The waiting room was filled with a multitude of people, and each plastic chair was full. A baby wailed, its tired mother jiggling it on her shoulder. Two young kids were wrestling on the floor. An older woman sat in a chair, fast asleep.
“Gosh,” Lili murmured.
“It’s often busy,” I told her. “He helps people who can’t afford to go anywhere else.”
We all helped fund the clinic, but Landon didn’t waste money on making it look pretty. The walls in the waiting room were no-nonsense green, and there were some medical and vaccination posters on the wall, but it still felt like somewhere you didn’t want to spend too much time.
A middle-aged female receptionist at the desk in pink scrubs was talking with a patient who was speaking in rapid Spanish. The man was wearing ragged jeans and holding a bloody cloth on his hand.
Landon appeared from a doorway at the back, wearing a white lab coat.
“Oh, hottie doctor alert,” Lili murmured.
I frowned down at her.
She shot me a sunny smile. “Not hotter than you.”
“Hi, guys.” Landon looked a little harried. “It’s extra busy today. Lili, thank you for helping in the office.”
“I’m happy to help.”
He led us through the doors and down a wide corridor. There were several bays on either side, cordoned off with blue curtains. Nurses and another doctor who helped Landon out were busy with patients.
Toward the back of the clinic a door led down to the alley and had several heavy-duty locks on it. There was a small back room that was the office, and Landon pushed the door open.
The first thing that registered was that it was definitely messier than my office at the warehouse had been.
The second thing was the black-haired woman rifling through the filing cabinet.
“What the fuck?” Landon snapped.
The woman’s head whipped around.
Jeez. Dark wavy hair framed a stunning face filled with high cheekbones and liquid-dark eyes. She clearly had some Latino heritage. She was medium height, with a fit body packed into tight jeans and a blue shirt.
She dropped the file she was holding, then sprang.
Right at us.
Grabbing Lili, I spun her out of the way. The woman slammed into Landon, and rammed him into the wall. I heard him curse.
Then, she raced out the door.
“Come back here!” Landon gave chase.
“You okay?”
Lili nodded.
We followed, and I saw the door to the alley was open. As we stepped outside, I smelled the stench of rotting food comingfrom the dumpster belonging to the Chinese restaurant next door.
Landon reappeared, walking back toward us.
Alone.
And pissed.
“She got away?” I asked.
