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Jason looked up. “He hits on you even though he knows you’re engaged?
Vanessa and Cassie exchanged a knowing look.
“He doesn’t care,” Vanessa said. “I told him it makes me uncomfortable, and he made such a scene about how I need to loosen up and stop being so self-obsessed.” She rolled her eyes again. “As if he’s not the one making passes at me every chance he gets.”
“Sounds like a charmer.” Cassie said. “Did you get any information out of him?”
“Actually, yes. The one upside, I guess,” she speculated. “He remembered the guy coming in. Said he was in some gang or something, so it wasn’t a surprise that someone stabbed him again.” She shook her head. “I’m sure his commentary never gets old. Anyway, he also told me they almost lost him in recovery. His organs started to shut down, but they saved his life. Only for him to wind up here and go through the same thing.”
“Could this be happening at two different hospitals? If so, we have a much bigger issue on our hands.” Cassie looked over at Jason, who had been quiet for too long. “Find anything?”
“No.” He placed Jasmine and Mark’s notes back in the folder. “It’s nothing we didn’t already know.”
The squeal of a sneaker came from the other side of the door, followed by an eruption of laughter. Someone was right outside. All three of them froze, eyes wide, and waited for the door handle to jiggle. Seconds ticked by. Then a full minute. The laughter faded. They breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Vanessa checked her watch. “Our time’s up. If I’m gone any longer, someone’s gonna ask questions.”
Jason stood. “Thank you for your help.”
Cassie seconded him. “It means a lot. I know you took a risk putting this together.”
“I want to help.” Her hazel eyes glossed over with tears. “If something’s going on, and I don’t do something about it, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. I wish I could’ve given you more.”
Jason flipped the folder shut and held it out for Vanessa. “You gave us another lead. That’s more than we could’ve hoped for.”
Vanessa pushed the folder away. “Those are for you. Just make sure no one else sees them. Or they’ll do more than fire me.”
Cassie took the folder from Jason and slipped it into her purse. “We promise. And we’ll keep you updated if we figure anything else out.”
“Thanks.” Vanessa’s gaze landed on Jason. “It was nice seeing you again. You look good.” She laughed awkwardly. “Happy, I mean. I think Savannah’s treating you well.”
“Thank you.” He looked at Cassie and smiled. “I think it was the right decision.”
20
Vanessa had had the forethought to bring along a clipboard with a random array of papers. She held it to her chest as she left the room, stepping aside to let Cassie and Jason out. No one paid them any mind, even though Cassie felt like a neon sign pointed to the papers folded into her purse.
Vanessa spared them a small smile and then parted ways. The plan was to separate as soon as possible, with Vanessa heading back to the nurse’s station to resume her shift, and Cassie and Jason making a beeline for the exit. If they looked like they knew where they were going, no one would stop them. The ward was too busy to worry about a couple of people leaving on their own accord.
But the universe had a different idea.
Cassie felt a pull on her senses, like an invisible line attached to the back of her head. Someone tugged on the other end. She twisted, just in time to catch the skirt of someone’s dress disappear around the corner.
“She’s here.”
“Who?” Jason had his eyes on the exit. “We should go.”
Cassie looked up at him. She’d already made her decision. “I’ll meet you there.”
“What?” He looked at her now. “No. Why?”
“The Ghost Doctor. She’s here.” Cassie turned to stare at the spot she’d last seen her. “I need to know more about her. I have to figure out how she’s involved.”
“If they find out we’re not supposed to be here, it could get back to Vanessa.” He lowered his voice. “And then they’ll know about what she gave us.”
“They have no reason to think we don’t know where we’re going.” She started down the hall. “And the more we stand here arguing, the more suspicious we’ll look. You go, I’ll meet you.”
Jason sighed behind her, but it wasn’t until his shoulder bumped hers that she realized he’d followed her. “I want to know what’s going on, too,” he explained. “Even if I can’t see what you can see.”
