Page 36 of Ruled By Fate

“Rashida.”

They shook, and Brie barely avoided dropping all the files onto the floor. The woman steadied the more precarious ones with a cheerful laugh. “Maybe you’d better sit down.”

Brie put her paperwork and sad-looking sandwich down on the nearest available table and pulled up a chair. “Seriously, thanks for this. I know it’s your territory, and I don’t want to impose—”

“Nonsense, I’m glad for the company. You’re much livelier than my usual lunchmates.”

Brie shot a look at the rows of horizontal body lockers lining the wall and laughed nervously. “Yes, I imagine so.”

Rashida cocked her head appraisingly, looking her up and down. “I heard you had a baptism by fire this morning.”

Brie stopped unwrapping her sandwich and glanced up. “What do you mean?”

“Weren’t you the one on the code with Dr. Matthews? The one who called him out?”

Brie lowered her lunch, horrified. “How do you even know about that?”

“News travels fast around here,” said Rashida. “Especially when so many examples of his handiwork end up in my domain.”

“What do you mean?”

The woman was unboxing some Tupperware that contained a heavenly-smelling rice dish.

“Matthews has the highest mortality rate in the hospital,” she said perfunctorily.

Brie’s eyes widened. “That wasn’t… that wasn’t the first time it’s happened?”

Rashida shook her head.

“We call him Dr. Death. He’s been brought up before the M&M review board three times, but they’ve never been able to prove negligence. Always say he’s justified in his decisions. Eventually, people just stopped registering complaints. It doesn’t make any difference except for making us look insubordinate. Denise is the only one who stands up to him anymore, and that’s because — well, you’ve met her. It’s possible she’s too powerful to fail.”

Brie laughed nervously. “She does seem formidable.”

Rashida nodded and talked around a bite. “Very. But fair. Best charge nurse in this place.” She swallowed. “If someone in my family was sick, she’s who I’d want taking care of them.”

Brie picked at her sandwich, feeling troubled. “Did people say I was insubordinate, too?”

The woman laughed. “Don’t worry. If Matthews hates you, it can only be a point in your favor. Nobody likes that greasy little rat. Also, call me Ida.”

“Ida, you are a breath of fresh air on an otherwise oxygen-free day.”

“Pleased to meet you, too.”

The two spent the rest of their lunch break chatting occasionally and slogging through their respective mountains of paperwork. When it was time for Brie to head back upstairs, Ida walked her to the door. “Come back tomorrow. Bring coffee.”

Brie saluted in return. “Of course.”

Then Ida opened the door and gasped. “Holy mother of Zeus!”

Brie’s chest tightened in a panic that was becoming all too familiar. “What is it?”

Without waiting for an answer, she rushed to the door herself, only to find her own personal guardian angel standing in the frame. He was holding coffee.

“Brianna. Keeper of the Dead.” He nodded to each of them in turn and flashed a breathtaking smile, extending the paper cups. “I thought these might help brighten your day.”

Rashida turned to Brie with a dumbfounded expression. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but you can’t have male escorts in the hospital.” She glanced back at the angel. “Even if they look like that.”

“I didn’t… he’s not…” Brie stuttered in consternation and took a deep breath. “Ida, this is Cameron. Cameron, Ida. She’s a forensic pathologist,” she added pointedly. “Not ‘The Keeper of the Dead.’ Mostly because this isn’t ancient Egypt.”

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