Chapter 11: Cleared

Hannah's POV

I opened the door myself.

Chandler stood on the gravel in the glare of his own headlights, with his phone already up.

He took a picture of me before I could speak.

In it I would be a woman in a gray sweater with her hair messed and her mouth red.

Cillian came to stand behind my shoulder, buttoning his shirt with one hand.

"Well," Chandler said, and smiled at the screen. "That didn't take long."

"Get off the property," Cillian said.

"Dr. Tarleton. The hero from the hospital." Chandler tapped his phone.

"I looked you up. Attending physician, sleeping with a nurse who's on leave, in a house you own."

He smiled. "I wonder what your board would say. I wonder what hers would say."

"Take as many pictures as you like," I said.

His eyes slid to me.

"You came to my friend's yard at night to threaten me, Chandler. I'm going to call the police and tell them you followed me."

"I didn't follow you. I came to talk about tomorrow."

"Then talk."

"Sign at six, and I delete this." He lifted the phone.

"Don't, and it goes to the hospital and to everybody who watched the video. You'll have no job and no name."

Behind me, Cillian said very quietly, "Hannah."

"I'll be there at six," I said.

Chandler blinked.

He had expected a fight, and I could see him trying to decide what to do with the quiet.

"Good," he said at last. "Smart girl."

"Get in your car."

He did.

The headlights swung across the pear tree and out into the street, and the drive went dark again.

I shut the door and turned the lock and leaned my forehead against the wood.

"He'll send it anyway," Cillian said.

"Probably."

"I'm sorry. I'll go to the board myself tomorrow, I'll tell them first."

"Cillian."

"Rule three," I said. "Say it out loud. Is this a rebound?"

He was quiet.

Then he said, "No. I've watched you work for two years, Hannah."

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