Page 93 of Careless Whisper

“So, we’re ready to come back. Reggie and I, both.”

There was a pause.

“Together?”

“Yes.”

“That’s the best news I’ve had in a long time.”

I let out a slow breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “She was worried she wouldn’t have a job.”

“Youshould’ve been worried,” he scoffed, “not her.”

“What can I say, Dr. Cabrera, you’re a veryencouraging kind of boss,” I drawled and got comfortable in Ignacio’s chair in his study.

“Yeah, I am,” he declared and then added, his voice serious, “I thought you’d want to know. Dr. Loring’s contract was terminated last week.”

“That took a while.”

“It takes the time it takes when you have to investigate delicate matters. But we put her on leave a month ago—we just finally sacked her now.”

I tried to look into myself, to see how I felt about Maren and I realized that I feltnothing. No sense of victory or loss—just blank space. She wasn’t important, she’d never been. I’d just refused to see it.

“What’s the mood in my department like?” I asked.

“I’ve been running the department, so you know how it goes!”

“The beatings will continue until morale improves?” I deadpanned.

“Exactly,” he guffawed.

I rubbed my forehead. “I didn’t think they’d actually fire Maren.”

I had thought Maren would find a way, she always did, and I’d have to navigate having her in the hospital and making sure she didn’t hurt Reggie.

This was good news and a relief.

“Had no choice. That little ethics investigation you kicked off? Turns out it had legs. And teeth. Some skeletons from previous hospitals surfaced—patternsand reports that were buried. Nothing illegal, but a hell of a lot of unprofessionalism.”

“Thanks for telling me.”

“And Elias?”

“Yeah?”

“How’s your ability to handle conflict coming along?”

I grinned. “She’s coming home with me.”

“Good job, son.”

I told Reggie about Maren that night as we walked to get paletas from the cart by the church.

Her eyes widened in surprise. “She got fired? I really thought she’d get away with it.”

“So did I,” I admitted. “Cabrera says the review board practically drafted a dissertation on her toxic behavior.”

Reggie let out a short laugh. “I’m glad. That woman should not be practicing medicine. Not with how vindictive she is. She could hurt patients…hell, she already has.”

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