“That shouldn’t be a problem.” He looks away from me, turning his attention back to his paperwork.
“Thank you,” I say breathlessly, relief flooding through me. Why was I so nervous about that? Maybe everything will be okay.
If he hasn’t given me a letter by tomorrow afternoon, I’ll remind him again. Then, hopefully, I can pay Victor and everything will turn out all right. I turn around and step toward the door. I’m about to walk out when he calls my name.
“Emma, wait.” I turn around slowly. My heart starts beating as Dr. Yates stares at me. “When you were organizing those files, you didn’t notice anything strange, did you?”
My heartbeat is roaring in my ears. I try to keep my face still as stone. I cock my head to the side. “Strange? How?”
He waves a hand casually. “Oh, it’s nothing. My accountant has asked a couple questions about some fees that a few patients have been charged and I know with your background in accounting you might have picked up on them.”
I shake my head slowly. Is it obvious that I’m lying?
“I didn’t look at the files too closely, Doctor, just organized them logically.” I pause. “What… what kind of fees did your accountant notice?”
Dr. Yates’ face suddenly cracks into a grin. It’s not a warm, inviting smile, like I’ve seen from him before. It’s not even a polite smirk. It’s almost malicious and the sight of it makes my blood run cold.
“Maybe you can have a look through the files again and see if you can make any sense of it. I’ll put you in touch with my accountant, you can work on it together. I want to make sure everything is above-board.”
“Absolutely,” I respond automatically. My mind is going a mile a minute. Now he wants me to look through the files? He wants me to look at them in greater detail? He’s telling me there’s strange fees?
“I’ll give you his details this afternoon. Oh, and Emma,” he pauses. I wait expectantly while he stares me down, eyes narrowing again. “Don’t tell anyone about this. It’ll be our little secret project, okay?”
I nod. “I understand.” I don’t understand.
“Good.” He looks back down at his desk.
Finally I step out of his office. I close the door behind me and lean against it, closing my eyes and breathing deep. Maybe trying to get on his good side wasn’t such a good idea after all. What in the world is going on? I don’t understand how he could have such a big change of heart. Last week he was calling me the bitch who was snooping through his files and now he’ll open them up for me?
I hurry back to my desk and sit down. I’m not even worried about Melodie as I rush past Elliot’s door. It doesn’t matter anymore. Something is going on, and I need to figure out what it is. Why would he have such a dramatic change of heart?
My mind is whirling, but one thought keeps coming back. I need to play this right, because I need his support to get approved for a loan, and I need that to happen this week. My first priority needs to be my safety, the safety of everyone I care about, and getting Victor off my back.
I close my eyes and all I can see is the way he smiled when he told me about the accounting. He showed me a side of him I haven’t seen before.
It was chilling and malicious. It was evil.
43
Elliot
“Why are you here, Melodie? And don’t tell me Botox because I know that’s bullshit. You were just in here two weeks ago.”
She smiles that smile that makes my blood curdle. She crosses her legs and folds her hands over her lap deliberately, and then shifts her gaze to me.
“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” she replies.
Suddenly it all makes sense. The money laundering, the gambling, the debt. She and Dr. Yates are working together on this and they have been for years. They’ve been using me all this time without me knowing.
“Cut the bullshit. All these years you’ve been coming in here getting whatever free procedure you feel like getting, but what you’ve really been doing is checking up on me and making sure your little scheme is still secure.”
The anger is building up inside me. I’m outraged. They’ve been using me and lying to my face for years. She had been part of the original deal. She’s the one I owed money to when I played poker games at her tables. Well, lost poker games at her tables, I should say. Dr. Yates had been at those tables with me. He’d agreed to let her have whatever procedure she wanted for free, and loan me the money to pay her back.
I’d always wondered why. They’ve been in on this together from the start.
“All right, Elliot, well done. You caught me. I’ve been checking up on you and our little enterprise here for years. Stuart has been very good to me. Or, I mean, you’ve been very good to me.” She pauses, and looks at her nails lazily, then keeps talking without looking up. “I just wanted to make sure that now that you know what’s at stake, you won’t do anything stupid.”
She looks up and her eyes shoot daggers at me. I can plainly see the threat there.
“Why would I do something stupid,” I ask slowly, not taking my eyes off her.
“Well, for starters, maybe your new girlfriend has found some things out. Maybe she has questions. Maybe you think you trust her, and it’s safe to tell her these things.” She leans forward and lowers her voice and I try not to let my fear show through. “I’m here to remind you that it’s not safe to tell her these things. Not safe for you, or her, or that cute redheaded daughter of yours.”
“Don’t fucking talk about my daughter,” I spit at her. I try not to let the shock and fear show on my face, but my heart is thumping so hard I think she might be able to hear it from her chair.
She smiles and stands up, smoothing her clothing and patting her hair to make sure it’s still impeccable.
“Good. So we understand each other.”
