"They’re brothers. What one of them does, the other does too. Haven’t you noticed?"
The driver sounds surprised.
"But Stuart never called from the limo?"
"Nah, he didn’t care. He and his wife had an arrangement, I think."
Evy sighs.
"Evy, in all the year I have been James’ driver, I have never seen him so angry."
He stops for a few seconds.
"I just thought I’d let you know."
Evy makes a face.
"Thanks."
She hangs up on him.
"Eric, are you still there?"
It’s quiet for a long time.
"Yes, Evy, I’m still here."
She gets up suddenly and turns when she hears a key in her lock.
"What?!"
"Hello Evy…"
Evy can hear Eric’s voice when the door opens.
"James! Where do you have a key from?!"
Evy’s voice is loud and shrill. The door closes with a loud bang, and he is suddenly next to her.
"Where do you think?"
Now her voice is only a whisper.
"From Stuart."
He smiles and tilts his head before grabbing her arms. The pain races through her.
"Don’t tell me where and when. Do you have any idea how much you cost me every month? Do you even realize where you would be without my money?"
He pushes her back harder than he has ever done before.
"Is that James Schmidt?"
Eric’s voice is loud but far away because Evy’s no longer holding the phone to her ear. She screams with pain when he pulls her into the bedroom by her hair. He hits her hard in the face, and throws her onto the bed with a force that makes her let go of the phone. He leans down over her and yells:
"You dress like a teenager. You’re a whore. Dress like one!”
She screams again when he hits her a second time. She sees his next strike in the mirror before she feels the pain. Then she curls up with her back to the mirror, and it’s as if she’s no longer present in her body.
"Evy! Evy!"
Somehow, Eric’s voice manages to get through. She sees the phone and slowly reaches for it, but James gets to it first.
"Evy! Evy!"
Eric’s voice is clear and strong. James stares at the phone, before he picks it up. Then he slowly says:
"Eric Taylor."
Evy stares at James.
"Eric, I don’t have time for you right now. I’ll get back to you later. Trust me."
He looks at Evy and smiles. Then he throws the phone through the room, and, with a deafening crash, the mirror wall breaks and falls to the floor with a sound she’s sure the neighbors can hear. ”They’ll be here soon. They’ll be here soon.” She feels how her clothes are torn from her body and hears a crunching sound from her ribs when James hits her hard in the side. Another blow hits her on the cheekbone, close to her ear. The pain is unbearable, but soon the pain coming from her abdomen is worse. ”Oh, please don’t let me lose consciousness.” But her wish isn’t granted and soon she slips away.
"Wake up, whore!"
James is standing over her, fully dressed. She feels another blow and she registers a surprising smell of leather.
"Finally awake, are you? I want you to be awake for this."
He holds a piece of glass under her nose. He’s wearing gloves.
"Do you see?"
He doesn’t wait for her to answer but bends down over her and shakes his head.
"And so, you became a simple whore. And a whore who’s ready to do anything. You could’ve at least tried to be a classy call girl."
He shakes his head again, and Evy sees the light reflected in the piece of glass and then a flash cuts through the room. She feels a pain just over her collar bone and her scream cuts through the silence. She’s no longer in control of her body and the screams go on and on. He tries to cover her mouth and for a moment she can taste the leather from his glove mixed with a taste of her own blood. Then she manages to kick him in the stomach, and he falls over on the floor as her screams fill the room again and again. For a moment, he stares at her, and then he gets up and holds his head high.
"I’m not finished with you. Trust me, Evy, I’m not finished."
Her screaming stops at once and her eyes are wide open.
"See you soon, Evy."
She looks down and sees the blood on her body and on her legs. When she looks up, he’s gone.
Chapter 7
The sun is close to the horizon when Nathan takes out his phone from his pocket.
"Did you get the results from my tests? You should’ve called me earlier today."
He listens for a while.
"Yes, I can imagine. But I’ve had my phone on me all day."
He listens again, getting more and more annoyed.
"Are you saying that you’ve had the results for over a day and haven’t called me?"
The voice on the phone gets louder and Nathan holds the phone away from his ear.
"Then I guess you’d better put me through to the doctor."
He has also raised his voice.
"Yes, I can imagine that he’s busy. Yes, I can imagine that. But it’s simply not OK to let me wait for the results without telling me anything."
His voice reveals the expression on his face.
"Yes, at nine is fine."
Then he just hangs up.
"As if I don’t have enough to worry about."
He throws the phone down on the table and it slides almost all the way to the edge on the other side of the table. His eyes follow its way across the table and continues down to the letter on the floor.
"I’m not waiting until tomorrow!"
The window in the door rattles when the door handle slams against the wall.
"Take it easy, Nathan. What’s wrong with you?!"
The nurse looks at him and folds her hands on the desk in front of her.
"Nathan, close the door."
He stares at her.
"Nathan, close the door."
There’s a strange, attentive look on Nathan’s face, and he nods, turns around and closes the door.
"Thank you."
