The Oaths We Keep

Chapter 7

Barnes and McClendon gathered in Taylor's office shortly after the kidnapper's call. "Okay, these guys mean business, so we need to move fast. Barnes, head to the coffee shop and see if you can find whoever worked on Monday. McClendon, go to Dr. Harper's office and see what you can find out there. I'll call the airport and find out if he checked in for his flight. We need to see if we can get the surveillance footage from the parking lot, the terminal, and anywhere else he went on Monday. Let's get to work. The clock is ticking."

Several minutes later, Barnes arrived at the coffee shop. She approached the counter and introduced herself to the young woman working the register. "May I speak to the manager, please?" she asked in her most pleasant voice.

"He stepped out, but I can help you," the lady behind the counter said eagerly.

"Okay, were you working Monday morning around 9 o'clock?"

"Oh yes, I work just about every morning. Every morning this week, for sure."

"Do you recognize this man?" Barnes asked as she showed a driver's license picture of Conner Harper to the woman behind the counter.

"Yeah, that's Dr. Harper. He comes in here a lot. He usually gets the bear claw and a mochaccino. He's a nice guy, always leaves a tip."

"Do you remember seeing him on Monday?"

"Sure do. He came in and got his usual. Is Dr. Harper in trouble or anything?"

"No, we just need to ask him a few questions, that's all. Do you remember what time he came in exactly?"

"Yeah, he was in here around nine or 9:30. Sorry, I can't be more exact than that."

"Thank you for your help." She turned to go and then quickly turned back again. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a couple of those bear claws left, do you?"

Several blocks away, Officer McClendon arrived at the medical plaza. Doctor Conner Harris' office was located on the third floor of the building. A short elevator ride later, McClendon found the office near the end of the hall. He was surprised when the door to the office opened. Sitting behind the glass of the reception area was a middle-aged Hispanic woman.

Walking to the reception desk, he saw the lady was on the phone. She waved him over and put her hand over the phone's receiver, mouthing the words I'll be right with you. She turned her attention back to whoever was on the other end of the phone. A few minutes later, the conversation ended, and placing the receiver back on the base, she finally turned her attention to McClendon. "I'm sorry about that. Are you here to make an appointment?"

He presented his badge, "No, ma'am, I'm Officer McClendon with the Warrenton PD. I need to ask you a few questions. Mrs.?"

"Malia Lopez," she said, visibly upset by the presence of the police. "Is everything okay? Did Dr. Harper make it to his conference alright?"

"Well, that's why I'm here. Were you working here on Monday, and if so, do you remember seeing Dr. Harper?"

"Yes, I was here on Monday all day and didn't see him at all."

"Are you certain? Was anyone else here on Monday?"

"No, Dr. Harper doesn't have a partner, and he gave the nurses the week off while he's in Chicago. I'm here to run the phones and make appointments. You know, keep the office running."

"I see. You wouldn't know the last person to talk to him Monday by any chance, do you?"

"No, I didn't see or hear anything from him. Is he in trouble? If he is, I bet Erin is beside herself with worry."

"No, ma'am, no trouble. We need to ask him a few questions. Do you know his wife very well? Do they have a good marriage and get along?"

"Oh, yes, they do. You know, Erin may seem to be the number-crunching banker climbing the corporate ladder and all, but deep down, she's a sweetheart. They have the cutest kids, too. From what I can see, Dr. Harper seems happy with his marriage."

"So, do people need a referral to get an appointment to see Dr. Harper?"

"Oh no, you don't have to be referred. We deal with plastic surgery, and we get all kinds. People hurt in accidents, or ladies who want to, you know, have a little lift here and a tuck there. Some want a little added or removed, so you know all types. Referrals from other doctors are usually from accident victims or people trying to cover blemishes or scars."

"I see. Thank you, Mrs. Lopez, you've been a big help."

Taylor confirmed that Dr. Harper never used his boarding pass for his flight to Chicago. He requested that the security footage from the airport be sent to the department, but judging by the information Barnes learned, it was likely Harper never made it to the airport that day. Secretly, he doubted that the kidnapper waited until he arrived at the airport. Too much security going in and out would make it a difficult place to stage a kidnapping. Taylor suspected the most likely scenario was the kidnappers taking him either on his way to the office or the airport.

His desk phone rang, snapping him out of his train of thought. McClendon told him what he found out at the office from the secretary. "Our kidnappers must have found out he was flying to Chicago from the office worker then. Any chance she was in on the scheme?" he asked McClendon.

"I don't think so," McClendon responded. "She seemed surprised and concerned that we couldn't locate him. I didn't mention a kidnapping; she did not indicate that she knew he was gone. I think she's clean."

"Alright, come back, and we'll try to figure out another angle," Taylor said. Looking up from his phone, he saw Barnes walk into his office. He hung up the phone in frustration. "So far, we've got nothing. We know he was at the coffee shop and never reached his office or the airport. So where did he go between those locations?"

She wondered where someone would go if they were leaving for a trip. "What if he needed to pick up something from a store? Something he may have needed for his trip. Like maybe from a retail store or drug store. Someplace with travel-sized products."

"Some place small. Not a big box store or a place with a high traffic volume. Isn't there a drugstore not far from the coffee shop?"

"Yeah, there is, and it's tucked away from view by an auto parts store, and it's on the way to the airport.

"I'll call McClendon and get him to meet me there. While I'm gone, see if you can get more information from Erin Harper."