Looking for Jane (56)

“Alice! Evelyn!” Nancy hears a voice from down the hall. Another woman. “Code blue!”

“Jesus.” Alice bolts to the door.

“Nancy, stay focused here,” Dr. Taylor says from down between Nancy’s feet. Above her mask, her eyes are trained on her task, but she continues talking. “That’s just our neighbour from the apartment upstairs. She’s another one of our Janes. Her sister Mary is a secretary at the police headquarters. When she gets wind that there’s going to be a raid on a clinic, Mary calls her sister and her sister gives all four of the clinics a heads-up. It’s okay. This has happened before. And it might not even be our clinic today. That’s why it’s great that we have Mary now, to give us all a bit of notice. Just try to stay calm. We’re almost done here, okay, sweetheart?”

But Nancy has already started to panic. “The police are coming?”

“Maybe. But we have a few minutes at least. Alice will try to stall them. We’ve done this before. The most important thing you can do for us both is to stay calm.”

“It was that man, wasn’t it!”

“What man?”

“I told Alice, when I was coming up the path there was a man a few doors down, watching me. She said his name was Charlie or something. A patient of yours. Did he call the cops on us?”

“Ah, Chester,” Dr. Taylor says. “No, he’s a sweet man, and I don’t think he has any idea what goes on here. We’re very careful. That’s why I rent the upstairs apartment to a Jane, too.”

Nancy is less convinced, but tries to focus on the stucco ceiling, a dark circle that might be water damage.

“Deep breaths, Nancy, okay? The more relaxed your muscles are, the quicker I can work.”

Although she can’t see what the doctor is doing, Nancy can hear the clicks and creaks of metal on metal. She wishes they’d given her earplugs.

A moment later, Alice slides back into the room. Her eyes are wide, and her face is stony. Nancy hears footfalls on a distant set of stairs as their informant slips back into her apartment.

“We don’t have long, Evelyn,” Alice says. “Minutes, maybe. It’s us tonight.”

“Okay,” Dr. Taylor says. “Go into the hall and answer the front door when they come, Alice. If they press, tell them I’m doing a routine PAP exam, just like last time.”

“They had a warrant last time.”

“And they’ll have one again this time, I’m sure. They’re determined. I don’t know why they’re still bothering to waste their resources on us. This is kind of a moot point now,” she mutters, more to herself than to anyone else. More clicking of metal. “I’m going to finish here, Alice, so we can get Nancy home as soon as possible for a good strong cup of tea and a warm bed. There won’t be anything to arrest us on.”

Alice disappears again.

“Hey, Nancy,” Dr. Taylor says. “Look at me.”

Nancy leans her head forward slightly and meets Dr. Taylor’s eyes, her own brimming with the threat of tears.

“I can feel you shaking. I know this must be very scary for you, but for both our sakes, I need you to play along here and stick to the story.”

Nancy’s chest is tight and she’s having trouble breathing. “Okay,” she manages.

“Good. Now, you’re here tonight for a routine PAP test. Your last one came back abnormal so you’re getting a second opinion from another doctor that isn’t your usual physician. Our schedules didn’t line up this week during business hours, so you’re here tonight instead. That’s all. Okay?”

Nancy nods. “That’s all?”

“That’s all you need to remember. The less you say, the better. Just play along and don’t act surprised by anything Alice or I say. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Nancy, this is critically important. I could go to prison.”

Nancy nods again. She hates herself for asking it but blurts out the words anyway. “Can I go to prison for this? For having it done?”

Dr. Taylor doesn’t answer. “I can tell you’re a brave woman,” she says instead. “We’ll get through this together.”

They hold each other’s gaze tightly for a moment, a distant hug that calms Nancy a fraction as she tries to steady her breathing. Then Dr. Taylor speaks again.

“I’m truly very sorry to have to say this, but please wipe your eyes. There shouldn’t be any reason for you to be crying. From their perspective, I mean.”

Nancy turns to the ceiling, focusing once again on the dark stain that blights the otherwise perfect landscape of the pure white stucco. She wipes her eyes on the backs of her hands, then runs a finger along the rims to rub off the mascara that’s probably smudged underneath her lower lashes. She sniffles her nose, clears her throat, and steels her resolve.

“That’s my girl,” Dr. Taylor says.

The doorbell rings, cracking into the smothering silence like a poorly timed joke. They’re here.

Nancy can just hear the sound of a deeper male voice interspersed with Alice’s when Dr. Taylor whispers, “That’s it, Nancy. All done. It’s over. Just stay still for now.”

Nancy fights back the tears of mingled fear and relief that still threaten. She closes her eyes for a moment, listening as Dr. Taylor packs up her equipment. She opens her eyes again, blinking slowly. The tears are retreating for now, but she knows they’ll be back later.