“What’s that?”
“A little more of the same, just a different form.” He held up the needle, examining it.
“I don’t know what you gave me the first time.”
“True. This little beauty goes by a few names. Ketamine, Special K, and my personal favorite cat, Valium.” He gave a little giggle. “It’s just to loosen you up a bit. You’re so tightly wound.”
“Loosen me up for what?”
“Your confession, of course.” He ran a hand over his blond hair, smirking. “I’ve waited long enough. My whole family has.”
“Do they know you’re doing this?”
His gaze flickered. “No. But they’ll be happy when you finally confess to what you did to Lucinda. We’ll finally have closure.”
“River,” I said as calmly as possible, “I understand that you need closure. I do get that, but this isn’t how you go about getting it. You’re going to get into huge trouble. How is this helpful? You must know you can’t get away with kidnapping me?”
“So long as I get your confession, it will all be worth it.”
“I’ve already told you I’m not confessing to something I didn’t do. I’m horribly sorry for your family’s loss, but I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Wrong decision, Maxwell.” He watched me like I was a spider and he was trying to decide whether or not he should squish me with his shoe.
I shifted uneasily, eyes pinned on the hypodermic needle. “I’m not just going to sit still while you inject me with more drugs. Surely you know that?”
“I figured.” His other hand dipped into a pocket of his jacket. With a sly smile, he pulled out a small gun. “I’ll give you a choice whichshotyou want.”
Dread swelled inside of me. “If… if you shoot me, you’ll never get your answers.”
“True. But I’ll get revenge for Lucinda’s death.”
“River,listento me,” I said through clenched teeth. “I tried my hardest to save your sister’s life. You’re not a surgeon. You don’t understand how quickly things change in the operating room.”
His face tensed. “Is that another dig about how I’m not a real doctor?”
“No. I’m saying you’re not asurgeon. You’ve never operated on a human being. Humans are so damn fragile. There’s a lot that can go wrong, even when you do your best.”
“Is that what you tell yourself when your patients die on the operating table?” he snapped.
I sighed, feeling weary. “Lucinda was the only patient I ever lost.”
“Seriously?” He looked outraged. “And yet you moved on so easily? As if her death meant nothing?”
“If you think Lucinda’s death was nothing to me, then why did I throw away my surgical career to cometo Rainy Dale? Do you think I’d have done that if her death meantnothingto me?”
“Yes.Guiltmade you run,” he snarled.
“Of course there was guilt,” I grated out. “But not because I did anything wrong. Guilt isn’t why I quit being a surgeon.”
“Then why?”
“Because I lost my nerve,” I growled, holding his gaze. “Once I knew I could fail, I lost my damn nerve. Okay? Does that make you happy to know I’m a coward?”
He scowled. “Don’t expect me to feel sorry for you.”
I closed my eyes in a slow blink. “I don’t want your pity. But if you think that day doesn’t haunt me, you’re dead wrong.”
He was silent for a moment. I thought for one second he seemed to soften, but then he chuffed in disgust. “Even this moment is all about you and howyoufelt.”
