by L. T. Ryan
“I wouldn’t say you’re just anything.” Palmer gestured around the office. “The museum sent you down here to oversee an installation, didn’t they? Don’t sell yourself short.”
Cassie felt like a scolded child. “What I meant to say,” she continued through gritted teeth, “is that I can’t help you. I’m already gainfully employed. I don’t think I have time for any extracurricular activities.”
Somehow, Palmer kept smiling even while the corners of his mouth turned down in a scowl. “Perhaps I’m overstepping here, but you seemed to have time for extracurricular activities in Charlotte. You did, after all, successfully expose a corrupt senator in addition to solving his son’s murder and bringing down a dirty cop in the process. You have quite a talent for solving mysteries, Ms. Quinn.”
“Is that what you want from me? To solve a mystery?”
“Of sorts.” Palmer opened his briefcase and brought out a checkbook. He scribbled his signature, tore the single piece of paper from the margin, then held it out to Cassie. “This is for you.”
She took the check. A hundred grand. It nearly slipped from her fingers. “Nothing in life is free.” She looked up. If she hadn’t distrusted him before, she did now. “What’s this for?”
“Think of it as an advance.” He pulled a stack of papers out of his briefcase. “I’ll need you to sign a contract. You can deposit the check. Once it goes through, and you’re satisfied with the transaction, we can discuss details. You’ll get another check when you accept your first job.”
“You still haven’t told me what you want.”
Palmer closed his briefcase. Set the papers to the side. Folded his hands before him. “Apex is a large machine, Ms. Quinn, with a lot of moving parts. Sometimes those parts get misplaced. We’d like you to help us find them.”
She didn’t bother keeping the disgust from her voice. “You’re talking about people.”
“Yes.”
“What makes you think I can find them?”
“Your track record.” Palmer leaned forward. She could see his pupils dilate with excitement. “Senator Grayson in Charlotte. Noah McLaughlin before that. Dr. Langford and William Baker before that.” He shivered gleefully. “That one was particularly gruesome. You’ve impressed me.”
She set her disgust to the side for a moment. “How do you know all this?”
“We keep tabs on people with incredible potential. People we think could make a difference in the world.”
“I do make a difference.” Her own conviction surprised her. “I don’t need you for that.”
“Of course not.” Palmer’s smile shrank to a humbler size. “I wasn’t implying you did. I only meant that, with our help, you could do even more.”
Cassie looked down at the check. She lived in relative comfort, but she’d be lying if she didn’t admit the house could use a few more repairs. It’d need a new roof in the next couple years, and that wasn’t cheap. This was apparently just the beginning. With enough money, she could make sure her parents had an easy retirement. She could help Laura pay off her student loans. It’s not like California was a cheap place to live, either.
“No.”
The word was out of her mouth before she realized it had escaped. It was the only acceptable answer, but it still surprised her how easily it had formed on her tongue. This money was life-changing, yet she felt no remorse in ripping the check in half and handing it back to Palmer.
“Money is not an issue.” He poised his pen over his checkbook. “We can double that amount. Triple it, even, after your first job.”
“No.”
“What will it take, Ms. Quinn?” There was no hint of a threat in Palmer’s voice, and yet the atmosphere of the room shifted. “Name your price.”
“I’m not interested.”
“May I ask why?”
A polite question. She had a rude answer. But she knew she couldn’t tell Palmer the truth. Apex had already proven to be resourceful. The company clearly had endless amounts of money. And plenty of human resources. They’d put Grayson on track to become president. They’d encouraged a veteran detective to risk throwing his career away for the chance to join their organization, and when he’d failed, they’d thrown him under the bus without blinking an eye.
“I don’t need a reason.” Cassie stepped to the side, gesturing to the door. “I’m working. This was an inappropriate time and place for your solicitation.”
