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Kiki faced him, flanked by Cassie and Jason. “Pleasant is not the word I would use today.”

“You’re right.” He molded his smile into something a bit more appropriate for the situation. “I apologize.” He held out a hand to Jason and then Cassie. “My name is Jonah Washburn.”

“He’s a member of UMC’s legal defense.” Kiki didn’t hide the derision in her voice. “We’ve run into each other before.”

“Kiki is one of the best.” Jonah’s jealousy was well-concealed, but Cassie still picked up on it. “You always know you’re in for a fight when she’s sitting at the table opposite yours.”

“At least you know what’s about to happen.” Kiki didn’t look nervous. “Your boss is about to have several very bad days.”

Jonah’s face grew serious, but Cassie saw a spark behind his eyes. He enjoyed a challenge, and he especially liked it when Kiki played the challenger. “UMC will fully cooperate with all the families who suffered a loss at the hands of Heather Stephens. We’ll do anything we can to make this right.”

“Anything?” Kiki took a step forward. Next to her, Jason’s hand twitched, as though he thought he might need to hold her back but changed his mind. “Do you mean that?”

“Of course.” His smile widened. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because UMC has a lot to answer for. So do the other hospitals that allowed Heather Stephens to roam free in their halls.”

“Hang on.” Jonah looked confused. “Allowed her to roam free?”

Kiki took another step forward. Jonah took a step back. Jason’s hand didn’t twitch this time. “We have dozens of hospital staff coming forward about their experiences being told to keep the

ir mouths shut.”

“The hospital itself is not liable for individual people’s mistakes. Nor is the CEO.”

“I disagree.” A grin spread across Kiki’s face, but it was a predator’s smile. “I’ve heard enough to draw some conclusions. A hospital’s success rate is important to its CEO, isn’t it? To the board? Wouldn’t you say that’s motive?”

“This has nothing to do with the Heather Stephens case.”

“This is the Heather Stephens case.” Kiki gestured to the hospital over her shoulder. “The only reason Heather Stephens exists is because UMC allowed her to. The only reason she could do everything she did was because UMC allowed her to. Because they care more about their numbers than their people.”

“These are big accusations.” Jonah wasn’t smiling anymore. “You’d have to have some pretty big balls to not only go up against UMC but Tulane and Curahealth, too.”

“I don’t need balls to do that.” Kiki turned her back on him. “Consider this warning a professional courtesy. I look forward to seeing you in court.”

Cassie had the pleasure of seeing Jonah Washburn’s face go slack before he pulled out his phone and rushed toward the hospital. Something told her he wouldn’t sleep much that night.

38

When they arrived at Granny Mabel’s house, Cassie tugged on Jason’s hand to make him hang back while Kiki walked through the door ahead of them. She looked down at her shoes and noticed a new scuff. “I think I should go. I don’t want to interrupt. You need time with your family.”

“They want to see you.” He smiled and stepped closer. Lifted her chin with a finger. “And I want you to be here. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Hey, lovebirds.” Kiki smiled back at them. “You coming?”

Cassie nodded and watched as a smile blossomed across Jason’s face. He stepped back, and she realized she’d been holding her breath. She blew out her lungful of air. She could already smell Granny Mabel’s cookies, and her mouth watered in anticipation.

A group of people had crowded the kitchen before the newcomers arrived. Granny Mabel stood at the counter, placing a batch of cookies on a plate, fresh from the oven. Mama T stood at her side, mixing another batch with a wooden spoon. Auntie Kay sat at the table with what Cassie recognized as her customary cup of tea. Janelle sat next to her, phone face down on the table and fresh tears cascading down her cheeks.

The room hushed when Cassie entered, and everyone turned to her. The heat of the oven wasn’t the only thing that made her cheeks flush, and she had an urge to inspect that new scuff on her shoe again.

Janelle was the first to make a move. She stood and walked up to Cassie, wrapping her in a hug so tight that it squeezed all the air out of her lungs. But Cassie never wanted to escape it. Everything the young woman wanted to say was in there, and Cassie was so grateful, it brought tears to her eyes. When Janelle finally let go, there was a clarity behind the sadness. As difficult as all of this had been, at least she had answers about her sister.

“You did this family a service we can never repay.” Granny Mabel’s voice was watery, and she saw Mama T and Auntie Kay wipe tears from their eyes. Cassie got the impression it was a rare occurrence to see the Broussard family matriarch cry. “We are forever in your debt.”

Cassie wiped her own tears away, but new ones took their place. “Please, you don’t have to thank me.”

Granny Mabel wiped her hands on a towel and walked up to Cassie. She laid a palm on both of her cheeks. They were still warm from the cookies. “We will never be able to express how much this means to us. You are a gift from God, Cassie Quinn. I hope you know how special you are. To all of us. You have given us peace. Our hearts will mend in time now that we know the truth.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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