Nathan comes back to stand in front of the nurse. He has never understood why a man his doctor’s age would have a nurse that young. In his view, she sends a signal of ignorance and he always ends up getting angry with her.
"I will not wait until tomorrow. I’m here now and I want the results."
But that doesn’t seem to have any effect on her.
"That’s not the way we do things here. You get an appointment and then you get to see the doctor."
"I don’t have to see the doctor. I just want the results. Now."
”Now, she’s doing it again. Making it clear that she’s the one in charge.” Nathan smiles to himself. ”I wonder if they have more in common than work?” He looks around. The very modern desk, the cupboards, everything seems to belong in the clinic of a doctor that has just started his practice, not in the practice of a well-established doctor. Everything seems too young and a little too cheap for Nathan’s taste.
"The doctor is just in."
Something in her voices catches Nathan’s attention. She never calls him “the doctor”. She always calls him by his first name, Brian. Nathan can’t help but wonder if something has changed between them. Maybe the doctor had made a pass at her and been rejected. He shakes his head. ”What do I care? I have enough on my mind.”
He turns away and looks at the other patients who are waiting. Some look at him with disapproval, some with surprise and some are just angry. Nathan shrugs and turns to face the nurse again.
"I can’t give you the results, Nathan."
Nathan stares at her for a long time. She just stares back.
"The results?"
"Yes, the results."
"Why not? It was just a routine check."
She nods.
"You know that after m
y wife was diagnosed so late, I’m always very keen to get the results as soon as possible."
He glances at the other patients. They are all listening to every word he says. "Even if I know nothing is wrong. I can always make small changes in my diet, how I sleep, my exercise, you know."
Nathan keeps staring at her, but she shakes her head again.
"You remember the different tests we made?"
Nathan nods, ”that was the most stupid question today, little lady.”
"Yes, the doctor…"
”She called him that again.”
"…ordered some additional analyses. The results of these have also come back."
"Yes, well, it’s been over a month. I’ve asked several times."
"Yes, and now they’re back."
"Yes?"
"The doctor wants to see you."
Nathan’s eyes get bigger and he follows her small, compact body as she walks over to the cupboard. She takes out a key from her pocket and opens it and then she slowly flicks through some medical records. ”What is she doing?” He suddenly feels like he’s being pulled into an evil dream and a reality he doesn’t want to be part of. He knows that he will always be able to recognize Denize’s record. The glass of water she had spilled on in a sudden, violent fit of coughing will have marked it forever, and the record she now pulls out is marked by water. He suddenly remembers Stuart’s letter.
"I want to talk to the doctor about Denize."
"About Denize? But she’s been dead for three years, dear."
She walks over to him and touches his cheek with the back of her hand.
"She’s dead."
Before he has time to step back, she turns around and walks over to the door at the end of the room.
"I’ll ask if he’ll see you now. We’re actually closed, you know. I just didn’t have time to lock the door."
"Closed?!"
He looks at the patients behind him.
"Botox."
"I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that."
"Botox. Yes, we have a weekly botox night. You would love it."
Nathan shakes his head.
"You should try it. It makes you look so much younger."
"No, thanks."
She knocks on the door and disappears inside. He feels an increasing sense of unease and gets more and more furious with the nurse. He snorts. Seeing Denize’s journal has brought back some old feelings. Feelings that had been difficult to deal with during her illness and which still seem to be able to disturb his balance. He hears voices behind the door but can’t make out any words. Then they are silent. He gets up and takes a few steps toward the door, but stops when it’s opened. Her body is dark against the golden light of the setting sun behind her, and he suddenly understands why the doctor might have tried to make a pass at her. The doctor stands close behind her. A smile spreads on Nathan’s lips. ”She didn’t turn him down, that’s for sure.”
"Come in, Nathan."
The doctor holds the door open to Nathan.
"Botox, Brian?"
Nathan sits down in the chair in front of the desk. Before closing the door completely, the doctor looks briefly at the people in the waiting room.
"It pays well."
The sun is autumn pale just above the horizon, and Nathan knows that before long it will be gone. Even in the fading light, the shiny surfaces cast an almost blinding light on them. It seems almost flaming in golden, yellow and orange colors. Brian notices how Nathan squints against the light.
"The design is very modern, but the bright surfaces are a bit of a challenge."
"Are you trying to be young again?"
Brian looks at him for a while and then sits down on the other side of the table.
"Brian, I also want to ask you about Denize."
"About Denize?"
The doctor looks at the files before him, and he recognizes Denize’s file.
"But there’s nothing new about Denize’s case. The cancer was advanced. Her case is closed."
He looks over at the nurse, who smiles at Nathan with an expression he recognizes from the court room. ”Arrogance, my dear. Careful it won’t turn around and hit you in the face.”
"Let’s not talk about Denize, Nathan. Let’s talk about you. We took some tests last time we met."
"Yes, the usual ones."
Nathan finally looks away from the nurse.
"I had some additional analyses done based on something you told me."