Palmer finally lost his smile. Even pretended to look humbled. “You’re right. I apologize.” He placed the torn check inside his briefcase. Then the contract. He snapped the buckles closed. Stood. Walked to the door and stopped. Produced his card. “Please think about my offer. Apex believes we can do a lot of good together. Help a lot of people. I know that’s important to you. I hoped the money would be an incentive. Now I see I’ve offended you.”
“No, you haven’t.” She wasn’t sure why she was trying to make him feel better. “It’s fine.”
“Thank you.” He placed the card in her hand. “Please call me if you change your mind. You’re an incredible person, Ms. Quinn. With extraordinary talents. The world could use more people like you.”
Cassie watched as Palmer left the room and made his way to the exit. She felt bad about the way she’d handled their encounter before she reminded herself who he represented. If she believed Mannis—and she did—then everything they did was part of the act. She hadn’t offended Palmer; she’d frustrated him. He wasn’t apologizing; he was manipulating her into feeling guilty. Worse yet, he wasn’t leaving her to decide on her own; he was waiting for another opportunity to present itself.
Cassie ripped up Palmer’s card into twenty tiny pieces. Then she split them between Jules’ garbage and the one in the breakroom before she poured herself another cup of coffee. The last thing she needed was for Jules or someone else to find Palmer’s contact information. Plus, she didn’t want the temptation of his number being within reach if she ever fell into financial trouble. Besides, she had a feeling Apex would find an excuse to swoop in when she was more vulnerable. That seemed to be their M.O.
Viotto’s face floated to the surface of her mind. She missed him. What was he doing, how was he faring on his next case? She tried to convince herself she was just as curious about Mannis, but her brain wouldn’t accept the lie. Now would be a perfect excuse to call Viotto, to tell him and his partner about her run-in with an Apex employee. But Chris hadn’t reached out to her since their time in Charlotte, and Mannis’ paranoia kept her from texting him an update. It was clear Apex had dug into her past. Who was to say they weren’t monitoring her communications?
That would be illegal, she reminded herself, though a voice in her head told her that hiring a detective to kill a senator’s son was also very illegal. She shook the thought free.
She’d told Apex no. It had been her final answer. They could come knocking again, but her response would be the same. There was no point in worrying about it now. And no point in making Agent Viotto worry about it, too.
Until Apex made another move, she’d keep her encounter with Palmer to herself.
14
Cassie stood outside the University Medical Center of New Orleans and let the sheer size of the building wash over her. It wasn’t an attractive complex, but she’d rather see funding go to its function than its form. Still, it didn’t ease the anxiety in her body. Even from outside the doors, she could feel the hospital’s energy lying in wait for her.
“Hey.” Jason’s sudden appearance made her jump. “Sorry.” Then, upon closer inspection of her face, “You okay?”
“Yeah. Busy morning.” She elected to keep information about Apex out of the conversation for now, but her answer wasn’t a lie. Moving the pieces from Savannah took several hours, as did her sharp critique of their placement and the design of the informational cards.
Jules had off-handedly mentioned the museum had an eighteenth-century writing desk and cobalt blue sofa in storage, and Cassie had sent half the staff looki
ng for it. When they hadn’t returned after an hour, she’d joined the search. In the end, Ford had made the discovery, and Cassie had spotted a portrait of a woman in white from the same period as the couch. The two would complement each other perfectly, and by the time they made room for the additions, everyone was sweaty but smiling.
With that, her time in New Orleans was over, though Magdalena had booked her an extra couple of days in the city. Technically, it was for any follow-up questions ahead of the exhibition’s opening, but once they printed the banner for the exhibit, they wouldn’t need her again. She was free to do whatever she wanted. In other words, she was free to question hospital workers with Jason by her side.
“How are you?” She looked over at him and noticed the red in his eyes. “Other than tired.”
“I made the mistake of telling Ty and Evan I’d work out with them this morning. I don’t miss getting up before the sun.” He rubbed his stomach. “But I miss my mom’s cooking. Breakfast was huge. I ate way too much.”
