Chapter 2

My coworkers were looking at me differently now. When they passed my office, they dropped their voices on purpose.

Just before end of day, Joseph Chavez from the disciplinary review board called me, his tone grave. "Evangeline, Farhaven Hospital has filed a formal complaint against you. They say you rejected the promotion application in violation of procedure, and that you may have abused your authority."

"There's going to be a special hearing in a few days. Get yourself ready."

I let out a soft sigh. "Understood, Joseph. I'll have my materials prepared."

I hung up, walked to the safe, keyed in the code, and pulled open the door.

Inside was a copy of my mother's death file from all those years ago, along with a few photos I'd printed off an old forum.

In the pictures, Peter Henson held a little girl in a pink princess dress, Myra Sullivan beside him with a radiant smile, the whole birthday party done up beautifully behind them, the candles on the cake glowing a warm yellow.

The date on the photo was the same day my mother died.

I murmured under my breath, "Mom, just a little longer. It's almost time."

The next morning, I'd barely reached my office when my secretary knocked and came in, her expression a little complicated. "Examiner Winfield, Director Henson is here. He says he'd like to talk to you."

I paused. "Have him wait for me in the small conference room."

A few minutes later, I walked into the conference room.

When I pushed the door open, Peter Henson was standing at the window with his back to me, hair combed without a strand out of place, his posture straight.

He turned around, and the way he looked at me was the way you'd look at a subordinate who wouldn't fall in line.

He spoke first, with the ease of a man used to being on top. "Sit."

I sat down across from him and said nothing, waiting for him to start.

He sighed and put on the face of a doting father. "Lynn, there's no need for the two of us, father and daughter, to end up like this."

"I know you carry resentment over what happened back then."

"But it's been so many years now. You can't spend your whole life living in hatred."

I gave a cold laugh. "You must be joking, Director Henson."

"My name is Winfield, not Henson."

"Whatever father-daughter bond we had is severed."

"If you've come to plead Ann's case, don't bother."

"Her file is questionable. Under the rules, it can't be approved."

Peter Henson took out a document and pushed it across to me. "This is an appointment letter for a medical consultant post at Farhaven Group. Three million a year, with a car and a place to live."

"You sign it, and Ann's promotion is off the table."

"As for our old grievances, we can settle those slowly, in time."

I glanced down at the letter, then lifted my eyes to him. "Three million. How generous of you, Director Henson."

"A pity. I don't want it."

Peter Henson's face darkened. "Don't be a fool about this."

"One word from me, and you'll never work in this field again."

I met his eyes and didn't give an inch. "Peter Henson, eighteen years ago you could stand by and watch my mother die in that hospital."

"So of course, eighteen years later, you'd ruin my career for the sake of your illegitimate daughter."

"I've known exactly what kind of man you are for a long time. And since I dared to sit here, I'm not afraid of anything you do."

"If you think you can threaten me with that, keep dreaming."

Peter Henson slammed his hand down on the table and shouted, "Your mother's attack came on suddenly!"

"I had an emergency surgery that day. There was no way I could leave!"

"Don't listen to outsiders spouting nonsense and throwing dirt on my name!"

I laughed coldly. "What surgery were you performing that day?"

"The surgery of cutting Ann's birthday cake?"

Peter Henson's face went pale for an instant before he forced the calm back into it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Afraid that if I kept going I wouldn't be able to stop myself from tearing him apart, I sent him off in a flat, cold voice. "If there's nothing else, please leave, Director Henson."

"I'll see you at the hearing."