Free A Dose of Murder by Lori Avocato

had pictures from my cousin’s wedding in my camera, and she now had two kids.
    Goldie I could laugh with like one of the girls. Nick . . . Well , I refused to embarrass myself in front of him. Even if I’d told myself he wasn’t my type.
    â€œGot the file on Tina?”
    â€œYes.” I foraged around in my bag, which had gotten bigger and heavier with the camera in it. The old video was stowed in my trunk, right where it belonged. I handed him the folder.
    He thumbed through it and mumbled something like “Christ.”
    I figured he wasn’t praying. “Something wrong?”
    â€œMacaluso’s husband is a partner in an orthopedic group.”
    â€œI know. I went to school with Tina.”
    He looked up. Took a sip of coffee, which emptied his cup. “Good. Let’s take a little trip.”
    â€œTo her house?”
    â€œThe office.”
    I stood when he did and followed him to the door. “Word on the street is, that practice is under suspicion.”
    â€œMedical malpractice?”
    â€œMedical insurance fraud.”

Six
    One had to be astute to be a nurse. After all, people’s lives depended on a nurse noticing a change in their condition then calling the doctor. So, I prided myself on being astute.
    Nick Caruso knew something.
    Something about my case. About Tina Macaluso and her husband’s practice.
    I followed Nick to an office building on the corner of Dearborn and Fenway. We pulled into the parking lot. Doc Taylor’s car was in a reserved space. I really didn’t want to run into him. Still, maybe I should tell Nick that I knew someone who worked there. What I wouldn’t tell him is that I slept with that someone—on occasion.
    We got out and walked to the door. The building was much bigger than I’d expected. Red brick. About ten stories. Here I thought Vance would be working in a small building with only that one practice. By the sign in the lobby listing all the occupants, I realized it was a regular professional building and that the ortho group was only a small part.
    Nick looked at the list. “Come on. Let’s get a cup of coffee.”
    I thought I’d float back out to my car if I had another cup. Surely the man wasn’t thirsty. And, besides, I ruminated, I’d have to pee if I drank any more. I didn’t relish the idea of telling Nick I had to go to the little girls’ room. That was another thing that annoyed me about men and women. Men are like camels. Women are like leaky faucets.
    â€œYou really want another cup of coffee?”
    He looked at me as if I were nuts. “Part of the job. Good diversion.” With that we got onto the elevator and he pushed the ninth-floor button.
    The door opened to a cafeteria that took up most of this level. Only a few employees were having an early lunch and several patients or clients of the legal groups in this building—I guessed since they had coats with them—were eating as well. Nick walked over to a table opposite a group of what appeared to be nurses, both male and female.
    Odd that he’d chosen that table, since the rest of the room was nearly empty. I sat anyway. “I’ll pass on that coffee.”
    â€œGet something to eat, then. Anything.” He motioned toward the lunch line. “Look as if you belong.”
    Duh. We couldn’t just sit here not eating or drinking. “I’ll get a salad. Can I get you something?”
    â€œCoffee, black.”
    I got up and walked to the line, certain Nick wasn’t watching me. He’d had an eye on the group of workers since we’d gotten there. No doubt he was eavesdropping.
    I took a tray, slid it along the metal bars of the line and picked out a small green salad. The chef salads looked good, but since I really wasn’t hungry, I didn’t need those calories. I’d be facing a few extra miles tonight if I ate when not hungry. I got Nick’s coffee and a