“I hate to interrupt,” Portia drawled in full Ice Queen mode, “but we require your assistance.”
“Seriously? Fine.” He spun around to face them, his annoyance clear. “Where’s the fire?” The words trailed off and his face paled when he recognized the Tremaine heir. Coming face to face with Portia tended to have that effect on Tremaine personnel.
The nurse jumped to his feet. The sudden movement sent his chair flying to the other side of the enclosed space.It clattered against the station.
“Oh, shit. I mean, Ms. Tremaine. I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you,” he stammered. His hands flippered at his sides.
Portia stared at him a long minute.
The more Killian studied her, the stronger the resemblance to Dizzie became. Portia’s I’m-not-here-for-your crap gaze reminded Killian of Dizzie’s response to the guard at the gala.
“Well, now that you do,” Portia said finally, “tell me everything that happened today.”
His Adam’s apple bulged as he swallowed repeatedly. “Everything?”
She nodded.
“Um, well, I woke up with, um, you know.” He turned bright purple. “And since I was alone, I, um?—”
Portia took a deep breath.
“What happened here. On. The. Floor. Of. This. Hospital?” The air around them chilled.
Killian swallowed a laugh. The guy was so clearly outmatched that it was painful to watch.
“Has anyone visited the patients today?” he asked to spare them all the awkwardness of the nurse trying to match wits with Portia.
“What? You mean, like visitors?”
“Yeah, like visitors.” Good lord. Was the coma designation for staff too?
“No. No visitors.” The nurse sagged in relief at being able to answer a question. He turned away to retrieve his chair.
“We aren’t done.” Portia’s voice was a whip.
The guy froze, gulping audibly. “We aren’t?”
“What about doctors? Other patients?” Killian cut through the babble again.
Every minute they wasted questioning this guy, the farther away Dizzie got.
The nurse looked confused, then his eyes widened. “Oh. Two doctors visited earlier. They came to check on the patients.”
Dammit. The doctors were a surprise. Killian was sure he’d say that there had been a patient. “When was this?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Half an hour ago. Maybe.” He shrugged again. “I, uh, saw them arrive. That’s it.”
“You didn’t see them leave?”
He shook his head. Killian wasn’t surprised. The man had been totally absorbed in his game. If Killian and Portia hadn’t approached the desk, he’d have never known they were there.
“What did they look like?” Portia asked. “Was one short and a blonde?”
Way to lead the witness, Portia.
“What? No. Two tall dudes.” He stopped again. Killian could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. “A blonde? No. I mean, maybe?”
“One of the doctors?”
