Page 114 of Healed Heart

“Well, if they do, and with testimony from the handwriting expert, I might be able to grease a few wheels.”

“Okay, good.But in the meantime, we can at least look at security footage, right?”

“Yeah, that shouldn’t be an issue at all.”

“Can you make the call today?”

“Yeah.It’s getting close to five o’clock, but I have the judge’s private line.”

I look down, sighing softly.“Sometimes it pays to be a Steel.”

“Angie, italwayspays to be a Steel.Don’t ever forget that, and always be grateful for our connections.”

“Believe me, I am.Thanks bunches, Henry.”

“Not a problem.I’ll call you when I have more information.Or better yet, I’ll just drive to your place.We can order some pizza and go over everything.”

“Okay.Can I invite Jason?”

“Hell yeah.”He laughs.“I want to see this guy that has my little sister breaching her ethics.Maybe scare the living hell out of him, make sure he’s treating you right.”

“Henry, he’s been through so much.Please tell me you’re not going to give him a rough time.”

“I’ll be good.I promise.”He chuckles.“See you at your place around seven, okay?”

“Sounds good.Thanks again, Henry.”

I’m cautiously hopeful that security footage will show something.

I call Jason.

ChapterForty-Four

Jason

“What the hell do you want?”Ralph snarls at me.

He’s looking better.

“You ready to level with me?”I ask.

“About what?”He exhales sharply through his nose.“Don’t think you’re going to get me to drop the charges against you.”

“That’s already a done deal,” I lie.“We have proof that I didn’t do this to you.”

He sneers.“No, you don’t.”

“You sure about that?”I turn toward the machines monitoring his heart rate.Surprisingly, his pulse remains at about seventy beats per minute.

I’m not getting to him.

Maybe Angie is right.Maybe heisa narcissist.But I recall a bit about my psychiatry rotation my internship year.

I think Ralph—or Ronny, or whoever the fuck he is—is a bona fide sociopath.

He knows I didn’t do this to him.In fact, he and I seem to be the only two whodoknow the truth.Butsomeonedid do this to him.The injuries are too severe to have been self-inflicted.

I still have privileges at this hospital, and I could easily look at his records, but I don’t need to.I respect patient confidentiality, even though I don’t respect Ralph.