before. She’d lost weight over the past month as the stress caught up with her, but it apparently increased while she was in the hospital. It felt as if she’d been asleep for a while. It hurt to move. It hurt to think. But she had to try anyway.
She racked her brain. How was she going to get out of this one? Should she press the call button? She had all their financial information memorized. Maybe someone could be enticed to help her. Everyone had a price.
Caroline cursed at herself. How low had she sunk? Bribery? It was likely the only lifeline she had left. She was just about to call for a nurse when the door to her room opened.
A harried looking woman ran over to the bed and motioned toward Caroline’s hand. “Don’t press that button,” she said.
Caroline’s brain was still fuzzy. It took a minute for her thoughts to register. “Huh?” she asked. “Who are you?”
The woman tossed a duffle bag onto the bed. “I’m a doctor here. Maureen Savage. We don’t have much time, so just listen. I’m here to help.”
Could this woman be bought off? Or the outside staff? Because the doctor –Savage, had she said? – standing before Caroline was maybe five foot five, a hundred and twenty pounds. She sure didn’t look like the cavalry coming to save the day.
Here to help. Right. “Like hell you are,” Caroline said. “Why should I trust you?”
Maureen started rummaging through the bag. “I have clothes and food in here. A full tank of gas and plenty of supplies in the car in the parking garage. And dependable relatives in Texas, where you’ll be safe. You think you can trust anyone else in this place?”
Caroline wasn’t sure she could trust anyone. Not anymore. “I have no idea.”
“The government has been on us ever since you got here, trying to get us to cut you loose so they can have a little chat,” Maureen said. “Based on what has already happened to you, I assume you’d rather not have that conversation.”
She’d sooner eat glass. “No. I’d rather not.” Caroline decided to put it all on the table. It felt dirty to say it out loud but she didn’t have time to make peace with her ethical boundaries. Better to know where she stood right away. “Do you need money?”
Maureen frowned at her. “You think I want you to pay me?”
“I have money.”
“I know you do, Ms. Gerard. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. But I’m getting you the hell out of here, free of charge.”
Dr. Savage was a bundle of nerves but she seemed honest. Earnest. Friendly. Caroline hoped she could take her at her word. She didn’t exactly have a lot of options.
“Hold still,” Maureen said, reaching for the IV needle. “This might hurt a little but I’m trying to work fast. They already took your catheter out.”
Caroline winced as Maureen pulled the IV out of her arm and bandaged her up. It could have been worse. She knew she had to be grateful for small favors. “You should really call me Caroline,” she said.
“Only if you call me Maureen.” The other woman pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and started fiddling with the lock on the handcuffs, obviously struggling with her task. “This always looks so much easier on TV.”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “You mean to tell me you don’t know what you’re doing?”
“I didn’t say that,” Maureen said, her voice strained. “But this is a little harder than I thought it would be.”
Dear Lord, they were in trouble already. Caroline’s anxiety vanished, successfully distracted by the need to concentrate on a delicate task. “Move,” she said, and started jiggling the bobby pin until the cuffs sprang open. Maureen’s eyes widened in amazement. Caroline tried not to laugh. This doctor was easy to impress.
“How the hell did you do that?” Maureen asked.
“Prosecutors pick up a lot of disturbingly useful borderline criminal skills. You should see me with a sawed-off shotgun.” Caroline groaned as Maureen helped her sit up. Her muscles had forgotten how to work. “I hope you’re better at navigating this hospital than you are at breaking people out of handcuffs.”
“I am,” Maureen assured her. “I’ve worked here for fifteen years. We’ll go out the back. My car is in the garage. We won’t stop until we’re far, far away from here. We really don’t have much time, so we gotta move.” She opened up the duffle bag and pulled