by Shayla Black
“What do you mean? She merely asked to use the loo,” the doctor sputtered as he darted back down the hall.
Roman followed. Sure enough, as the phone started to ring in his ear, he heard a faint corresponding ring down the hall. The closer he hustled to the doctor’s office, the louder the noise sounded.
“Roman, I can’t talk right now,” Gus said over the line, her voice hushed.
He bet she couldn’t. Thankfully, the carpet beneath his loafers muffled the sounds of his footsteps. He kept his voice intentionally low. “Why, baby? Are you in an important meeting?”
“Very. I’ll have to call you back.”
“Is Liz with you?”
“Um, yeah, but she’s busy, too. You know how it is on these trips. I have to go. See you tonight.” The line went dead.
Gus was probably panicking now. She had to know the doctor would be back at any moment. She must be hurrying to find anything of value in his filing cabinets.
Roman gnashed his teeth together. How the hell had she escaped the manor without his knowledge? He intended to have someone’s head for this lapse.
The doctor stopped just short of his door with a frown. “I left that open.”
“And she closed it.”
“Oh, dear. Should I ring 999?”
He grasped the doorknob, hoping she hadn’t locked herself in. He wouldn’t put it past her to buy herself a little extra time, then plot to wiggle her gorgeous body out some tiny window to escape. “I’ll handle her. No need for the police.”
Damn Gus. Roman was one hundred percent certain he could feel his hair starting to gray, and it was all her fault. But even though she’d defied him, he felt oddly eager to clap eyes on her. He frowned. It made no sense.
The doorknob turned easily and he barged into the office.
Gus was stepping out of a door to his left and turned, wearing a bright smile. “Thank you so much, Doct… Roman?”
Her smile fled. A startled expression accompanied the whoosh of her breath. Anxiety lit her eyes next, proving to him that she did have a lick of sense. She should be afraid.
“Hello, dear. Is Liz in the bathroom, too? I had no idea you had a meeting so far from London.”
At least she had the decency to blush, her cheeks turning a hot pink. “I was just… Wait.” That sensible fear fled, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be glued to Zack’s side all day. In London. Meetings with the prime minister, I believe. Did you forget those? Or get lost?”
He pointed a finger her direction. “You are not turning this back on me.”
“Excuse me, but I’m confused,” the doctor said. “You clearly know each other, but you didn’t come here together?” He glared at Roman. “Was your appointment a ruse so she could search my office?”
“Of course not. I don’t need to resort to such drastic measures. As you know, I have a release from the family.” He reached into his suit pocket, ready to pull out a copy of the paperwork.
“So you were snooping of your own accord, young lady?”
Gus sent him a look that could have frozen an active volcano. “Of course not. He was kidding. He’s quite a practical jokester.” She sidled up to Roman, sliding her arm through his. He felt her claws digging into his forearm through his suit coat. “He has such an odd sense of humor. I have no idea why I date him. Maybe you should think about keeping him for observation.”
The doctor looked between the two of them. “You have a romantic relationship?”
Gus leaned against him. “We do, and the truth is, we must have gotten our schedules mixed up today. I thought he was far too busy to come here, so I tried to save him the trip and surprise him. And because I’d like to spend a day shopping and sightseeing before we fly back across the pond. But as Roman pointed out, I don’t have the proper paperwork. That detail completely slipped my mind.” She touched a hand to her forehead with a trilling laugh. “Zack gave it to this guy here. I’m sorry, I mean the president. We’re both lawyers in his employ and we’ve known him since we were kids, so it’s weird to call him anything other than his name. Or Scooter, of course.” Gus smiled brilliantly before she slanted a glance his way. “Come on, babe. We’ve taken up enough of the doctor’s time.”
Roman thought his head might explode. He was so going to… He wasn’t even sure what he intended to do to her, but in that moment he wished like hell he could toss her over his knee and spank the sass out of her. Still, she was right. They needed to leave before the doctor got any more suspicious.
