Rise of The Iron Eagle (The Iron Eagle Series Book 1) (21 page)

She pulled away from Stephanie and went back to her locker. “Just once in my life I would like a man to look at me and see me, not the package, just the person inside.” “Oh Sara…you got it going on, girl… there’s no way that any man is going to think you’re anything more than eye candy until you start talking. It’s when you start talking that your love life goes into the toilet because you intimidate the hell out of people.” Stephanie started to undress, “Girl, I’m a damned attractive Black woman.” Sara nodded in agreement. “All I can tell you is I’m taking my grandmother’s advice except I’m marrying for money the first time. You know what I’m saying?” Sara nodded and excused herself to meet with Marty. “They can offer me what they like; I’m taking the job at Scripps. It’s close to my family and friends, and, who knows, maybe the man of my dreams.” “Well, those are great ideals, but if I were you I’d be preparing myself for their next offer. Start your life new here. San Diego isn’t that far away. You can always stay in touch with family. Medicine is getting very competitive. Follow the money, girl.” Sara waved her off as she walked out.

Martin Powers was waiting when she arrived at his office. He invited her in and offered her a beverage, which she refused. “Thank you for stopping in before you head home, Sara. I really appreciate it.” “No problem, Marty, but I’m really tired, so what can I do for you?” “Stay.” “No.” “You’re an excellent trauma surgeon, Sara; this hospital needs talent like yours. You save lives.” She sat motionless in the office chair as she told him that she would still be saving lives, just at another facility. She reminded him that she’d heard through the grapevine that the new fellow had a great reputation as a trauma surgeon. “He does have a stellar reputation; however, he’s going to need guidance, a mentor, and you’re the glue that keeps this place together when the world is falling in on us.” She shook her head. “No, Marty. You have a great staff here. I have done my time; I’m ready to go home and be with my friends and family. Scripps is a great hospital, and it’s underserved when it comes to trauma surgeons and ER specialists. I save lives, Marty. I do the very best that I can to make that happen. Now I really appreciate the talk, but this hospital is going to be just fine without me. I’m going home to get some sleep.”

She stood up, but Marty stopped her. “Sara, I’ve been authorized by the board to give you a blank check offer to stay with the hospital.” Her facial expression was hard for him to read. “I’m afraid I don’t know what that means.” “It means, my dear, that you can name your price, and the hospital will pay it to keep you on staff as our ER Chief of Staff and supervising trauma surgeon. We’re offering you the opportunity to run the whole department; the only people you’ll answer to are me and the board.” She sat back down. “This is Walter’s doing, isn’t it?” Marty walked back over to his desk and sat down. “Walter has insisted that we do everything in our power to retain you; however, your credentials and reputation speak for themselves. WEC owns the hospital, Walter is the president and CEO, but his influence was not the whole reason for this offer.” She threw her hands in the air in anger, “Listen, Marty, I’m a surgeon not a psychiatrist, but even I know that’s not true. There was no one begging me to stay at the hospital after our initial negotiations. I’m a doctor, Marty, and a damn good one, but I’m not going to be held hostage by one man no matter how much power he wields.” “It’s not like that, Sara, really.” “Come on…I’m supposed to believe that the hospital had a sudden change of heart and decided I’m so damn important and irreplaceable that now, three months after we finalized the agreement and I had interviewed with five hospitals and received the offer from Scripps, which, let me remind you, was less than what you were offering in our previous conversations, after the going away party and the final farewells that the check book suddenly opens, and I can have any amount of money I want because the hospital needs me? I’m sorry, but I’m not buying it!”

He shrugged and folded his hands on his desk, “Sara, please don’t get angry.” She sat up straight in her chair. “Don’t get angry? Did you know that Mr. Cruthers has been in our ER ten times in the past six months?” “That’s not a surprise; he does that with all of his hospitals.” “Really? Did he tell you that all ten visits were with me? That he requested me as his attending when he came in every single time? Did he tell you that he made advances toward me, Marty? Unwanted advances? That he has told me repeatedly how beautiful I am and has asked me to dinner at least five times?”

The shocked look on Marty’s face was answer enough for Sara. “The man’s a freak, and I don’t give a damn how much money he has. I told him today that I’m on the verge of getting a restraining order against him.” He raised his hands in a motion to calm her down, “Now, let’s not get hasty here. I’ve known Walter for three decades. While he’s a bit eccentric and unorthodox in his approach, I assure you he didn’t intend to frighten or offend you in any way. He’s quite harmless; he’s just not well oriented when it comes to dealing with women.” “Yea…well, tell that to the board and see what they have to say about it!” “Sara, you’re getting off topic. This is about your future in medicine. I’m quite certain that I can speak with Walter, and he will cease the advances.” “And if you tell him to leave me alone, that I meant what I said, and that I have no interest in him, he’s still going to put pressure on you and the board and offer me that blank check?” “Mr. Cruthers may be unorthodox, but he’s a fabulous businessman. He knows an asset when he sees one. Tell you what, I will speak to Walter and explain how you feel about this and talk everything over with him, if you will promise me to keep an open mind and at least think over the offer until your hopefully not final shift on Friday.” She looked at him thoughtfully.

