08-23-2018, 09:12 PM
Jay let himself sink against the stairwell door, crossed his arms and let the doctor squirm for a bit. The guy, although older with flecks of gray at his temples, was immaculately well-groomed. Maybe it was typical slick-doctor fashion, but he seemed out of the element for rural Iowa. Expensive products oiled his hair. His watch flashed like money. Light knows he didn't buy those shoes at the Des Moines mall. No wedding ring. So nothing or no one to tie him down to the region. His right hand had a gaudy gold ring, though. Probably some kind of med-school class-ring.
He did a pretty good job not fidgeting around beneath the scrutiny of Jay's study. He gave the man credit for that. And he covered up Cayli's entire Sickness, so he was ballsy. Jay was willing to give him a chance to dig his way out of the shit-up-to-his-eyeball pool he found himself swimming in.
"How long have you been my sister's doctor?"
It wasn't the question Diaz expected. He blinked silently a moment. "I met her a few days ago when she was admitted." The muscles in his cheeks flinched with a tight jaw. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go--" he started to descend the stairs. Jay didn't so much as move to chase him down.
The poor guy was rather jarred when he walked straight into an invisible sheet of glass. He caught himself, dropping the things in his arms in the process. A pad toppled to the platform with a loud thud.
The doc palmed at the invisible barrier a moment, then spun and glared up at Jay. Who was still leaning against the door unmoved but for feet crossed at the ankle now. He grinned. The doc growled in annoyance, but slowly ascended the steps to carry on their conversation. The guy was clearly nervous, but damn, Jay kind of admired his backbone.
"And how soon after admitting her did you realize she had the Sickness?" Jay waited patiently for an answer. He wasn't even sure what he was going to do with the information when it was provided. But he had to know how much this guy knew. What exactly did he intend to do with Cayli as she died in her bed of fevers and power?
A device at the man's belt beeped. He glanced at the message, "I have to go now, Mr. Carpenter," he attempted to collect what he dropped, but the same impenetrable barrier remained.
"Lieutenant. And how soon after, did you say?" Jay repeated.
The doc's chest swelled as he realized how quite literally he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He quickly climbed the stairs and rejoined Jay. When he spoke, he dropped his voice low like someone might be listening. "I knew what it was. She's not the only one that I've seen or heard about. These kids sometimes go missing after their diagnosis is registered with the CDC. I didn't want that to happen to her. So I played along with it. Does the Lieutenant find that answer satisfactory?"
Jay held the man's gaze throughout an eruption of fresh beeps. The explanation made sense despite something about the man that didn't quite sit just right. Jay couldn't pin down what it was, though. Without any specific reason to push him farther, he nodded that the guy go on his way.
Diaz sniffed in annoyance, grabbed his stuff and flew down the stairs, silencing the beeps as he went. Jay, hand on the door handle, stopped himself from opening it. Stupid, senseless maybe, but something about that doctor wasn't quite right. Nobody was that altruistic.
He flew down the stairs himself and stopped at the first-floor entrance. The air down here was fresh and crisp, not stagnant, uncirculated, utility-room air.
The doc didn't go this way. Jay shook his head, cursing himself for not following his instinct. The guy went outside.
So much for the urgent beeps.
He pressed himself against the wall and gently cracked the door. The doc wasn't outside. In fact, he was't on the sidewalk either.
He slipped out, eyes scanning the adjacent parking lot when the soft smack of a car-door being closed crept into his hearing.
He hurried toward it, circling around and approaching from behind until he came upon the shadow of a head sitting in a new Porsche. Nice car. Oddly out of place, again. But nice. Jay crouched behind a nearby truck, carefully peering over the hood.
Lines and lines of the power reached into the car as he did. What words were barely muffled were now amplified. Rushed, angry words. He held his breath as he listened.
He did a pretty good job not fidgeting around beneath the scrutiny of Jay's study. He gave the man credit for that. And he covered up Cayli's entire Sickness, so he was ballsy. Jay was willing to give him a chance to dig his way out of the shit-up-to-his-eyeball pool he found himself swimming in.
"How long have you been my sister's doctor?"
It wasn't the question Diaz expected. He blinked silently a moment. "I met her a few days ago when she was admitted." The muscles in his cheeks flinched with a tight jaw. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go--" he started to descend the stairs. Jay didn't so much as move to chase him down.
The poor guy was rather jarred when he walked straight into an invisible sheet of glass. He caught himself, dropping the things in his arms in the process. A pad toppled to the platform with a loud thud.
The doc palmed at the invisible barrier a moment, then spun and glared up at Jay. Who was still leaning against the door unmoved but for feet crossed at the ankle now. He grinned. The doc growled in annoyance, but slowly ascended the steps to carry on their conversation. The guy was clearly nervous, but damn, Jay kind of admired his backbone.
"And how soon after admitting her did you realize she had the Sickness?" Jay waited patiently for an answer. He wasn't even sure what he was going to do with the information when it was provided. But he had to know how much this guy knew. What exactly did he intend to do with Cayli as she died in her bed of fevers and power?
A device at the man's belt beeped. He glanced at the message, "I have to go now, Mr. Carpenter," he attempted to collect what he dropped, but the same impenetrable barrier remained.
"Lieutenant. And how soon after, did you say?" Jay repeated.
The doc's chest swelled as he realized how quite literally he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He quickly climbed the stairs and rejoined Jay. When he spoke, he dropped his voice low like someone might be listening. "I knew what it was. She's not the only one that I've seen or heard about. These kids sometimes go missing after their diagnosis is registered with the CDC. I didn't want that to happen to her. So I played along with it. Does the Lieutenant find that answer satisfactory?"
Jay held the man's gaze throughout an eruption of fresh beeps. The explanation made sense despite something about the man that didn't quite sit just right. Jay couldn't pin down what it was, though. Without any specific reason to push him farther, he nodded that the guy go on his way.
Diaz sniffed in annoyance, grabbed his stuff and flew down the stairs, silencing the beeps as he went. Jay, hand on the door handle, stopped himself from opening it. Stupid, senseless maybe, but something about that doctor wasn't quite right. Nobody was that altruistic.
He flew down the stairs himself and stopped at the first-floor entrance. The air down here was fresh and crisp, not stagnant, uncirculated, utility-room air.
The doc didn't go this way. Jay shook his head, cursing himself for not following his instinct. The guy went outside.
So much for the urgent beeps.
He pressed himself against the wall and gently cracked the door. The doc wasn't outside. In fact, he was't on the sidewalk either.
He slipped out, eyes scanning the adjacent parking lot when the soft smack of a car-door being closed crept into his hearing.
He hurried toward it, circling around and approaching from behind until he came upon the shadow of a head sitting in a new Porsche. Nice car. Oddly out of place, again. But nice. Jay crouched behind a nearby truck, carefully peering over the hood.
Lines and lines of the power reached into the car as he did. What words were barely muffled were now amplified. Rushed, angry words. He held his breath as he listened.
Only darkness shows you the light.