Page 4 of Safe With Me

“A little ranch off Main Street. Can I see a legal ID? I need to copy it and your insurance card for taxes.”

She reached into her suit coat and pulled out a wallet. “Investigator Solutions, Will’s company, pays my health insurance.” She gave him the cards and a photo fell out.

“Your guy?”

She swallowed hard at the picture. Tommy stared up at her, full of life and healthy as a horse until… “No. That’s one of my brothers. He died.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too. It still hurts after two years.”

“How did he die?”

“He went into the hospital to have an aneurysm repaired and the doctor botched it.”

Pax’s face fell. He looked completely different from when she’d first come in. Even his shoulders slumped. Then he stood and handed her back her cards. “You’re not right for this job, Ms. Giordano. I’ll call Will and have him send somebody else.”

She frowned. “Why all of sudden I’m not right for the job?”

“Because I…because I botched an operation when I was a cardiac surgeon and the patient died.”

Her jaw fell. She drew in a heavy breath. Finally, she stood. “Call Will. I’ll go talk to him too.” Without saying more, she walked out of the clinic and headed back to the office.

* * *

Pax was bombarded by memories engendered by Stepanie Giordano and exacerbated by the new clinic…

“Hey, where’s my music?”

The nurses stared at him.

“Just because other doctors don’t use it here, doesn’t mean I won’t.”

He heard someone say, “Cocky bastard.”

Turning, Pax’s gaze narrowed. “Who said that?”

An intern lifted his chin. “I did. I came to Memorial to learn from the best. I didn’t know you were…like you are.”

“You’re outta here, buddy.”

The intern—he didn’t know the guy’s name—whipped off his mask, surgical gown and hair net and stalked out. Big bravado when Pax could get him booted out of the program.

A nurse put some music on. Its loud blare made his head reverberate. “I need my gown and hat secured.”

Somebody scrambled to tighten them.

“All right, let’s get this show on the road. Spreader…”

Pax forced himself out of the memory. He couldn’t take remembering the rest of what happened. Ms. Giordano’s situation had made it into his heart.

* * *

Will Kirkland motioned for Steph to come in as he spoke into the phone. She dropped down in front of the desk.

“Aw, I’m so sorry you’re so sick to your stomach…yeah, I know you hate being back at the desk. You could go home…all right, all right…I have to go, honey.”

He disconnected with a smile on his face. “That was Katie.”

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