The questions from the citizens of Shelby aren't over.
Chapter 14.
That afternoon, Cameron received the results on the tests for Flynn. He was perfectly healthy. She attributed his acid reflux to foods he'd eaten, and wondered how the jail food would affect him.
The clinic wasn't as busy as it had been during the morning. That gave her time to think about everything that had happened. But now Anderson could deal with it.
Her last patient, an infant of five months, had an ear infection. "She might need further treatment when she's older, or her ear canals might widen enough on their own to drain properly," she told the mother. "For now, I'll give you prescriptions for ear drops and an antibiotic. She should be fine in a short time."
She couldn't believe she had finished for the day.
Carol poked her head into the exam room. "If it's okay with you, I'll be heading home."
"No problem." Cameron smiled. "I'm thinking of calling House and telling him to meet me home instead of the diner. A repeat of the lunchtime crowd bombarding me with questions would be hard to deal with, although maybe he should have his chance."
Carol chuckled. Cameron had described the scene when she returned for the afternoon. "If he arrives first, he'll ward off the brunt of it."
"He's probably there already. I don't know what I'm worrying about. Linda provided enough interference to make it less intimidating at lunchtime."
Carol pointed to her cellphone. "Call and see whether he's there."
"He'll probably complain that I didn't warn him." But she hit contacts and then his number as Carol left.
"Bet you got a taste of this at lunch," he said instead of hello.
"Linda helped me run the gauntlet to the booth. I'm afraid once I divulged some of what happened, the demand for information grew to sizable portions."
"Yes. Dinner size. I'd leave and meet you someplace else, but it's bound to be the same everywhere in Shelby." There was a clamber of voices in the background.
"There's always Snow Hill, though I doubt you'd want to drive all the way back there." Cameron made a popping noise with her mouth that she'd learned from House. "I'll be right there. Maybe we can handle this together." She gathered her things, turned off the lights, and left the clinic, locking the door behind her.
She walked to the diner, thinking about a strategy. But when she walked through the door, all was calm. She looked around and took her seat. "How'd you do it?"
"Magic." House smirked, and she rolled her eyes. "I told them you'd be making a statement after dinner."
"You didn't!"
He didn't even look sheepish. Instead, he gave her his 'gotcha' look and ducked.
Unfortunately, she didn't have anything to throw. She snarled at him through dinner, eating as slowly as she could. When she couldn't stall any longer, she put down her fork and pushed her plate away.
The customers took the cue.
"One at a time, please." She smiled at them as they formed a line snaking down the length of the diner.
"Is it true that Langley tried to kill Edna McClelland?" One of the men who'd worked on the Labor Day decorations asked.
Cameron shook her head. "He kidnapped her, or had her kidnapped, and was keeping her in a room at the hotel. She's safe at home." That turned some worried looks into smiles.
Pete was next. "Why'd he do it, Doc?"
"We don't know for certain. He has a grudge against Will Davis, but that's certainly no reason to abduct Edna." She looked past him to the waiting crowd. "If anyone has any information about Mr. Langley's motivation, please contact Chief Anderson."
A woman Cameron remembered from her visits to the clinic took Pete's place in front of her. "Dr. Cameron, I think it might have something to do with Vicky's death. He mourned her passing for months, and he's never been the same since."
"Yes, I've heard that. Tell me, Mrs. Hardy, do you know anything about what happened to Vicky Langley?"
"I only know she fell. Oh, it was terrible. Such a nice woman, too. I know she drank sometimes. They say she was drunk, and that's why she went over a railing."
"Do you believe that?" Cameron asked.
"It's not for me to say." Mrs. Hardy leaned closer and whispered in Cameron's ear. "I think he pushed her, or someone did." Her head bob up and down once. "But no one could prove anything."
Cameron wondered about that. If it was true that Langley pushed his wife over the edge of the balcony, why would he hold a grudge against Will? Why would he think her death was Will's fault? She glanced at House, hoping he heard what Mrs. Hardy said.
Mrs. Hardy made way for the next in line, the night clerk she'd talked to. He seemed more worried than everyone else. "What's going to happen with the hotel?"
"With your boss and the daytime clerk in jail, you and the other staff may have to take over."
That seemed to scare him even more. "That means lots more work for us. Maybe the hotel should close down."
"And what will happen to the guests who are staying there already or have a reservation?"
He shrugged. "We don't get that many guests. I think the prices are too high for this area, but Mr. Langley thought it made the place seem more 'exclusive'." He actually used air quotes when he said exclusive.
"If there aren't too many guests, your job won't be any harder than it has been. Perhaps you can take care of the current guests and refuse to take any new reservations. Then the hotel could close in the near future, until a next owner takes over." She didn't tell him that, if he wanted a job with any later owner, he should show his loyalty to the hotel, rather than Langley, although he didn't seem to agree with the recent management of the place. "Langley does currently own the place, doesn't he?"
"Oh, yeah. And he doesn't let the staff forget it."
