While I wait for Leon to get back to me, I pull up the tracking info on the private courier I hired.
Her custom black leather medical bag is already wrapped. I printed our pit-level My Chemical Romance tickets yesterday. The scrapbook I made of photos I’ve taken of her over the past year is all wrapped and ready. But the last gift is running late. The vintage teaching skeleton from the 60s, beautifully macabre and so fucking Blake. She’s going to love it. And one day, when we get our dream Victorian home—stained glass windows, creaky floors, iron fixtures, and clawfoot tubs—this skeleton will be the first thing in her office.
I knew I should have arranged to pick it up instead of relying on that delivery service. It better get here in time.
Leon:Got Jessica at 9:02 heading in from the parking garage. Give me a couple minutes and I should have him.
How the hell does he do it? And so fast too.
I switch back to the cameras, seeing that Blake still hasn’t left the patient’s room. Goddamn, I’m antsy. Waiting has never beeneasy for me. Instead of getting up to pace, I write another email to the delivery service, checking on the gift.
Before I hit send, my phone buzzes.
Falin: Give me something to do. Anything. I can’t watch another damn Christmas movie.
Me: …
Falin: Come on, Stalker. Don’t let Leon have all the fun.
Leon’s text comes through before I have time to answer.
Leon: Got him. Harold Patton, attorney at Hill & Associates. Office is corporate law, real estate, business acquisitions, all that.
An image comes through of a round-faced, middle-aged white guy with thinning brown hair and a smile that makes me uneasy.
Me: Shady as fuck.
Leon: Yeah… what’s he want with a med student?
Me: Exactly.
My jaw clenches and the urge to sprint up four flights of stairs to be by Blake’s side takes over.
Leon: Digging into his client list now. Will send anything interesting that comes up.
Me: Let Falin in on it too. She’s driving me nuts.
He must already be at it since he doesn’t answer right away. I switch to the camera feed just as Blake emerges from the patient’s room. It helps to calm me… barely. Zooming in, I see that she looks focused, professional… so fucking pretty. She types something at the nurse’s station then glances down the hallway.
She’s probably looking for Jessica.
Time for me to go make sure she gets the answers she needs.
I pocket my phone, grab my jacket, and head for the stairwell. From Blake’s recap earlier, Jessica’s not the only one involved here. There’s her potential boyfriend, Adam.
After a quick camera check and a scan of the med school database to double check his photo, I spot him heading toward the break room on the third floor. It’s almost too easy.
I take the stairs two at a time and move through the hallway like I belong here, head down, keeping my stride confident. I’m almost surprised the few people I encounter don’t question me. A guy in jeans and a leather jacket this time of night, I could be anyone. If I do get stopped, I’ll use the visiting hours excuse, but I doubt it’ll be necessary. Being invisible when I need to be is a talent I’ve honed over the years.
The break room door is unmarked, tucked away at the end of the corridor. I push through, letting it swing shut behind me. I have an idea of the layout from Blake—a small kitchen area on one side, with a set of doors on the other that lead to locker rooms and sleeping pods.
Lucky me, we’ve got the whole room to ourselves.
I spot a tray of sugar cookies on the table and grab one, biting off Santa’s head before pushing through the doors to the locker area.
Adam’s there with his back to me, pulling his sweater on. He’s got a lean build, probably a runner. Dark hair, still damp like he just showered. He doesn’t hear me approach. Doesn’t notice me until I’m right behind him.
“Adam?”
