Page 40 of Guarding the Doctor
“Go.” Kathryn’s tone was firm.
“I can’t leave you alone,” I said quietly.
“I’ll be fine in here around all these people,” she insisted. “Martha’s in the Fishbowl, she’ll keep an eye on things. Go find Yuri.”
“I can help in here,” Stacy said. “When you find Yuri, tell him I need to talk to him.”
Texting Martha to ask her to keep eyes on my mate, I stepped out of the ER into the stairwell and called Lois.
“Yuri’s disappeared,” I said when she answered the phone.
“He’s not down there with you?” Lois confirmed.
“No, we haven’t seen him since he left the house and he’s not responding to texts from his mate.”
Lois swore. “His car’s in the hospital garage, Martha saw it when she came in. He must be there somewhere.”
“We need to find him,” I said, heading downstairs. “I’m going to check the janitorial office, then head down to the lab if I don’t find him.”
I had no doubt that his disappearance had something to do with Xi’s lab downstairs, but it was possible he’d gotten stuck with his supervisor.
“There’s something else,” Lois said. “Wanda said the mics turned off about fifteen minutes ago. She was trying to re-start them remotely, but it’s not working so they may be onto us.”
“Understood.”
“Who’s with the client?” she asked.
“Martha.”
“Be careful. Report in and try not to blow our cover if you don’t have to,” Lois said firmly. “I’m heading over with Cassie and Angie, but we’re at least twenty minutes out. Damned traffic.”
The janitorial office was one floor above the lab, one floor down from the ER. I exited the staircase and headed over there at a fast walk, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself. Pushing the door open, the door bounced against the wall, making the older man at the desk jump.
“Where’s the fire, missy?” he grumbled.
“Where’s Yuri?” I asked.
“Yuri? You mean the Russian?”
“Belarusian,” I corrected automatically. “Where is he?”
“I assume he’s in the ER, that’s his assigned area.”
“He’s not. Did you send him somewhere else?”
“I don’t see why that’s any business of yours.”
I leaned across the desk, grabbing him by the collar and letting my some of my vampire power out, just enough for him to feel danger. He gulped loudly and I smelled his fear.
“Where was he going last time you saw him?” I demanded.
“I sent him to apologize to that Chinese bitch down in the research lab,” he said, pointing to the floor in the direction of Xi’s lab. “She’s got her panties in a wad because he spilled water on her fancy shoes. Sent him down to smooth things over.”
Without answering, I released him and headed back to the staircase, texting Lois to let her know Yuri had gone to the lab and not come back.
Lois:We’re stuck on I-5. There’s an accident.
Darla:I’m going down to find him.
