AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We’d feel like you didn’t think we were good enough to meet your new friends.”
“You don’t think that,” Bruno gives the doctor’s arm a little shake, “Do you?”
The doctor’s eyes flash from Bruno to me, then back. And then back again.
Bruno says, “There was a time, if I remember right.”
“Oh, yeah.” I say, “ That time a little while ago, when the good doctor was worried. Yes, Bruno. I do remember that.”
“Thinking back, Doc, you were pretty fortunate to get your position as head of surgery and chief neurology consultant. Do I remember that right?”
“Look…”
I say, “There was some mixup with the rostering as I remember.”
“Oh, yes,” Bruno’s eye widen. “Weren’t there two very unhappy patients, talking about bringing malpractice suits against our good doctor?”
“That’s right,” I say, lifting my index finger. “Then at the last minute,” I snap my fingers, “They decided to drop them.”
“A happy result,” Bruno puts his hand on the doctor’s shoulder. “Smiles all around. Isn’t that right, Doc?”
“At the time,” I point my finger straight up, “I remember him saying it was all for his family, though. Do you remember that, Bruno?”
“Yes, Donna Fortuna, I do remember that very clearly.” He turns to smile at the doctor. “You must have loved your family very much.”
I nod. “Back then.”
His eyes stretch and gleam. “What are you talking about?”
Bruno’s head shakes. “Seems like he’s not so crazy about them now.”
“Wait. What is this?”
I shake my head, too. “No, it seems quite sad, Bruno. If he did still love them, I don’t think he would have had secret meetings. He wouldn’t have been collaborating against us.”
“No,” Bruno droops the corners of his mouth. “Giving away privileged information?”
I nod, slow and sad, then shake. “Helping those who would wish us harm.”
The doctor is looking frantically from Bruno’s face to mine and back.
Bruno’s voice drops, almost to a whisper. “Working with our adversaries.”
“Enemies.” I add. “Being…” my mouth twists and my voice comes out with the trace of a hiss, I lean toward him, “a rat.”
Bruno puts up his eyebrows, then lets them slowly droop again. “He really must not care much about the family at all anymore.”
“Wait,” the doctor tenses up. the muscles on his forearms knot and stand out. “Stop it.”
“Calm down, Doc,” Bruno’s hand grips the doctor’s shoulder harder. “Relax. We’re just chatting. Bringing each other up to date with our news, Right? Because,” Bruno lowers his head and gives the doctor an encouraging smile, “I think you may have been a little remiss, not keeping us abreast of your social calendar.”
“Tell me what you want,” his voice is hardly above a croak. “I’ll do anything. Whatever it is. Anything. Just tell me.”
Bruno says, “I don’t know.” He looks at me. “What do you think, Donna Fortuna?”
My head shakes. “I don’t see how we can trust him. Do you?”
He’s quiet for a moment. Takes a breath and gets a hold of himself. “I know there’s something you want. That’s why you’re here,” he blinks. “That’s why you’ve tracked me down…”
