Page 36 of Private Exhibit (Gentleman Hackers #4)

ANDY WENT over Devon's scans and patient history a dozen times over the next few days.

But he found nothing.

Gods damn it all!

He'd taken several vials of blood and ran every test he could possibly think of. Then he'd done four holoscans, not to mention even firing up the ancient imaging machines they kept as an emergency backup, just in case the results showed something that nothing else could.

But he still found nothing. Even after he begged Devon to give him access to all the files from every clinic and hospital he'd ever visited, there were still no concrete answers.

Maybe Ashworth-Grahams would never be curable.

Andy swore he heard the ticking of a clock growing louder by the second. The sound followed him around. Haunted him. Dogged every step he took, making his heart constantly race, knowing that the end was rushing up on him.

He got up and stormed across his office. He'd have to go home and bring Devon in to run more scans. More tests. He couldn't see any other way.

Andy came up short when Junior suddenly appeared in front of him.

“Gods almighty,” Andy gasped. He stared at his son, his brain protesting painfully as it suddenly switched gears. “Where the hells have you–”

Mom's in the E.R.! Junior gasped in a panic.

Andy froze. “What?”

Something's wrong , Junior blurted out, his eyes wide and pleading. And she can't see me and I can't do anything and you have to help her!

Andy winced. I can't do anything! He'd heard those same words over and over again the past several days. And not just when Devon said them. They ran on a loop through his own head, in his own voice. “Junior,” he sighed. “I don't have time for this–”

Dad, please , Junior begged, grabbing his arm as Andy tried to push past him. Please!

Andy stopped and looked at his son. Gods damn it all . He needed to get home and get Devon. Needed to find a cure.

But then he really noticed the fear on Junior's face. Oh hells . He couldn't deny him anything.

Andy ran down the hall to the elevators, Junior right on his heels.

They rode down to the ground floor and rushed along the maze of hallways until they reached the emergency room.

Andy spotted Lydia right away. There was an unusual amount of activity going on, but even so, Andy manged to zero in on the mother of his son without even trying.

“Doctor Gerard!” a nurse gasped. “Oh, thank gods. We could really use–”

Andy brushed past the nurse and crossed the room, heading in Lydia's direction. He stopped short at the sight of Crawford bending over her, rapidly checking her vital signs.

“Get away from her,” Andy barked, nearly shoving Crawford aside.

But Crawford ignored him and flung his stethoscope around his neck before grabbing the gurney on which Lydia lay. “We need to get you into surgery right now,” Crawford announced.

“What is going on?” Andy demanded.

At the same moment, Lydia gasped, “No!”

“I'm sorry?” Crawford asked.

Lydia's eyes were wide and pleading, though she had an almost guilty look on her face when she started to glance in Andy's direction. She turned back to Crawford and said, “I can't have surgery.”

“Lydia, I'm sorry, but we don't have a choice–”

Dad , Junior whined.

“Would somebody please explain to me what the hells is going on?” Andy practically shouted.

Lydia flinched, as did a man standing beside her, holding her hand.

Crawford huffed out an impatient breath and said, “There was a boating accident.” He waved at the room in general. “She's got some internal bleeding, so I need to get her to an O.R. right away.”

“You can't!” Lydia cried, hugging herself.

Standing beside Lydia, the unfamiliar man asked, “Is there no other way?”

“Who the fuck are you?” Andy demanded.

The man scowled at him. “Not that it's any of your business, but I'm her fiancé.”

“We need to go now,” Crawford cut in.

“Gods damn it all,” Lydia cried. “I'm pregnant!”

The fiancé gave her hand a squeeze.

Junior choked. What?

Crawford muttered a curse. “Shit.” He reached over and punched a button on the wall. A bar of blue light tracked down Lydia's body. The light winked out, and a hologram of her form appeared in the air right above her.

“We only just found out last night,” Lydia said right as Crawford stripped away a few layers of the scan, revealing the clump of cells starting to form in Lydia's womb.

Andy felt the ground tilt beneath him. He threw out a hand, catching himself on the end of the gurney. The last time he'd heard those words, he'd been shocked, terrified, and happy beyond all reason.

Now? All he could think about was her betrayal.

“Boy or girl?” he bit off.

Lydia pressed her lips together and looked away.

Andy slowly straightened. “Lydia?” he ground out. “Boy…or girl?”

But she didn't have to answer. Andy saw it all over her face.

Andy clenched his hands into fists at his sides, fuming, breathing hard through his nose. He glanced at the fiancé, then looked back at Lydia again. “He doesn't know, does he?”

“Know what?” the fiancé asked.

“You're really gonna do this again?” Andy demanded. “After what happened with us?”

“What is he talking about?” the fiancé insisted.

“Andy,” Lydia gasped. “Don't. Please–”

“She's a carrier for Ashworth-Grahams Disease,” Andy bit off, turning to the fiancé, looking him straight in the eye. “Any son you two might have will likely be dead inside a year.”

“Anderson!” Lydia covered her mouth to stifle a sob. “How could you?”

“No, how could you ?” he yelled back. “You knew! You knew the whole time, yet you had a son anyway. You gave birth to our boy, knowing he was going to suffer and die. And you never said a gods-damned word!”

