Blacklisted (Loveless, Texas #3) - Jay Crownover Page 0,39

ratcheted up in the room. I was uncomfortable with this kind of confrontation, but I was unwilling to walk away because ultimately he was the one who should have felt uneasy. He was the one who’d done something questionable and possibly lethal. He was the one who should have been worried about the truth coming out, even though I was the one who had the cold sweats and was feeling slightly nauseous.

“I don’t recall if she was here that day or not.” I watched as he reached up to tug at the knot of his tie. It was the first outwardly anxious sign he’d exhibited. “I was focused on trying to save your mother.”

I scowled at him as I reached out to grab the edge of his desk. I held on to the wood so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

“Tried to save her? You told me she died before you made it to her room, that she passed so suddenly there was nothing that could be done. What exactly did you do to try and save her?” My voice rose to a practically hysterical level. I would never forget the heartbreak and crushing disappointment of that day or the absolute devastation that followed. “She was always so closely monitored, it always seemed off that she would’ve suddenly crashed with no warning.”

“Presley,” he sighed heavily. “You should know better than anyone that sometimes people die without warning. Your entire career is based around that fact. What happened with your mother was tragic, but not uncommon. Again, I wonder if you are really ready to return to work. You don’t sound like yourself right now. You were always such a reasonable young woman.”

The fact that he sounded disappointed in me made me see red. I jumped to my feet and slammed my palms down on the desktop, making the older man jump in his chair.

“I think my mother was murdered, and I think you are complicit in it. Even if you weren’t directly involved, you didn’t do anything to stop it. You should, at the very least, lose your medical license.”

The physician had the audacity to smirk. “Where’s your proof? You work with law enforcement every single day. You know wild accusations don’t mean anything. I’m sorry for your loss, but that’s where it ends. Any medical professional who might review your mother’s case would find I did my due diligence where her rapidly declining condition was concerned.”

“Leaving her alone with a murderer who you just happen to be sleeping with is not due diligence.” I bit off each word and I could feel furious heat rising in my face. I didn’t lose my temper often, but if ever there was a time for it, now was it.

Only Dr. Kemper remained unfazed by my outburst. He even smirked at me again as I started to breathe hard. If I were a cartoon character, steam would be coming out of my ears.

“If you have proof that Ashby was here that day, if there is a scrap of evidence she was alone with your mother, or that I was aware of either of those things, this might be a very different conversation. As it is, your reputation is still in limbo and you should be focused on making sure your superiors don’t regret choosing you for that promotion you fought so hard for. I’ve said all I have to say to you, Presley. Maybe you should consider getting some counseling. It doesn’t seem like you’ve been dealing with your grief in a healthy manner.”

I pushed off the desk and narrowed my eyes at his smug face. “I’m not going to let this go.”

“You should. What’s the use of lingering in the past? You can’t bring your mother back.”

I grabbed my purse and turned toward the door. “No, I can’t. But I can make sure the questions surrounding her death are answered. That is actually what my entire career is based around.” I flipped my hair over my shoulder, pausing at the door. I gave the doctor a frigid look and told him pointedly, “Oh, in case you didn’t hear, my new half brother is the sheriff in Loveless, and my half sister’s boyfriend is the Texas Ranger who initially questioned you. I’m sure if I need to get my hands on any of the surveillance from the hospital, or if I need to question the rest of the staff who looked after my mother, they would be more than willing to help me