“What about the drugs and stuff doctors use? Did you take those, Pearl?” Myra asked.

“I didn’t even think about that. Like I said, I was panicked. My only thought was about the files and records. Of course, we have to take those. There are trash bags under the sink. Just throw everything in them. Don’t leave anything behind. We also need Mr. Snowden to come in here ASAP and sanitize this place. I’ll call him, and I have to update all the surgeons and nurses who work here.”

“All right. While you do that, Pearl, Annie and I will start with the medicine room. Just so we’re sure about what we’re doing, we take everything, every scrap of paper, right?” Pearl nodded.

An hour later, Myra and Annie were both moaning and groaning as they carried bag after bag out to Myra’s car.

The minute the last bag was loaded, Annie headed for the small kitchen and returned with three soft drinks. She handed them out. “I pulled the plug on the fridge and the microwave oven.” She was one sip into her drink when Avery Snowden and three other men showed up. They were all dressed in white coveralls and carrying bins of what looked like cleaning supplies.

“Make sure you swipe everything, right down to the lightbulbs. We can’t have even one fingerprint showing up.” Snowden looked at Myra over the top of his glasses as much as to say, Are you telling me how to do my business? “Rest easy, we know what to do. Just out of curiosity, where are you going to store everything you took out of here?”

Pearl looked blank for a moment. She shook her head as though to clear away the cobwebs. “I was going to take it home and store it either in the garage or the basement,” she said. One look at Snowden and his men told her that was not a very good idea. In short order, Snowden dispatched one of his men to unload Myra’s car and instructed him to go to the village shopping area and take Pearl’s car to an undisclosed location. “We’ll return your vehicle to your driveway sometime this evening,” he assured her. “I’ll need your keys, Pearl.” Pearl handed them over with a sigh of relief.

“We’ll drop you off at home, Pearl, unless you want to come out to the farm. I assume you want to call a meeting and set up a mission.”

Pearl rubbed her temples. She nodded. “As soon as possible. In cases like this, every second counts.”

“Leave the soda bottles,” Snowden barked. The women didn’t need to be told twice. Within minutes, they were back in Myra’s car and headed toward Pinewood. Annie made call after call, alerting the team that a meeting was set for five o’clock, with dinner to follow. Her last call was to Charles, informing him there would be guests for dinner. Per Myra’s orders.

The moment the women hit the farmhouse kitchen, they all bolted up the back staircase to shower and put on clean, dry clothes. Thirty minutes later, less than fashionably dressed, they all sat down at the kitchen table to cups of wild blackberry tea with fresh honey.