by Tony Lavely
“No. We’ve been assured it’s legal, so probably not a person, or product of a theft or smuggling, but otherwise, it’s an aluminum box a meter by two by three-quarters. Weighs under a hundred kilos.” He looked up. Examining the ceiling?
“Okay. Willie, let’s you and I figure out who to give the alternative planning to. Meanwhile, you two keep on planning to be successful. When you’ve given up, we’ll merge and see how it all looks then. It’s due to execute next weekend, right?”
“Uh-huh,” Sue said. “I hesitate to bring this up, but while we’ve been sitting here, I realized that this job ends about a mile from Lisa Grove’s home.”
Beckie sat up, then fell back. “No. As much as I hate coincidence, this has gotta be just that. Still…” She sucked her lip in and chewed it. “In the interest of leaving no stone unturned, Willie, can you look at that with them?” Her phone chirped. “Oops, gotta run; it’s time to beat some sense into Miss Grove. Maybe some little detail will fall out. I’ll let you know; in the meantime—”
“You got it, boss. Wait a second; as punishment, can Rou send Kerry over to help us with some of the data reduction? It ought to be boring enough to suit.”
“I’ll see. Later, guys.”
Back at her home, Beckie strolled into the kitchen where Maurice was preparing food. “Yo. That gonna be dinner? Smells great.” She reached to dip a finger in the sauce, but he smacked her hand before she succeeded. “Ow! Brute! How will I sign all those checks, now?” They laughed together, both knowing that every bit of their business worked through bank transfers.
“You should take your painful hand to the lanai, where Doctors Ardan and Bennet await your pleasure. Along with a somewhat forlorn Ms Grove.”
“Forlorn?”
“Millie said she was able to keep her food down, and she has no idea what to expect from you.”
“Both of which are good news. Thanks.” She turned but then came back. “You haven’t seen Trillian today, have you?”
“No, as usual.”
“Cool, thanks.”
“What mischief are you planning, Mistress Rebecca?”
“You know, you really have to start calling me Madame.”
At the door to the lanai, she swept her gaze over the two doctors and then the patient. “On time. Thank you. Doctor Bennet, what report?”
“While we are both concerned about Ms Grove’s—”
“Wait a second. Have you told her this?”
He backed away in his chair. Millie smirked, a flash, just enough for Beckie to recognize. Probably they disagreed about whatever he’s about to say. He took a breath, then a second. “No, I didn’t.”
“Is she incompetent? She’s not underage, here for sure. So, why not share her diagnosis with her?”
“Perhaps when you hear it—”
“Perhaps I will. But now I do not. Still, in the interest of not wasting any more of anyone’s time… Lisa, do you have any objection to having me hear this at the same time you do, with no recourse or chance to change his mind, or to have him explain what he’s saying?”
Lisa looked up, animated for the first time since Beckie’d arrived. “I did, but I figured, you know, he’s the doctor, he ought to know the right way. So, I guess I’m okay with it. In the interest of getting it done. We’re wasting the little time I have.”
“Okay. Millie, we’ll talk later. Go ahead, Doctor Bennet.”
“As I was saying, we are both concerned about Ms Grove’s mental state concerning our group. Her episode last night, while self-inflicted, was unintentional. In an attempt to sleep, she took two different sleep aids, one of which she had a bad reaction to. She is still a little weak, but should be fine tomorrow morning. I recommend bed rest for the balance of the day, and no sedatives.” The last he delivered to Lisa, who dropped her gaze.
“Anything else, Doctor?”
“I don’t believe so. May we take her back to the hospital, where she can be monitored overnight?”
“No. Thank you for the thought. She’ll have more than enough ‘monitoring’ to suit her, I’m sure. Millie, make an appointment to see me for tomorrow afternoon. Have a nice day, doctors.”
After the medics had reached the boat, Lisa sat up and said, “You didn’t seem very happy about that.”
Beckie grunted. “I’m glad your sense of observation still works. I hate when anyone talks down to another. Doesn’t matter if he’s a doctor or whatever, that’s no reason to be rude. Not giving you the benefit of his superior wisdom in private, that’s just rude.” Beckie stopped short. “He didn’t… wasn’t improper at all, was he?”
