4pm Santa Fe PD, Sheriff's Office ------------------------------------
>"Zenya just spoke to Mary Ritchey's best friend. According to her, Mary had never had a abortion before. However, the interesting thing was that she had a pregnancy scare two months ago. Mary thought that she was pregnant, and told her best friend, and no one else. But the conversation took place in a cafe, which means that anyone can overhear it. "
>"What do you think?" She asked her partner, his eyebrows still raised.
"I think its time we visit Mary's doctor," Jim said matter-of-factly.
Vanessa nodded, but something was nagging her at the back of her brain.
Sheriff Jackson put down the phone and approached the agents.
"Well, how do you two decided to go about this?"
"Vanessa and I would like to visit Mary's doctor, and maybe any abortion clinics. Do you have an idea who is her family doctor, or her regular doctor?"
Jackson scratched his half balding head as he tried to recollect.
"Well, I am not really sure about that, but...."
"Yes?"
"Once I was at the Smiths', and I saw her there too. It was about 6 months ago. Well, the Smiths are friendly folks, and they had been in Santa Fe for a long time. They are the best doctors we ever had. "
"They?" Vanessa asked. "You mean there are more than one Doctor Smith?"
"Why yes, of course, Agent Lee. Jeffrey and Janet Smith. Married to each other. "
"Can we have their address? And the address of the abortion clinics in Santa Fe?"
"Sure Agent Reaper, hold on. "
Jackson scribbled 4 address on the a piece of paper with the Santa Fe PD logo, and pass it to them.
"There are only 3 abortion clinics in and around Santa Fe, but that is enough. " he said with a hint of disguist.
"You do not agree with abortion, Sheriff?" Vanessa asked.
"Well, my theory is, why waste a innocent life?" he said. "Now go along, while I clear some paper work before going home. My wife's folks are coming down from Ohio this afternoon and guess who gota entertain them? Oh, you don't have a car, do you? "
The agents shook their heads.
Jackson fished out a bunch of keys from his pocket, and remove a car key from the key ring.
"Here, " he said as he threw the key at the agents. "That is my car, the grey one out there. Use it for the time being. I can drive home in one of the patrol cars. Just remember to return my car as soon as possible. "
They thanked Jackson for this thoughtfulness, and left the police department.
As they walked towards the Sheriff's car, Jim notice that frown on Vanessa's face.
"What are you thinking?" he asked her, curious.
"Mary is supposed to keep her preganancy a secret right?"
"Kind of."
"So why would she go and see her family doctor? Wouldn't she maybe want to confirm it first? Like maybe getting one of those pregnancy kits from a pharmacy? No one would know then. "
Jim unlocked the door of the car, slidded in, and presented his view. "That is highly possible, but then we will have to go and see the Smiths'. Maybe they do have that patient-confidentality that Mary trusted. If the need really arises, we might have to start visiting the pharmacies. "
Vanessa nodded her head.
4.30pm Smiths' residence-cum-clinic -----------------------------------
The Smiths lived and worked in a double storey building. The ground floor was their clinic, while the second floor was used for residential purposes. It was one of the many shophouses along a stretch that included two art galleries, and several eating houses. A art museum was just 15 minutes drive away. Vanessa told herself that she would visit the museum if she was free.
When the two agents entered the place, they saw that it was nicely and simply decorated. There are several people seated there, waiting for their turn to be seen by the doctors. A girl in her teens was manning the counter.
"Excuse me, miss, federal agents. " They flashed their badges and identified themselves, speaking in hushed tones so as not to frighted the patients. "I would like to ask you a few questions. "
The girl looked up, nervous.
"What is wrong? Did papa and mama did something wrong?"
Papa and Mama?
"You are Doctors Smiths' daughter?"
The girl nodded her head.
Vanessa gave a smile to the little girl.
"My name is Vanessa. What is yours?"
"Janet."
"Janet, your parents did not do anything wrong. We just wanted to ask some questions. You know about Mary Ritchie's death?"
She nodded her head again, still not trusting herself to speak.
"We are helping out in the investigations, and we heard that your parents might be her doctors when she was alive, so maybe they have some information which will help us. We are not here to arrest them. Don't worry. "
Jim looked at his fellow agent. This woman is a natural with children, he thought. Then he shook his head, reminding himself of something. She is not that old actually, barely out of her teens.
Vanessa then looked at Jim, as if knowing that he was thinking about her age. He coughed abit, and asked Janet Jr.
"Janet, is Mary Ritchie a patient of your parents?"
Janet though for a while, then whispered a barely heard yes.
"Which parent's patient?"