I say nothing, just sit there seething as she walks out my door. My head drops into my hands and I sit there without moving. I’m in so much trouble and I can’t tell anyone about it. I don’t know what to do. If I go to the police, I can’t be sure they’ll believe me. Plus, I’m the one who was gambling illegally. I’m the one who’s been framed. I’ve got nothing on Melodie or Dr. Yates.
This is getting worse. Now that both of them know that I know they’ve been setting me up, I’ve become a liability to them. The thought of hurting Emma, of losing Gracie... It makes my chest feel like it’s being put through a meat grinder. Finally it feels like my life is normal but the shadow of my mistakes keeps haunting me. If only I hadn’t been so desperate when Chloe was sick. If I hadn’t lost all that money or got involved with these people. I’d still be here with Gracie but I wouldn’t have this nightmare hanging over my head. I need to figure something out, and fast.
44
Emma
Elliot leaves work before I do to go pick Gracie up from school. As he walks out the door, he gives me a wink and a smile. I can’t help but smile back when he does.
It’s so easy to be happy with him. But as soon as he walks out the door, the dark cloud that’s been hanging over me all day returns and I slump in my chair. Should I tell him about what Dr. Yates told me to do? Does he know anything about the Aesthetics Management Fee? What if he has something to do with it?
I shake my head. I don’t see Elliot being capable of something like that. He has a history with Dr. Yates, I know that from the conversation I overheard. Maybe Yates is suspicious of something between us? I know Dave has sensed something is going on between Elliot and me, it’s not impossible that Dr. Yates would see something going on as well. But I don’t understand how that would relate to the files and the obvious financial crimes that have been going on. I know Dr. Yates is up to something, but I need to figure it out before I tell Elliot about it. I want to tell him everything, but it’s too soon. I don’t know enough.
Just when the thought crosses my mind, Dr. Yates appears at my side carrying a large file box. He drops it on my desk, dragging me out of my daydream ab
out Elliot. I almost jump out of my seat but he ignores me.
“You can start with this box. Here are the contact details for my accountant. Give him a call to see what he noticed. It’s some sort of fee that’s only applied to certain patients.”
Without waiting for a response, he turns around and starts walking away.
“Dr. Yates,” I call after him. He pauses and glances over his shoulder. “Just wondering if I could get that letter for the bank from you?” He turns his head further to look me in the eye.
“See what you can find out and I’ll get that letter to you.”
My heart sinks. I stare down the hall after him and I know he won’t give me the letter so easily. I turn my attention to the box and try to blink my tears away. He’s using me. He knows how much I need this loan. I must have been too obvious. He won’t give me anything until I find out what’s going on with these files.
I flip the lid to the box and glance inside. I recognize some of these files. Cross-checking with the pictures on my phone, I can see a number of files that I’d already noticed.
One of them is missing. It’s the first one I looked for: Melodie Sanders.
I frown, flicking through the files one more time. She’s definitely not in this box. Maybe she’s in another one, or else Dr. Yates removed that particular file for some reason. I glance down the hall again but he’s disappeared.
Picking up the phone, I dial the number on the paper he handed me. A man answers after a couple rings.
“Hi,” I start. “Can I speak to Michael Gregory please?”
“This is he,” a thin voice responds. I take a deep breath.
“Hi Michael. My name is Emma Thompson, I’m calling from Manhattan Aesthetics. Dr. Stuart Yates gave me your phone number. I understand you’ve noticed some strange fees in some of the accounts?”
“That’s right. I haven’t been able to pinpoint what it’s for or why it’s applied. It just looks like a red flag to me.”
“Right. Dr. Yates has asked me to have a look through the files, any idea where I can start?”
There’s a pause on the phone and some shuffling of papers. The thin voice reappears on the line after a few moments.
“I’ve got a few names here, if you check these files you should be able to see the charges. It’s called the Aesthetic Management Fee.”
“Sounds suspicious enough,” I chuckle.
He rattles off a dozen names as I jot them down. Melodie Sanders doesn’t appear on his list either. Did he just miss her file, or was it gone when he looked through them too?
“That’s great, thanks Michael. I’ll give you a call if I have any other questions. Thanks again for your help.”
I place the receiver down gently and look at the list of names. This goes much deeper than I originally thought.
My clock says it’s 5:15pm. I’d better get out of here, Elliot is expecting me at 6:30. Gracie and Elliot are waiting for me, and right now I just want to get away from this mess.
45
Emma
The next morning I’m greeted with another box of files from Dr. Yates.
“Morning, Emma, here’s another one for you. Do you think you could have something for me by the end of the day? A list of patients that have had the management fee applied to them, and any other patterns you can come up with.”
“Sure, Dr. Yates, no problem,” I say, staring at the box stuffed to the brim with files.
“There’s another dozen boxes in the storage room down the hall. When you’re done with that one you can grab the keys from me and get the next one.”
“Okay, I’ll try to get something to you by the end of the day.”
“Good woman.” He raps his knuckles on the desk and walks away.
I stare at the box of files and sigh. What could he possibly want me to tell him? ‘Patterns?’ I open the box and glance inside, scanning the names. Still no Melodie Sanders. He obviously wants me to find something out, but what is it?
