Dead Girl Running (The New Order Book 1) (24 page)

Liam walks me home again but doesn’t come up. “I’m pretty sweaty and stinky,” he says. “I better go home and not ruin the good impression I’ve already made on your mom.”

“All right. See you tomorrow after work for core exercises?”

He waves as I enter my building. I head upstairs to shower, eat, and sleep like every other day, one after the other. It’s a never-ending cycle that I somewhat accepted until Dr. Wang came along. I can’t work under that woman.

But what if Gus can’t get rid of her?

The next morning, I hurry to work, my nerves on edge. The second I enter Mortuary Services, I want to turn around and head back home. Instead of rock music, opera screeches in the background. And the falsetto singer isn’t the only one hurting my ears. It’s like a war zone in here.

“So,
Edwina,
I heard that Surgeon you blackmailed eventually killed himself.” Gus glowers, his eyes dark and dangerous. “You must be very proud of your accomplishments.”

“I had
nothing
to do with that.” Dr. Wang grimaces, bending over a body. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop talking about it.”

“If you’ll kindly remember,
Edwina
, I don’t take directions from those beneath me.”

She scowls. “You’re only here until I get up to speed in this department. I can’t believe you didn’t show up for work yesterday!”

Gus raises his fuzzy brows. “But,
Edwina,
you said I was retired—”

“Stop saying my name over and over, you aggravating—”

Gus turns to me. “Hey, Silvia, didn’t you hear
Edwina
tell me my services were no longer needed here?”

Dr. Wang whips her head in my direction. “So, you decided to show up today, too, eh? Why didn’t you show up yesterday? I don’t recall telling
you
to take a vacation day—”

“No, I did,” Gus interrupts. “I told her to take the day off for my retirement party, because
you
said—”

“Oh, just
stop
talking altogether.” Dr. Wang wipes her sweaty brow with the back of her wrist. “Silvia, start organizing the carts and bring me some suture.”

I hang up my light jacket. “What kind?”

Dr. Wang doesn’t answer. Her face pales to a sickly color. She shudders involuntarily, her instruments falling to the floor with a metallic clatter. Her gloved hands grab at her abdomen.

“I’m going to be sick.” She races down the hall toward the bathroom.

“What’s wrong with her?” I ask, crossing the room to Gus’s side.

His eyes widen. “Some people simply weren’t meant for this job.” He can’t hide a smirk.

“What are you smiling about?” I poke his arm. “What’s going on?”

“Fine. I’ll tell you,” Gus whispers. “I’m poisoning her.”

ou’re
what?”
I glance toward the camera aimed a different direction than usual. “Did you really just say what I think you said?”

Gus scoffs. “It’s not like I’m trying to kill her. I only need her incapacitated.”

“Do you mind if I ask what you’re poisoning her with?” I’m standing so close that I’m practically on top of him. I don’t want anyone to hear us.

He chuckles. “I knew you’d be interested. Iris root. I ground it up and put it in that foul-smelling tea she’s always sucking down. She didn’t even notice. Until now.”

“Iris root?” I glance around, so sure someone—a Suit, maybe—will barge in at any moment.

“Yes. It causes severe, but not life-threatening, gastrointestinal distress.” Gus continues to work, his face a calm mask of dedication and duty. “I’ve done other things, as well, such as muffling the microphone and aiming the camera on her table to best show her inability to perform her job. Don’t worry; you and I remain out of view. But be sure to help her when you can, so that those who are watching see how concerned you are about her well-being.”

I take a step back. “I’m beginning to think that you’re a bit crazy.”

Gus smiles. “All the world’s a stage, darling. And I intend to play my part in full.”

“What if you get caught?” I’m not sure I agree with poisoning people on a regular basis, but this is Gus, and I trust him.

“She’s barfing whatever evidence there might be into the toilet. I’m in the clear. I didn’t let them film me doing it if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Shh, she’s back,” I warn as Dr. Wang slogs through the main workroom, passes us by without a glance, and heads into the office. She drops into a chair and leans her head forward into her hands. I’m surprised I don’t even feel sorry for her.

With one last glance at Gus, I hurry into the office. “Are you okay?” I feign concern. “Do you need anything?”

“No. Now, let me be.” Dr. Wang winces. Clearly, I’m talking too loud, and her head hurts.

“You look awful!” I speak even louder. “Do you need a doctor? Sometimes, people get nauseous working here. It doesn’t bother me, but I’ve seen a lot of other students come and go—”

She attempts to wave me away with her hand. “No doctor. I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t
look
fine.” I can be cruel when needed. “How about something to drink? I could get you some water. It’s from the faucet out in the work area, so sometimes it kind of smells like the dead bodies, but—”

She grimaces and points across the room at her electric teapot. “Tea. I’ll take tea. Nothing else, please.”

