Page 8 of Hush Money

In the dead silence that follows, Ravenna’s smile, such as it is, slowly slips away. She tries to laugh again but doesn’t seem to have the heart for it. Then she shakes her head and keeps shaking it exactly the way I did a few minutes ago.

I don’t blame her. There’s a lot to disbelieve about this entire situation.

When her silent pleas for Lucien to retract his statement get her nowhere, she finally turns her beseeching eyes to me and Daniel for confirmation. Much as I hate pity for myself, I discover I have plenty for this wrecked woman as she sits there trying to figure out what happened to life as she knew it.

Daniel nods.

I nod.

Eternity passes.

Then Ravenna claps her hands over her mouth and lets out an unearthly sound that’s somewhere between a wail and a sob. “It’s not true.” The tears are flowing so hot and heavy that she can barely get the words out. “It’s not true. It’s not true!”

“It’s true, Ravenna,” Lucien says. “I need you to calm down and focus so we can figure this out.”

“It’s not true!”

I’ve seen enough. I hurry forward and employ the strict voice they taught us to use at the hospital when patients’ families get overwrought and start interfering with health care. “That’s enough, Lucien. I need you to get up and get out of my way so I can give her Tylenol and make sure she calms down. Let’s go. Now.”

To my surprise, Lucien complies without a word. I resume my seat by her hip and press her back against the pillows. “Ravenna?—”

“It’s not true! It’s not true!”

“Ravenna. I need you to take some deep breaths and calm down. We don’t want to make your headache worse. And I need you to take this medicine.” I glance around, and the men spring into action, passing me a bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of water.

“But I don’t… I don’t…” Ravenna takes a shuddering breath or two, gradually mastering her sobs and regaining control the way overwrought little kids do when they’ve missed their normal naptime. “I don’t…know who…you are.”

“It’s okay,” I say as I shake out a couple of tablets and hand them to her along with the water bottle. “I’m Tamsyn. I’m here to take care of you. We’ll figure out the rest tomorrow. Okay?”

She swipes her eyes with the back of her hand and takes the medicine. “Okay.”

“Don’t drink too much,” I say. “I don’t want you to get nauseated?—”

Too late. She drinks most of the bottle before I can grab it back from her. Then she eases back against the pillows and rolls to her side, settling in. The effort seems to cost her that last little bit of strength, because her eyes close and her voice is barely there when she speaks again. “I’m tired.”

“I know. You can get a little sleep. I’ll check on you.”

Those eyes flicker open, and she stares at me with unmistakable gratitude for a second before closing them again. “Thank you, Tamsyn. You’re a good nurse. Make sure Lucien doesn’t leave me. I need him.”

I’m touched. I don’t want to be, but I am. And that’s on top of the generalized protectiveness I feel toward all my patients. I almost feel as though the two of us could have been friends under other circumstances. How twisted is that? “I will.”

With that, she relaxes into sleep, her breath immediately evening out.

When I’m sure she’s out, I get up and discover the men standing there looking as shell-shocked as I feel.

Lucien recovers first and comes closer. “Tamsyn,” he says, keeping his voice low. “We need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” I clear my throat, doing my best to get rid of at least some of the tightness there so I can get the words out. “Focus on your wife. She needs you.”

His jaw tightens. “Tamsyn…”

I quickly look away from his penetrating urgency. I don’t have the strength for it. Not with this raw pain growing inside me and threatening my limited self-control. I’m trying to be graceful about this whole situation, but I’m only human and my heart is broken here. Which is exactly what I deserve, because I knew this would end badly for me the first time he gave me one of his smoldering looks, and I foolishly let it all happen anyway.

“We need to find something in the kitchen to eat. Then everyone should grab a sofa and try to get some sleep,” I say with a quick glance at Daniel. “We’ve got a long night ahead of us.”

CHAPTER FOUR

TAMSYN

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