Free Betrayal by Isabelle Ali Page A

insurance company sent the check to Larry in his name. He then took his share and distributed the rest to his client. No haggling over money with the client, or harassing them or filing lawsuits. The money was in his control. Easy-peasy, he thought.
    He checked the Mariner Rolex on his wrist. The judge should have had a ruling by now. He’d head back to court and check with the clerk. Then again, this judge, an older woman who it was rumored was addicted to pain pills, routinely took long naps on a couch in her chambers. Sometimes she’d miss an entire day of court.
    Larry lay two twenties on the table and rose. As he headed out, he glanced over to a couple seated by a window. A man and a woman. The woman was crying and the man was consoling her. The woman was… Kali White. And the man she was with was not her husband.
    Larry lost his breath.
    The man leaned over and kissed her, and she kissed him back. Their fingers were intertwined. They were chatting softly about something and he said something that made her laugh and she kissed him this time. Before wiping away tears with a napkin.
    Larry debated what to do. He took a few steps toward them, and then changed his mind. Instead, he headed out the doors to his car.
     
     
    Adam White finished his sixth consult of the day. A bodybuilder with gynecomastia. He kept calling them, “bitch tits,” and each time the bodybuilder said it, Adam would wince.
    “I just don’t get it, doc.”
    “It’s an attempt by your body to balance your hormones. When your testosterone level skyrockets, say through the use of illegal substances, your body compensates by releasing large amounts of estrogen. The female hormone. Breasts are a common side effect.”
    “But why would they—”
    “Dr. White?” his receptionist’s voice said through the speakerphone.
    “One moment, sir… yes, Rachel? ”
    “I have your lawyer on the line.”
    Adam hesitated. Having your lawyer call you in the middle of the day for no reason couldn’t possibly be for any good news. “Send him through… Larry, how are you?”
    “Adam, sorry to bug you. I know you were in a consult but I asked your secretary to put me through. I had something I wanted to discuss with you.”
    “Okay, one sec though.” He looked to the bodybuilder. “I better take this. My receptionist can get everything set up for you. I’ll give you a call later to go over any questions I’ve missed.”
    “Thanks.”
    When he was alone again in his office, he said, “So what can I do for you?”
    “I was wondering if you were in Santa Monica today for lunch.”
    “Nope, had lunch at my desk. Why?”
    “I, um, I saw Kali out here.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah… she was with a man that I thought wasn’t you. I just wanted to ask.”
    Adam paused. “Where’d you see her?”
    “At a restaurant. Um… Adam, I saw them kiss. She was crying and it looked like the man was calming her.”
    Adam leaned back in his chair, and chuckled. “I’m sure that wasn’t Kali.”
    “If it wasn’t, she’s got a twin running around somewhere. I’m sorry, I know this isn’t any of my business. I just thought I’d give you a ring.”
    “I appreciate it . It couldn’t be her, though.”
    “I’m sure you’re right. Take care.”
    Adam grinned. The thought was so ridiculous he couldn’t even take it seriously. He buzzed Rachel and told her to send the bodybuilder back in if he was still here.
     
     
    On the drive home in the evening, Adam thought about his schedule for the next day, surgeries he had coming up, a billboard campaign that his partner Gil was trying to talk him into, and whether he was going to be able to get out of work in time to catch Sandy’s soccer game this Friday.
    But ano ther thought was there, too. Larry’s phone call. He didn’t believe it, of course. Kali had been with him through everything. Through the days in medical school when he was so broke, he couldn’t scrape together enough money to buy gas and