Lisa blushed. “I don’t know, never having had the kind of examination he and Doctor Ardan were doing. He left me undressed a long time. I think maybe he… wanted to do something…”
“Well…” She chuckled. “Can’t fire him for thoughts; we’d all be gone. And you are awesome attractive.” She sobered. “Okay, I promised you a beating. Do you know why?”
“No, not really. Is it because I’m…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “… like, obsessed with you guys?”
“Admitting the problem’s the first step in recovery. Yeah. It’s a little unnerving to watch you throwing yourself at us without thinking about anything else.”
“That’s another thing Amy was telling me last night, wasn’t it?”
“See, your observations are spot on! I do want people who are dedicated to us, because they do a better job if they are and they help and protect their mates. However, nearly everyone’s in a relationship that transcends the group, even if their partner’s another one of the group. That’s why Amy hollered on you about your family and Cori and Eric, if I got those right. She didn’t mean you have to be in a relationship you don’t want or aren’t ready for, just that relationships are really important. She lost her first love before it could really develop, but Dylan’s been a straight guy. They’re in love; you could maybe tell.” Lisa broke out laughing. “About damn time I heard you laugh! Thanks. Anyway, they’re young; no one knows if they’ll last, but right now, he’s the only thing keeping her… sane. Alive might be right too. He’s a little more stable than she is. And they’re both more stable than me!” She stood and grabbed Lisa’s hand. “We’ll get some water and a cookie, if you think you can hold it?”
“I’m dying for something to eat!”
“Did you hear that, Maurice? An eager customer.”
“Thank you. Dinner will be closer to seven than six, I fear, anticipating your next foray into personnel development and organizational behavior.” He placed a small dish of cookies where they both could reach. “I apologize, Ms Grove; the mistress, she only permits white chocolate macadamia nut cookies in our house.”
“Is that what these are? They’re wonderful! But, please call me Lisa.”
“As you wish.”
“Okay, enough of the love fest. We’ll never be able to talk to him again. Maurice, plan dinner for seven-thirty, please. Lisa, let’s go; Elena needs some work.”
In forty minutes, Beckie was sitting on the small dune that formed Tiny Cay. Far less than a tenth of a square mile at high tide, the team used it for training like Beckie was watching unfold before her. Lisa had been outfitted in camo pants and a white tee shirt; Elena wore the same except a blue shirt. They wore sneakers, “To protect our feet,” Elena said. “There’s no traction anywhere on Tiny.”
Beckie had kept her shorts and cut-off shirt. She didn’t plan to work out with them until Lisa ran up the dune and vaulted over her shoulder, landing behind and squealing “team protects each other, right?”
She sounded desperate, so Beckie leaned back as if to shelter her, but instead, grabbed her arm and rolled her over and over, into the warm surf. When her head went under water, Lisa fought back, getting more and more frightened, and to Beckie’s surprise and pleasure, stronger and effective. Elena waded in and grabbed both of them before more than a lip was split. She dragged them to the sand and dropped them.
“That’s why I don’t wear white,” she said, making a grand gesture at Lisa’s breasts, which the wet shirt did nothing to hide. Beckie’s halter was no better, worse, in fact; it was floating in the little wavelets. Her bra was so far askew it hurt. “Get over there and unhook Beckie’s bra so she can straighten it out.” But before Lisa could get there, Beckie had fixed it.
Elena sat on the dry beach and fixed them with a glare like Beckie recalled from her earlier training, when she was Lisa’s age. “Beckie, you know what you did wrong, right?”
“I went overboard trying to get her to react. Just like with Amy, the other day.”
“You did, and yes. Remember, we don’t want to kill our sparring partners, even if they come to us.”
“Yes, ma’m.”
