Page 22 of One More Chance

The sliding door opened, and someone came out.

“Don’t mind me.” Bruce stepped onto the patio, carrying one of Jax’s beers, and took Kenna’s seat. “How are you folks tonight? No more kidnappings?”

She sighed, shifting on Jax’s lap to face Bruce. Jax tugged her so she leaned her shoulder against his chest. “Oh, you know. Same old. Enjoying a quiet evening in. Just the two of us.”

Bruce sipped the beer. “Don’t blame you. It’s nice out here.”

She sighed. Jax chuckled, and she felt it under the palm of her hand—the one braced on his chest. She was probably squashing him, but he didn’t seem to mind. He could shift her off him at any time. She kind of liked it right here.

“There’s no more steak,” Jax said. “We only defrosted two.”

Bruce waved a hand. “I already ate. Then Maizie called and told me the story of your afternoon. And I thought this morning was exciting.”

“No one got thrown through a window here,” she said.

Bruce grinned. “Night is still young.”

Kenna frowned. “Is there a reason for your visit?”

“I installed some more sensors, more cameras, took care of some other business. Maizie is rebooting your security system. Once it’s live, I’ll get out of your hair. But we need a plan for this doctor guy.” He took another sip of beer. “First thing tomorrow, let’s roust the guy out. Make him tell us what he did to you.”

“You’re all in with this law firm?”

“I looked into them. They’re practically famous—in certain circles, anyway.” He sat back in the chair, looking at the yard. “You guys should put in a pool out here.”

Jax said, “The neighborhood has a community pool.”

“You could fit one in here.” Bruce waved at the grass. “It would be more private.”

She asked, “Can we get back to the subject at hand?”

Bruce glanced over. “You mean how to take down these sons of?—”

“Yes, that. We have a lot of work to do. First thing, not tonight. We need a full background on this doctor, and I need to look into a cold case.”

Jax said, “The cold case can go on the back burner. Your health is more important.”

She heard a trace of worry in his tone and didn’t like it.

“We also need to talk to that doctor lady,” Bruce said. “’Cause if she falsified your test results or was paid to tell you that you’re fine, we need to know.”

“She probably has nothing to do with this.” Kenna figured that given how quickly they’d kicked her out and told her not to come back, it meant they were good people. She was the threat to them as far as they were concerned. “I want a follow-up on those kids, though. Make sure they’re placed with a good family.”

Nicola Santorini didn’t need to be in the line of fire just because they’d brought the woman into this. If Nicola had nothing to do with it, then Kenna wouldn’t make her a target.

“I have an initial report on the doctor guy,” Bruce said. “Top of his class at Harvard medical. Forty years ago now. Since then? Nothing. The guy has been completely off-grid. No employment record. Not listed as practicing anywhere.”

“So he isn’t a licensed physician.” Great. She had some hack, who’d started with promise but now operated with no oversight, messing with her while she couldn’t fight back. “I’m feeling the need to dissociate with a cold case.”

“I’ll take a vacation.” Jax squeezed her hip. “We can work it together.”

Bruce saluted them with his bottle. “Bon voyage. I’ll take care of the doctor while you’re gone.”

“Thanks for offering.” But he knew she wasn’t going to do that.

Bruce made a face. “Figures you’d say that.”

“I want to know what he did to me.”

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