“Why’d you move to Savannah?” It wasn’t the first time she’d thought of the question, but it was the first time where she felt it appropriate to ask. “You’re close with your family. You obviously love the city. Why Georgia?”
“I needed a change of pace.” Jason’s voice was more guarded than it was a second ago. “A place where I didn’t know anyone. I thought it’d help me figure out what I’d want to do with my life.”
“Did it?”
“In some ways.” The way he looked at her made Cassie’s stomach twist. “In others it’s been rough. I miss them. But it makes coming to visit even better.”
Cassie thought of her parents. And her sister. “Yeah, I get that.”
“You ready to go in?” He pointed to a bench off to the side. “Or we could sit a minute.”
In moments like this, Cassie was grateful Jason had some idea of what was going through her head. He may not understand it all, but he knew enough to recognize how hospitals could affect her. It had been bad before Sabine had gotten into her head, but now Cassie wasn’t sure what would happen when she walked through those doors. She already felt like there was a spotlight shining on her.
If she concentrated, she could hold the restless spirits of the hospital at bay long enough to get in, question the nurse, and get out. But Sabine had told her she could control their access to her. That she could decide how close they got. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to do it.
“I’m okay,” she heard herself saying. “I can handle it.”
Jason gave her a few seconds to take it back, and when she didn’t, he led the way through the sliding doors. The smell of the antiseptic hit her, even in the lobby, and her head swam for a millisecond before her senses became accustomed to the odor.
The familiar feeling of invisible fingers trailing across her skin caused goosebumps to erupt along the back of her neck and down her arms. Cassie took a deep breath, but she didn’t push the tendrils away. Instead, she acknowledged them. In her mind, she said hello to all the different beings floating in and out of existence around her. Made eye contact with the ones that stayed, the ones that begged for her help. All they wanted was to understand what was going on with them. They just needed answers.
I see you, she thought. But I’m here to help someone else today.
Cassie wasn’t sure how long she stood there in the lobby. Long enough for her to see dozens of spirits and twice as many living beings walk by. Some people turned and stared, wondering why she was blocking traffic. But the majority just walked around her.
The anxiety fell from her shoulders. The icy fingers receded. The ghosts turned and shambled on. A few looked back over their shoulders, but they had heard her. They knew their time wasn’t now, and most didn’t have the strength to fight her. For the first time in a long time, she was in the driver’s seat. She could decide where she wanted her life to go.
“You’re smiling.” Jason’s voice was warm. “I take it everything is okay?”
“As good as it’s going to get.” It was better to be practical than optimistic. “I’ve got a handle on it for now, but I’m not sure how long it’ll last.”
“Then let’s make it count.”
Jason pointed to a sign that read CAFETERIA in blocky letters. They followed the arrow into a large room bustling with activity. Visitors could grab sandwiches and salads on one side and sit at small, round tables on the other. A couple of nurses sat with co-workers or friends, sharing a cup of coffee and a snack.
Someone waved to Jason as soon as they crossed the threshold. He returned the gesture and made a beeline for her table. The only thing Cassie knew was that her name was Stacey, and her brother used to go to school with Jason. The woman jumped up when they got within range, dropped her sandwich onto her tray, and wrapped her arms around Jason.
“It’s been so long.” She pulled back. Everything about her was pale, from her ivory skin to her white-blonde hair. Even her eyes, which were ice blue. She wore periwinkle scrubs, which only made her look more delicate. “Ricky says hi.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Good. He and his girlfriend just broke up, so he’s crashing at my place for a while. He’ll be fine, though.” Her eyes shifted to Cassie. “Hi. My name’s Stacey.”
“Cassie.” She shook the other woman’s hand. “Thanks for meeting with us.”
“No problem.” She plopped herself back into her chair and took another bite of her sandwich. “Don’t mind me while I stuff my face. I’ve only got about ten minutes before I have to get back.”