He forced a smile. “Sorry, Doctor. I didn’t mean to imply that she’s a criminal. Though what she’d like to do with our spare time would be a crime against my credit card.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder with an airy laugh. “One little trip to Harrods.”
The doctor smiled indulgently and murmured something about his wife doing the same. No one could turn around a bad situation like Gus. She could get caught with a gun standing over a dead body and residue all over her hands, and still manage to craft a charming story the police would probably believe.
But Roman refused to be charmed. Not this time. His stern lecture would have to wait, however. Now he had to play the indulgent boyfriend.
“Glad you understand. I actually came here today, rather than tomorrow, so I could surprise her. Pray for my credit card, Doc.” He smiled. “Oh, before we go, what can you tell me about Constance Hayes? You said the files we’re looking for are missing?”
The doctor frowned for a moment, as though trying to figure out if he was being had.
Gus nodded and started back into the doctor’s office, tugging Roman along. “I was asking the doctor about any records he might have on Constance, but he told me they’d gone missing some time ago. He tried to pull them recently, probably for you.”
The doctor settled himself behind his impressive desk. “Yes. I looked for the records when Mr. Calder called to inquire about reviewing them. As I told Ms. Spencer, I wasn’t Homewood’s director at the time of Mrs. Hayes’s stay, but I worked here.”
He was still suspicious and somewhat reserved, but Gus seemed to have kept the situation from going incredibly south. Not that it would save her later.
Roman slid into the chair beside her. When she tried to inch away, he caught her hand and wrapped her arm around his. She’d started this game, so no, he didn’t mind taking advantage of the situation. Since their two investigations had crossed over, that meant he could keep an eye on her while he completed his. “Did you work on her case at all?”
“I did, but I’d prefer not to say more. Privacy laws.” The doctor glanced Gus’s way.
“The patient in question is deceased and her husband has dementia. Zack Hayes has his father’s power of attorney and I represent the whole family. I can show you my paperwork again, if you’d like. Or would you prefer for me to get my client on the phone?”
Gus sighed and leaned toward the doctor. “Don’t mind his growl. That’s how he talks. But we really do need some answers. We’re here for Zack…President Hayes. He can’t come himself, obviously. Privacy is a deep concern—his and yours. If the president comes, we have to bring a large security detail and shut down most of your operations for the day. I assure you, it’s a hassle. And then there’s the press. Once they’re on the scene, I fear they could learn about your celebrity patients, perhaps even catch an unauthorized glimpse of them. It’s in everyone’s best interest not to stir up that kind of attention.”
The doctor shuddered. “I see your point, yes. And you did send the proper paperwork. Can we talk in front of Ms. Spencer?”
“Please do.”
“All right. I was a secondary doctor on Mrs. Hayes’s case. Her primary physician died a few years back, and somehow we’ve lost his records.”
“All of them?” Roman asked.
“No, that’s what’s strange. Only Mrs. Hayes’s records are missing.”
Gus squeezed his hand. Clearl
y, she didn’t believe for one moment the records had simply been misplaced. Neither did Roman. Though nothing had really changed, Roman sensed this excursion had become far more serious—and potentially dangerous.
“Do you have any idea when the records went missing?” she asked.
“I honestly can’t tell you,” he began, but then he seemed to have an idea. He stood, pushing his chair back. “But…let me check something. I’ll be right back. I might be able to at least give you a time period, if my theory is right.”
He stepped outside, leaving his door open.
Gus immediately turned on him. “I knew you were lying to me. You never meant to take me along. Your promises and your ‘deal’ were just one big manipulation.”
She wanted to do this here? Now? Fine by him. “I lied? That’s pretty hypocritical, baby, since you’re the one who sneaked in here to illegally search a doctor’s office. You know, you’re lucky he didn’t call the police. How would that have looked?”
“He wasn’t going to catch me. You’re the one who made it a close call.”
