Page 23 of Free to Fall

“I’ll leave that alone if you’ll answer this., Do you honestly believe she’s in a good enough mental place to be watching over my girl?”

“Yes.”

“Keene.”

“Fine. Personally, I think she’s been ready to resume her job.”

“Then why hasn’t she?” I challenge.

He ignores me, instead choosing that moment to brag, “Laura was rapidly rising to become one of the best emergency room doctors in the country.”

“No, that’s not family pride talking at all,” I drawl laconically.

“It’s actually not. It’s based on her last four years’ worth of evals Sam managed to inveigle from the Greenwich Hospital HR department.”

“What’s your opinion then on why she hasn’t gone back?” I phrase the question differently.

“She watched as her colleagues and patients were gunned down in front of her face.” I wince, having lived that experience with her. I know what mental anguish this woman suffered. Keene continues, “Not to mention she took a shot through the left shoulder. Her physical therapist has said she’s good to go.”

“It’s her mental state,” I conclude grimly before hesitating only briefly, “I have a right to ask ...”

“Ask.” My gaze whips up to meet Keene’s. He shrugs. “What’s the worst I’m going to do? Say no? Not answer?”

“What does her therapist think?”

“Physically and intellectually, she’s ready, but there’s something missing—something that’s made her stand out as chief resident.”

Impressed despite myself at Dr. Laura Lockwood’s credentials, I question, “What’s that?”

“Her emotions,” he declares bluntly. “She was a doctor who was as comfortable holding a scalpel as easily as she held a patient’s hand. I’m afraid for her of what will happen if she doesn’t find that part of herself again.”

“But she’s mentally stable?” I press.

Keene releases a beleaguered sigh. “Would I be here if she wasn’t?”

“Speaking of that, why are you here? Why not her father?”

Keene stands. Just like that, he’s wrapped his cloak of reserve back around him. “Caleb’s in the middle of ... something. Since I was coming into the office today, I told him I’d speak with you.”

Sitting forward, I drum my fingers against my desk as I give the idea some thought. “It would help me out of a massive bind. Mrs. Destry leaves in a little over a week and I’m no closer to finding someone who can help Bailey, regardless of the ridiculous salary I’m willing to pay.”

He heads for the door. “Let me confirm Laura is ready for this.”

Panic causes me to surge to my own feet. “Wait. I thought this was a done deal.”

“The idea is done and the seeds of execution have been planted. Now, it’s time to see if they root—on both sides.” Keene nods just as a ping indicates I have an incoming email. “You’ll need the password ‘Delph1!’ to unlock the files Sam just e-mailed you about Laura.”

“What do they contain?”

“History, background, media, the usual. It also contains her therapist’s sign-off for your peace of mind.” Knocking on the door frame, Keene disappears from my sight.

I sink back into my chair and pull myself up to the edge of my desk. Turning the discussion with Keene over every which way, the only things that are disquieting to me are what I don’t know yet about Dr. Laura Lockwood. Pulling up the email from Hudson’s resident hacker, Sam Akin, I pause before opening the file attachment. “Well, at least I have more factual answers in here than whatever family bias Keene might have for his niece.”

Typing in the password he gave me, I open the first file and quickly become absorbed in my subject. It quickly becomes apparent to me Keene is right—again, though I’ll refuse to admit it, since it just adds to his enormous ego.

On paper, his niece is remarkable, bordering on a wunderkind. I scroll—and scroll—past the number of immediate family relations. Murmuring aloud, I read, “Graduated with top honors from Skidmore at barely nineteen, finished Yale Medical School at twenty-three, earning one of the coveted Yale Medical Coaching Experience spots.” My eyes skim over the titles of academic research and journals she’s been cited in, awards she’s received during her career.

Then, I read a file of news clippings about the night of the shooting—none of which mention Dr. Laura Lockwood as one of the victims of Paulie Tiberi. None of which name my daughter. Thus the power behind the men I work for.

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