CHAPTER EIGHT

Bryce didn’t need directions to the location of Doctor Baker’s private medical rooms. He’d dropped his grandmother outside the building a month earlier. This time, he was fortunate to score a car park only a few doors down and after a quick ride in the elevator to the tenth floor, he knocked on the door that identified itself as Doctor Leo Baker’s.

The same throaty female voice he’d heard on the other end of the phone bade him enter and he opened the door. Behind a high counter sat a well-put-together blonde, somewhere in her mid-fifties. He’d read on the Internet that despite coming from a very wealthy and influential family, Susan Baker liked to divide her time between her many charitable projects and overseeing her husband’s busy medical practice. That involved running the office in his private rooms and in his rooms at the Sydney Harbour Hospital. She greeted Bryce with a wide smile,

“You must be Detective Sutcliffe. We spoke on the phone.”

Bryce nodded in surprise. “How did you know it was me?”

“When Doctor Baker heard you wanted to see him, he cleared his schedule. You’ll have his undivided attention.”

Once again, Bryce was filled with surprise. That explained why there were no patients lining the waiting area. Clearing the doctor’s afternoon schedule must have involved contacting and rescheduling a significant number of people. Bryce knew, through his grandmother, how difficult it was to obtain an appointment with the busy physician. It seemed half of Sydney wanted him to treat them.

The fact that he’d rearranged his patients to suit Bryce’s visit seemed a little odd. After all, Bryce hadn’t even told him what he wanted to speak with him about. For all Doctor Baker knew, Bryce’s visit could be nothing more than requesting patronage at an upcoming police fundraiser.

Unsure what to make of it, Bryce took a seat in the waiting room and idly selected a glossy sailing magazine from the pile stacked on the coffee table. He was impressed to see it was the latest edition. Most clinics leaned toward magazines that were years old—sometimes even decades.

A door to the left of Bryce opened and he looked up. A man with a thick head of graying hair, wearing a navy suit that looked custom made to fit his impressive physique, appeared in the doorway.

“Detective Sutcliffe?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Doctor Leo Baker. Please, come in.”

Bryce stood and followed the man into his office. The walls, painted a tasteful pale gray contrasted with crisp white architraves. Prints of brightly colored beach scenes decorated the walls. On closer inspection, Bryce could see they were originals. An Aram lily sporting a profusion of creamy white flowers stood in a large ceramic pot by one corner, its glossy green leaves looking healthy and clean. A gentle gust of cooling breeze came from the vents of the air conditioner.

Doctor Baker closed the door behind them and strode across the room. He took a seat behind a large cedar desk that was scrupulously tidy and clean. Apart from a large computer monitor, a blotter pad and two Montblanc pens, the entire surface was bare.

“Detective, please take a seat.” The doctor motioned to one of the two leather chairs opposite the desk.

Bryce seated himself in one of them and pulled out his pen and notebook.

“I must admit, I was surprised to hear of your call, Detective, but you have me intrigued. I assume you’re here on police business?” Without giving Bryce a chance to answer, he continued. “What could you possibly want to see me about?”

Bryce held his gaze. “There’s been a complaint from one of your students about sexual harassment, among other things. She wants to press charges,” he lied smoothly. “Given that the alleged offender is you, a man held in the highest regard, I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt and speak to you first, before the matter went any further.”

While Bryce was speaking, the doctor’s face went from pale to red. Anger suffused his cheeks and his face puffed up with self-righteous indignation.

“A complaint of sexual harassment? You must be kidding!”

“I’m afraid I’m not, Doctor Baker. Would you care to explain?”

“Explain? There’s nothing to explain. The very idea is ludicrous. Which one of my students was it? They’ll be cut from my program tomorrow.”

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say, Doctor Baker, but I’m curious. Why would one of your students make such an allegation? Surely, they have a lot to lose by spreading lies? You’ve just told me you’ll have them removed from your program—a program I believe is held in very high esteem.” Bryce frowned and shook his head. “Why would a student take such a risk? They’d be forever tainted and their career would be in ruins.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Detective. I have no idea what goes on in the minds of some of these girls. It wasn’t that long ago when women weren’t even allowed to study medicine. Maybe our forefathers were onto something back then…”

The last was said as a bit of an aside, but Bryce couldn’t help but respond. “Surely you don’t believe that? We have many brilliant female doctors.” Bryce recalled another snippet of information he’d found on the Internet and added, “In fact, your own daughter is following in your footsteps, isn’t she?”

“Yes, and she’s doing very well, I might add. Her mother and I are very proud of her.”

“Justifiably so, from what I understand. She’s the Head of Neurosurgery at St Vincent’s Hospital, just a stone’s throw from here.”

“Yes, and she’s worked hard to get where she is. She deserves everything that comes her way.”

Bryce adjusted his weight in the chair. “Getting back to my question, Doctor Baker: Why do you think a student would accuse you of something they can’t prove?”

The doctor shrugged and looked toward the window that framed an enviable view of the park Bryce had enjoyed the previous month.

“As I said, I have no idea what goes through the mind of some of these women. Take Chanel Munro, for example.”

