Most Wanted

Chapter Forty-eight

Christine took off after Dink, realizing what was happening. The nurse was going to confront the man who she now believed had killed her best friend. Christine had to stop her. It wouldn’t help Zachary unless Dink went to the police, and worse, it would alert Hallstead to the fact that he was suspected of Gail’s murder. Christine shouted, “Dink, no!”

Dink ignored her, jogging through the crowd, her blond curls bouncing, her arms swinging, her stride strong and determined. She ran past the other orthopedic surgery nurses, who looked at her curiously, their heads turning in confusion.

One of the nurses, a tall African-American woman, grabbed Dink by the arm, trying to slow her step. “Honey, what’s going on?”

“Amy, let me go. I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“Dink, wait! Hold up!” Christine reached the nurse, touching her other arm, flanking her. “Don’t do it this way. You’re just going to tip him off. He’ll get a lawyer, he could leave town. Let’s get him the right way. Let’s go to the cops.”

“I don’t care!” Dink didn’t break stride or even look over. “I’m gonna call him out! I’m gonna bust him in front of everybody! He’s going to pay for what he did to Gail!”

On the other side, Amy hustled to fall into step with Dink, her dark eyes flaring behind wire-rimmed glasses. “Dink, don’t do this! You’re going to get fired! He could even sue you!”

“He’s a killer, Amy! He killed Gail! He killed her because he didn’t want to let her go!”

“What?” Amy said, shocked, hustling to keep up with Dink. “What are you talking about?”

“Dink, no!” Christine grabbed the nurse’s elbow, but she wrenched it away.

“Don’t try and stop me! You didn’t know Gail and you don’t know me! Stay out of it!”

“Please, no!” Christine shouted, running beside Dink. People began to notice the commotion they were making, three women shouting and running through the astonished crowd. Nurses swiveled their heads to them in alarm, other hospital employees craned their necks to see what was going on, and people at the periphery looked askance, wondering who would disrupt such a solemn occasion.

Suddenly Dink broke into a run, her curls flying as she bolted forward, ignoring Christine’s and Amy’s shouts to stop. Amy outpaced Christine, who ran as hard as she could on her swollen feet.

“Dink, no!” Christine hollered futilely, as she watched Dink sprint around the right side of the stage and disappear behind the curtain, where the speakers had been. Christine picked up the pace, panicked as she ran through the crowd, which had parted to let them through. She veered around the side of the stage, where she saw that the speakers had dispersed, but Dink was running after them full-tilt as they walked toward the hospital entrance near the ER, Dr. Hallstead, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Verbena, with Rita Kaplan, some other men, and the women in pastel suits.

“Grant, Grant!” Dink shouted as she ran, but the group didn’t hear her, crossing onto the sidewalk toward the entrance.

“Dink, stop!” Christine yelled, catching up with Amy, and the two of them ran side by side, shouting for Dink, who ignored them.

“Dr. Hallstead, Grant!” Dink hollered, and Grant Hallstead whirled around, his lips parting in shock. Dr. Cohen, Dr. Verbena, Ms. Kaplan, and the rest of the group turned around, too, confused and bewildered.

“You killed her!” Dink screamed. “You killed Gail because she wouldn’t be with you! You’re not going to get away with it! Not while I draw breath!”

“What are you talking about?” Hallstead asked, his eyes flaring.

“Don’t you give me that crap! You were having an affair with her and you killed her because she wanted to break up with you!”

“No, no that’s not true!” Hallstead’s mouth dropped open, and the women gasped. Dr. Cohen looked over, frowning.

Dr. Verbena faced Hallstead in anger. “Grant?” he demanded, in an undeniably authoritative tone. “What is she talking about?”

“It’s not true, it’s not true!” Hallstead insisted, edging backwards.

Christine and Amy froze, watching the spectacle since there was no other choice.

Dr. Verbena gestured to Dink. “You may not know, Dink is my niece, Dolores Verbena. I’ve known her since birth. She doesn’t lie, and she and Gail were the best of friends.”

Christine bit her tongue, thrilled and dismayed. She wished she’d had this confrontation in the police station, but she never would’ve guessed that Dink was related to the CEO of the hospital. It gave her accusation instant credibility.

Hallstead was shaking his head. “I would never kill anybody, I would never kill Gail. I was with Milt the night she was murdered. Right, Milt?” Hallstead appealed to Dr. Cohen, holding his palms outstretched. “Don’t you remember? We were in New York that night, for that conference? We even shared the same hotel room to save money.”

“Oh, yes, right,” Dr. Cohen answered, rattled, then he addressed Dr. Verbena. “Adam, your niece must be mistaken. I was with Grant at the conference that night. We both came back the next day on the train. We got the news about Gail then. It’s an awful mistake to think that he killed her, or that he would kill anybody. He’s a physician. We’re all physicians.”

Dink seemed stalled, and Amy went to her side, putting an arm around her. Christine felt shocked. Her theory was all wrong. Her lead was completely false. She didn’t understand how she’d been so wrong. Hallstead might have been having an affair with Gail, but he hadn’t killed her. He had a rock-solid explanation for where he was that night.

“Uncle Adam,” Dink said, beginning to sob, “he had an affair with her. I know that for a fact! He was having an affair with her! He’s just the worst, the worst!” Dink burst into tears, finally breaking down, and Amy wrapped her arms around her, giving her a hug, then looked over her shoulder at Christine.

“Who are you, anyway? How do you know Grant? What’s your involvement here?”

“Nothing, I’m sorry,” Christine said, backing away from the appalled crowd. She didn’t want to give her name or any information.

“What did you tell her?” Amy called after her. “How do you know Grant? Who are you anyway?”

“I’m sorry, I have to go.” Christine took off, mortified and upset. She hurried away from the dreadful scene and ran toward her car in the ER parking lot, which was after a pocket parking lot for doctors. She reached the car, chirped it unlocked, and jumped inside.

She started the engine and drove off, stricken.