“Why is that?” The guard crossed his arms over his chest.
Josh frowned. “We’re here to do a facility inspection. This is your landlord.”
“I’m going in there with you,” he insisted.
Kip shrugged. “Lead the way.”
As the group walked inside, Kip’s head slowly turned to survey the entrance and the reception area, allowing the glasses to record what he was looking at. Approaching the reception desk, he smiled and handed her his business card. “I’m Kip Brennan. I’m here to inspect the facility.”
Raised voices echoed down the hallway. “You draw the blood. I’m not comfortable. First, one of my notes is deleted; today, it’s leaving a blank space for a note. And you lied to Harper about the drug trial,” a woman’s voice said.
A muted man’s voice answered, “What’s gotten into you?” There was a pause. “Fine, go up to four and help Dr. Melencon. Harper, I need you to draw blood on three patients and then send them back to the Manor. And don’t start.”
The voices quieted. Unable to hear any more of the hallway conversation, Kip walked over to a corner occupied by a large potted plant to begin his inspection. As an engineer, he knew plumbing and electrical work were the most expensive additions done without permits or avoided altogether. The building code declared outlet spacing. He slid the plant to the side. Behind it was an outlet. Something did not make sense to him.
He reached into his pocket, removed a multitool and unscrewed the outlet plate. It was an empty box, a fake outlet. “Stone, get me an ETA on a physical plant team. And get Crescent 1’s Bravo Squad down here with work gloves and screwdrivers. I want every electrical plate opened.”
“Boss, how did you know?” Tobey asked.
“The UV light on the plant is plugged into an extension cord, which is plugged into another outlet, despite there being one directly behind the plant. Dead outlet or no outlet.”
“What the hell is going on here?” a man in a perfectly pressed lab coat roared.
Kip stood. “Kip Brennan, the building landlord.”
The man pressed his shoulders back and lifted his chin. “I’m Dr. Jerrold Sommerstone. Who said you could come in here unannounced?” When he closed space on Kip, Josh and Chad moved in to block him.
So the male voice belonged to Jerrold Sommerstone. Kip held up his hand and whispered, “Do you really want to have this conversation in front of these patients?”
Jerrold led them down the hall to his office. “Who said you could do this?”
Kip noted a very spicy woman’s perfume in the air. There was also an open water bottle on the desk with orange lipstick on the rim. “I don’t want any issues. You know Chase Care is in the process of buying the Sommerstone Corporation. I’m here to do the final walkthrough and inspect the premises.”
“You can’t do this. We aren’t ready.” Jerrold placed his hand on Kip’s shoulder.
“I was hoping it didn’t come to this.” Kip grabbed Jerrold’s wrist, slowly increasing pressure. “I suggest you take a breath and sit. Then you can call Mom and Dad to confirm what I’ve told you.
“While you make the call, here’s the situation: I won’t break your hand, and you can let me do my job.” Kip walked out the door.
Within minutes, the women’s health center was swarming with Kip’s staff.
An hour into the inspection, Kip was on his knees inspecting a built-in outlet on an examination table in one of the third-floor ambulatory surgery rooms when he heard the door open and a woman give a guttural moan. “Um, I know you’re inspecting, but… I need this room. I have a little emergency.”
He stood to see Harper, her arm wrapped around a very pregnant woman. He repositioned the exam table and pulled down fresh paper. “What do you need, Harper?”
She blinked rapidly. “You to leave the room.”
“Okay. I’m out of here.” As Kip spoke, the woman cried out and dropped to her knees.
Harper crouched beside the woman, her eyes moving from the woman to Kip and back. A large bloody puddle was forming on the ground.
Kip moved to the woman’s other side. “Hi, honey. We’re going to help you.” He tapped his ear, “Alpha 1 needs a medic, third floor, room six.” He easily lifted the woman and helped her onto the table.
“Susie, it’s going to be fine. Mr. Brennan, would you get Dr. Sommerstone and another nurse for me?” Harper’s voice was calm, but her eyes were filled with distress.
Kip returned alone. “You’re the only medical staff in the building.”
Harper’s eyes widened. “Okay, Susie. Let’s see what’s going on. Mr. Brennan, would you call an ambulance?”
