Edge of Mercy (A Kate Reid Novel Book 11), Robin Mahle [freenovel24 .txt] 📗

many students and while I do recall Dr. Bishop as being one of my brightest students, I’m afraid whatever I wrote in his file, I can’t seem to recall exactly.”

“Let me refresh your memory, Doctor.” Walsh retrieved the files. “On the third of October 2012, you wrote that Theodore Bishop had been thought to have played a very serious prank on another student. One that states here you couldn’t prove.”

“Oh, yes. I recall now.” The doctor pushed up the glasses on his nose. “It was some time ago, but I recall a student coming to me insisting the reason he missed his exam was due to an illness. That illness, he indicated, was a direct result of Theodore Bishop placing some sort of laxative in his food. Of course, it’s a harmless college prank until it results in someone’s grades suffering.”

“Sure.” Kate nodded. “And then less than six months later, near the end of the first year, Bishop was written up for suspected cheating on an exam.” She peered at him. “Given Bishop’s grades, why would he have needed to cheat on a test?”

“I don’t suppose I’m the person who could answer that, frankly. But the test results were considerably better than all of the other students. And it appeared, while there was no concrete proof, that Bishop, in fact, obtained the answers in some form or another.”

“And nothing was done in either of these incidents?” Walsh asked.

“These were unproven infractions. Notating them in the file was the only course of action,” Simmons replied.

“And then this last one was written near the end of his medical school training and involved a cadaver,” Kate added.

Dr. Simmons cast down his gaze and fidgeted with his fingers. “Yes, well, that was an unfortunate situation wherein Theo took it upon himself to use the cadaver in a fashion deemed unacceptable by the school.”

“Unacceptable? Can you elaborate on that?” Walsh asked. “The report doesn’t go into much detail.”

“I’m not sure I can recall the precise situation, other than the fact that he conducted unauthorized tests on the subject. It rendered the cadaver useless. Cadavers are quite expensive for medical schools.”

“I can accept your responses, however, that doesn’t explain how Bishop still managed to graduate near the top of his class and then get accepted into a residency program at Our Lady of Mercy, which I understand is a top teaching hospital,” Kate said.

“Again, I don’t think I’m the person to answer that question. Perhaps that should be directed at the administration.”

Kate glanced at Walsh. “The administration?”

“Well, yes. They’re the ones who transmit the student’s records and transcripts. Every hospital he would’ve applied to would have received Theo’s transcripts.” Dr. Simmons peered at them. “Is there anything else I can help you with? I’m afraid I have a class starting soon, if not.”

They stood from their chairs before Walsh added, “I think we’ll stop back in at the front office. Thank you, Dr. Simmons. This has been very enlightening.” He offered his hand.

“Yes, it has.” Kate also shook the doctor’s hand before following Walsh to the door.

“Can I ask you something, Agent Reid?” Simmons said.

Kate turned back. “Yes?”

“The obvious question would be for me to ask if Theo Bishop was in trouble with the law. After all, the FBI doesn’t request private records for nothing. Has he done something wrong?”

“That’s what we’re trying to find out.” Kate nodded. “Thank you for your time, Dr. Simmons.”

As they walked along the grounds back to the administration office, Kate began, “I wonder if the hospital was given the reports on Bishop?”

“You think the school withheld them so he could get into a good residency program? What would be the point in that?”

“I don’t know.” She peered at him. “Maybe they were covering their asses.”

“Covering for what?” Walsh added.

“I say we talk to Dr. Reese again and find out.”

“Then maybe head over to the hospital and see if we get any similar stories about Bishop,” Walsh said. “If we get the goods on Bishop, combined with what the witnesses have said? I think that’ll be enough cause for us to bring him in for questioning.”

14

Senior Unit Agent Cameron Fisher made the trek to Unit Chief Cole’s office. Cole had been at BAU Quantico almost since its inception. He’d helped spearhead the department structure that ultimately became the three units inside of the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Cole had seen it all and seemed to know exactly how to move forward when others didn’t. When he brought in Nick Scarborough, a Washington Field Office transplant, Fisher didn’t question him. That wasn’t entirely true, but he didn’t overstep the bounds of authority. That wasn’t who Cameron Fisher was. Not when he was a first-rate detective back in New York and not now.

“You wanted to see me, Chief?” Fisher stood in the open doorway.

“I did. Come on in. Take a load off,” Cole replied.

“What can I do for you, sir?” Fisher asked.

“I wanted to check in and see how things were progressing on the case out of Houston.” Cole leaned back in his chair and rested his hands over his slightly oversized paunch. He was pushing 60 and seemed to have put on a fair amount of weight over the past couple of years. Still, Cole was a distinguished man with nearly white hair and deep “eleven” lines between his eyes.

“The team is spread out right now. Scarborough and Duncan are on their way back from Los Angeles. Walsh and Reid are in Providence filling out the suspect’s history.”

“You’ve settled on a prime suspect?” Cole asked.

“Yes. We have enough corroborating evidence to suggest the man we’re interested in is a Dr. Theodore Bishop. At the very least, we want to track him down and ask questions.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Fisher studied him. “I’ve worked for you for a long time, sir. This case wasn’t the only reason you wanted to see me, was it?”

“Not entirely,” Cole began. “I wanted to know how the team was—getting along—with you at the helm.”

“So far so good from