“Sara, not to pry too much, but could your judgment in this matter also be clouded by bad memories?” She suddenly looked as though she had been hit by a fast moving train. She was quiet for several minutes, and Marty entertained the silence. “Bad memories,” she said, looking off into space. “Marty, it never crossed my mind!” “Not your conscious mind, but what about your subconscious mind? You forget what I did for a living before I became the administrator of this institution.” “You were a psychiatrist,” she said softly almost under her breath. He nodded. “Bad memories…” And like a flood gate opening, her tears began to flow. “Yes, Sara, bad memories. You know what I’m talking about. Did it ever occur to you that you took the job at Scripps for lower pay not just to be closer to family but to try and escape something here?” The whole of the conversation struck her like a lightning bolt, and those memories flooded back. “I hadn’t thought of it until this very second, Marty. Until you reminded me. You’re right. I am running. Running from my memories of Amber.” “I didn’t want to bring it up. It’s been several years, but I thought that it needed to be said. This is your future we’re talking about. I know that you and Amber were best friends and went through medical school and your residencies here.” She nodded. “And it was here in this very office that I sat with you and her husband, John, and a lot of police officers when they told us that she had been murdered.” “Not just murdered, Marty…raped, tortured, and dumped nude in a dumpster behind the House of Pancakes. She didn’t deserve to die like that.” “No one deserves that.”

“Oh God! I remember the funeral and John, my God, poor John. There was no way to console him.” “You two were close and remained friends, if I remember correctly, after Amber was murdered. Have you spoken to him recently?” “Um…I called his cell a few months ago, but he didn’t return my call. The last time I spoke to him would have been…six months ago. I told him I was finishing up my fellowship here but didn’t know where I was going to be when I was done. He told me he had been promoted to detective and was now working homicide.” “I had no idea. Is he looking for Amber’s killer?” She shook her head. “Not according to what he told me. When we talked he said there were no new leads and that Amber’s file was now in the cold case department. I asked if he was searching for the killer, and he said that officially he couldn’t because it would be a conflict of interest, and the department would not allow it because he couldn’t be impartial. But he loved her with every ounce of his being. He might not be allowed to look formally, but I’m certain he’s looking on his own.” “You should try to reach out to him again, Sara; he might help you get a little more perspective on what you’re facing and the decisions that are ahead of you. Do I have your word you will think about the counteroffer?” She nodded, thanked him, and then excused herself.

She walked to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face and then went to the doctor’s lounge. She took out her cell phone and called John’s number. Much to her surprise, he answered. “John… it’s Sara. How are you?” There was a moment of silence before John responded, “Sara…wow! It’s so good to hear your voice. I’m doing well, working hard but doing well. How are you doing?” She spent a few minutes talking to him about what was going on, and he asked if she had time to grab a bite to eat. She quickly answered yes and told him she was afraid that he was angry with her and wanted to cut their ties when she didn’t hear back from him. John offered his apologies and an explanation of being backlogged with work.

“I’ve been working with the county Sheriff’s Department and the FBI on some cold case serial killings.” She asked if he still thought that Amber was the victim of a serial killer. He coughed a little on the other end of the line and said, “Oh Sara…it’s seems like a lifetime since I lost Amber. A lot of water has passed under the bridge. How about I pick you up at the hospital, and we catch up?” “You have a deal. Are you local?” “As strange as it might sound, I’m sitting at the corner of Reseda and Roscoe looking at the sign pointing toward the ER.” “Why don’t you meet me at my car? I’m parked in structure one right next to the ER.” She asked if he knew where that was but quickly realized her mistake. “You know the parking lot. I’m sorry.” “Not at all, Sara. It’s been a long time. You’re on the second level, correct?” “Yes. I’m still driving my silver BMW.” “I’m pulling around the corner now, and I’ll meet you by your car. I’m in a black Chevy Silverado.” She picked up her purse and told him she was on her way. The elevator arrived quickly, and before she knew it she was on the ground floor headed out the ER doors heading for the parking structure.

Walter saw Sara emerge from the bank of elevators three cars ahead of him. He took a white cloth from the bag and poured a small amount of the Chloroform on it as he exited his vehicle. She was just standing near the elevator not moving toward her car. He moved quietly between two other vehicles and then across the lot and worked his way down to the car next to hers. He heard the screeching tires of a vehicle entering or exiting the structure and stayed low. Sara started to make her way across the lot toward her car; she was rustling around in her purse as if she was looking for her keys. She approached the driver’s side door, and he heard her doors unlock. He moved to the front edge of the adjacent car just as she was reaching for the door handle, and he stood up as her back was to him. Slowly, with the cloth at his side, he moved forward. Just as he motioned to grab her, a large black truck came around the corner of the structure and stopped behind her car. He dropped down quickly, waiting for the truck to pass, but instead it stopped. Quickly, he slinked a few cars back and saw Sara run over to the truck. Through the light of the garage, he recognized the driver.

Sara ran to John. There was an embrace and words spoken, but Walter was too far away to hear what was being said. She was nodding her head emphatically as she ran back toward her vehicle and started the engine. John got back in the truck, and the two sped off out of the structure. Walter moved quickly to his vehicle and sped after the two vehicles headed onto Roscoe Boulevard. They drove west until they were in Chatsworth and pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant. Walter had been following at a distance and parked across the street, watching Sara and John. The shock of seeing John suddenly overtook Walter, and he lost track of what he was doing and hit the gas as opposed to the break. The car lurched into traffic causing several vehicles to screech to a halt. He saw John and Sara look over in his general direction and sped across the intersection and down Roscoe toward Valley Circle muttering to himself, “He didn’t see me. I’m sure of it. How does he know Sara?” Back at the restaurant, John was hugging Sara. He had been keenly aware of the black Mercedes tailing them. He saw the plate and burned the number into his memory.