Page 23 of Booked for Murder

“But is the doctor here the best you can get?”

As always, everything was the best this or the best that with him. The best didn’t mean infallible, but Bradley held the firm belief only the best would do. I’d learned the truth the hard way.

The best doctors in the field often wore blinders, refusing to pursue other—possibly better—options because of their pride.

If I’d listened to the best doctors, I would still be in a wheelchair unable to walk at all.

I shrugged. “The other doctors informed me I’d never walk again, so I’m not interested in the ‘best’ any adepts have to offer. Now, if you wanted to abuse your status as a snooty adept and get me a set of prescriptions, that might earn you a small amount of gratitude.”

“What’s wrong with your prescriptions?”

Beatrice and I snorted, and I wondered if we reacted for the same reasons. Probably. While she held a much higher rating and could have easier access to the restricted drugs, only the pures on either end of the scale got easy access to the best.

Bradley sighed and raised his hand to rub at his temple. “Beatrice, as I’m certain Janette will do her best to give me some sort of scathing answer to my question without answering my question at all, would you explain the situation to me?”

While Beatrice smiled, something about her eyes promised trouble. “She doesn’t qualify for any of the good painkillers due to her rating. Those in her rating bracket typically do not have the insurance policies required to pay for the painkillers, and doctors do not consider them candidates to receive the higher quality prescriptions. The on-shelf shit won’t touch something like her busted foot. It might dull the pain slightly. The library’s prescription policy won’t cover the grade of painkiller she probably needs, and it won’t cover the costs of the extensive treatments. It’s an issue for our disabled workers of lower rating brackets. We just can’t win that war against the insurance company. They won’t offer the coverage.”

I wondered how long she’d been waiting for a chance to tell an adept how unfair the system was for people like me—and if he’d pass her test.

How he answered would set how she viewed him for the rest of eternity. She took longer than most to set her first impressions, but she rarely changed how she viewed someone once she decided what she thought about them.

Heaving another sigh, he replied, “Pain impairs recovery.”

“Pain causes a lot of issues, and because she doesn’t miss work because of a bad day, there’s not a whole lot we can do—and if she misses work due to it, she can’t press the point unless she is fired because she can’t get the care she needs. That leaves her in a no-win situation.” Beatrice grimaced and glanced my way. “Sorry, Janette.”

“It’s true, so don’t be sorry about it. He’s only seen me on a good day.”

“What’s a bad day?”

Beatrice and I pointed at my cane, which leaned in the corner. With a furrowed brow, Bradley strode to it, picked it up, and examined it, rolling it in his hands. The longer he looked it over, the darker his expression became.

“This hasn’t been enhanced. A bad day means you have to use a cane?”

I rolled my eyes at that. “I’m not pure enough in either direction on the records to justify such precious workings. You should know that’s how the world works. And a bad day means I have to use the cane for any hope of walking at all. I can’t afford to miss work because of a bad day, so I keep money around to take a cab to work if I must.”

“You could have picked any rating below yours without issue. Why pick that bracket, especially when you can’t get the care you need?”

When I refused to answer, Beatrice said, “Because nobody looks at people in her bracket twice. She’s got just enough magic in her blood to avoid attention from everyone. No one of any other bracket looks twice at her. It’s the ultimate rating for someone to be invisible in a crowd. Nobody wants people in her bracket. She can’t work any magic, but she’s not a pure mundane, either. All she has going for her is her wits, and she’s smart, I’ll grant you that. She couldn’t do her job without being smart. Her memory’s good, she’s able to work most crowds, and she’s invisible. But that comes at a price. She could disappear, and beyond her close friends, nobody would care. The library system would only miss her because she checked off two equal opportunity boxes, so we’d no longer get a two-for-one special with her.”

“Playing the system means sacrifices, and I’d played the system for a reason.”

“To prevent me from finding you.”

“That’s one of the reasons,” I conceded.

“Well, I’ve found you, and you won’t be getting away from me again.”

I struggled to believe that I’d missed the ivory tower yesterday. The reality of the situation reminded me why I’d left the tower in the first place. What would it take to be truly free? With Bradley on the prowl, I expected it would take a miracle. “As what? I can’t serve as your bodyguard anymore.”

He smiled, and I tensed at his self-assured expression. “I have a far better use for you, don’t you worry about that.”

As he preferred making promises rather than threats, I worried.

Seven

My cat was about to sucker me out of second breakfast.

I needed coffee to deal with Bradley and Beatrice, and the two waged a not-so-silent war with each other. Somehow, I’d become the prize they battled over. My idiocy in the morning did me no good, and I took three whole steps before coming to the conclusion today would be a bad day. Glaring at Bradley, I snatched my cane out of his possession and hobbled to the counter to make the magical black bean juice appear in the carafe.