Bryce stilled. How had Baker guessed the complainant was Chanel? Unless what she’d told Bryce was true. He forced another breath in his lungs and drew his notepad closer.

“Tell me about Chanel Munro,” he said.

The doctor sighed and pushed back his chair. He stood and made his way over to the window.

“Doctor Chanel Munro appeared to have so much promise. Her application was exemplary. Her references top notch. I personally spoke to all five of her referees and they couldn’t praise her enough. She was intelligent, eager to learn, kind and compassionate—all in all, she had the makings of a brilliant doctor. At least, on paper… However the reality was vastly different.”

Bryce scribbled notes in shorthand as fast as his fingers would allow. He glanced up. “How so?”

“Well, for a start, she’s drop-dead gorgeous. I’m talking model material. Even the lab coat can’t disguise her appeal. Now, I’m not against good-looking women at all—hell, have you seen my wife? I enjoy a beautiful woman as much as any man, but there’s so much more than beauty that’s important. Don’t you agree?”

“Of course.”

“A beautiful woman has often had an easy run in life. Her beauty smooths the way, makes difficult situations disappear. It’s not right, but that’s the way it is. When Chanel Munro appeared on my ward, it was obvious she’d never learned how to get to the top the hard way.”

Bryce frowned. “What do you mean?”

“From the moment we met, she was all over me. She’d giggle and laugh at everything I said. She’d open her big blue eyes wide and act like she was hanging on my every word. It might have flattered some men, but not me. I’m far too old to fall for that kind of act.”

Bryce thought of the Chanel he’d met and tried to reconcile her with the woman the doctor described. It didn’t fit. But then again, how could he say with any certainty what she was like? He barely knew her.

“When I quizzed her about a patient, she’d come up with some long-winded excuse as to why she couldn’t provide me with a diagnosis. In the end, I stopped asking her. It was just a waste of time and quite frankly, embarrassing.”

“Why do you think she came so highly recommended? You said you telephoned all five of her referees.”

Doctor Baker turned away from the window and shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe she had them just where she wanted them—where she wanted me.”

“And where was that?”

“She made it very clear she wanted to sleep with me, Detective. She thought it would help her get better grades. It was obvious to me it was a tactic she’d employed more than once in the past.”

“What did you do?”

“I told her very gently that I wasn’t interested. I’m a married man who’s still very much in love with his wife. Apart from that, the impropriety of it turned my stomach. She was my student. There was no way I’d betray that bond. I love mentoring other doctors and watching them go from great to out of this world. Do you think I’d do anything to jeopardize that?”

Bryce didn’t answer. Instead, he asked a question of his own. “What happened when you turned Doctor Munro down?”

Doctor Baker frowned in disgust. “She reacted as badly as I guessed. There were tears and tantrums and finally threats. She threatened to tell my wife I’d raped her. After that, she was going to the media.” He shook his head. “What could I do? She was out of control. All I could hope was that whoever she told would see it for the pathetic ploy that it was and dismiss it out of hand.” He shrugged.

“Considering I have yet to see my name splashed across the headlines, I’m guessing that’s exactly what happened. Either that, or she changed her mind and came to her senses.”

“Did you have her removed from your program?”

He hesitated. “No, I didn’t.”

“Why not?”

“It seemed better to let sleeping dogs lie, so to speak. The next week after her proposition, she seemed calmer, more agreeable and more willing to just get on with the job. I won’t lie and tell you I wasn’t relieved. I decided to leave things as they were. I didn’t want to risk setting her off again. Who knows? This time, she might have just gone through with her threats.”

“Did you tell your wife about it? Write a report? Put a notation in her file?”

“No.”

For the first time, the doctor looked uncomfortable. Bryce frowned and sat forward in his seat.

“My wife types all of my correspondence, Detective. She also suffers from bipolar disorder. She’s medicated, of course, but she doesn’t need any unnecessary emotional stress. I do my best not to contribute to it.”

“How long has she worked for you?”

“All of our married life. She likes to…stay close to me. She says it makes her feel safe.”

He held Bryce’s gaze for a moment or two and then headed back to his seat. “Now, if you don’t mind, Detective, I have to get moving. I have another appointment soon.”

Bryce frowned in surprise. “Your wife told me you’d cleared your schedule.”

“And she was right. I used your visit as an excuse. What I didn’t tell her was that I’m taking the afternoon off so that we can go sailing on the harbor. She loves getting out on the water and it helps with her mood swings.”

“Right,” Bryce said, secretly impressed at the man’s thoughtfulness. Putting off an afternoon’s worth of patients to see to his wife’s needs ranked way up there with husband of the year.

Bryce collected his notepad and pushed back his chair. “Oh, by the way, I understand there have been at least two patients who have recently died under your care. Would you enlighten me as to the causes of their deaths?”

The doctor shook his head, his expression filling with sadness. “I’m a doctor, Detective. I treat hundreds of patients a year. As much as it saddens me to admit it, occasionally, I lose one.”