They sat across from her. Jason let Stacey take another bite before he began the interrogation. “I know you already talked to Kiki and Janelle, but I was wondering what you could tell me about what happened that day? With Jasmine?”
Stacey put her sandwich down and wiped her mouth. She had trouble meeting Jason’s eyes. “I’m so sorry, by the way. About Jasmine. I still can’t believe she’s gone. I know we weren’t friends or anything, but it still feels weird.”
“I know.” Jason leaned forward and waited for her to look at him. “No one blames you, Stacey. Seriously. I know you were there. I know you tried to help. From what the doctor told us, there was nothing they could do.”
Tears pooled at the bottom of her eyes. “Doesn’t stop you from thinking you could’ve done more, though. But it was over so fast.”
“Is that normal?” Cassie asked. “For a patient to just crash like that?”
“Sometimes.” Stacey looked down at her sandwich, but she pushed it away. “It depends. The strange part with Jasmine was that she made it through surgery okay. She was strong. Dr. Madasani said it was one of the easier surgeries he’d done, despite all the work she’d endured. We set her up in a room, she was solid for a day, and then her heart failed.”
“Is there any reason that would happen so long after surgery?”
“A million.” Stacey shrugged. “But like I said, all signs pointed to her making a good recovery. To see her health plummet like that was strange.”
“Could there be any other reasons that would happen?” Cassie couldn’t help but think of the Ghost Doctor from her dream. “Any outside factors that could affect her like that?”
“Administration of the wrong medication. Administration of the right medication in the wrong amount.”
“Is there any chance that could’ve been a factor?”
Stacey hesitated. “It’s always a factor.”
The table was silent for a moment. Jason leaned forward again. “Do you know something?”
“No.” Her voice was firm, her body stiff. Then she let go of the tension. “I’m not sure.”
“We just want answers. We won’t name names. I promise.”
The conviction in Jason’s voice must’ve been enough for Stacey to believe him because she lowered her voice and whispered, “Did you hear about Mark Galanis? He died about a month ago.”
Jason shook his head. “What happened?”
�
��We don’t know.” Stacey checked her watch. “He just stopped breathing.”
“Do you have any theories?” Cassie didn’t want to press the woman, but they weren’t getting anywhere, and their window was closing. “Any reason people would be fine one minute and not the next?”
“Unfortunately, it happens all the time. It can be natural. If you’re asking me if I’ve seen something, the answer is no.” She looked disappointed. “But there are a lot of drugs in a hospital like this. They’re not always as well-regulated as you’d think. Too much of a good thing can be just as dangerous.”
“If someone got the wrong medication, or too high a dosage of the right medication, would the doctors know?”
“If the family requests an autopsy, sure.” She shrugged. “But it can be costly. And if the patient had an underlying condition, it might just tell you what you already know.”
“Can you think of any connection between Mark Galanis and Jasmine?”
“They knew each other. At least in passing.”
“And they both knew me,” Jason said.
Stacey checked her watch again. “Look, I have to get back. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help.” She stood, her gaze flicking to Cassie and then back to Jason. “Vanessa’s looking for you, by the way. She heard about Jasmine. Heard you were in town. I think she’d like to talk to you.”
“Oh.” Jason’s face was passive as he took in the information. It was a controlled sort of disinterest. “Okay, thanks for letting me know.”
“It was nice meeting you, Cassie.” She hugged Jason again. “And nice to see you again. If I think of anything else, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.”
Jason didn’t wait for Stacey to pick up her tray before he turned on his heel and left the cafeteria. Cassie followed in his wake, wondering who Vanessa was and why every muscle in Jason’s body had stiffened at the mention of her name.
15
Bear greeted Harris with a wagging tail as soon as she pushed through the door. Apollo waited to rub against her legs until she kicked the door closed behind her and kneeled to scratch Bear behind the ears.