“Lydia?” the fiancé asked. “Is this true?”

“I'm sorry to interrupt, folks,” Crawford cut in, “but we really need to go before it's too late.”

Andy turned and grabbed the first nurse who breezed by. “Book an O.R.,” he ordered, then turned back to Lydia. “I'm terminating the pregnancy and doing the surgery.”

“Gerard,” Crawford said, “I can help–”

“ I don't need your help! ” Andy shouted.

Crawford gave him a steady look, full of forced patience. “Regardless, you know you can't operate on her. It's unethical. Besides, I've been Lydia's doctor for several years now.”

“What?” Andy gasped. That was news to him.

“So will you let me do this,” Crawford went on, “or do I need to have security escort you out?”

“You can't do the surgery,” Lydia quietly cried.

“You don't have a gods-damned choice,” Andy snapped at her.

“Hey,” the fiancé barked, “don't talk to her that way!”

Andy started to take a swing at the guy, but a security guard arrived at that moment and caught his arm. “Fuck!” Andy pulled himself free and stepped back, then jabbed a finger at Crawford. “Terminate the pregnancy,” he demanded, then turned and stormed out of the room.

The security guard followed after him, watching until Andy was on the elevator and the doors slid shut between them.

“Fuck!” Andy yelled again. He punched at the wall, then cursed once more and shook out his hand.

Andy shifted his weight from foot to foot until the car stopped and the doors opened again.

He found himself staring at the doorway into the morgue.

Shit . Andy jumped back and jabbed at the button for the third floor. He couldn't be down in the morgue right now. Not when any number of ghosts might show up, looking to hang out and chat.

Andy gasped. Junior! He stepped right up to the doors, tapping impatiently on the smooth, cold metal until the car stopped. The doors opened, and Andy rushed to his office, throwing open the door and looking around.

He found Junior huddled in the corner, hugging his knees to his chest.

Andy winced. Junior?

The boy glanced up at him, then hung his head.

Hey, kid , Andy said, softening his inner voice, forcing down the rage for his son's sake. Mom's gonna be fine. Crawford may be an ass, but he is an excellent surgeon , he admitted. I'm sure everything's gonna be–

She knew? Junior whispered, cutting him off.

Oh fuck . Andy froze where he stood, then slowly made his way across the room. He swallowed hard as he lowered himself to the floor, watching his son the whole time. Kid–

She always knew? Junior demanded.

Andy sighed. She did. He shook his head. I'm so sorry, kiddo. I never wanted you to find that out. I shouldn't have lost my shit like that–

No, you should have told me , Junior insisted, looking up at him with eyes that seemed almost wet with tears. Why would you keep something like that from me?

Because she's your mother , Andy replied. And you've always struggled so much with losing contact with her. I didn't ever want you to feel betrayed by her as well.

Junior hugged his knees tighter.

I'm so sorry, kid , Andy repeated. And I'm so sorry about what I said the last time we talked.

Junior looked up. What?

Andy shifted closer to him. You didn't rob me of my life. You hear me? You are my life. You're my son, and I love you more than anything in the whole world.

Anything?

Andy opened his mouth to respond, then hesitated. Because he loved Devon, too. It was completely different, but the truth was that he loved Devon just as much as he loved Junior.

What? Junior asked, warily studying his face.

Andy turned and slumped against the wall beside him, running his hands through his hair. He took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut, and told Junior, He has it .

Who has what?

Devon , Andy said. The boy I've been seeing.

He–

Andy braced himself, waiting for another angry outburst.

Instead, Junior gasped and whirled to face him, his eyes wide. Oh gods, Dad.

Andy looked up, seeing concern and sympathy on his son's face.

Junior slowly looked around. Is that why you were up here? You're back to trying to find a cure?

Andy nodded.

Junior squirmed. Any luck?

Andy shook his head. There's nothing. I've been over it all a thousand times. Reran every test and rechecked every scan. Andy slammed his head back against the wall. I feel so fucking useless!

Junior scooted closer and took his hand. You're not useless . He sat silently for a moment, then quietly asked, Am I allowed to say 'language,' old man?

Andy blinked, then burst out laughing.

Junior laughed with him, then gave his hand a squeeze as they slowly fell silent again. I didn't mean what I said, either. You didn't rob me of my life. You did everything you could to save me, and I'm grateful .

I just wish I could have done more .

I'm just thankful we can still have this , Junior said, gesturing at the two of them.

Andy wrapped his son in his arms and pulled him close. Me, too, kid. Me, too .

They sat like that for a long while in silence. Junior only pulled away when Andy's stomach growled. Andy shook his head and looked up at the clock. It was almost four in the afternoon, and he realized he hadn't eaten a thing all day, too wrapped up in work to think about anything else.

Junior excused himself to go check on Jess, so Andy went down to his car and drove home, too keyed up to keep working.

He sat back in the driver's seat, scrubbing his hands over his face.

Gods. What a day . He couldn't wait to get home.

Couldn't wait to see Devon. To hold onto a little piece of life.

The moment he saw the boy, Andy grabbed him and kissed him. He simply couldn't resist.

And he never wanted it to end.