Protecting Her(39)

I sigh. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Pearce, is this how it’s going to be now? Are you going to be working every night and on the weekends, like you did before?”

“I hope not, but with my father gone, I will have to put in some extra hours.”

Her shoulders slump and she nods.

“Rachel.” I sit next to her. “You know I don’t want to do this. I’m only doing this to help my father.”

“I know.” She leans her head on my shoulder. “I just don’t want it to be at the expense of our son. I don’t want him to grow up with his dad never around.”

I kiss her head. “That won’t happen. I’ll always be here for both of you.”

But as the week continues, I begin to doubt that statement. I’m swamped with work and I can’t keep up. I get home at ten every night. Rachel doesn’t say anything, but I know she’s upset.

On Friday, I go to the Dunamis meeting which is scheduled from ten to one. It’s an update meeting, but they reserve an hour at the end for members to bring up topics to be discussed. It’s noon, and they just asked if anyone would like to speak.

“I would,” I say, getting up from my chair.

“What is the topic?” Martin, the man leading the meeting, asks.

“I would like to recruit someone to the Clinic. A man who attended Harvard when I was there. Dr. Logan Cunningham.”

“Proceed to the microphone,” Martin says.

I walk to the front of the room. My father is there, sitting in the first row. Leland Seymour is a few seats down from him. He’s giving me a smug grin, like he knows something he shouldn’t.

I glance away from Leland and direct my attention to the other members. “We have been saying for months that we need to add more physicians at the Clinic.” I continue, explaining Logan’s background and the research he did when he was in Europe. I mention the cancer treatment, but don’t specifically mention it benefitting my father because I know he’d be angry if I brought up the topic of his health in a meeting.

But then someone else brings it up. It’s Edward Milcrest, who is known for questioning everything. “Who else would benefit from this, besides Holton?”

“We would all benefit. As I said earlier, Logan has connections with top physicians and researchers all across Europe. He has access to treatments we can’t get through the normal channels here in the US.”

“Do you think he would agree to this?” another member asks.

“I’m confident I could convince Dr. Cunningham to work for us, but I would like to request something in return.” I’m nervous to bring this up, but I have to. This is my one and only chance to save Shelby. “I request that you release one of our associates from her contract. Dr. Cunningham has been seeing her for over a year and would like to marry her. But she has declined his proposal because of her obligation to us. Despite that, he continues to pursue her. It is my personal opinion that he would be much more committed to his work if he were in a stable and permanent relationship with her.”

There’s silence, followed by chattering from the crowd.

Leland stands up and faces the members. “Quiet!” When he has their attention, he turns to me and says, “Which associate?”

“Sophia,” I say.

His grin appears again as he turns back to the other members. “Does everyone know Sophia? The feisty blonde?”

The men nod, some whispering to each other.

“Her real name is Shelby,” Leland says. “At least that’s what Pearce’s wife said when she introduced me to Shelby.”

Shit. I forgot he saw them together.

Leland looks back at me and smiles. “Perhaps Pearce is only suggesting this because he’s embarrassed that his wife’s best friend is a whore. Or perhaps it’s because he wants Shelby all for himself. I do believe you took her reservation card at one of our banquets. Isn’t that right, Pearce?”

I take a deep breath, trying to remain calm. “This is not a personal matter. This is for the greater good of the organization. I am offering to recruit someone who is highly intelligent and extremely talented who will bring new and innovative treatments to the Clinic. Will doing so benefit my father? Yes. In the short term. But in the long term it will benefit all of you.” I pause and wait for someone to respond. There’s silence, so I say, “I take that to mean you are not interested. Thank you for your time.”