Page 71 of In Death, Love Survives
“The other side of the state.”
“Best prison medical unit in Montana. Maybe one of the top in the country. She’ll thrive there.”
I try to stifle my annoyance, knowing that’s what he wants.
“Has she accepted it?”
Dr. Owens starts to write down notes in my chart.
“She doesn’t know yet. But she will.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“I’ll be going too.”
He pauses.
“Well, in a few months, once their head retires. They have an immediate need for Dr. Fletcher.”
Dr. Owens is acting wildly suspicious. I’m not sure what he’s found or why he’s oversharing with me, but something is up.
“I’ll have to tell her my congratulations next time I see her.”
“Which is tomorrow?”
“That’s right.”
“Then it’ll only be a matter of days before you’ll have to start getting used to Tim.”
“Tim? Who’s Tim?”
“He’s a psychologist who reports to Nova. We just got to hire another therapist, so maybe you’ll be assigned to the new person when they’re selected.”
Dr. Owens clasps his chart tightly against his body.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
He looks at me like I’m a threat.
“I want you to know that any infatuation you have with Dr. Fletcher is just that. You aren’t the first person who’s come in here and tried something on the innocent woman.”
“I respect Dr. Fletcher.”
“Good. We won’t have any problems then until she leaves.”
“If she leaves.”
Dr. Owens gives me a tight smile.
“She will be leaving. In addition to this opportunity, Dr. Fletcher and I will be an item. It’s what’s best for someone of her caliber, don’t you agree?”
It’s a rhetorical question and one that I’m not going to be baited into answering.
“Officer Barnes?”
The corrections officer who brought me here opens the door and waits for his next set of directions.
“Mr. Walker here can return.”
