Page 108 of Solo

“Dr. Markham,” he replies flatly.

How does he know who I am?

“Of course I know who you are,” he says and I wonder for a split second if I’ve asked the question out loud.

“Do you really think I wouldn’t vet anyone who is involved with my daughter?”

I take a deep breath and match his expression, despite the unsettling feeling that he can read my thoughts.

“I wasn’t aware you had any interest in anything involving your daughter,” I reply icily.

He gives me a cool smile. “You mean like the fact that you’re sleeping with her? And she’s one of your students?”

“I’m not. I mean, I was, but…”

“Uh-huh. I know. You’re not now, not since you called the police on her. But you were. Isn’t that right Doctor Markham?” He sneers. Wow. This guy is an even bigger dick than I am. “In fact, the physicians here seem to think it was that little incident that left my daughter with pneumonia.”

And that would be my jugular.

“Senator Brenner, considering the fact that you’ve barely uttered a word to your daughter in years, I don’t see how any of this is your business,” I swat back at him. He’s about to say something when the door flies open, spilling muted light from the hallway across the room. Beverly is back with a big frown.

“What is going on in here?” she hisses.

Neither of us replies.

“All right, gentlemen. I think visiting hours are over.”

“I’m not leaving her,” I insist firmly, quietly.

“How much you wanna bet?” the senator retorts menacingly.

I jump up so we’re only separated by a few feet.

“Anything. Anything on God’s green earth. I did this to her, and I’m not going to take so much as a step outside of this room until I know she’s all right,” I inform him.

Beverly considers me for a beat, and then the senator.

“All right. Katherine needs rest right now, so here’s what we’ll do. There’s a private VIP lounge on the next floor and it’s empty right now. You all can wait there, maybe get something to eat. I’ll come and get you later on when the doctor makes his afternoon rounds.”

I look at Tucker Brenner. He looks at me. We nod, stand, and leave the room, our uneasy truce forged.

“It wasn’t Katherine, you know,” he tells me matter-of-factly once we’re settled in the lounge.

“What?” I ask. But I know what he means. I’m just not sure I believe him.

“You know very well ‘what,’ Dr. Markham. I’m telling you that Katherine was not responsible for that article.”

“Senator, I don’t think this is a discussion you and I should be having. I think Katherine and I—”

“No, Dr. Markham. You listen to me and you listen carefully, because I don’t want you upsetting my daughter with your nonsense. I don’t care what Kevin Kilpatrick or anyone else told you, Katherine is not the one who told him about your relationship. She’d never do that to someone she cared about. Not you. Not even to me.”

I shake my head, unable to reconcile my fury with her over my concern for her.

“I’m sorry, Senator, but there was too much. He knew too much. She was the only one. I’m sure you don’t want to hear that she would do something like this to make you look bad…”

“I’ve known about your relationship almost since it started, Dr. Markham. If I’d wanted to squash the story or spin it or broadcast it to the Associated Press, I’d have done it. I can assure you, you sleeping with my daughter has no impact on my career.”

“Well it sure as hell had an impact on mine,” I mutter with more anger than I intend to.