The Medical Murder Mystery Ch. 03

"Now the Cliffords." Myron said. "Darla only has one personal cell phone, no business cell phones. She made very few phone calls; in fact, I went to the lengths of checking tower pings... I think she left her phone at home most of the time. It didn't move. Ladies Auxiliary, grocery store, sometimes the mall, usually once a week to the River Valley Country Club, but for the most part it stayed at home.

"John Clifford's phone went with him to the University. He didn't have many calls, and most of them were to and from his students, and a few were to and from lawyers in the City... I think he was advising them on cases."

"The other doctors in Gloria's group?" I asked.

"Nothing exciting..." said Myron, who then gave a very 'pregnant' pause, "...except that over the past three months, Caroline Muncey has been on her personal cell phones to banks, to real estate agents, and to an advertising agency last week."

"She was planning her move." Diana Torres said. "She was planning to go on her own."

"Yes." I said. "So there were no calls between Gloria Searles and the Cliffords? Especially anytime since she was at the party at the Wellman's on Monday?"

"No sir." said Myron.

"Did Darla Clifford's phone move during the night or morning of Monday into Tuesday?"

"No sir." said Myron.

"What about Paul Wicker?" I asked.

"Still working on him." said Myron. "He's a sleazy one. Two burner phones were found in his office, one hidden in a secret drawer under his desk, the other under a potted plant. Our guys aren't missing those potted plants since that case of the Investment Club murder at River Valley Country Club."

"Well, I'm delighted to hear that." I said, more acerbically than I'd intended. "Okay, folks, that looks like a 'washout' to me." I said. "We're going to have to double down on finding this pharmacist Lockhart. I'm also going to talk again with John D. Clifford-"

Just then there was a knock on the door and the Duty Desk Sergeant stuck his head inside. "Sir, we got an anonymous tip that Mr. Lockhart was seen inside the Smith-Morra Pharmacy. We radioed a nearby patrol to check it out. They found the back door unlocked and went on inside. They found a body inside, and it looks like the man Lockhart himself."

To be continued.