Taking a deep breath, I decide that the best thing for me to do is to attack this systematically. Think like an accountant, I tell myself. I open up a blank spreadsheet and start writing headings. I’ll sort through the files and mark down patient names, attending doctor, dates, procedures, total cost.
I’m so busy with the paperwork that I don’t notice when Elliot walks into work until he’s next to my desk. He glances at my desk and the big box of files that I’ve just opened.
“What’s all this?” he asks, cocking his head and furrowing his brow. He looks just like Gracie when he does that.
“Just some extra filing Dr. Yates has me doing,” I respond, trying to keep my voice casual. He frowns, a shadow passing across his face. A pang shoots through my chest. It feels wrong to withhold the truth from Elliot. I want to tell him what I’m doing, but I don’t know what he and Dr. Yates have between them. I can’t bring it up now, at work, with people coming and going all around us. It’s too risky.
I’ll tell him tonight, after Gracie goes to bed. I’ll tell him everything, from the strange fees to Dr. Yates’ change of heart about me looking through the files. I’m ready now, ready to be completely open with him.
I can explain everything that’s happened, and we can attack this together. I look at Elliot and smile.
“I’ll tell you about it tonight,” I say. “It’s a long story.”
He frowns but nods. “Okay. I can tell you a long story of my own.”
My eyebrows shoot up but I don’t ask him anything further. Maybe he’s ready to open up to me as well. I reach out and stroke his arm, feeling his bicep through his shirt. He sighs and closes his eyes gently. It’s these moments that I love. The intimacy of every touch, and the joy that I get from just being near him.
I know telling him everything will be the right thing to do. I owe it to him. Especially if this is going to be a problem at work, and especially if my debts and problems with Victor have the chance of impacting him. I can’t just think of myself anymore. He has to know.
I wish I could tell him right now, but I can’t. Not with Dr. Yates just down the hall. Elliot sighs again and smiles at me.
“Gracie wants to make you some brownies again. She said you seemed to like them last time and she wanted to thank you for helping her with her lines.”
I smile. “That’s so sweet of her. I can’t wait.”
And just like that I know I’ve made the right decision. I need to be completely honest with him. It’s not just for me or for him, or our relationship. It’s for that little girl that’s special to us both.
46
Elliot
Extra filing? I walk to my office with a storm of thoughts clouding my mind. What would Stuart have her looking at? The panic is rising in my throat. He knows we got close in San Diego. Does he know how close we’ve gotten over the past few weeks? A few people have made comments to me about my changed mood, and I had that visit from Melodie. I need to be careful. He’s set me up for a fall with the ‘loans’ he gave me years ago. He’s vindictive and I may have just made him angry.
This isn’t good.
I need to figure out what he’s doing before she does. Otherwise who knows what he has planned. He’s bitter enough to want to drive a wedge between us for the simple reason that we’ve found a bit of happiness together.
Just as soon as I’ve realized I have feelings for Emma I’m staring down the barrel of a gun. I can’t lose her, not now, not yet.
I need to come clean to her.
I’ll tell her everything – the money I owed for Chloe’s medical bills, the gambling and how that backfired, and finally Stuart helping me out. Or what I thought was helping me out. I’ll tell her about the conversation I just had with him, and how he’s setting me up to take the fall. I don’t know how deep this goes. If Melodie is pulling the strings, it could be tied back to some very bad people.
From the sounds of it, he’s been using me for much more than a debt that should have been repaid years ago. She has to h
ear it from me first, before Stuart can poison her mind with ideas about me. He could be telling her anything.
She doesn’t seem to know anything, not yet. But he’s planning something, I know he is. I have to tell her the truth, it’s the only way.
I have to trust her.
The thought of trusting this woman I only just met a month ago makes my stomach feel like a rock. It’s hard to swallow and I feel almost lightheaded. This is my biggest secret, my biggest shame. And now I have to open up to her completely.
She’s met Gracie, and Gracie loved her. I have to let her into my life. I want to let her into my life. In so many ways I already have and it’s been the easiest and most natural thing to do. She’s slipped into our lives and made everything a little bit happier. Gracie’s always been bubbly, but I’ve seen a new side of her. She’s curious and talkative with Emma in a way that she’s never been with me.
I’m realizing how much I’ve deprived Gracie by keeping women away from us. She loves having Emma around, and I can see it’s doing her good. Hearing the two of them talking or practicing Gracie’s lines or laughing together makes me feel happier than I’ve felt in years.
My nervousness and fear of telling her about my past is morphing into something else – something deeper. I want to trust her and I want to tell her. To have someone else to share this burden with would be the greatest gift I’ve ever had.
I’ve made up my mind. Tonight, once Gracie has gone to bed, no matter how hard it is, I’ll tell Emma everything. I have to trust her if she’s going to continue to be part of my life. I lean back in my chair and let out a big sigh. I feel relieved and almost giddy. I’m letting her in. I want her here with me.
Doctor's Orders (Complete Series) Page 30