Read Online 2 Multiple Exposures by Audrey Claire - Free Book Online Page A

patients for years. With general practitioners, they may see patients from birth to death and across generations. Then there are the many that come for a few years and then move on. There are patients who move into Briney Creek, and those that leave and never return. We get a lot of turnover, but actually three thousand isn’t that many, considering Dr. Bloomberg has been practicing for more than forty years.”
    I supposed I had to agree. “The police won’t let anyone in the office just yet while they search it, and I imagine your computer access won’t work.”
    “Oh, I don’t have access from home. Dr. Bloomberg wasn’t that modern. I compiled a list a few days before I sent you the letter.”
    I laughed. “Lissa Russell, you should be the detective!”
    “You’ve noticed I don’t use my married name at work.”
    “That’s your business, Lissa. I know there are plenty of people who don’t take their spouse’s name.”
    “I wish I hadn’t married at all.” The bitterness came through loud and clear. “Hardy Joe is a good man, but I’m ashamed to say I can’t feel proud of him. I didn’t marry him for love but to help me and my sister have the chance at a better life.”
    I scarcely had a chance to qualify Hardy Joe providing a better life , and if that was the case, what circumstances had she come from?
    “I’m thirteen years older than Reeza, and all I saw was hunger and bills not being paid because my father drank. I promised I would get out as fast as I could to help Reeza. I dreamed of her going to college and making something of herself.” Lissa sighed wistfully. “Turned out she didn’t want to go to college. She loves working for the Brinlees, and I don’t blame her. I only want her happy. I was the one who got a nursing assistant degree, and Hardy Joe made that possible.”
    “I’m glad you were able to turn around such a terrible situation, Lissa.”
    “Thanks. I know I’m not perfect. Like I said, I hide his name at work, and I admit I’m a little ashamed of him, but he loves me, and I will always be faithful to him.”
    “I understand you’re grateful for what he’s done, but it’s not wrong to want happiness in your love life too. You’re still young.”
    She grunted. “I’m pushing forty, not exactly one of the young ones, but not ready for my rocking chair. I’m okay. I’m just happy that Reeza is happy. It’s all I want. You might not know this, but I was the one who encouraged those two to run off. Mama was driving us crazy. She knew she didn’t have any money to plan some big elaborate wedding, and when Pete’s mother wanted to fund it, she kept interfering. The best solution to shut both of them up was for the kids to run off.”
    “You enjoy looking out for others, don’t you, Lissa?”
    “I do, and that’s why I’m doing this. Can you give me your email address, so I can send you the list?”
    “Isn’t this against some kind of law?”
    “Yes, the HIPAA Privacy Rule. You’re right. But hardly anybody’s private lives in this town is really all that private.”
    Dr. Bloomberg’s secret made her claim untrue, but I decided not to bring it to her attention.
    “I’m not sharing specific information. Trust me, some of them won’t like anyone digging around in their files, including the police. This case stands to cause a big stir when the general population finds out.”
    I didn’t catch on right away to what she was referring to. “What do you mean?”
    Lissa cleared her throat. “I won’t give details because I do want to be able to get another job after this, but some ladies won’t want any eyes on their doctor files. Do you see my meaning?”
    “Oh!”
    Peony’s case came to mind, but everyone already knew the sordid details regarding her. Dr. Bloomberg’s files might be a who’s who in abortion, questions of parenthood, and I shiver to write it, infection, a strong indication of who was not being faithful. In fact, as I thought of it,