Page 73 of Seduction
Fuck, she’s going to be difficult.I had to settle myself and think fast. First, I nodded empathetically. “Zara, I understand you’re being a good friend. Yes, I hurt her. But when she hears from me, I’ll be able to explain what happened, she’ll forgive me, and you’ll be invited to the wedding.” I grinned.
Her neck jutted forward. “Wedding?”
I snorted. “That was a joke.”
She grunted and twisted her mouth thoughtfully. I couldn’t tell what she might be thinking.
“How badly did you hurt her?” she asked.
“Very bad.”
“Who did you fuck?”
I jerked my head back, amazed she’d ask me that. “No one. Her. Only her.”
Her mouth formed anO, then she slapped her hand over it. After a moment, she dropped her hand, cleared her throat, and said, “Knock on my door when you’re done so I can lock up.”
My temple ached from frowning. I wanted to know why she’d reacted that way. “Thank you,” I said instead. Maybe I didn’t want to know.
I watched her until she closed the door behind her. Then I went on a hunt, tracking Penina’s steps. She had used the bathroom. Her face towel was still damp but drying. She’d probably left two hours ago.
Penina’s computer had been shut down, so I powered it up.
“Fuck,” I muttered after the machine finished booting. I needed a password to enter.
I looked in the wastebasket near her desk. It had a few crumpled papers. Then I saw her mail and checked the back of each piece.
“Bingo,” I said after seeing the numbers FR1539. That was a flight number.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and called up the flight number. Sure enough, Freedom Airline flight 1539 had left the airport at eight-thirty, heading to Tampa, Florida.
“What the fuck is in Tampa?” I whispered.
Deb would know.
* * *
Deb didn’t answerher phone. Next, I called the care station, and whoever answered the phone said that Deb was somewhere in the hospital but busy.
On the way out of Penina’s apartment, I knocked on Zara’s door, said, “I’m gone,” and raced down the hallway.
Kirk drove me over to the hospital. I got out of the car and jogged across the quad, through the lobby, and down the hallway. I looked disheveled, which was why a couple of people asked if I was okay, but I didn’t answer. No, I wasn’t fucking okay.
When I made it to the care station, Dr. Baker was charting. She only looked up when I dropped my hand on the counter in front of her.
“May I help you, Dr. Sparrow?” she asked without looking at me.
I took a few deep breaths to make them even. “Do you know why Dr. Ross might be in Tampa, Florida?” I still sounded winded.
Finally, Dr. Baker lifted her head and leaned back. Her lips were slightly parted, as if she were lost for words. “Um, no, I don’t know why she would be in Florida.”
“Family? Friends?” I pressed.
She shook her head. “Her aunt lives in Massachusetts.”
“Aunt? Do you have her number?”
“Um…” She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t think… I mean …” Then she pointed. “There’s Deb. Deb!”
