Page 21 of Girl Betrayed

Dana finally found her voice and jumped in. “We were just discussing that, Jake. Why don’t you get dressed? Dr. Dvita will be here any minute.”

“What?” Claire looked like a cornered animal. “Dr. Dvita’s coming here? Why?”

The doorbell chimed and Claire backed away instinctively. “I don’t want to see him,” she whispered.

If Jake had been wearing clothes, Dana was convinced they would’ve been incinerated from the rage radiating off him. “Claire, did he do something to you?”

“Jake!” Dana hissed. “Get dressed and let me handle this.”

“Not a chance in hell.” He faced Claire. “Tell me right now, Claire. If that scumbag laid a hand on you, I need to know.”

She was visibly trembling, but she shook her head. “No, it’s not like that. I just ... I don’t want to face the things he makes me face. Not in front of you and Dana.”

“Jake.” Dana spoke gently, placing a hand on his arm. “Take a breath, get dressed and trust me to handle this.”

He locked eyes with her for a moment. Sensing her sincerity, he nodded and strode down the hall to her bedroom. The doorbell chimed again, and Dana reached for Claire’s hand. “Do you trust me?”

The girl nodded.

“Then follow my lead.”

Dana answeredthe door without removing the chain. Through the slivered opening she viewed the frail figure darkening her door. A short man with thinning gray hair and dark eyes peered back at her from behind wire-framed glasses. He blinked rapidly, like his eyes weren’t used to daylight. A stiff breezepicked up, and the man sunk into the raised collar of his thick navy blue peacoat.

Dana pushed his vampiric likeness from her mind. “Can I help you?”

“Hello, Dr. Gray? I’m Dr. Dvita. We spoke on the phone.”

“Can you show me some identification, please?”

The man blinked again, but then started unbuttoning his coat. He pulled out his wallet, passing the whole thing through the opening in Dana’s front door. The wallet looked as old as the man himself. Dana gently handled the leather, searching the folds until she was satisfied it was none other than Dr. Roman Dvita standing on her front porch.

Taking a deep breath, Dana had one more thing to ask. “I was given a photograph from you last night. Who’s in it?”

“Three of my patients. Two of whom you’re acquainted with. Nancy and Laura. Err.. sorry, we use the names of Presidents and First Ladies at Passages to protect identities, but you know them as Claire Townsend and Meredith Kincaid.”

“And who’s the third person?”

“Another patient of mine.”

“Who took the photo and why send it to me?”

“I took the photo. And I sent it to you because I believe these women are in danger.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because the man in that photo is dead, and I’m worried the others will be targeted next.”

Dana stifled her shock, then passed the wallet back through the door and looked to Claire for permission to let Dr. Dvita in. The girl nodded from her spot near the dining room window where she’d been watching the exchange.

Dana let her hand brush over the cold steel of the weapon tucked in the back waistband of her jeans one more time before she unhooked the chain and invited the cold stranger inside.

16

Jake saton the crowded couch next to Claire, with Dana flanking her other side. The girl fidgeted between them while Dr. Dvita droned on.

No wonder Claire didn’t like him. Some therapist! Weren’t the patients supposed to do the talking? How could someone share their inner demons with this guy if they couldn’t get a word in edgewise?

Dr. Dvita continued his lecture. “In my experience it’s not uncommon for patients with fragile constitutions like Nancy’s to repress unpleasant recollections. The incident from last night may have triggered something she’s unwilling or unable to face. It’s why I thought Nancy might benefit from meeting with another patient I’d been successfully rehabilitating.”