le was cold through

ced efficiency. The overhead light was too bright. She raised her arm to shield her eyes, and the

the confidence of someone who had done this ten thousand times. She snapped on a

made a small sound-not quite a gasp, more a s

g down at her with an expression that managed to be both professional and deeply concerned. "I'm goin

She shook her head,

not normal injuries. There is significant tearing. Soft tissue da

nd," Claire

nd of resignation and something else-pity, maybe, or the exhaust

aire's gaze, refusing to let her look away. "No sexual activity. None. For a minimum of two week

tood that her revenge had cost her someth

ss. The nurse had left a paper bag on the counter-prescriptions, instructions, a sample of

merged. She crossed to the desk, her cr

opened be

it's probably just a rash,

ped. She turned, slowly, knowing befor

man in a dress that left nothing to imagination, his expression s

dened. His mouth curved into a

well, well. If it isn'

, lean, dressed in a suit that cost more than Claire's monthly rent, with the particular

was tasting it. "Ellsworth's little robot. His perfect a

eel, was everything she'd learned to project in sevente

t. Her hands were shaking. She pre

k, on her posture, on the way she was standing-too str

he counter, leaning his elbows on the marble, positioning himself between Claire and the exit. His gaze swept over her, taking in her

ties with dyed blonde hair and the hard eyes of s

to a conspiratorial whisper. "What's wrong with m

. "Mr. Huxley-Davenport, you know I can't discl

was alligator, monogrammed, disgusting. He counted out five hundred-dollar bills, fold

toward him. "I'm sorry, sir.

string of diagnostic codes was visible on the top sheet. He didn't know what they meant, but he memorized the sequence. He looked b

s. "Keep your secrets." He leaned closer to Claire. "

make her the story he was already writing in his head. She walked, her hee

s into a medical search engine. She didn't see the results that made his eyes wide