Page 67 of Healed Heart

Ralph chuckles weakly.“You don’t have to believe me, Simpson.It’s the truth.”

The skepticism must be evident on my face, because he sighs and shakes his head as if disappointed in my ignorance.

“You know what they say.The truth always comes out.Eventually, you’re going to find out everything about your precious Jason.”He burns his gaze into me.“And when you do, I hope you’re ready for it.”

A knot of dread begins to form in my stomach, but I refuse to let it show on my face.“So what?Everyone has a past.Including you.”

He grins, a ghastly sight with his swollen face.“But not everyone’s past is as bloody as Jason’s.”

“Bloody?”I repeat, my mind spinning with unvoiced questions.

“Very bloody,” he confirms.“Jason has killed before, Angie.”

The words echo in my head.Killed before killed before… My heart thumps so loudly I can hardly think.

“That’s impossible,” I say.

“Why?”Ralph challenges.“Because he’s a doctor?You think people like him are incapable of killing?”

“That’s not what I meant.”I struggle to keep my voice steady.“Jason wouldn’t kill without reason, if he’s killed at all.”

“Remember what he told us in anatomy lab?That, as surgeons, we would kill a patient one day, and we’d have to live with that?”

I mull over the words.I was just thinking about them the other day.Jasondidsay that, and I didn’t think much of it because I’m not going into surgery.

“That’s what you mean?Making a mistake in surgery isn’t murder, Ralph.Christ.”

“What if I told you that his wife didn’t commit suicide?”Ralph says.

He thinks that’s going to surprise me?I already know Jason’s theory.He doesn’t think the note is in Lindsay’s handwriting.

But how much of that do I want to divulge to Ralph?

He’s already falsely accusing Jason of beating him.Now he wants me to believe Jason is responsible for Lindsay’s death?

“You’re full of shit,” I say, my voice gaining an edge.“You don’t know anything about Jason’s past.You’re just trying to get under my skin.”

“And succeeding, it appears,” he replies with a smirk.“The truth hurts, doesn’t it?”

“The truth?”I laugh.“Is that what you call your deluded ramblings now?”

He shrugs.“Call it whatever you want.It won’t make any difference when the truth finally comes out.”

My heart is pounding, and I struggle to keep my voice steady as I ask again, “What do you mean his wife didn’t commit suicide?You’re not making any sense.”

Ralph looks at me for a moment before sighing deeply.“His wife was murdered, Angie,” he says flatly.“And Jason isn’t as innocent as he claims to be.”

“You’re full of shit.”I look into his eyes.God, he looks evil.“And no way will I ever fuck you, so get that out of your head now.”

“Fine.”He shrugs.“I was willing to make a deal.But now Jason is going to get what’s coming to him.”

A knock at the door.

I turn toward the sound.“It’s okay, Tabitha.I was just leaving.”I open the door.

But it isn’t Tabitha.A tall man wearing scrubs with cold gray eyes is standing there.

“Oh, sorry,” I say.“I thought you were my friend.”