some bad news.”

“Are Abby and Earl okay?”

“They’re fine. Emma Dockson passed this afternoon. I visited the hospital and learned what happened. Spoke with her niece. Told her I’d make the call to you.”

“Daniel, I’m never ready for our clients to pass. What happened?”

“A heart attack. But Lila made a discovery. Money from Mrs. Dockson’s savings account was missing. A sizable withdrawal this afternoon.”

Miss Leonard broke into sobs. “When will this end?”

“I don’t know how the criminals are operating, but I’m committed to finding out just like the FBI.”

“I’d expect nothing less of you,” she whispered. “I’ve gone over and over the security cameras, and nothing is amiss. The FBI’s investigation is a comfort, but you have more at stake in seeing arrests made.”

Daniel noted her trembling voice. “Whoever is responsible is organized, precise in what they’re doing.”

“It’s frightening,” Miss Leonard said.

“I promise you, answers will be found. Do you use volunteers from a specific organization?”

“Only from my church and those I can trust. We conduct rigid background checks. You and I have our differences, but we both care about the people here. I . . . I think you’ve made a wise decision regarding Abby and Earl.”

“Thank you. Keep your eyes open, Miss Leonard. I’m convinced the situation is part of a sophisticated operation.”

Daniel’s next call was to Laurel. “Hope I’m not intruding on your privacy. But I have new information. A woman from Silver Hospitality died at Methodist early this afternoon, one who Gramps claimed gave Russell Jergon money. Although I’m not sure if she purchased a life insurance policy, her savings account took a huge hit.”

“I don’t like the sound of that. A scammer collecting both ways. But we knew this was probably where the crime was headed.”

“My thoughts too. This is random, but Emma’s hospitalization was for bleeding ulcers, and she died of a heart attack. Probably just my cop nature, but I asked her niece if she’d consider an autopsy.”

“The scammers are not infallible. Officer Hilton, be careful. You’re a great cop, and I don’t want to read your name in the obits.” The concern in her voice confirmed she had additional information.

“What have you discovered?”

“I’m no longer with the FBI, remember? They fired me.”