When Shadows Fall (Dr. Samantha Owens #3)

“But Doug knew he was going to be killed. He must have assumed Adrian was coming for him.”


“Someone certainly was.”

“Did Benedict’s notes say why he picked me, Fletch? Why not just go to the police, or the FBI?”

“Davidson said there was a copy of the article Washingtonian did after the subway murders in Benedict’s files. Your name was featured prominently. He admired and trusted you.”

“He didn’t even know me,” she said.

But Xander nodded. “He knew your character. Sometimes that’s all a man needs to make a judgment. And look. You did the right thing by Matcliff, like he knew you would.”

Jordan came back with the wheelchair, and a harried brunette nurse.

“You!” Fletcher said in mock horror.

The nurse blushed. “I said I was sorry.”

They all laughed, and followed Fletcher and the nurse out into the pickup area. They got him situated in the front seat of Jordan’s car.

“I’m taking you home,” Jordan said.

Fletcher shook his head, wincing a little as his bandages pulled. “I’m hungry. They haven’t fed me anything but Jell-O. Sam, Xander, meet us at the Hawk ’n’ Dove. I want a burger.”

“I want a nap,” Jordan said. “And I think you should have one, too.”

He smiled at her. “Food first. We need to decide the best way to take Mac Picker’s law firm down for good.”

*

Sam followed Jordan out of the hospital grounds, breathing a sigh of relief.

Xander put his good hand on her leg. “You okay?”

Sam picked up her phone, which she’d left in the car to charge. “I want to talk to Davidson myself.”

Davidson answered on the first ring.

“Dr. Owens. Good to hear from you. I left you a message earlier. Sorry if I was cryptic.”

“I didn’t get the message, June, I’m sorry. What was it?”

“Did Fletcher tell you about what I found on Benedict’s computer?”

“Yes. He said Benedict targeted me directly because of the Washingtonian article.”

“Yes, that’s right. We’ve been combing his house, his computer, his accounts. We’ve found a letter in Benedict’s things, addressed to you, marked private. He mailed it to himself from D.C. the night you met. Do you want me to send it to you?”

“Read it to me, would you?”

“Sure.”

She put the phone on speaker so Xander could hear, as well.





“Dear Dr. Owens,

If you’re reading this letter, I certainly hope you’ll forgive me. And if you have no idea what I’m about, allow me to explain. There is an illicit adoption ring being run out of the law offices where I work. All the partners are involved, and the Hoyles, as well. They house the children when they arrive in Lynchburg.

When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s I knew it was time to leave trial law. I signed on as partner with Mac Picker, an old friend. One of the aspects of the firm was private adoptions. After the horrors I’ve seen, I was pleased to work on something loving, and happy.

The Stevenses were my first adoption. There were many more since, all of which I’ve documented at great length in my private files. I can’t tell you exactly when I became suspicious of the vast number of adoptions, but it was a few years after I joined the firm. I eventually began asking questions, and when no good answers were forthcoming, I did some digging myself.

Before I could figure it all out, Doug Matcliff came to me. He knew I was a partner in the firm. He also knew I was bound by attorney-client privilege not to share his story.

I must, in good conscience, break my vows and do just that.

Matcliff claimed he was dying, and wanted to come clean about his role in the adoption scheme. He wanted it to end, but didn’t know how. I don’t know if I believe he was sick. I do believe he was a man haunted, who was making some very serious decisions about his future.

And then he was dead, and I grew concerned for my own well-being.

I am writing this down in case something happens to me before I have a chance to set things right for Douglas, and with the firm. I hope it is enough to bring an end to the atrocities we’ve committed. We are both guilty. I hope, with this letter, we can at last be shriven.

Yours,

Rolph Benedict, Esquire”





Davidson stopped talking. Sam went silent for a moment. “Wow.”

“Exactly. There’s a lot of information here in his files, but I don’t know whether it’s going to hold up in court. We’ll try. I’m having the State’s Attorney General open an investigation to see if what he says is true. If there’s enough evidence, we’ll take it to the grand jury, get Mac Picker, his partners, Stacey Thompson and Tony Green, and everyone else involved indicted.”

“It’s true. And you may have to fight off the feds for jurisdiction.”

“I’m aware. Right now all we have is Benedict’s word. We’re going to need proof. Lots and lots of proof.”

“I hear you. I’ll get back to you, June. How’s Ellie Scarron?”

“She’s going to make it, thanks to you.”

“Good to hear. Thank you, June. We’ll be in touch.”