"Mama is the one that is treating her most of the time. But sometimes when Mama is not here, Papa will treat. They don't mind. " Janet said, referring to her parents' patients.
"Of course,"Jim said, trying a little smile himself. "Can we see your parents?"
Janet nodded her head, and then ran into one of the rooms through a door. Barely a minute later, she returned with a woman in her late thirties that was obviously a older version of Janet Jr. The woman opened the door opened teh door separting the waiting room and the counter and invited the two agents in.
"Hi, I'm Janet Smith. May I help you? " she asked as she shook the agents' hands.
"I'm Agent Reaper and this is Agent Lee. We are here to ask you a few questions regarding Mary Ritchie. " he said as he flashed his badge again.
A hint of sadness touched Dr Smith's eyes.
"About Mary... its such a sad thing. I presume that this will be long then? "
"I'm afraid so, Dr Smith."
"Well, in that case, would it be possible if you come back at 5? My husband and I still have a few patients to see but we will be closed at 5pm. We can talk to you then."
Jim thought for a while.
"Well, we will be back at 5 then, Dr Smith. "
"Please call me Janet. " the doctor said, obviously glad that their investigations would not be eating into her consultation time with her patients.
Jim and Vanessa left the clinic, with nowhere in particular to go. Well, Jim did not have anywhere to go, but Vanessa wanted to visit the art galleries.
"A little bit of art won't hurt you," she said. "Afterall, you did not have any other programs right? Unless you want to visit the abortion clinics now. "
Jim consulted the paper that Sheriff Jackson gave him. All three clinics were quite far from there. He shook his head, resigned to his fate.
There were two galleries along the stretch, and they entered the one that was nearest to the clinic. A man, obviously the gallery owner, was with a tourist, talking about a art piece, and he gave them a smile and a nod of his head before going back to the discussion.
There were paintings of all sorts, mostly coloured paintings, though there were one that was a charcoal sketch. While Jim finished the whole gallery within 2 minutes, Vanessa took her time, looking at each piece with a concentration that, Jim feared, would make the paper curled up in embarassment. Once in a while, she would lift her hand as if she wanted to touch a painting, and would then withdrew it in time, afraid to spoil it. The owner was still talking to the tourist, telling him about the worthiness of the piece of interest.
Jim looked at his watch. 5 minutes to 5pm. Better early than late.
"Vanessa?" he called out to his fellow agent, who was still at her 4th painting, "Time's up. "
She glanced at her watch.
"Goodness, time flies. " was her reply, as she tore herself from the paintings and walked towards the door.
"Did you enjoy the gallery?" she asked him.
He shrugged his shoulder, not trusting himself to comment.
Just outside the door, they met a old woman.
She was dressed in a quite-ragged dress that used to be white, but now was more yellow than anything. Her hair was long and unkempt, and greyed, and her skin all wrinkled all. As she saw the agents, she walked towards them.
"You here to prevent the murders?" She looked up to Jim and asked.
"Who are you?" Jim asked.
"You here to prevent the murders? " She asked again. "Well, let me tell you... you are too late!" With that, the old woman gave a laugh that was not unlike what a witch's laugh was imagined to be.
"Too late?" Both agents chorused.
"What do you mean too late?" Jim asked, grabbing the old woman's hand. "Tell me"
"Too late!" was all she said.
A waiter at the coffeehouse next door quickly came over.
"Hey you! What do you think you are doing? Let go of her hand. " the waiter said as he stood against Jim. He was obviously taller, and much heavier. Jim looked at him in surprise, and his grip on the old woman lessen, and the latter slipped out of his hand, and ran away.
"Too late!"
Jim was about to run after the old woman when the waiter stopped him.
"Hey, what do you think you are doing? "
"FBI," Jim said, flashing his ID for yet the third time.
"Look, FBI, she is just a crazy old woman. She don't know anything. She had been like this since Christopher Columbus founded the new land. "
Jim sighed. Maybe he was too excited. But maybe the old woman did know something, see something.
"Jim?" it was Vanessa, touching him gently on his arm. "Come on, we'll find her later. Why don't we go back to the Smiths' now. They might have some information about Mary, and maybe about the old woman as well. " She told him, but he could heard that she was shaken as well.
"Maybe. Let's go. " He said as he patted her hand, and she released it from him. Then they made their way back to the Smiths'.
============================== NRPG ===========================================
Abit long winded and touching on nothing in particular 8P
Peter : what info will the smiths' give the agents? the mad woman might not necessary know anything though. 8P
Regards, Lee Sau Woon aka SA Vanessa Lee