Page 35 of Drake Eternal

The last thing I wanted was someone finding my phone and checking through my photos for something incriminating. I’d had enough controversy and scandal in my life for more than a lifetime.

I dressed and grabbed my briefcase, then went down to the breakfast room for a quick cup of coffee and bagel while I read the news headlines on my cell. I had a busy day of surgery and consultation, and had to be in top form, so I made sure I had enough caffeine but not too much, then took the limo service to the hospital.

After checking in with the OR nurse to see if things were still on schedule, I went to the change room and changed into my scrubs. I looked over my patient’s chart and reviewed the CT scans and MRI. Then, I went into the OR theatre and scrubbed in.

The surgery was exceptionally delicate, and so I was glad to see my favorite resident had arrived and was preparing to scrub in with me. It would be a good day.

Hours later, when I was finished and was sitting in the break room for a much-needed rest before I checked in on patients, I got a text from a number I didn’t recognize. The message was simple:

Check out Page One. Quite the wife you got there…

I frowned and googled Page One. I never paid any attention to it, although I knew it was owned by one of the country’s biggest media moguls. Robert Page, a billionaire from England who emigrated to America and made his fortune in the news business. Who also was Kate’s employer.

Page One was the gossip part of the paper.

I went to the website for Page One, and there at the bottom of the screen was a photo of Kate sitting very close with a young man. A young man who was holding her hand. He had his arm around her and was leaning in close, her hand clearly in his.

I felt a jolt of jealousy fill me at the sight of her sitting with a young handsome man at what looked like a party. And he was handsome. Even I could recognize it.

I read the caption below the photo:

Billionaire Robert Page’s heir Carlton and escort at the annual summer staff party.

Carlton Page? They were claiming that Kate was his escort?

It had to be a mistake.

He had tousled hair and a strong jaw, an expensive suit and looked every inch the billionaire’s heir.

Was it the student party on Friday that Kate mentioned in passing? She never said anything about some fellow student holding her hand…

I tried to tamp down my jealousy and worries about her fidelity.

She wouldn’t cheat on me.

Kate hadn’t said much about the event, except she went home early when everyone else was heading to a rave.

I checked the number on my cell and ran a quick search, but it didn’t come back to anyone in my contact list or anyone I knew. I sighed and rubbed my eyes.

Someone was trying to make me nervous about Kate. Make me doubt her commitment and faithfulness.

Someone in Manhattan? Who?

I didn’t want to ask Kate outright. I didn’t want her to think I doubted her for a moment, because I didn’t. Although seeing her sitting so close to a young man who was holding her hand did make me jealous…

I couldn’t help but feel incredibly possessive about her.

She was the love of my life. The mother of my daughter. My soulmate.

But it was clear that someone wanted me to second guess her fidelity. Someone wanted to plan a seed of doubt in me about Kate.

Who?

I took in a deep breath and went back to my office. After I closed the door and sat behind my desk, I checked my contacts for the number of Kyle Burke, CEO of Brimstone Security, the security company I used back in Brooklyn.

I checked my watch. It was one o’clock in Nairobi, but it was eight o’clock back in New York. I called anyway, because I had Kyle’s personal number. I trusted him and his staff with my life.

“Kyle,” I said and took in a deep breath. “Sorry to bother you so late and at home, but I need your help.”

---