The conversation gave Cameron a clearer picture of the man. She still didn't like him, not after the things he'd done or had done by others. The night clerk might have more information she could use. "Is there a tall member of the staff with darker skin?"
"You mean Micky? He tends the bar during the lunch and dinner hours, and runs errands for the boss in between."
"Yes, Micky. Do you know his last name?"
The man hesitated. "Why're you asking?"
"He helped me yesterday. I wasn't sure he was an employee or not."
"That's 'cause he refuses to wear a uniform and Langley lets him get away with it."
The people in line behind him fidgeted, so Cameron finally thanked him and wished him luck.
The next person was Sharon Davis. "Allison, are you sure the police have the man who's been doing all these things? I want to be sure we're safe, and Seth and Carol, too."
"Sharon, we think he's behind everything. We can link him not only to Edna's abduction but the incident with the scaffold out at the construction site. I believe I know now who attacked Seth and Carol, and I'll let Anderson know so he can question the man." She didn't want to give her a false sense of security, though. "Until we know for certain that there isn't anyone else involved, please be careful. That goes for Will and your daughter, too."
Sharon nodded. "Thanks, Allison. You, too, Dr. House." She made way for Luther, the shipbuilder.
He held a cap in his hands, similar to one House sometimes wore. "I think I might have some information for you." He grasped the cap as if it might fly out the door if he didn't. "Didn't want to go to the police 'cause I didn't want to get anyone in trouble."
"What's the information, Luther?"
"Mr. Langley had his boat brought into my shop 'bout a month ago. He doesn't use it much, but still it seemed to have lots wrong with it. The teak racks in the cabin was all torn up, and the latches broken, like someone broke in, maybe stole something." Luther stopped. "Don't wanna get anyone in trouble."
"Did he say who might have used the boat?" she asked.
"Well, no, but Mr. Flynn came in with it and he said some kids had partied on it."
"Kids? Any specific kids?"
"No."
"Well, thanks Luther. Chief Anderson might want to have a look at it and question you."
"'fraid it's all fixed up again. The boat's out by the dock on the bay."
"Do you have a record of all you did on it?"
"Sure. I keep records on all my work."
Cameron answered the questions of all the others in line, but didn't learn anything new about Langley or Flynn. Linda came over with a piece of pie. "Figured you'd need this after all them folks questioning you."
"Thanks Linda."
"Don't I get a piece?" House whined.
"I didn't see you fieldin' any of those questions."
"I was taking notes."
Linda grinned. "What kind ya want?"
House looked over at Cameron's piece. "Gimme whatever she's having."
Meanwhile, Cameron punched in the chief's number. When he answered, she told him what they learned, especially about the hotel's employee who fit the description of the man who attacked Carol and Seth, and Langley's boat.
"I'll send a man to question the bartender. How do you think the boat fits into anything?"
"I don't know, but it was odd enough for Luther to think I should know about it."
"So folks are bombarding you, too, about what happened last night?"
Cameron smirk. "Yes. I would imagine you've had visits from many of the town's populace."
"It's been non-stop all day." He sounded even more exasperated than she was. "People coming in, phoning, texting even. Claiming to have information for us, mostly false leads. But it sounds like you've actually gotten more from those you've talked to."
"I hope it helps. There has to be at least one other person involved, maybe the bartender."
"Well, I'll call you once I've talked to Micky. What did you tell the night clerk about keeping the hotel open in the future?"
"To have the staff keep the place running as long as they had customers. They can't turn people out who are already staying there." She took out a pen and piece of paper to write something down. "I also told him to refuse any future reservations. Won't someone else will be running the place with Langley in jail? Did he say anything about selling it?"
"He said nothing about anything. Guy's like a clam. Flynn's the opposite. Let me know if you learn anything else. People talk to you."
"I will." They ended the conversation, and she jotted down something else.
"What are you writing?" House tried to read it, but despite the fact that he could read upside down almost as well as right side up, he couldn't make anything out.
"A list of people who might know something about Langley's boat and who used it."
He nodded. "Will Anderson talk to the bartender?"
"He said so. I think by this time he'll be happy to get out of the office and the barrage of those wanting to know more about Langley's arrest."
"Technically he's just being held. I think they have to go through a court proceeding to charge him."
She smiled. "Is there anything else you want to do before we go home?"
He pointed to her paper. "What about your list?"
"I'll talk to Pete again before we leave here, but the rest can wait until tomorrow." She stuffed it in her purse.
He followed her to the counter to hear what Pete had to say.
"Pete, I have a few questions for you this time."
"Sure, Doc. How can I help you?"
"Do you know Langley's boat?"
"I think so. He keeps it at the dock where I keep mine."
"Does he ever let anyone else use it? Have you seen anyone take it out?"
Pete started to shake his head, then stopped. "That feller who's at the reception desk at the hotel took 'er out a coupla weeks ago. Weren't you askin' about him before? Flynn?"