Page 4 of Lake's Legacy

“Do you think it has something to do with them both transferring from Omega? Maybe someone doesn’t like it when nurses and doctors leave Omega,” Joyce offers. “You need to be careful.”

She’s likely joking, but I can’t say I hadn’t considered the connection. They both dated Dr. Calder, who works at Omega in pediatrics. He’s dated almost every female nurse and doctor at the hospital. His dalliances last between one and two weeks. He tried it on with me before I left, but he backed off when I told him I was dating a motorcycle club member. I don’t see him caring about either Marcia or Talia leaving Omega. He seemed pretty happy when they both left.

“I doubt their disappearances have anything to do with Omega. They didn’t work in the same department until they transferred here,” I say.

“But they both got dumped by the same doctor,” Joyce smirks.

“That’s right. Dr. Calder,” Sylvia says. “Talia mentioned him. She said she wasn’t surprised when he ghosted her. She knew their relationship had an expiration date. However, I remember Marcia was more upset. He pursued her after she told him she wasn’t interested. He claimed that she was different, but of course, that was just a line. She was angry for falling for it, especially after she found out…” Sylvia’s voice trails off.

“Found out what?” I ask.

“She wanted to keep it a secret, but it no longer matters. She’s probably had it by now. Marcia was pregnant. She was four months along when she disappeared. The baby would be two months old by now.”

Marcia was pregnant? “Was Dr. Calder the father?”

Sylvia shrugs. “I think so, but she didn’t say only that the father was the world’s biggest asshole. Which is the same thing she said about Dr. Calder.”

I frown as I consider the ramifications. Would Dr. Calder be so despicable as to attack the mother of his child? He’s a narcissist, but is he also a psychopath? My gut screams yes.

“She might have just left town to have the baby somewhere else,” Joyce supplies.

“Wouldn’t she have given notice first?” I ask. “She wouldn’t just disappear. Neither of them would.”

“I don’t see Talia burning bridges. Although she’s a good nurse and probably wouldn’t have trouble finding another job. Marcia is a doctor. She wouldn’t have to give notice. It isn’t like they’d take her license. Maybe she wanted to set up a private practice somewhere else.”

“I’m hoping they both found hot guys with lots of money who swept them off their feet,” Sylvia says.

Joyce snorts. “You read too many romance novels. That would never happen in real life.”

“Don’t any of you have work to do?” Dr. Merkel asks.

“Sorry, doctor,” Joyce simpers. I may have only been in the department for five days, but I know Joyce has a massive crush on the attractive doctor. His golden blonde hair is thick with a touch of a wave at the top. His sculpted cheekbones and straight nose create a handsome face, highlighted by his dark green eyes. I can understand her attraction, but he reminds me too much of Dr. Calder for him to do anything for me. However, Joyce pulls out all the stops when it comes to enticing Dr. Calder. She’s blonde, but I doubt it is her natural color. She also wears a tad too much makeup for her position. I don’t wear much makeup as a rule, primarily because it is too much of a hassle. However, I’ve seen the reaction of new mothers around Joyce, especially when the eyes of the new fathers follow Joyce around the room, mainly because she wears her scrubs that are at least one size too small to enhance her ass and tits.

Checking my watch, I have another two hours before I can leave. The guys should be home by then. I can’t wait to see Lake. He’s only been gone two weeks, but I’ve missed him. Hell, I’ve missed all of them. The clubhouse has been eerily quiet with them gone. I know Cleo and Delphine have missed their men, too.

Those two hours fly by. I shower quickly, change into street clothes, and stuff my scrubs into a bag. My focus is only on seeing Lake again and welcoming him home. I’m thinking of the two of us naked in his bed, so I don’t notice my car losing speed until I hear a horn blare behind me.

Jerking, I press the gas, but the car lurches before slowing down further. What the hell? Pulling to the side, the car behindme flies by. I see the one-finger gesture the driver gives me before he turns the corner and takes off. Jerk. Turning off the engine, I wait several seconds before trying the ignition. The clicking sound is not what I want to hear. What the hell? I just took the damn car in last month. What’s going on?

I’m parked next to an empty park about three blocks from the hospital. The only lights come from the streetlamps. Apartment buildings surround me, but they look deserted. I don’t spot a convenience store, gas station, or bar. Grabbing my purse, I dig around inside, looking for my phone. When I can’t find it, I dump the contents on the seat, but still no phone. Where is my phone? I had it earlier when I photographed Abigail and her new family.

Abigail! Thinking about her reminds me of her story. How her car broke down, and two men tried to kidnap her. The cops found Talia’s abandoned car, but not Talia. My gut screams to escape the vehicle and find a hiding place. Grabbing my keys and wallet, I yank open my door. When I slam it shut, I spot headlights passing by the entrance to the park. The van passes under a streetlamp—a white van heading directly toward me. I’m fucked!

CHAPTER THREE: LAKE

As Levi said, when I call Olivia’s phone, it goes to voicemail. However, when I open the app that shows her location, I see that she’s at Tulane Hospital.

“Her phone is at Tulane?” I ask Levi.

“She transferred over to Tulane a week ago. She got a position in obstetrics because she needs the experience for her nurse practitioner certification.”

I’m disgruntled that she didn’t mention changing jobs, but our phone calls while I was in Ireland with my brothers were more about checking in than long conversations. Since I couldn’t share what we were doing, I didn’t encourage her to fill me in on everything going on in her life. Now, I wish I had.

“Did you try calling the hospital to have them page her? Maybe her phone died,” I suggest.

Levi just manages to keep from rolling his eyes. “I just called. They said she left about thirty minutes ago.”

I move toward the door, intent on searching for her.

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