As I turn away to pour the steaming drink into her mug, I can’t help but smile. “Okay, I’d be glad to get you some tea.” I set the doctored tea on the desktop next to her chair and back away as she reaches for the cup.

Throughout the rest of the workday, Dr. Edwina Wang makes numerous speedy trips to the bathroom. Despite my best attempts to assist her, she scoffs at my repeated suggestions to go home and sleep it off.

“Nonsense, girl.” She scowls as she grabs the teapot out of my hand to pour her own cup. “Now, go back to work and leave me alone.”

I bow and concede then hurry back to my table.

When the job is done for the afternoon, I pack up, expecting Gus to join me outside for a private consult. He grabs his lunch bag and heads for the door, walking at my side.

“Wait a minute!” Dr. Wang rushes out of her office where she’s been resting for the last half hour. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Gus turns to her with a patient look on his face—courtesy of his days in the theater, no doubt—and says, “If you want to be in charge, you’re going to have to accept some responsibility.”

“Don’t you dare go and leave me with all this mess of yours!” she wails, yanking on his arm.

Gus moves back into the room, strategically placing both of them in full view of the camera.

“If you don’t think you can handle the job, you should resign.” Gus doesn’t pull away from her reptilian grip on his arm.

“You’re an evil man,” she growls.

“Takes one to know one. But, since others depend on a job well done in this department, I’ll stay and help you. Bring everything out onto this table.”

Again, he chooses a location in full view of the camera. Dr. Wang hustles into her office to gather a stack of papers. Gus glances at me, raising his brows. I gesture slightly toward the camera overhead then back at his table.

He smiles and says, “There’s no need for you to stay, Silvia. You hurry on over to the gym to practice for your big race.”

“Yes,” Dr. Wang says. “Do us proud, Silvia.”

The two enemies bow their heads over the paperwork as I head out the door. Taking the steps two by two, I reach the top quickly to discover that it is raining outside. I dash through the heavy drops to the 37
^th
Northwest Street Health and Productivity Gym. My hair drips onto my shoulders and shirt as I hurry inside.

“Where is your umbrella?” asks Liam, waiting for me at the door.

“It’s invisible, can’t you tell?” I reply.

“You look like you just took a shower. With your clothes
on.”

I squeeze out my hair. “I’ll dry off in the locker room.”

“I thought maybe we should lift some weights today.”

I hedge. “I’m not big on weights.”

“But it would be good to build strength to help us with our endurance, right? Listen, I’ll only make you do this once because we have to taper soon, anyway. Besides, I did yoga with you, remember?”

“I can’t believe the race is only two weeks away.” I tense with anticipation. “I guess that’s what we get when we only have a couple months to train. It doesn’t seem like long enough.”

“Are you kidding?” Liam shakes his head. “I can’t wait for this to be over. I’ve never been so tired in my life. I want to kick back and relax.”

“You sound lazy, and I’m freezing.” I head for the locker room and call back over my shoulder. “I’ll meet you in the weight room.”

Getting dressed in a hurry, my mind spins. Am I going to get caught? What’s going to happen to Gus if I don’t succeed in helping him get rid of Dr. Wang? What’s going to happen to me if she wins, and I lose Gus?

Oh, I can’t think about this right now,
I tell myself, heading for the weight room.

“I think I’ll mostly do lunges with handheld weights,” I tell Liam. “I suggest you do the same.”

“Yes, master.” He makes a face and bows.

We spend the next fifteen minutes in silence, focusing on our form so as not to get hurt right before the race.

“So, how’s work?” Liam asks.

I immediately search for the cameras above us.

“Oh. Never mind.” Liam follows my gaze. “But promise me something—don’t let yourself get as paranoid as Franco.”

“I don’t want to talk about it here,” I mutter, turning my back to the cameras so no one but Liam can read my lips.

“Hey, after we get done with yoga, Franco wants to meet at the Library to view that big model of the race.”

My stomach clenches at the thought of visiting that building. “I suppose it would be a good idea for planning purposes.”

“Okay.” Liam glances at the clock. “I figure we have five more minutes here before we’d better head to that core yoga class you like.”

I set down the weights. “I’m done now. I need some water.” I head toward the drinking fountain, trying to calm myself. I can handle going in that library. I know I can.

As I lean down to drink, an image of the Suits slapping my face hits me. I choke on the water, sputtering all over myself. A chill shakes my body as I’m sent back in time, back into that room, back into that chair. I rub my wrists, glancing around to see if anyone’s watching.