A true professional, Trent thought.
“It’s my clinic.” Arianna looked sharply at Jed. “What were you doing there?”
“I was researching a tip. I interviewed your cousin here when she walked out one day. But nothing ever came of it.”
“I told you nothing would,” Megan said as she and Arianna sat down.
“Sorry,” Jed said. “I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“Such a small world,” Trent marveled. “Anyways, nice to finally meet you, Megan.” He extended his hand to her, hoping its shaking was imperceptible.
“Hang on,” Arianna said, still frowning at Jed. “You got a tip about my clinic?”
“Yeah. That you had record numbers.”
“According to whom?”
Jed did not waver. “A well-placed health source.”
“I see.” She paused. “I can’t imagine why anyone would tip my numbers to a reporter. Yes, we’ve been getting more popular, but who cares except for the patients on the waiting list?”
Jed shrugged. “A lot of times these things mean nothing, but you have to check it out for the hell of it.”
“What a coincidence,” Trent remarked.
“Yeah, dude,” Jed said, watching Arianna. “And when we went to dinner before, I met you and still had no idea.”
“That’s funny.” Arianna looked thoughtful. “So what are you working on now? Now that you’re done bothering my patients?” The defensiveness in her tone watered down her attempt at sarcasm.
“I’ve got a few leads,” Jed answered evenly. “A lack of cleanliness at a certain hospital, a virus spreading through Bronx schools.”
God, you’re quick, Trent thought.
A waiter came up to their table and took drink orders: soda for the women, vodka martinis for the men. Trent silently thanked the bored-looking man for appearing, and for every second he took up reciting the list of specials.
Afterwards, Megan looked at Trent and Jed apologetically. “I hope you don’t mind if I steal her for a second,” she said, turning to Arianna. “Before we order, I need to ask about one of the drugs you prescribed—and trust me—” She turned back to them. “—it’s not very appetizing.”
“Go ahead,” Trent said. “By all means.”
“We’ll be right back.”
“That’s my life,” Arianna joked. “Always on call.” She got up to follow Megan, whose hand closed around her arm. Trent watched their receding figures until they were out of earshot.
* * *
Arianna felt Megan’s fingers clamping her biceps as they walked away from the table.
“What’s up?”
Megan steered her toward the back of the restaurant, past the raucous bar, to the restroom. She said nothing until the door closed behind them, sealing out the din of the restaurant. Then she scanned the bottom of each of the four stalls, verifying that they were the only occupants, and leaned hard against the door.
“This is all so bizarre,” she finally said. “I never expected to see that guy again.”
“I know,” Arianna agreed. “It’s a weird coincidence.”
“How do they know each other?”
“College. Trent told me they met in journalism class and then joined the same frat. I guess it’s not strange in that way—it makes sense that they both became journalists, although now Trent is writing a book.”
“And you met him at a book signing.”
“Right. The coincidence is really the fact that Jed covers the health beat, which somehow led him to my clinic. I just wonder who his source was.”
“Do you think Trent knows?”
“I doubt it; otherwise, he would have told me. But whoever it was had access to my numbers, so the person must have an in at the DEP.”
“Which makes me wonder—”
Arianna nodded. “How did Jed get to this person? And what else does he or she know?”
“Exactly. But you can’t ask Jed directly.”
“Plus I don’t want to seem concerned.”
“Should you be?”
“What do you mean?”
Megan’s thin eyebrows knitted. “What if he wants to reopen the story about the clinic? Now that he knows Trent has access to you, maybe he’ll pump him for details—I knew it was a bad idea to tell him!”
Arianna shook her head. “Seriously, Meg, what do you think means more to him? Helping his friend get a scoop or my life?”
“You haven’t known him that long, Arianna. And he’s been friends with this guy for years.”
“He’s not going to say anything. You sound like Sam.”
“Maybe Sam has a point. We can’t take any chances!”
Arianna sighed; why did no one trust her judgment anymore?
“You just don’t know him like I do,” she said. “He would never hurt me. If anything, confiding in him has widened my support system. You, Sam and the Ericsons, and now him—you guys are it for me. And I don’t even know about Sam anymore.”
“I hope you’re right. And what about Jed? Are you worried?”
“Well, I wasn’t that worried the first time you ran into him, and I’m not that worried now, for the same reason: If the DEP had any clue, they would have been all over me by now.”
“But what if someone there is still suspicious about your numbers?”
“So what? I’ve passed every inspection and audit.” A cunning smile tugged at Arianna’s lips. “So really, they’ve got nothing to go on.”
* * *
Trent and Jed both sighed as soon as Arianna and Megan disappeared into the back of the restaurant.
“Shit, man,” Jed said. “That was close.”
“You’re pretty fast on your feet.”
“Thanks. I can’t believe that chick is her cousin. Is she even allowed to treat family?”
Trent shrugged, feeling his gut tighten again. He wondered if there was any way Jed could tell. “Yeah, why not? Plus I’m sure she’s doing it for free.”
“Oh. So what do you make of the case so far? Do you think she’s going to tell you anything soon?”
“I think she would have by now. We’ve been hanging out for quite a while, so I don’t know why it’s taking so long. Maybe there’s nothing to tell?”
“Maybe. But she did seem to get kind of defensive about her numbers, like she had something to prove. Or maybe I’m reading into it.”
Trent shrugged again, aiming for subtle doubt and a hint of detachment. “Who knows? I’ve just got to do the job as long as the boss wants to. I hope we’re not wasting our time,
