Chapter 3

Before Robert could say anything, a sudden commotion erupted downstairs.

A nurse burst into the room. "Dr. Brooks, it's trouble. Mr. Hayes has dozens of security guards blocking off the outpatient building. They're turning all the patients away.

"His mother is here, too. She's sitting in the lobby, giving everyone a piece of her mind."

I grabbed my mask and put it on.

Leo followed after me. "Evelyn, I'll go with you."

I gave him a look. "Stay behind me."

Leo nodded.

I stepped out of the office.

The elevator went down floor by floor. When the numbers hit one and the doors slid open, the screaming hit us like a wall.

The lobby was chaos. Guards blocked the exits. Patients had been herded outside. Nurses cowered behind the reception desk.

Richard's mother, Amy Hayes, was sitting on the floor, slapping her thigh and wailing. "They're killing my daughter. This hospital is murdering my baby girl.

"My poor daughter. She's dying, and nobody cares."

An elderly woman was nearly knocked over in the crush. Leo rushed to steady her.

A guard shoved Leo back. "Beat it."

Leo frowned. "This is a hospital. You can't block the entrance."

The guard drove his knee into Leo's stomach. Leo doubled over, crumpling to the floor.

I stopped in my tracks.

Amy kept shrieking. "The doctors are letting my daughter die. Where's that bitch, Evelyn? Get her ass out here."

Richard sat on a lobby sofa, smoking. Ash littered the floor around him.

Robert stepped forward and snatched at the cigarette. "No smoking in the hospital."

Richard raised his hand and slapped Robert hard across the face. Robert's glasses went flying.

The lobby fell silent in an instant.

Richard stood up. "If you don't hand Evelyn over today, I'm tearing this hospital apart."

Amy scrambled up from the floor. "Yeah, tear it down. I dare anyone to stop us. If anything happens to my daughter, all of you are going down with her."

I walked down the stairs. My mask covered half my face. Richard hadn't recognized me.

Richard's eyes landed on me. "So you are Evelyn Brooks?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I walked over to Leo. "Can you stand?"

Leo clutched his stomach and nodded. "Yeah."

I reached out and helped him up.

The guard started to advance.

I glanced up. "One more move, and you'll regret it."

The bodyguard glanced at Richard.

Richard crushed out his cigarette. "Dr. Brooks, you sure know how to throw your weight around."

I shot back, "You're far worse, Mr. Hayes. Bringing your men to blockade a hospital. You're every bit the thug."

Amy charged over, jabbing her finger at my face. "How dare you? My daughter is dying. You're a doctor. What gives you the right to refuse to help her?"

I looked at her. "Because I don't want to."

Amy froze for a second, then swung at me.

I caught her wrist and tightened my grip.

Amy cried out in pain. "She's killing me. The doctor is beating an old woman."

I flung her arm away.

Amy stumbled back two steps, nearly falling on her ass again.

Richard's face turned stormy. "Evelyn, don't push your luck."

I looked at Richard. "I wanted to say the same thing to you five years ago."

Something flickered in Richard's eyes. He held my gaze, a faint sense of familiarity crossing his face. But he frowned right away. "Don't try to play on our past.

"You will operate on my sister today, even if I have to drag you into the OR myself."

I let out a laugh. "Sister?"

Amy shot back, "Of course, she's Richard's sister. Isabelle is the Hayes family's precious little princess. Some doctors, though? Cold and ruthless."

I turned to Richard. "Are you sure you want me to be the one operating on her?"

Richard waved his hand. "Take her away."

Two guards moved toward me.

Leo stepped in front of me. "Keep your hands off Evelyn."