A Perfect Fit by Lynne Gentry

Author:Lynne Gentry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

6

MAGDALENA PUSHED THROUGH THE glass doors of the hospital. The confined stench of antiseptic hung in the corridors, stale and stifling compared to the fresh air she’d enjoyed at the harbor. Maybe her sudden attraction to fresh air and freedom had nothing to do with the demands of the hospital. Maybe it sprang from the raw vigor of the man who’d opened a window and shoved her toward a world of dangerous yet exciting possibilities.

“We are going to the Cave of the Swimmers?” Lawrence huffed, trailing behind her with as much speed as he could muster. “I thought you had work to do.”

Her proper pedigree had paved the way for acquiring the proper credentials to ensure a proper, well-ordered, and safe life. And where had that gotten her? Engaged to a proctologist, that’s where. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a break from her exhausting responsibilities, let alone indulged in a little adventure. Father would be furious if he found out about today’s unexplained absence. He’d have a heart attack if he knew her time away from her duties had been spent chasing after the origin of a possible pathogen in a mythical cave with an itinerant American archaeologist. She would tell her father the truth once she shucked the attraction to this world traveler and slid safely back into her preordered routine.

“I haven’t necessarily committed to hopping a camel and trudging through the desert, but exploring the cave would be the most efficient way to trace the origin of the disease.”

“We haven’t even proven those kids died of disease.”

“Not yet.” She slipped into her white coat and set a brisk pace for the medical library.

“Dr. Kader?” Kaifah blocked her path. “Your father is looking for you.”

“Could you please tell him I need to do some research?”

The nurse’s suspicious eyes darted from Lawrence to Magdalena. “He’ll ask what you’re working on.”

“Uh . . . a case.” Which wasn’t a lie. So far, all she had to back her theory of some unknown virus was a strong hunch. If she could somehow tie a pathogen to the mysterious deaths at the legendary desert cave, they would be one step closer to understanding what had happened at the Tophet. “Excuse us, Kaifah, we’ve work to do.”

Gray light filtered through the windows of the quiet library. Magdalena scanned the stacks and discovered the research assistant face-planted in an open book and snoring loudly. “This way,” she whispered. “We must be fast. Kaifah won’t keep our secret long.”

She skipped the reference books and went straight to the medical history section. High on a shelf, she spotted a dusty tome: Plague and Pestilence in the Roman Empire.

Lawrence dragged over a chair.

“Let me. I don’t want you to ruin those perfect stitches.” Despite his protests, she climbed aboard the chair and tugged the heavy volume from obscurity.

She blew away a layer of dust and hauled the book to a table tucked into a corner. Lawrence crowded in close. His arm brushed hers, but neither of them moved away.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.