Grace found the name Jay in her contact list on her phone and called his number. After a while, the call connected and
Jays voice came from the other end of the line. Hello.
I have something to do. Im afraid that I will be back late today. You you can prepare dinner for yourself, Grace said.
What do you mean you have something to do?
Just tell him that youre in the hospital right now, Lina interrupted.
What does she mean you are in the hospital right now? There was a pronounced change in Jays tone.
I took a fall, and now Im waiting for X-rays.
In the hospital? Jay said as if confirming.
Yes. Grace sighed.
Which hospital? Jay asked. Im coming now.
You dont have to come. Lina is here with me. Just wait for me at home, she said in a hurry. Ill be there as soon as I can.
The other end of the phone was silent. After a long minute, Jason repeated his previous question, Which hospital?
Grace bit her lip and replied, First City.
Chills wracked her body and her stomach dipped at the thought of inconveniencing him. She had lost her mother
when she was a child and her family had kept her at arms length for most of her adolescence. Prison, that had shown her that she was truly on her own.
Grace really didnt feel comfortable troubling others for anything. No one owed her anything. And she was capable of handling lifes issues on her own.
Well, mostly.
If it werent for Lina, she would have come to the hospital
alone without saying a word to anyone. It wasnt that she
thought shed broken any bones, but shed hit her head really
hard. Everything ached and she was terrified that she was
internally bleeding.
Im coming now, Jason said.
Jason hung up the phone and immediately dialed his secretary Terrence. Investigate what happened to Grace
today.
Yes, sir. As you wish, lerrence said.
Also, check who the most skilled orthopedic doctor is at First City Hospital. Make sure he is on call and have him check
on Graces condition, Jason said. I expect a report before I
arrive there.
Understood sir, Terrence answered again.
After this call, Terrence looked at his mobile phone in a daze. Mr. Reeds feelings for this woman were escalating.
His instructions were precise and he knew Mr. Reeds moods. and tone well enough to interpret that Jason was deadly
serious.
There would be hell to pay if his instructions were not followed
to the T.
Terrence thought of the way Mr. Reed had initially reacted to Grace Cummins. Hed helped her-much as he would any stranger on the street. Then hed accepted her kindness, and
spent the night with her. He gradually spent more time at that apartment until hed virtually moved into that economy rental.
Where first, when Grace had been hit by an electric bike,
Jason had been slightly shaken, now, he was calling in every favor and demanding to know every detail of her accident
and her treatment.
And that wasnt counting the slights against her that Mr. Reed
had retaliated on her behalf.
Indeed, he was waging an all-out war with anyone who dared
to hurt this young woman.
The same woman whod killed his fiancee.
It was unsettling.
Mr. Reed was calculating. Cold. He didnt exhibit any strong
emotions for anyone or anything. Not his former future wife, not even his family.
His behavior now was most interesting.
Just as Grace was waiting for the results of an X-ray scan, a nurse suddenly came over and wheeled her out of the shared
space in the ER and to a private wing of the hospital. The rooms were single bed, spacious and the entire look of the area reflected a higher quality.
Grace asked, Why have you brought me here? Dr. Haan was already treating me.
The nurse just shrugged. I was told to bring you to Dr. Craigge. The young man smiled. Hes the best there is, so I wouldnt complain. Youre lucky. Hes usually off today.
Grace was rolled into a nice room with a big window.
Everything was white and bright and looked very modern and clean. A large television was up on one wall and two couches
on the opposite side of the room.
The hospital bed had scarcely stopped rolling before a
middle-aged man entered the room and grabbed Graces
chart off the rack at the foot of the bed.
Hello, he said, although he was looking at the chart, not at
Grace.
Hello Doctor, Grace said carefully.
The nurse smiled and left the room.
Dr. Craigge had been awakened by the hospital director and ordered to return to the hospital immediately. He was the senior attending physician and he knew that such a call would not have been made lightly.
There were plenty of other top orthopedic surgeons-he should know, hed interviewed and hired them.
While under the guise of reading the chart, Dr. Craigge took
stock of his patient.
Her clothes were simple. Cheap even.
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Theyd removed her top and put her in a hospital gown, but her pants and shoes were worn. Not dirty, just showing signs
of use. The fabric faded.
The woman herself was of average weight and height. Her
eyes were clear and her hair clean, if not simply styled. She wore no makeup. No jewelry.
Her chart revealed disturbing things.
Hmm. Interesting.
Dont make any mistakes, the hospital director had said. As if, Dr. Craigge would. He didnt need a threat to inspire him to bring his A game.
Hed been called in like this a few times before, for politicians and business chairmen. The girl didnt appear to be anyone of
consequence.
Not that it mattered.
She was his patient now.
As a doctor, he did not care about whether the patient was important or not. Wealthy or not.
There was an injured human in front of him, and hed do