Page 18 of Reflections of Peonies
“Oh, now you’re cooperative,” he said. “Then let’s see. These are the facts: Four months ago, I sent my senior investigator to scope out a potential trafficking hub. She reported that it was run by a man named Eric Richards. Shortly after that, the same investigator went above my head and adopted the only witness I have in this case—your current patient—and then was forced to retire due to misconduct. I’ve read the initial report and understand that questioning her needs to be handled with sensitivity. But I need to know—we need to ask her—who is Eric Richards?”
Trinity laughed. “She’s only eight. How is she supposed to know?”
“I know how it seems,” the man said coolly. “But she is our only lead.”
“Even if I agreed, which I don’t, she’s in no state to talk to you.” Trinity watched the man warily. “No judge can force that. She is a child who has been severely abused.” She paused, and her mouth dipped before she continued. “But, if you’re wondering if she knows Eric Richards’s contacts, then no.”
The man’s fingers twitched. “You’ve assessed her?”
Trinity’s tight expression fell slightly. “Sometimes transferencecan’t be helped, especially in highly emotional situations. I will not read her though—sorting through the memories of traumatized individuals is too risky. But… you won’t accomplish anything by pursuing this.”
He was silent for a moment, tapping his pen against his papers. Hesitation crept into his voice when he spoke again. “Did you learn anything about the conditions she was kept in?”
“What?” her voice was like ice.
“We don’t know the full magnitude of the situation.” He waved his hand in the air, frantic for the first time. “If I can generate a report on how dangerous this man is, we might secure more resources for the investigation—”
“Obviously, she was sexually abused,” Trinity interrupted. “I managed an initial exam when she was first brought to me. However, she now refuses further treatment and given her current mental state, we can’t compel her to do it. I can treat her to the best of my ability, but remember, I am a general practitioner, not a pediatric gynecologist. However, the patterns of her outward injuries also suggest that she was hunted for sport.”
My thoughts turned dizzy. It was the worst possible outcome I could have imagined.
“Eric Richards and his people are wolves,” she said. “You’re searching for shifters.”
Bianca POV
“What’s wrong?” Dr. Reed’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I glanced at her. “Did something happen?”
She and Julian had been conversing on the other side of aborrowed office, and I was taking advantage of quiet as I still shivered from a feeling I couldn’t quite place.
When I’d woken up, everything had seemed normal. My face was dry, I was back in bed, and the nurses seemed the same. Had I imagined the night before?
It was possible. I’d also had that very weird dream. I might even be going crazy.
I couldn’t tell Dr. Reed. It would make everything worse. I couldn’t act suspicious. I hadn’t even realized they were paying attention to me.
“I’m fine.”
“Bianca,” she said and waited until I looked at her to continue. “You’re clearly not fine, and there’s only so much I can do at this juncture. Your parents will not approve your discharge until there is significant improvement.”
I blinked at her. Improvement with what?
“What?” she asked.
“Um,” I began. “What—what do you mean?”
“You need to talk to someone,” she told me. “Do you think you’re able to discuss things with Dr. Nam now?”
I pushed back on the seat and wrapped my arms around my knees. My attention wandered between the two of them before lingering on Julian.
Right now, Julian was my doctor, not my friend. This distinction was glaringly obvious even in our positions. He sat across from me, near his mother, and when Dr. Reed touched his arm as he moved to come to me, he had stopped.
The look in his eyes made my soul ache.
With difficulty, my focus tore from his and returned to hers. “Talk about what?”
What did they want from me?
“Bianca,” she said, her shoulders drooping. “You need to, eventually, discuss what happened before you were adopted.”
