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“I’m sorry.”
The line crackles. “We’ll talk later. This has been a long ordeal. I’d like some rest now.”
My heart pitter-patters. “I do have a question for you.”
“Yes?”
I feel the sharp blade of his temper even through the phone line. I inhale…then let the breath out. “I need the location of the safe’s key. You know—”
“The only one. Yes, I know. What for?”
“For him—for Carnegie. He’s got an injury, a shoulder that’s giving him pain.”
“Injured in the fall, then?”
“I’m not sure when.”
“Weren’t you there?”
“Well, yes. But—”
“Is it an old wound or a new one?”
I bristle, as I almost always do in the past year when we speak. “Likely old. Truth be told, I didn’t ask.”
“What do you need the safe for?”
“Well, for the controlled substances. For the pain. I’d hoped to give a bit of something.”
“Did he ask?”
“He wouldn’t ask. But I can see it pains him. I didn’t want to broach the subject without having the safe’s key.”
“Broach the subject? Is it a tough one then? I’m quite sure I’m missing something, but I don’t know where. Care to enlighten me?”
I shut my eyes. “Doctor…he’s got a bit of history, I believe. That’s how I know he’d never ask.”
“A history? And you want to give him more? Are you out of your gourd?”
My stomach clenches. I feel foolish, as I always do around Doctor. “I don’t like to see him hurting.”
“You’re too soft.”
“Perhaps. Is there something I could give to help him rest or help with pain that isn’t those things?”
“Nothing that you’d need a safe key for.”
“What if the pain becomes unbearable?”
“You won’t know then, will you? You just said he wouldn’t ask. And if he does ask, how can you trust him? That’s the trouble with you native Tristanians. Never having lived off the island, you’re ridiculously naive.”
My stomach twists as anger builds. “Don’t be unkind, sir. I’m simply advocating for a patient. You know we can’t gauge injuries like that here on the island. Something in the shoulder could be torn or broken.”
“In ordinary society, this is why one has what’s called a family doctor. Let him contact that person if he has a need, get a prescription. They can contact me. Until then, offer NSAIDs. And Finley?”
“Yes?”
“Be wary of him. Sort like that—he’s damaged goods. Quite likely to do near anything.”
