“I was about to, but that whole thing came up with Afaya, and he told me to wait until you got back from Dallas. Then you wanted to spend a few days with Kathleen and Addie, so I put it off .”
Timing is a funny thing. But this explained why Tara wanted to kill me. She thought I’d been sent to finish the job the mafia guys botched.
“So Darwin thinks you told me to kill Tara, and I did. So he’s happy?”
“In general,” Lou said, turning to open the door.
“What does that mean?”
Lou turned back to face me.
“He didn’t like the part about you being out of commission all these years.”
No surprise there.
“What does Darwin know about my heart issue?”
“He backtracked. He found the doctor that treated you after the Camptown incident…”
“Dr. Hedgepeth.”
“Right. And Hedgepeth led Darwin to the psychiatrist…”
“Nadine Crouch.”
“Right, and, if you’ll raise up and look over my shoulder…”
“That’s not necessary,” Dr. Nadine Crouch said, entering the room. “I’ll come closer.”
Chapter 41
“What are
“This might come as a surprise to you, Donovan, but I’ve worked for Homeland Security longer than you have.”
“What?”
“I was on the payroll before the helicopter brought you from Camptown.”
“Dr. Hedgepeth personally recommended you. Are you saying he’s with Homeland too?”
“No. When you arrived at the hospital, Darwin was in close contact with Dr. Hedgepeth. He got the results of your tests before you did. When Hedgepeth decided you might require psychiatric evaluation, Darwin told him to recommend me. He felt it was best to use an in-house psychiatrist.”
“Your practice just happened to be in Newark?”
“Philadelphia. We had to move my practice to Newark to accommodate you. We worked a deal with Agnes Battle, the child psychologist, to sublease her back office.
My mind was swimming, but I’m a great detail guy. “The antique coat rack in the office seemed out of place. Was that yours?”
Dr. Crouch laughed. “Funny you should notice that. Homeland gave the office a complete makeover. When Agnes realized the coat rack didn’t go with it, she gave it to me as a present. I felt obligated to keep it.”
“So you’ve known all along what I did for Homeland?”
“Not specifically. Darwin told me almost nothing at first. He wanted me to report your comments to him. But he filled me in just before your last visit.”
“I remember thinking at the time that you were awfully astute, for having known me such a short time.”
“I’m still astute. For example, I can see that you’re handling your current situation with an amazing degree of calm.”
“How did you know I’d be conscious today?”
“I didn’t. I’ve been waiting a long time for you to wake up.”
“How long have you been here?”
“I arrived a month after you did.”
I laughed. “They paid you all this time to wait for me to wake up? That’s hard to believe.”
“I’m stationed here because of you, but remember, I work for Homeland, so I’ve got other duties and responsibilities. Of course, you’re quite an asset to them, and now that you’re awake, you’re my main concern.”
“How much have they told you?”
She looked at Lou. “As far as I know, everything.”
Lou said, “She knows most of what you’ve done for us. She’s got a general understanding about your work with Sal. She has specific knowledge about the contracts you fulfilled for Victor, and the thing with Tara.”
“Well, that’s all in the past,” I said.
“Is it?” Nadine said.
“According to you guys, I’ve just lost three years of my life. Three years I could’ve been with Kathleen and Addie. Three years I could’ve spent building my relationship with Kimberly. Yeah, I’m done. I’m done with
Dr. Crouch looked at Lou. “Should I leave?” she said.
Lou frowned. “I’m going all in. You definitely need to stay.”
“Lou?” I said. “What do you mean, ‘all in?’ Talk to me.”
Lou asked Nadine if she had a mirror in her purse. She produced a compact and gave it to him.
“Lou…” I said, warily.
“Donovan, you may want to brace yourself,” Lou said. He handed me Nadine’s compact. I looked at both of them carefully before opening it, but none of us said anything. I closed my eyes a second, shook my head.
“This sucks,” I said.
Lou nodded.
“I’m so very sorry,” Dr. Crouch said.
I opened the compact and looked into the mirror.
Chapter 42
They’d given me a new face.
Not a normal face, like I’d had before, but a Hollywood, movie star-type face.
Without the scar.
I closed the compact and handed it back to Nadine.
“I need a drink,” I said.
Lou hesitated. “That’s probably a bad idea.”
“Bottom left-hand drawer of my desk,” I said.
“I can ask the doctor, if you want,” Lou said.
“Next to the bourbon you’ll find four Glencairn glasses. Feel free to join me.”
“Twenty-year Pappy?”
“It was when I bought it.”
“I’ll join you,” he said.
We looked at Nadine.
“I’ll pass,” she said.
Lou called his assistant and placed the order.