"Yes, that’s what your nurse said, but now I want to talk about Denize."
Nathan insists.
"I’m sure you do, Nathan. But I want to talk about you. You’re alive, you I can help. I can’t help Denize. She’s dead and has been for three years. Nathan, you’re alive."
Nathan thinks back on his day so far and snorts.
"Possibly."
Nathan’s voice is much more adamant now. The doctor leans back in his chair and looks carefully at him.
"What is it about Denize that’s so important? Since the dead are now apparently more important than the living."
Nathan snorts again.
"Don’t push me off course like that."
Nathan stares angrily into the doctor’s eyes and uses all his experience as a defense lawyer. ”Ha, it works on him too!” Nathan can hardly contain his bitterness.
"Brian, did Denize ever mention that she had a child… or more for that matter?"
The doctor looks at him for a long time.
"No, she never mentioned that. Damn it, Nathan, she’s been dead for three years. If she had a child, don’t you think he or she would have stepped forward by now?"
"Could she have had a child?"
"Nathan, all women can."
"Damn it, Brian. Stop!"
Nathan gets up and walks over to the door, but spins around with a sudden movement. Then he walks back and sits down.
"Brian, I need to know. I’ve received a letter that claims that Denize has a 25 year old daughter."
The chair creaks as the doctor leans back.
"So much for new and modern, Brian. Brian, does Denize have a daughter?"
Nathan breathes heavily.
"You owe me an answer."
The sun is gone and dusk had started creeping in through the windows. The doctor suddenly gets up. Nathan’s eyes follow his every move, like an owl follows a mouse on the forest floor.
"Nathan!"
Nathan gets up fast and the doctor steps back, but Nathan follows him and blocks his way.
"Brian, it’s been a terrible day and I need to know this. I need to know if Denize’s daughter is really out there somewhere."
Nathan leans toward him.
"Does Denize have a daughter? Brian?"
The nurse switches on a light and they both look at her.
She looks in the file. Nathan follows every move she makes. Brian starts to move, but then stops. Without looking at either Nathan or Brian, the nurse starts reading aloud from the file. Then she stops and looks into Nathan’s eyes. Nathan sees every little detail in her face, every little facial muscle, and how she opens her eyes wide and then closes them.
"Yes."
Nathan falls down into the chair, mumbling.
"Denize has a daughter?"
"Yes."
Her voice is firm and neutral.
"You really don’t like me, do you?"
Nathan’s voice is naked, and he’s just pointing out a fact, not asking a question.
"No, Nathan, I really don’t like you."
"Because of my reputation?"
"Yes. Some of those verdicts were wrong."
Nathan makes a dismissive movement with his head.
"Sins of the past."
"They are still alive, but as ghosts, Nathan."
"Nathan."
The doctor’s voice is hazy. The nurse keeps looking at Nathan.
"The widow, who was acquitted because of you, married my brother. He’s in hospital and they don’t know if they can save
him because they don’t know what’s wrong with him."
The doctor walks over to the nurse. He closes Denize’s file and hands it to her.
"Will you put this back, please?"
She nods and disappears out the door.
"Brian?"
The doctor looks at Nathan.
"Brian, how much have you been involved in Stuart’s business?"
The doctor stops but then continues to move Nathan’s file around, until its position on the table is just right.
"Brian?"
The doctor still doesn’t look up.
"Everything is starting to fall apart now that Stuart isn’t here to cover things up anymore. It’s time you tell me how involved you were in his matters. Brian, damn it!”
Nathan gets up, puts his hands on the table and leans slowly forward.
"We’ve played golf with Stuart so many times. I know what you were up to. A bit on the rough side, and the girls were paid well to keep their mouths shut. You know what I mean. I understood all the hints on the golf course, I just wasn’t interested."
Brian stares at the door, and Nathan can feel someone moving behind him and he hears a faint click. He turns around and the nurse has turned her back to him after closing the door. Brian and Nathan exchange looks. The nurse stares at Nathan.
"Brian’s not like that. He’s a caring man."
Nathan smiles and looks away.
"You hear me, Nathan. Brian’s not like that! He’s gentle and loving."
Nathan looks back at her angelic face where the innocence is suddenly obvious, and he wonders why he has never noticed it before. He sniffs and a faint smell of flowers reaches him.
"Believe what you like."
"Nathan, you’re a liar!"
"Think about what I’ve done my whole life, dear. I have spent time with more liars than you’ll ever meet."
"Brian’s not like that. Brian, tell him."
"Nathan, you know I would never do anything like that."
Brian’s voice sounds strange to Nathan. He is following every move Nathan makes. Nathan is still looking at the angel face.
"Nathan, please stop this lie."
She stares at him and Nathan snorts and shakes his head.
"Another lie! Damn it, I have spent all my life learning to tell liars from the people who tell the truth."
Nathan turns toward Brian.
"I hope you take good care of her. She doesn’t deserve to get infected with something."
Devil's Touch Page 9
