Shah thanked him and requested that any available prescription information be transmitted through a lawful, documented channel.

Paul realized his first instinct at the desk—to search pharmacy records based only on numbers printed on a device—had been too simple.

Such data were not available for casual police lookup, and he made a note to let investigators obtain authenticated records properly.

An emergency-room social worker, Marisol Vega, approached Nora and spoke in a low voice.

“Would you like me to sit here or over there?”

“Here,” Nora said, pointing beside her.