Free Rohn Federbush - Sally Bianco 03 - The Recorder's Way by Rohn Federbush Page A

file clerk’s name as she showed The Firm’s credentials. “Sharon, could we wait until you find the medical records for Larry Schneider?”
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    “Did you pack a lunch?” Sharon Daley crowed. Sharon thought her filing job was demeaning compared to her nursing career. If the doctors weren’t lording it over you, some patient with a beef was willing to let you work all night to find a relevant file. Everyone wanted you to believe you would share in the financial rewards from damage settlements. Of course, Sharon was required to first produce enough facts to prosecute incompetent fools, like those with framed degrees littering their office walls. At least as a file clerk, there were no unpleasant bedpans to empty unlike her loftier years as a registered nurse.
    Sharon re-read the request form. “The names of all patients who died between the time the University of Michigan consultants were terminated in 1990 and then reinstated.” She knew the names too well.
    Larry Schneider, t he little boy, was the hardest death to witness. Her friend, Marilyn, went crazy because of it. Stupid drug addict. Sharon hadn’t heard from her since her latest arrest. If the doctors hadn’t been so ready to pay up to keep her quiet, Marilyn wouldn’t have been able to afford her prescription drug habit.
    Sharon scrutinized the couple in the waiting room. Helen Costello wore a pretty blue sweater. The big guy had flashed some sort of detective badge before they made themselves comfortable in the waiting room.
    “Who started the investigation?” Sharon handed over the boy’s file.
    “I’m not at liber ty to say.” The curly-headed chick grabbed onto one end of the folder.
    “If you tell me, ” Sharon promised, “I’ll give you the name of a nurse I worked with on all three cases.”
    “ Sally Bianco came up with the case,” Max said, “during a retreat in Adrian with the same name as this hospital, St. Anthony.”
    Sharon caught her breath. “St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost people and things.” Was she speaking to a friend or foe of Marilyn’s. “My friend. Well we’re not friends anymore, according to her. Anyway Marilyn Helms was doing community service in Adrian. She was arrested with too many prescription drugs in her car. They thought she was a drug pusher, which wasn’t true. She needed every pill for herself. I told her lawyer, but he wouldn’t let me take the stand. I’m sure Marilyn thought I didn’t try hard enough to get her off. She did need help. I was hoping she would be put in a recovery center. She had worked off and on in Ann Arbor with the doctors involved in the cases. They supplied the prescriptions for her elephant of a drug habit.” Sharon thought she might cry. “Looked pretty much like one, too.”
    Helen offered her a tissue from the desk. “Maybe Marilyn told Sally Bianco about the deaths in 1990.”
    “No.” Sharon didn’t think Marilyn would be that stupid. “I don’t think so.”
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    First Wednesday in May , 2008
    The Firm
    Max opened the door for Helen who ran into the back room. “We found one file at St. Anthony’s Hospital.”
    Andrew held out his hand for the file as he smiled. “Now that’s a good day’s work, isn’t it, Max?”
    “ What did the police say when you reported Sally as missing?” Max put his hand on Helen’s shoulder.
    Andrew reached for the phone, rested his hand on the handset. “I gave them her license number, RDS WAY.” He shook his head. “They were more interested in decoding the plate’s meaning than the fact that she could be missing.”
    “The Recorder’s Way,” Max said. Sally Bianco wasn’t one of Max’s favorite people, kind of preachy and cold at the same time; but he didn’t want any harm to come to her on his watch. “Do they know she was investigating a case for us?”
    Andrew rolled his eyes. “Not much of a case, so far. I told them we all thought she’d been the victim of a