Chapter 4 - The Man Inside the Empire
Victor arrived at 1:57 the next afternoon.
Alone.
Clara pointed at the chair.
“You’re early.”
“I’ve been told punctuality improves medical outcomes.”
“Who told you that?”
“No one. It sounded convincing.”
She removed the dressing.
“Any fever?”
“No.”
“Pain?”
“Manageable.”
“You’re lying again.”
“You’ve developed a troubling familiarity with me.”
Clara examined the sutures.
“They’re holding.”
Victor watched her hands.
“You miss it.”
“What?”
“Medicine.”
She paused.
“I still practice medicine.”
“You know what I mean.”
Clara taped fresh gauze into place.
“I miss having an operating room where the ceiling didn’t leak.”
“I could get your license restored.”
Her hands stopped.
“No.”
“I haven’t even explained.”
“I know men like you.”
Victor’s eyes cooled.
“You don’t.”
“Powerful men who believe every problem can be solved by moving enough money.”
“Most problems can.”
“Mine can’t.”
Victor stood.
“Your license wasn’t taken because you lacked skill.”
“A man died.”
“And how many did you save before him?”
“That doesn’t erase him.”
“No.”
Victor’s voice became quieter.
“But neither does one death erase everyone you saved.”
Clara looked away.
Before she could answer, Victor’s phone rang.
He listened.
His expression changed.
“Where?”
Silence.
“Don’t touch anything. I’m coming.”
He disconnected.
“Problem?”
“The man who arranged the dock meeting has disappeared.”
“The traitor?”
“Possibly.”
Victor reached for his coat.
Clara caught his sleeve.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
His eyes dropped to her hand.
“I have to.”
“You’re still weak.”
“I have responsibilities.”
“So do I. Right now mine includes preventing you from ripping twenty-seven stitches.”
Victor looked almost offended.
“Twenty-seven?”
“You counted?”
“No.”
“Then sit down.”
His phone rang again.
This time he answered on speaker.
Daniel’s voice filled the kitchen.
“Boss, we found Marconi’s car.”
Victor said, “And Marconi?”
“Gone.”
Clara noticed something.
“Ask where they found the car.”
Victor looked at her.
“Why?”
“Humor me.”
“Daniel?”
“Outside St. Jude’s.”
Clara froze.
Her former hospital.
“Which entrance?”
Daniel answered, “Service garage.”
Clara turned toward Victor.
“Marconi didn’t disappear.”
Victor’s expression sharpened.
“What are you thinking?”
“Someone was injured at the docks besides you.”
Victor said nothing.
Clara continued.
“If your traitor planned the attack, he might have expected casualties. Maybe he had medical help arranged in advance.”
Victor immediately understood.
“A doctor.”
“Or someone with hospital access.”
Daniel spoke through the phone.
“I’ll pull security footage.”
“No,” Clara said.
Victor glanced at her.
“Why not?”
“Because if someone inside St. Jude’s is helping your enemy, requesting footage warns them.”
Victor studied her.
“What do you suggest?”
Clara reached for her jacket.
“I know that hospital better than your men do.”
“No.”
She stared at him.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re not involved.”
“I became involved when you collapsed in my doorway.”
Victor stepped closer.
“You treated a patient. That doesn’t make my war yours.”
“And you investigating my past didn’t make my life yours.”
That stopped him.
Clara grabbed her medical bag.
“You want answers?”
“Yes.”
“Then stop ordering me around.”
Victor’s mouth tightened.
“You are remarkably difficult.”
May you like
“And yet you keep coming back.”
For once, Victor Kaine had no answer.
