Page 24 of Dead Rattled
Ten sat at the conference table in the cold case team’s office. He had a surprisingly light morning with client readings and wanted to do everything he could to get to the bottom of what happened to Natalie’s baby all those years ago.
In all of their work, they’d discovered three names that Ten wanted to take a closer look at; Doctor Andrew Savini, Nurse Kitty Maxwell, and Matron Elizabeth Peters. Starting at the top, Ten typed the good doctor’s name into Google and hit enter.
“Hey, you’re here early,” Jude said, as he walked into the office. “Where’s Ronan?”
“He’s at Cassie’s getting coffees and muffins for everyone. I don’t have any readings at the moment, so I thought I’d do some leg work on the people who worked at St. Agnes House.”
“That’s a good plan.” Jude shouldered out of his messenger bag and grabbed his computer.
“I’ll work on Dr. Savini and you can look up Kitty Maxwell. We’ll give Ronan the matron.” Ronan’s time in Catholic school gave him the drive to become a detective, but Ten knew his husband was always on the lookout for people who took advantage of their standing in the church. Ten had a feeling the matron knew where all the bodies were buried, pun intended.
“What are you giving Ronan?” he asked, walking into the office. Ronan set breakfast on the table and took his usual seat, grabbing for the coffee with his name written on it.
“We’re looking into the employees of the St. Agnes House. I’ve got the doc, Jude, the nurse, so you can take the matron.”
Ronan rolled his eyes. “I’m sure the matron was made of sugar and spice and everything nice.”
Ten would bet the house that she’d been involved in selling Amanda/Hope to Monica and Frederick. He took a sip from his own coffee and turned his attention back to the search results. There were several listings for Doctor Andrew Savini, which Ten expected. What he hadn’t expected were results for Doctor Andrew Savini Jr., and the third. It couldn’t be a coincidence that three men with the same name were doctors. Ten had a feeling they were also related.
Clicking the link for Doctor Andrew Savini III, he prepared to dig in, figuring an article about the younger doc would provide information about the older ones. Ten started to read: Born in Boston in 1997. Suma Cum Laude Graduate of Harvard Medical School 2019. Fourth generation doctor to join prestigious OB/GYN medical practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Practice founded by Doctor Anthony Savini in 1957.
A picture accompanied the article. Four men stood together in white lab coats. Great-Grandfather, Grandfather, father, and son. All four were over six feet tall and had dark hair, with the eldest Savini sporting more salt than pepper. Ten had to admit he wasn’t bad looking for a man in his nineties.
Ten kept reading and hit the jackpot. “Bingo!”
Jude and Ronan startled in their seats. “You okay?” Ronan asked.
“I found the doctor’s family. Four generations of obstetricians, but here’s the most important part, Doctor Anthony Savini began working at St. Agnes House in 1955, only a few years after he got his medical license and started his own practice in 1957. He’d been a medic in Italy during World War II.” Ten looked upfrom his screen. Neither Ronan nor Jude seemed to understand what he’d uncovered.
“I don’t want to encourage long, drawn out explanations,” Jude began, “but you seem to have left out the explanation.”
Ronan chuckled. “Totally agree with Jude. I don’t know why what you said is important.”
Ten sighed dramatically. “The non-church staff who worked at St. Agnes House were volunteers. No one was paid for delivering babies or seeing to the care of the mothers and children after birth.”
Ronan’s eyes widened. “So, if Savini was working for free, how did he have the money to establish his own practice two years later?”
“Exactly,” Ten said. “It’s also interesting that it wasn’t Anthony who delivered Amanda, but Andrew, the second Savini doctor who worked at the house.”
“I’m guessing the elder hooked up the younger so he could make some extra money as well?” Jude wore a look of disgust on his face.
“Makes sense,” Ronan said with a grin.
“What Ten discovered is interesting, but nothing compared to what I’ve got.” Jude’s dark eyes danced with glee.
“Let’s hear it,” Ronan urged.
“I’ve been looking into Kitty Maxwell. She was born in Rockport and was a good girl from a good family. She got her RN in 1970 from Salem State College.”
“Sounds pretty ordinary.” Jude shrugged.
“You’re right. Kitty was ordinary. After graduation, she started working at Salem Mercy Hospital. Where things get interesting is when she started volunteering at St. Agnes House.” Ronan paused, his eyes darting back and forth between Ten and Jude. “Kitty’s life was all pretty normal until she disappeared without a trace in 1974.” Ronan waggled his eyebrows.
“You’re kidding?” Jude’s mouth hung open.
“Notkidding. According to the article from theBoston Globe, she was reported missing by Matron Elizabeth Peters after she failed to show up for work at St. Agnes House. No hide nor hair of her has been found in over fifty years.”
“Coincidence?” Ten asked, having a pretty good idea that it was not.
