Not that it stopped him.
After lunch, I drained my bladder before Alice let the first patient in.
No one will slip by me again.
The rest of the day was boring. The kind of quiet boring every bodyguard wanted to report at the end of his shift. Too bad I’d have to tell Madi’s brothers about Paul’s visit.
They’ll likely rip my head off.
I deserved it. I should’ve waited until lunch to take a piss. The discomfort would’ve been worth it.
“Matt, stop beating yourself up,” Madi said as I drove her home.
“What makes you say that?”
“You’re trying to kill your steering wheel.” She pointed at my white knuckles.
It was so Madi to worry about me, when I should be worried about her.
She was the one who’d been harassed.
I was the one who’d left her without protection.
“There was nothing you could have done.”
Wasn’t there?
“Before you argue, let’s talk it out. You can’t prevent a scheduled patient from coming in. Not without causing a scene and damaging the clinic’s reputation.”
I hated that truth.
“You couldn’t accuse Paul because we don’t have any evidence.”
We had circumstantial evidence.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to argue. You know I’m right.”
“Maybe, but I don’t like that he slipped by me.”
“He didn’t slip by you.”—her air quotes were entirely unnecessary—“You were in the bathroom.”
Waiting for the restroom to be vacant cost me time, but that wasn’t an acceptable excuse.
“And last but not least, I’m fine. The shock has worn off, and I’ll make sure Alice adds Pa- her to the list of patients who only see Dr. Greenfield.”
“You’re sure you’re okay?”
“I promise.”
Her hand on my arm did more to soothe my anxiety than her words.
“You know I have to tell your brothers.”
Madi sighed. “I know.” She looked out the window. “You already know who she is, don’t you?”
