Elliott scowled. “Someone’s head is going to roll if it’s found out they hired an ex–drug addict to work in this hospital. I don’t care how clean he was when they hired him.”

“He’d have to pass a drug test,” Caroline said. “Maybe he really was clean and the scene at the house freaked him out so much, he relapsed.”

Elliott grunted. “Didn’t freak him out enough to do the right thing and call for help. Instead, he decided to burglarize the place.”

“Yeah.” Caden couldn’t argue with that. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “One thing I don’t understand. The door was locked when Gavin and Sarah arrived. Gavin had to break the door down to get in. This guy was inside hiding in the closet. Why was the door locked if it was really unlocked when he got there?”

Caroline raised a brow. “Maybe he locked it when he heard Gavin and Sarah drive up, thinking it would discourage them and they’d leave.”

A reasonable explanation. Caden sighed. “We may never know.” He glanced at the room. “I just hope he makes it. And I’m surprised I’m even saying this, but I’ll be honest. His story rings true to me.”

“That he didn’t shoot the ladies or that he just doesn’t remember?” Elliott asked.

“That he doesn’t remember. But if he really didn’t shoot them, then who did?”

“I don’t know.” Caroline tucked her phone onto the clip on her belt. “But I’d like to talk to this Max person and get his take on Wilmont. He obviously trusted him enough to send him to deliver the drugs.”

“The question is,” Caden said, “did he know Wilmont’s history when he asked him to run his little errand?”

Caroline shrugged. “Like I said, I want to find him and talk to him.”

Elliott nodded. “We’ll track him down and see what he has to say.” He shook Caden’s hand. “We’ll keep you posted.”

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

“You told her about the threats?” Sitting behind the wheel of his luxury Mercedes E300 sedan, Lewis Denning looked like he might stroke out all over his cream-colored leather seat. He’d texted that he needed to speak to Gavin but didn’t want to risk pulling Gavin away from Sarah while Caden wasn’t home.

Gavin had slipped out of the house shortly after Sarah drifted off in front of the television.

“You hired me to keep her safe,” Gavin said. “Telling her about the threats was the right thing to do—and played a part in helping me keep her safe.”

“If she finds out about my role in all of this—”

“I’m aware, sir. She has no idea you hired me, and I plan to keep it that way.” For now.