Page 82 of Chandelier Sin
And if the fucking insurance assholes would back off.
I wanted to get home to clear my mind, sit on my balcony and watch the rolling waves hit the shore. Maybe order in food. Later, I’d watch a movie while reading a research paper, what I did most nights when not on-call.
Ahead of me appeared a tall, elegant woman dressed in a Burberry trench coat and pointed, heeled boots. She looked like a young, stylish Jackie Kennedy.
She removed her sunglasses.
Eve.
I hadn’t seen her for two days, but it seemed longer. Still, it hadn’t exactly been the best day of my life when we’d met at her Beverly Glen home. Kind of my worst, considering I’d lost a patient in strange and unusual ways.
We stared at each other.
She came closer. “I would ask if this was a good time for you, but it has to be.”
“Good to see you, Mrs. Roper.” A jab at her for keeping that from me.
“This isn’t a social visit,” she said.
“Here to visit a patient who’d crossed paths with your husband?”
She seemed riled. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
I’d fallen for that before. So no, there’d be no speaking in private.
“What do you want?” I asked, feeling annoyed. Though it was pleasant to admire the pretty woman.
“I want to clear something up.”
“Go ahead.”
“What you think you heard—”
“Are you referring to the execution?”
Her eyes watered, but she regained her composure. “A car backfired.”
“Right.”
“Whatever you think happened, didn’t.”
“I look forward to speaking with Ben about it.”
She swallowed hard. “He doesn’t want to speak with you.”
“I get that same response from most dead people.”
“Look, they know where you work.”
I glared at her. “Well, you’re here, so that’s obvious.”
“They know where you live. Your gym. Where you eat breakfast sometimes.”
“Café Milan, best breakfast burrito in town.” I looked away. “That reminds me, I must make an appointment with a cardiologist.”
I glanced back at her and saw her frustrated expression.
I assumed this threat came from Roper. She was merely the messenger. Still, it was no surprise they needed reassurance that I would keep my mouth shut.