Roman gritted his teeth. “Why the hell are you here?”
“No, you go first.”
He clenched his jaw even tighter, lips pressing into a grim line. He couldn’t admit here all the things he’d been keeping from her all along. He couldn’t drag her any deeper into this conspiracy and put her in more danger.
She pointed a finger his way. “See, there you go with the stonewalling. You’re not going to say a word, are you?”
But he didn’t have to admit anything. Gus knew he was investigating. She was a smart woman and no matter what he did, she would put two and two together all too soon. “I’m here because Zack thinks something was…odd about his mother’s death. He’d like answers.”
“Okay, I’ll be the one to say it. She was very likely murdered.” Gus sat at the edge of her chair as though she might jump up at any moment. Her eyes were alive with suspicion. “You don’t look surprised at all. I think Constance was murdered, just like my father. I’ve thought a lot about this. My dad must have known something, Roman. I know what all the police reports said, but I think someone covered up his murder, too. I want to know what happened and why.”
Roman’s breath caught. Damn it. He’d always thought she was brilliant, but damn… She was even smarter than he’d given her credit for. He couldn’t not tell her why her father had died. Dax might kill him later, but in that moment he knew he couldn’t lie. “Yes, I’m here because I believe your father knew something about Constance Hayes’s death…and that’s why someone in the Russian mafia paid your father’s aide to first discredit him. They later leaned on Holland’s uncle to rule that the admiral’s death had been suicide.”
Color leeched from Gus’s face. Suddenly, her hand was in his again. The way she squeezed him, seeking comfort, tugged at his heart.
He stood and pulled her into his arms. “This is why I’ve lied, baby. I don’t want you involved. I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt or… I can’t lose anyone else. Not after everything.”
She clung to him. “But I need answers, Roman. This is far more my fight than yours. I won’t let you keep me out of it. Whatever’s going on has cost me dearly. I lost my father and two of my closest friends. I have to know why.”
True, and he felt guilty every time he thought about the enormity of what they were keeping from her.
“I also know you’re angry with me,” she went on. “And I’m angry with you. But I won’t let you send me back to the manor and put me under house arrest.”
He was fairly certain that would be impossible now. Roman sighed and held her closer, letting her scent wash over him.
Funny how it used to merely arouse him. In the past when he’d inhaled her, he’d thought of nothing except getting her into bed. Now being this near Gus calmed him surprisingly.
No, he didn’t want her in danger. But she had come here of her own free will. He could hardly make her unlearn anything she’d discovered on her own. What point was there in keeping these deep, dark secrets from her anymore…and potentially driving a wedge between them?
“No, you can stay, but we’re doing this together. And we’re going to have a long talk first. I’m going to know everything you know.”
“Yes, it was just as I…” The doctor stopped short, cleaning his throat. “Oh, sorry to interrupt.”
Gus started to break away, but Roman merely shifted his body so he could keep his arm around her.
“My apologies, but when my girl is this pretty, I’m afraid it’s hard to keep my hands off her,” Roman quipped. “You were saying?”
He helped Gus sit before joining her.
The doctor stepped behind his desk, finding his chair once more. He adjusted his glasses as he paged through a file. “Here it is. It’s as I suspected. You see when we move the paper forms to our archives, we have to sign them in and out. Mrs. Hayes’s form was signed out to be scanned, but it was never signed back in. The lad who did our scanning services no longer works here. He was a college student interning for us. I can certainly get you his name, but it’s been six years and he’s back in India now, as far as I know. You’ll have to look him up.”
That would be hard. Connor might have some contacts. “So why wasn’t the file in the computer system?”
“I suppose our intern didn’t actually scan it. Or he did and someone mistakenly deleted it. Normally, I would suspect her son of arranging that mishap, but you’re here on his behalf.”
“My boss had nothing to do with it,” Roman assured.
