Page 109 of Double Take
“Do you ever get to find out about them?”
“Sometimes. If I’m really curious, I give the victim a call.”
“What about the little girl you saved? And her family?”
His jaw worked for a split second before he shrugged. “I haven’t really followed up with that one. Those little girls got to me, and if I were to find out that they were in a bad situation, I’d have to do something about it.” He rubbed his jaw. “And I can’t save everyone. It sounds harsh, I know, but all I can do is the job I’ve been assigned—and called to do—in that given moment and pray that God takes care of the rest.”
“I can understand that.” She hesitated. “I even find it admirable. You couldn’t do what you do if you spent your time worrying about the after.”
“Exactly. I make a difference in that moment of time. What happens after that is really out of my hands. Even if I were to try and help every person after the fact, it’s physically impossible. It’s like if you were to follow up on every patient who left your care. You simply couldn’t keep up.”
“I have some patients that I do that with, but you’re right, definitely not all. There’s a family that I’ve grown really close to over the last couple of years. They live up the mountain, not too far from the hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Gonzales. I make house calls for him because I know if I don’t, he won’t get the medicine he needs. Like he hates going to doctors, and I could tell right off that if I didn’t create that relationship, he was going to die a lot sooner than he had to.”
He shot her a warm look. “So you did.”
“I did. I felt like I was supposed to. Like God was pushing me to do so.”
“And you obeyed.”
“Yes.” She cut him a sideways look. “At least that time.”
He chuckled. “They sound like good people.”
“So good. They have a little store with a café and they make the best donuts, cinnamon rolls, bagels, croissants ... well, you get the idea. Mama Maria is the best cook, and their coffee ... oh my, it’s divine. I’ll have to take you there sometime.”
“Is it Señor G’s? I’d love that. I’ve always meant to stop in there.”
Victoria rose, phone pressed to her ear. “Can this wait? I’m at the morgue...” She stepped outside, her voice fading.
“What do you think about all that?” she asked with a nod to the door Victoria had just walked out of.
“I don’t know. Since Myles asked her to come, he apparently didn’t have the guts to do so. He might not have even told his wife about it. So he sent Victoria to get information.”
Lainie frowned. “I guess.”
James lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against her knuckles.
And just like that, the air whooshed from her lungs. “James—”
The door opened and Carina Black came into the waiting room. Lainie shot to her feet. “Well?”
“It’s not him.”
Victoria had just opened the door when Carina made her announcement. At the words, Victoria laughed and shot them a triumphant look.
Lainie’s jaw dropped and she wilted back onto the seat. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was,” Carina said. “I’m sorry. I rushed the DNA results, of course, but I don’t even need those to tell you this isn’t Adam Williams. For one, there’s no evidence he was shot—not in the base of his throat or anywhere else—and he’s of Asian descent. The DNA will confirm everything, of course, but I wanted you to know ASAP.”
“Well, who is he?” James asked.
“No idea. I’ll leave that up to you to figure out. Sorry, but I’ve got to get to my other cases today.”
“I know you’re swamped, Carina,” Lainie said. “So, thank you for making this a priority.” Because this was a law enforcement issue, their request had been bumped to the front of the line.
Carina returned to her morgue, and Victoria lifted her nose and swept out the door once more. Lainie looked at James. “You going to stop her?”
“No, I’ll let Cole know to intercept her.”