“Now Miss Lisa, you did pretty well for never having done this before. You haven’t, right? Good,” in response to Lisa’s shaken head. “You would have been better not bringing Beckie in, but that’s because she wants everyone to fight as hard as they can until they can’t or don’t have to. That’s because we live longer when we do that, usually. I prefer to train you up a little more before I ask you to do that. You seem to have a sense for mounts and escapes; while that’s not hard to teach, practice will bring the sweeps and improve your bridging. I’m looking forward to sparring with you again. In fact, you’ve caught your breath; let’s go.”
She picked Lisa up with her shoulder in the girl’s belly. Beckie laughed, then decided she didn’t want the same treatment; she closed her mouth and watched carefully. Maybe I can see the difference between all out and eighty-five percent.
Elena worked Lisa over for the next twenty minutes, until Beckie saw the third cut open. “That’s enough for today. Beth and Amy will want a chance. Dylan too, if he could see her now.”
“Or you,” Elena said with a laugh.
“What?” Lisa said as she spit blood and sand. “He’s into sand-covered sex? I’m not an expert, but I’ve always thought sand wasn’t conducive—”
“This one’s a keeper, Beckie!” Elena said. “I split her lip and cheek, tore her pants and about ripped her shirt off, then scrubbed her against the bottom, and she’s still erudite. A real find.”
“May I remind you she found us? I should be so good!” Beckie levered herself off the beach. “I’ll bring the boat around. Where do we land you?”
“Nord. Pieter’s fixing lunch, and I’m ready, now.” She brushed most of the sand from her clothes.
“After that, can you walk, Lisa?”
“Sure.” She stood and promptly pitched face first to the sand. “Ooof! Maybe.”
Elena grabbed her and set her on her feet. “Slowly now. Beckie, help her over the gunwale.”
Beckie drove the boat to Nord Cay, then back south to Home Cay. At home, she hailed Boynton that they had returned, then pushed Lisa into the shower. “In spite of the doctor’s recommendation, I suggest you take a handful of aspirin. I’ve worked out with Elena; the first time, I was in agony for four days. With the aspirin, you’ll be able to move, at least.”
“Handful is how many?”
“Like two…” She looked at Lisa’s figure as the girl stripped out of the camo. “… no more than three, given your weight. And no wine tonight.” She smacked her butt. “Go shower! I’ll be back in five minutes.” She paused for effect. “The hot water will go off when I get here; I know where the valve is.”
Beckie smiled as Lisa disappeared.
After they were both clean, she took antiseptic to Lisa’s cuts and scrapes. Clothes came next; Amy had left a package for Lisa which covered her from the skin out.
Well, it’s Friday, Beckie thought as she waited. We have til… no later than noon Monday. She reached for her phone. “Hi, Beth. Can you come and take Lisa? Maurice will feed you later with something that he wouldn’t let me taste but I’m sure will be perfect.”
Beth agreed but before Beckie’d set it down again, the phone rang in her hand. “Millie, hi, When should we get together?”
“Now, if you come here. Later, if I need to come there.” Beckie heard a discussion in the background. “Or would the phone be better?”
“No. Once I release Lisa into Beth’s capable hands, I’ll be there. Fifteen, twenty minutes.”
“Be back here at half after seven for dinner,” Beckie told Beth as she and Lisa boarded the skiff. Beckie took a second one to boat to Bon Secours.
In Millie’s office, she sat quietly waiting until the doctor pushed through the door and slammed into her desk chair. “So, do I fire Bennet?”
“Tell me why you shouldn’t, and then why you should.” Beckie’s phone vibrated. “Wait a second, please. Rou, how are you?”
“I’m fine. I think I have to dismiss Kerry for her error.”
“Hmm. I’m not sure that’s the way I’d want to handle it. Tell you what. Send her over to share dinner tonight and we’ll talk tomorrow morning.”
“Not going to override me, are you?”
“Not directly, but if I can find a different place for her? And you’ll have to convince me you’ve really lost confidence in her. But that’s tomorrow.”
“Okay. Nine o’clock?”
“Yeah. And Kerry should be on Home at seven-thirty tonight.” She pressed End Call.
Millie leaned back in her chair. “I’m not the only one with personnel issues, then?”
“No. Kerry… Kerry I don’t even remember her last name and now Rou can’t see her way clear to forgive her.”
