"In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same." -Albert Einstein
Chapter One
Nate sipped his coffee as he sat at the bar under his apartment. Just as Nate was about to relax, a close childhood friend texted him. He and Everett didn't hold much of a relationship. Yet, he found himself looking over the text for the tenth time.
My mom, Audrey, was murdered. I really need your help. —Everett
The middle-aged woman sighed as she sat down and ordered some diluted bourbon. She took a sip of the strong beverage.
"Accidental?" Everett thought.
She signaled for the bartender to give her another round. Her smile was crooked towards the familiar scruffy-bearded man, but he smiled back at her. His eyes were trying to avoid the beverage in front of him.
"I'm sad to hear about Audrey," Nate said.
She rolled her eyes at the words, chuckling. "I am so tired of people apologizing."
She tossed the file to him, nursing her drink. Nate read it over, then closed it after hearing the ruling.
"It looks authentic. Audrey's therapist said she'd been upset since she got the news about Kyle's death in Afghanistan. She was already suffering from depression."
Everett groaned. "She didn't commit suicide, Nate. I know my mom. She was happy and doing better. Her therapist is wrong. You have to help me, Nate. I know that she didn't do this. Please," her voice cracked slightly when she begged.
"I'll have someone check it out, and I'll get back to you if we discover anything."
A small smile appeared on her tired expression. "Thank you."
"I'll call you a cab," he said, getting up.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly, and then he went to his apartment over the bar. Parker and Eliot were once again fighting on the couch.
"Move, Parker. You're too close," he growled.
She frowned. "You move. This is Sophie's spot. I'm waiting for her."
"Where is she?" Nate asked.
Parker knew the answer: Sophie had started seeing someone over the break. Parker shrugged and began to push Eliot.
"Move!" she yelled.
Nate gave Eliot a look as he sat his mug on the coffee table in front of him. Eliot grumbled and moved off the couch and onto the seat on the side of the blonde thief.
"Hardison, I need you to do some background on this mental hospital for me."
He handed the file to Hardison, who looked over the name: Lilly's Mental Sanctuary. He started typing the name into search engines. Nate sat down next to the seat that was protectively claimed for Sophie.
Sophie arrived when Hardison was ready to present the briefing.
"Aster Cowl, 32, he's the administrator of Lilly's Mental Sanctuary. This psychiatric ward has won awards for the best care with five stars. Now Everett isn't the only one who tried to expose them; there have been countless accusations of deaths that have been trampled with lawsuits and paperwork. I tried digging, but there wasn't anything out of the ordinary."
"Were the deaths suicide?" Nate asked. The hacker nodded. Nate continued, "Our client said something about the therapists lying about her report. What do we have on everyone that works there?"
Hardison typed away on his keyboard. Parker elbowed Sophie roughly.
"I kept your secret," she said loud enough to cause Nate and Eliot to stare.
Sophie gave her a sad smile for the effort. "It wasn't a secret, Parker," Sophie whispered, "Everyone needs a little privacy."
Nate was still staring at the grifter.
"The therapists are all highly qualified with large bank accounts. What's weird is that the staff gets paid more than the therapists. I guess they're getting a little something-something for staging the bodies," Hardison jokes, causing Nate to give him a disappointing look.
"I guess we need to pay Lilly's Mental Hospital a visit," Nate said, still staring at Sophie.
"What con are we doing?" Sophie beamed, not taking her eyes from the screens.
"The long con, you think you can help us with it?"
A smile grew on the grifter's face. "Parker," her English accent showed from the thief's name. "We need to work on your acting. You are going to be inside the sanctuary. We would need you to talk to the patients, see if they know anything about these deaths, so, for you to be a patient, then you have to act the part."
"When isn't Parker acting like a psych patient," Eliot mumbled.
Parker shook her head quickly. "I'm not good at grifting. I Stab, Sophie."
"Parker, I'll help you," once Parker gave her an uneasy nod, Sophie turned to Eliot, "Eliot, you can be one of the doctors. You'll be able to look at the medical files without suspicion. Hardison, you'll be watching the feeds and making sure you have a track on everyone. I'll be the psychiatrist to see if I can connect more with the patients. Maybe I'll get them to reveal some things. Nate, you'll be the guard to learn more about these 'deaths.'"
"Then who will watch Parker? If these guards are killing off people, then who's looking out for Parker?" Eliot asked, trying to mask his concern.
"I guess you would need to work on your acting too. You'll join Parker as a patient." Sophie said to Nate.
Parker raised her hand. "Then who's going to lure the mark?"
Sophie had in mind whom she wanted to play the part. "I'll take care of it."
"Hardison, are there any openings?" Nate asked. The hacker typed on his keyboard, then shook his head. "Make one. We need to get two patients, a doctor, a shrink, and a guard in a psych ward," he smirked as he joined the hacker in front of the team. "Let's go steal a psych ward."
Hardison childishly raised his hand, "Wouldn't we be stealing patients?"
"That'll be kidnapping, genius," Eliot growled.
"So," the comment caused everyone to turn to Parker with confusion.
Nate sighed as the three started bickering. "What about Let's go steal a sanctuary. It has a nice poetic ring to it," Sophie said.
Nate placed his head in his hands. "The moment's over, Sophie." Sophie smirked, mouthing sorry.
This is a rewrite of story I posted a year or so ago that got lost. After growing in skills, im glad im able to write this the way I want. Please review, like, etc. Ill always appreciate constructive criticism.