Page 68 of Trick of Light
“No need for extortion. Keep this to yourself and I’ll owe you unlimited favors. Any kind you like.”
With that, he pushed aside every part of his personality that he actually liked, planted his hands on the reception desk, ended the nurse’s call for her, and channeled his father. “I’m Barnaby Carmichael, you know that wing over there, the one for obstetrics? My family built it. We donate another million every year. We pay your salary. So when I need something, I expect a good faith effort from everyone in this building.”
“Yes, sir.” The poor nurse jumped to her feet. He made a note to send her flowers or something later. Maybe tickets to a show. He hated acting like this. “What do you need?”
“I need the hospital records of Sophie Brown and myself, Barnaby Carmichael. I’ve written the names and date here.” He passed her a piece of notepaper. “I also need the names of every person who came into contact with Sophie during her stay here. Doctors, nurses, visitors.”
“But that’s…normally that would require?—”
“This isn’t about normal. This is about millions of dollars flowing into your hospital. Do you want to be responsible for cutting that off? I’m sure you’re familiar with my father, John Carmichael the Third. You might even know his situation. It’s been in the headlines. So maybe you are aware that I am currently in charge. Every future bit of funding will come through me.”
The nurse’s glance slid to Gabby, as though pleading for either help or confirmation. Gabby gave her a comforting smile. “These records are so ancient, it’s not like anyone’s going to even notice. It’s not so much to ask, really. Some of them are his own birth records, after all. There can’t be any problem with that.”
The nurse glanced at her phone as if debating whether to ask someone higher up. “Best if we keep this on the down-low,” Barnaby told her. “For everyone.”
“This might take me a few minutes.”
Boom. He had her. “Fast as you can. The quicker you get them, the sooner we’ll be out of your hair.”
She nodded and hurried away from the desk, while another nurse stepped in to take her place. Barnaby guided Gabby a short distance away where they wouldn’t grab attention. “Safiya said they’re going to leave her tox screen results at the front desk in the hematology department. She designated me as an official representative so I can pick them up,” she told him.
“Great. Did you talk to your brother?”
“Yes and he scared the shit out of me.”
Barnaby narrowed his eyes at her, noticing that she still looked pretty agitated. “He wanted you to loop the police in?”
“No, he didn’t say that. He told me to watch my back. He thinks something fishy’s going on, but he didn’t come out and say it.”
Smart guy, thought Barnaby. Without being here, he probably couldn’t say for sure, but he wanted his sister to be aware. “Good advice.” There was something more, he could tell. “What else?”
“Oh, nothing. Just the usual ‘be smart and don’t trust anyone’ kind of thing.” Although she was trying to laugh it off, he could read between the lines.
“He means me.”
Gabby said nothing, which answered that question.
“It’s okay, Gabby. That’s what he should say. He doesn’t know me.” He flashed her a reassuring grin. “I just have to prove that I can be trusted.”
“That might take a while with him.” She bit her lip. “With any of the rest of my family.”
He set his hands on her shoulders, pushing aside the memory of her naked body. “So be it. I’ll move mountains. I’ll reroute rivers. I’ll fight armies. Give me some tests, bring ’em on. Whatever it takes.”
She laughed at his goofiness, but he was completely serious, and after a moment she got that message. “You’re being so dramatic.”
“Some things are worth the drama.” A wave from the desk caught his eye. The charge nurse was back. “Let’s go.”
Like some kind of undercover drug deal, the nurse handed over a manila folder. “We’re still digitizing the archives, so I had to get them out of records storage. I photocopied them, hope that’s okay.”
“That’s perfect. If anyone questions you, tell them to call me. I’ll make sure you don’t get into any trouble for this.”
That reassurance made her slump with relief. “That’s good, because I need this job. I’m up for a raise, is there any chance…?” He nearly laughed out loud at how quickly she’d switched gears from fear to sensing an opportunity.
“I’ll see what I can do. Thanks again, Lissa.”
As they headed for the hematology department, his fingers itched to go through that folder. Gabby must have sensed his eagerness. “I’ll go pick up Safiya’s results, why don’t you find a quiet spot and start looking through this stuff? Just send me a pin, I’ll find you.”
“You’re an angel.”
