Page 60 of Ground Truth

He adjusted his jacket, rested his hands casually in his pockets, and sauntered toward the front entrance. At the door, he pushed the button to ring the bell and heard the pleasant chimes ringing indoors.

The maid’s hurried footsteps approached, tapping swiftly on the natural stone tiles. She stopped to swing the door open wearing a big smile and a crisply starched apron over her colorful house dress.

“Dr. Brand,” she said, pleased to welcome him. “So nice to see you again.”

“You look wonderful, Krystal,” he said with a big smile as he stepped into the cool indoors. “How’s your family?”

Krystal’s wide grin showed one gold tooth in front. “They’re all grown now, Dr. Brand. Off to college. I don’t see them much.”

She closed the door behind him and stood with her hands folded over her ample belly. “Mr. Hedinger is waiting in his study. I’ll bring fresh coffee. French press?”

“We’ll enjoy. Thank you, Krystal,” Brand replied as he stepped away, walking down one of the long corridors that led from the central foyer. Hedinger’s study was at the end where the room opened onto a private patio. Beyond that was a spectacular unobstructed view of Atabei and the aquamarine sea beyond.

Brand knocked on the rustic wood door before he entered. He crossed the wide room decorated with Spanish style furniture and accent pieces and outside to join Hedinger on the welcoming patio.

“How did the surgery go?” Hedinger asked, as if he actually cared about the patient’s welfare.

The question was perfunctory. Full payment had cleared last night. Hedinger didn’t care at all about the patient and they both knew it.

“He’ll be fine. We’ll bring him here in a couple of days. To the far wing of the house. And he’ll have a private nurse. You won’t see him or realize he’s here.” Brand stood with hands clasped behind his back, consuming the view for a few moments before he finally sat across the table from Hedinger.

Brand crossed his legs, taking care with the creases in his trousers. From experience, he knew Hedinger would come to the point only when he was damned good and ready. Efforts to rush the process would be futile and fruitless. He clasped his hands loosely in his lap and waited.

Krystal brought the aromatic fresh coffee and juices and water. She arranged the serving table and left again.

Hedinger waited a few minutes, expecting Brand to squirm with nerves. Which he most certainly would not do.

“You have a problem,” Hedinger stated flatly. “One that could impact me. We need the situation resolved. Immediately.”

“What kind of problem?” Brand replied as coolly as he could muster.

“Greta Campbell,” Hedinger said. “Her sister has hired investigators to find her.”

“Her sister?” Brand croaked and then cleared his throat. “Greta was estranged from her sister. They hadn’t spoken in years. Not since their mother died.”

He began to sweat. Perspiration dotted his brow and his upper lip. He felt it pooling in his armpits and running down inside his shirt.

“Seems she’s back in the picture. She believes Greta is alive. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” Hedinger stared, his unflinching gaze harder than steel.

Brand shoved his hands under the table, stalling. What was the old despot fishing for?

When Hedinger had a problem, it was not merely solved and forgotten. Those responsible were always, always eliminated with extreme prejudice. Bodies simply disappeared, like this morning’s heart donor had done.

“I have never met Hanna Campbell and never spoken to her. I wouldn’t know her if she walked into this room wearing a name tag,” Brand replied after clearing his throat several times.

“Why does Hanna believe her sister is alive?” Hedinger demanded.

“How would I know?” Brand clasped his hands together to control the tremors and slow his racing pulse.

“Tell me what’s on your conscience. While there’s still time to resolve matters,” Hedinger said coldly.

When Brand failed to reply, Hedinger narrowed his eyes and continued. “Do you imagine that I don’t know everything already, Dr. Brand?”

“The opposite. I’m certain you know everything worth knowing in the world.” Brand cleared his throat again, shaking his head. “I told you. Repeatedly.”

“Tell me again.”

“I dumped Greta out of the boat without a life jacket. I watched her sink. We were ten miles out into the Gulf. It was dark, cold, storming. There’s no way she survived. How could she?”

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