“Wait, the files must have been in your system at one time because when I ran oppo research during the campaign, Constance’s stay here was one of the things we easily uncovered. Despite the fact that she registered under an alias, her records had to be kept under her real name. I dug that up over three years ago, so the file must have been deleted and stolen since then. Can anyone in your employ look through your computer systems to find out if you’ve been hacked or if any purging of files has occurred?”
“A firm that handles our computer systems now should be able to answer your question. Should I advise our legal department of this?” The doctor looked wary again.
Roman leaned in, adding a hint of menace to his tone. “You lost complex and valuable information about the mother of the president of the United States.”
It never hurt to have leverage.
Gus laid a soft hand on the doctor’s desk. “Doctor… Charles, I don’t think that’s necessary. Please excuse Roman. He forgets about manners sometimes. We all want to keep this situation quiet. Is there any way you would allow our computer experts to talk to your company? Perhaps we can find some answers together. We don’t want to read the sensitive records of your other patients, but we might be able to assist with technical issues. If you’ll agree to that, we can all handle this matter discreetly. I’d hate for the public or press to catch wind of this snafu.”
The doctor nodded, obviously having no idea he’d been subtly threatened. “Perhaps that’s the best solution. I’ll let them know you’ll be calling and that they should give you their full support. I hope the president understands the hospital did its utmost to preserve the integrity of those files and that we’re committed to restoring them. We take our patients’ privacy seriously. This has never happened before. I can’t apologize enough.”
“Is there anything you personally remember about Constance’s case?” Gus asked.
Roman sat back. She had this guy eating out of the palm of her hand. And staring at her breasts, but then if he was in the doctor’s position, he would be staring at them, too. Augustine’s breasts were a national treasure. Actually, they might qualify since he was fairly certain the sight of those gorgeous things had bought the country an enormous amount of goodwill with world leaders.
“As I explained to Mr. Calder, I was secondary on her case. I only really checked in on her when her primary physician was on leave. I recall she was normally a m
odel patient. She was quiet. She liked to spend her time alone, reading books and magazines.”
“Exactly what ailments was she diagnosed with? Alcoholism?” Roman couldn’t remember a time when Zack’s mom hadn’t had a glass of wine or a martini in her hand.
“She was treated for a chemical dependency, yes. But her main diagnosis was paranoid personality disorder,” the doctor explained. “Constance always thought someone was trying to kill her. And if I recall, she had trouble with hearing voices in her head, specifically a baby crying. She believed she’d accidentally killed a child, but according to everything I recall, that never happened. She attended intense therapy sessions, and we tried to relieve the guilt she had no reason to feel. But nothing changed her mind. As far as I know, she believed people were coming after her, seeking vengeance for the child, up until her untimely death in that car accident.”
Roman sat back as the information rolled through his brain. He didn’t want to think about the implications. Wouldn’t think about them until he learned what was true and what had merely been a delusion in Constance’s mind. “Do you know if her primary doctor had transcripts of his sessions with her in that file?”
“Of course,” Doctor Billings replied. “We record all our sessions and save them with the rest of the files.”
So if the files had been stolen, rather than misplaced—a terrible likelihood—Zack’s enemies could have documented proof that his mother believed she’d murdered a child.
The conspiracies began to spin in his head. Had Constance Hayes killed her own child? Had Frank Hayes, conscious that Constance couldn’t bear another, replaced that child with another? Maybe his Russian nanny’s?
Was Zack actually Sergei?
“Do you remember anything else?” Gus asked. “Why was she driving the night she died? How did she escape the facility?”
“I don’t know all the details. I wasn’t there that night. Her death was a heavy weight on Dr. Richards for the rest of his days. But Mrs. Hayes didn’t escape. We maintain strict security standards so that our patients aren’t a risk to themselves or others, but there are several ways a patient can be temporarily granted limited freedom. Most of the time it’s because they’ve been declared low-risk and have completed the initial mandatory lock-in period, so an approved person could sign them out for up to six hours. Family visits and fresh air often cheer these people up, you understand.”