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“Burke? Are they a patient?”
A man leaned on the counter. He was young but had the confidence of a life lived recklessly. His low jeans were nearly falling off his butt, and his T-shirt looked like a designer knockoff. Everything about him reminded me of Miguel, Lucy’s recently departed ex.
“Nah, I think she’s a nurse. Nurse Burke or some shit,” the stranger said.
The person behind the desk shook her head. “I’m afraid I can’t give you any information on staff. If you know her, give her a call.”
“Seriously, bitch, that’s how you’re going to play it?” The guy sneered.
I stepped back and hid behind the doorway as he glanced around.
The receptionist had had enough. She pressed a buzzer. “I’m calling security, since you’re just here to make trouble.”
The guy glowered at her and then leaned on the counter, jumping up a little to get right in her face. Why wasn’t there safety glass there?
“Listen, mama, I’ll show you trouble. I’ll show you how trouble feels when it rips a hole in your pretty chest. Bang,” he whispered, laughing as the receptionist turned pale.
After that, security appeared and grabbed the guy, dragging him away down the hall. I sagged in my hiding place. Miguel’s boss had found me, which meant that they’d figured out who Lucy was and somehow me, too. How? I guessed if they had Lucy’s number, then finding out her name and who her family was wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.
You need to go to the police,pleaded the voice of reason inside my head. Okay, great, go to the police and then what? Would they put us in a safe house? Would we go into witness protection? If we went to the police, we’d be forced to tell them the whole sorry story, and then I’d become a witness pointing a finger at Renato De Sanctis and his family.
We wouldn’t survive that. He’d promised as much.
I had to ask Lucy if Miguel’s cartel connections had contacted her again. I should have gotten rid of both of our phones, not just Miguel’s.What had I been thinking?
I’d been making mistake after mistake since that night, and I couldn’t seem to stop.
To top it all off, I had a long waitressing shift tonight, and I’d just found out I’d be working in the banquet room that was hosting the spina bifida charity benefit – a benefit that half the hospital was attending. But having to serve the people I wanted to take me seriously as a medical professional was the least of my worries.
Outside,the early evening air was cool. Even if it was full of exhaust fumes, it was better than the sterile, recycled air of the hospital.
I set out toward the bus stop, making a list of things I had to get done when I got home. Check in on Lucy, dodge that random gang member looking for us and the missing drugs, and stay out of jail, and avoid being murdered by the Italian mob.
If I wasn’t so tired, I might have cried. Instead, I just dragged myself toward the bus stop. I had just reached the crosswalk when my name was called. In the evening gloom, I could only make out their outlines as they crossed the street toward me, but that was enough.
Detectives Whitely and Vane. Pure panic flooded my chest, and I had to lock my legs in place to stop me from bolting. These were the police; I couldn’t run from them without looking suspicious. Swallowing my panic as best as I could, I tried to subtly glance around the busy street. Renato had warned me he’d be watching. How long would it be until he found out that I’d talked to the cops?
“Miss Burke? Can we have a moment of your time?” Detective Whitely asked as they approached.
I stepped back, my head shaking. “I’m afraid not. I’m late for work. I’m waitressing a charity benefit. I have to go.”
“Have you ever heard the term charity begins at home?” Detective Vane said, falling back into her bad cop role.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning your little sister was very upset the other night. A caring older sister would want to ease her burden, surely.”
A ragged laugh left me at the detective’s callous words. I gathered myself and stopped backing away. I was acting guilty, and I had to get a grip. “Excuse me, Detective, but you don’t know anything about my family. Are you here in an official capacity?”
Both the cops watched me for a long moment before Detective Whitely spoke gruffly. “No. Just concerned.”
“Well, I don’t have any obligation to talk to you and be late for my shift. This isn’t a good time, so I’m leaving.”
“Don’t forget, Miss Burke – we’re supposed to be on your side…if your side is the right one,” Detective Vane called to my departing back.
She had no idea that I’d already promised my silence to the devil, and his was the deal I couldn’t break.
* * *