“Byrne. Kerry Byrne. Has to be, she’s the only Kerry we have. What’d she do?”
“Signed a contract with a built-in flaw.” She made a sweeping gesture, wanting to throw that topic through Millie’s window. “Talk to me about Bennet.”
“He’s a typical male doctor, full of himself. The problem is that he does care about the patients, and he’s good.”
“I remember that last from when you were interviewing. How come men good at healing can’t seem to understand that even a subconscious mysogonistic attitude hurts women as much as a fist or bullet or knife or drug overdose does?” Beckie stood and walked to the window. “If he cares about their physical condition so much, why doesn’t it translate to their mental… psychological condition as well?” With a quick spin on her foot, she returned to the chair. “Why was it so difficult to discuss Lisa’s illness with her in private? And why did he leave her undressed while he examined her? Do you have that… problem… I think it’s a problem anyway, but I guess med school doesn’t see it that way.”
“No, bedside manner is given shorter shrift than family and friends might wish for. And maybe patients, too. We can talk all day long about why a doctor’s years of education and experience give him or her a feeling of superiority over the patient in their care—”
“Damn it, Millie, that’s not the issue! I know they know more than I do; I accept that. You heard Lisa; she accepted it. Why can’t he talk to her as if she is a real person, not some mannikin lying there for him to practice on? And why did he think it was better to talk to me than her about her? Why can’t he listen to her words as well as her blood work up or palpating her abdomen? That is the right word, right?”
“Yeah, it is. I don’t know the answer to the other questions.”
“Well, I’ll leave it in your hands. But he’s not gonna get more than one chance with me—” Oops, didn’t want to go there; she swallowed the rest of her sentence.
“What? What do you mean, with you? Are you…” Millie was around the desk faster than Beckie thought possible. She snatched Beckie’s arm and pulled her up and toward the door.
It was gonna happen sometime. Still, I don’t need to be dragged around any more than Lisa needed stared at… “Wait! What are you doing!” She did her best to keep panic from seeping into her voice.
“I’m taking you to an examining room where I can… examine you.” Not well enough, I guess.
They were well on the way to a small room that Beckie recalled fr
om… This is where Abby…
She gave Millie what she knew was token resistance, but reinforced it with her question about Lisa’s treatment. “So, why did Bennet have Lisa wait undressed while he did whatever he did?”
Millie pushed Beckie through the swinging door and pointed to the space at the foot of the table. “I wasn’t there, so what he did could have been routine. Did he… touch her… or say anything to make her uncomfortable?”
“No. She said he impressed her as wanting to, but, no, that was all. I told her I wasn’t going to do anything about his thinking.”
“Strip. I won’t have him work on females again short of an emergency, and I’ll take it on myself to see if his attitude can be changed. If not… he’s not the only one on the short list.”
Beckie stood in her underwear, shivering in self-consciousness rather than chill, expecting that she should probably just tell Millie—
“Sit up there and take off the bra. I want to check your breasts.”
“No need, Millie. I’m pregnant. I mean, if you think you have too, okay, but I’m fine. I saw my doctor…” She saw the question in Millie’s eyes. “Yes, of course it’s Ian’s child. You couldn’t think—”
“No, I didn’t. Though less likely things have come to pass. Do you want me or Shakti…”
“I didn’t want to interfere, and it seemed like something the two best trauma surgeons in the world might not want to treat…”
“Nonsense! But, I’ll admit, it’s not our speciality.” She waved Beckie off the table. “Your doctor is—”
“Moriko Claire. She’s in Miami. Convenient, kinda, that her husband decided to retire there, so I didn’t have to go to Minneapolis to see her. I’ll get her contact info for you, so if she wants to make a house call, everything will be ready. And you can assure yourself of her bona-fides. Can I get dressed now?”
“Yes. When do you see her again?”
“Next week. Well into the second trimester, she said. Which seemed about right.”
Beckie led the way out of the uncomfortable little room. As she turned toward the entrance, Millie said, “I’ll be watching your trips more carefully, you know.”
