The Chase

“Take an hour. Things are calming down now, and Kate, the new girl, just clocked in. Oh, Dr. Beckman poked his head in a couple hours ago, but I told him we were swamped. He said to tell you he’d be in surgery this afternoon.”

She blushed. In the last few days, it had become clear that everyone around the hospital knew about her relationship with Beck. And she could see the questions on their faces. They wanted the juicy details. And if they had any idea Seth was in the picture, too, she could only imagine the gossip…

“I appreciate that.”

Heavenly gathered her things from her locker, then headed to the cafeteria. In the middle of the afternoon, most people were done eating. She picked at her sandwich and tried to decide what she’d say to Mr. Sanchez. With the day more than half gone and her timetable short, she’d have to call soon.

The thought ruined what little appetite she had.

Heavenly trashed the rest of her lunch and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and found her former landlord’s number. She hadn’t had a chance to remove it yet, which had turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

With shaking fingers, she tapped the screen to complete the call.

He answered before she was braced to hear his voice again. “’Lo?”

“Hi, Mr. Sanchez. I’m not sure you remember me, but I used to live in unit—”

“Cherry pie. How could I forget you?”

She blanched, not liking his nickname for her or his slick voice, but she had to play nice if she wanted him to cooperate. “I’m calling because the hospital supply company reached out to me. Apparently, they’ve been trying to collect my father’s bed—”

“Yeah. They aren’t getting in that unit until I say so.”

“Have you already rented it to someone else?”

“No.”

So he wanted something. Heavenly very much hoped it wasn’t what he’d wanted from her when she’d been unable to pay her rent. “All right. Then tell me why you won’t let the rental company in. I know I left quickly and I’m very sorry about everything that happened. But Universal Medical Supply had nothing to do with that and they just want—”

“Oh, I’ll let them in,” he assured. “As soon as you and I have worked out a few things. Face to face.”

She swallowed. “Worked out what?”

“I have a few questions… Won’t take long.”

Just like it hadn’t taken him long to rip off her shirt and tear into her bra the last time they’d been together.

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she swallowed nervously. “I’d rather talk over the phone. If you need me to sign some end-of-lease documents or something, I’ve got a fax here.”

“Either you see me or that hospital bed rots where it is, cherry pie.”

Bile rose in her throat. If she took Beck or Seth with her to this meeting, what were the odds it ended without violence? Zero. After the beating they’d given the man, she’d be foolish not to think they wouldn’t try to kill him. Or that Mr. Sanchez wasn’t fishing for their identities so he could call the police.

She bit her lip. She had to come up with something—fast.

“Okay, I’ll meet you. There’s a coffeehouse…” She recited the address.

The only way she’d see him was in public.

“Fine.”

His easy agreement surprised her—and made her wary.

“I’ll see you there at five.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she winced. If she wasn’t home by five thirty, Seth in particular would worry. He would check the location of her phone. He was open about the fact he did that several times a day because her safety concerned him… If she met Sanchez, what would she do about that?

“I’m not fighting rush-hour traffic. You meet me now.”