Read Online Maddy's Floor by Dale Mayer - Free Book Online
Authors: Dale Mayer
Tags: Fiction, General, Suspense, Romance, Thrillers, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
Ads: Link
has agreed to take on your case. He's a specialist of repute, as you well know. So you are in good hands."
She stepped back, her heels clicking on the hardwood. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patients I must see." With a final nod in his direction, she repeated her greeting, this time with real feeling. "Welcome to The Haven."
THURSDAY
H alfway to work the next morning, a light misting rain started, soaking Maddy. Typical coastal weather – although technically Portland wasn't on the coast. What a day to decide she needed fresh air. Just as she resigned herself to getting drenched, a car honked and pulled up beside her. Maddy turned and recognized Gerard driving his charcoal beamer. She smiled with relief.
As she slid into the front seat, her suit jacket started to steam and her hair started to curl. She clipped in her seatbelt. "What a mess."
He pulled back into traffic, his movements sure and confident like the CEO he was. "You will walk."
"I know," she said ruefully. "Most of the time, it's fine. Then there're days like today."
He shot her an admiring glance. "Even soaking wet and imitating a duck, you're damned gorgeous."
Maddy laughed. Gerard had been making backhanded compliments to her for years. She refused to take them seriously. It went against her personnel policy. Dating coworkers was bad business. Messy. She didn't do messy. "Thanks, I think."
"I'll be sorting applications today to fill that bed as soon as possible."
She frowned, a knot forming inside. She had no empty beds "What bed?"
He frowned at her. "Didn't Dr. Cunningham call you?"
Alarm triggered her nervous stomach, making it want to empty on the spot. "No. What did I miss?" Maddy pulled out her cell phone. She checked but there were no messages and no missed calls.
She frowned. Dr. Cunningham was usually good at staying in touch as a professional courtesy. If something had happened to one of her patients, he'd have called her.
"Jansen Svaar passed away last night."
Maddy stared at him, uncomprehendingly. That wasn't possible. "What?"
Gerard kept an eye on the traffic before darting a quick glance at her. "Apparently he died in his sleep. He was found by the nurse around three this morning."
That didn't feel right. In fact, it felt incredibly wrong. She chewed on the inside of her lip as she turned the information over in her head. Jansen had not been on death's door. She knew that. She'd have known if anything were going on. In fact, she'd scanned his system two days ago, after that weird visitation that had scared her so badly. Everything had been fine. Strong and healthy.
She didn't have all the answers to life and death. In fact, the more she learned, it seemed the less she knew. Particularly with energy work. And people died all the time - except, the last death on her floor had been eight months ago. Eight months was a long time for terminally ill patients. And she wouldn't have taken Jansen Svaar for the next candidate; far from it.
Jansen shouldn't have died.
And Dr. Cunningham should have informed her.
Gerard pulled the car into the underground parking lot. Disturbed, Maddy strode with him to the elevators.
"I'll speak with Dr. Miko. See what she has to say about his death." The in-house pathologist hated mysteries and could usually be counted on to come up with the answers Maddy wanted.
He nodded. "Remember Maddy, people die. Especially here."
Maddy tilted her lips slightly. She knew Jansen's bed would be filled within hours.
She understood, although she didn't particularly like it.
An hour later she closed the door to her office, relieved. She needed a few moments of peace…to adjust. A few minutes to mourn the loss of someone who'd been a joy to have on her floor. She couldn't believe how personally devastating she found Jansen's death. He'd been doing so well.
A knock sounded on her
She stepped back, her heels clicking on the hardwood. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patients I must see." With a final nod in his direction, she repeated her greeting, this time with real feeling. "Welcome to The Haven."
THURSDAY
H alfway to work the next morning, a light misting rain started, soaking Maddy. Typical coastal weather – although technically Portland wasn't on the coast. What a day to decide she needed fresh air. Just as she resigned herself to getting drenched, a car honked and pulled up beside her. Maddy turned and recognized Gerard driving his charcoal beamer. She smiled with relief.
As she slid into the front seat, her suit jacket started to steam and her hair started to curl. She clipped in her seatbelt. "What a mess."
He pulled back into traffic, his movements sure and confident like the CEO he was. "You will walk."
"I know," she said ruefully. "Most of the time, it's fine. Then there're days like today."
He shot her an admiring glance. "Even soaking wet and imitating a duck, you're damned gorgeous."
Maddy laughed. Gerard had been making backhanded compliments to her for years. She refused to take them seriously. It went against her personnel policy. Dating coworkers was bad business. Messy. She didn't do messy. "Thanks, I think."
"I'll be sorting applications today to fill that bed as soon as possible."
She frowned, a knot forming inside. She had no empty beds "What bed?"
He frowned at her. "Didn't Dr. Cunningham call you?"
Alarm triggered her nervous stomach, making it want to empty on the spot. "No. What did I miss?" Maddy pulled out her cell phone. She checked but there were no messages and no missed calls.
She frowned. Dr. Cunningham was usually good at staying in touch as a professional courtesy. If something had happened to one of her patients, he'd have called her.
"Jansen Svaar passed away last night."
Maddy stared at him, uncomprehendingly. That wasn't possible. "What?"
Gerard kept an eye on the traffic before darting a quick glance at her. "Apparently he died in his sleep. He was found by the nurse around three this morning."
That didn't feel right. In fact, it felt incredibly wrong. She chewed on the inside of her lip as she turned the information over in her head. Jansen had not been on death's door. She knew that. She'd have known if anything were going on. In fact, she'd scanned his system two days ago, after that weird visitation that had scared her so badly. Everything had been fine. Strong and healthy.
She didn't have all the answers to life and death. In fact, the more she learned, it seemed the less she knew. Particularly with energy work. And people died all the time - except, the last death on her floor had been eight months ago. Eight months was a long time for terminally ill patients. And she wouldn't have taken Jansen Svaar for the next candidate; far from it.
Jansen shouldn't have died.
And Dr. Cunningham should have informed her.
Gerard pulled the car into the underground parking lot. Disturbed, Maddy strode with him to the elevators.
"I'll speak with Dr. Miko. See what she has to say about his death." The in-house pathologist hated mysteries and could usually be counted on to come up with the answers Maddy wanted.
He nodded. "Remember Maddy, people die. Especially here."
Maddy tilted her lips slightly. She knew Jansen's bed would be filled within hours.
She understood, although she didn't particularly like it.
An hour later she closed the door to her office, relieved. She needed a few moments of peace…to adjust. A few minutes to mourn the loss of someone who'd been a joy to have on her floor. She couldn't believe how personally devastating she found Jansen's death. He'd been doing so well.
A knock sounded on her
Similar Books