He leaned back against the soft leather of his chair. “Since you said recently, I assume you’re referring to Amelia Arncliffe and Robyn Evan. Amelia Arncliffe was admitted with a grossly infected abscess on her sacrum. Unfortunately, she was also suffering from a number of other unrelated illnesses. It’s merely a coincidence she died whilst under my care. She was in her eighties. It could have happened any time.”

He cleared his throat and continued. “As for Robyn Evan, she presented with bilateral pneumonia. She was progressing well. She didn’t die from pneumonia. About six months ago, we discovered several malignant tumors in her stomach. She was eighty-eight and refused treatment. She didn’t want to spend whatever time she had, in and out of hospitals feeling awful.” He shrugged. “It was her choice. She was fully informed of the risks of refusing treatment. We can’t force a patient to accept treatment, Detective, and I wouldn’t, anyway. There should be some right to die with dignity.”

Bryce raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Do you support the right of a person to refuse treatment even to their own detriment, Doctor Baker?”

The doctor paused and appeared to think about Bryce’s question. At last, he answered. “I support the right of anyone to live with dignity. The right to die with dignity is just as important. Would I assist someone to commit suicide when there was nothing but pain and indignity and ultimate death in front of them?”

He turned and captured Bryce’s gaze. The color in the doctor’s eyes darkened with the intensity of his thoughts. Bryce’s heart picked up its rhythm. Long seconds passed.

“No, Detective. I wouldn’t. At the end of the day, I took an oath to help the sick and treat them to the best of my ability. I take that oath very seriously.”

He looked down at his desk and then back at Bryce. “I hope I’ve answered your questions, Detective. If you don’t mind, I’ll let you see yourself out. I have a couple of letters to dictate before I can leave for the day.”

“Of course. Thank you for your time, Doctor. Have a good afternoon.”

“I was happy to help, Detective and thank you. I’m sure the weather will be kind. It looks like a beautiful day out.”

* * *

Tanya’s fingers shook and stuttered over the letters on her iPhone. She cursed softly. As if it wasn’t hard enough to find the words to tell her boss she welcomed his attentions. Why wouldn’t her fingers cooperate? She’d mulled over the question long enough and Doctor Baker wanted an answer.

Just that afternoon, he’d found her in the ward and had maneuvered her into the treatment room. He’d closed the door behind them with a decisive click. Tanya’s heart went crazy with excitement and nerves, although the frown on his face slightly dimmed her enthusiasm.

“Is something the matter Doctor Baker?” she asked shakily.

“I don’t know, Doctor Singh. Is it? I’ve heard a whisper that there’s been a complaint about my…behavior. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

She stared at him in confusion and then frantically shook her head. “No, of course not. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’d never do something like that.”

He stared at her, his eyes hard. A moment later, he relaxed and a lazy smile tilted up the corners of his mouth.

“So, little Tanya. What’s your answer? Are you going to succumb to me and enjoy hours of mindless fun and pleasure and reap the rewards on your tests? Your indecision is driving me mad. I can’t concentrate on anything but you.”

He moved closer, pressing her against the shelves that were stocked with medical supplies. His cock pressed hard into her stomach. There was no denying his need.

“I want to fuck you, Tanya. I want your sweet lips around my cock. You’re wet and hot and tight for me. I can see it in your eyes. Why are you teasing me like this? It’s time we ended it.”

His crude words both shocked and excited her and heat rushed to her core. He was right. She wanted him in every way he described. She opened her mouth to tell him, but the door to the treatment room opened. A nurse stood in the doorway, surprise flooding her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were in here.”

Doctor Baker stepped away smoothly and threw the nurse a practiced smile. “I was showing Doctor Singh where the sutures are kept. We’re changing the dressing on the patient in bed four.

Tanya managed a nod that felt mechanical and fled the treatment room without another word. Doctor Baker’s quiet, derisive laughter followed her all the way down the ward.

* * *

Chanel heard the sound of the doorbell and wiped her wet hands on a towel. It was her night to cook and she was in the middle of preparing dinner. She was far from a cordon bleu chef, but she could hold her own in the kitchen. After being wowed for a month by Tanya’s Indian dishes, she wanted to serve up something special for her roommate.

Thai pumpkin soup and roast chicken salad were the starters, to be followed by a succulent rack of lamb, finished with baby potatoes and greens. She couldn’t wait for Tanya to try it. A caramel and chocolate coconut cheesecake was chilling in the fridge.

The doorbell sounded again and Chanel hurried to answer it. Not bothering to look through the eyehole, she opened the door and then gasped.

“Doctor Baker! W-what are you doing here?”

He was dressed in an impeccable, tailored black suit and a tie that looked like it cost a fortune. In his hand, he held a bouquet of roses, the color of dark blood.

Chanel stared at the roses in confusion and then all of a sudden comprehension struck. With it, came a feeling of dread. Tanya appeared in the hallway, making the final adjustments to her dress.

Black chiffon and lace swirled around her petite figure, clinging to all of her curves. Lipstick as red as the roses glistened on her mouth. She smiled at the doctor and greeted him in a voice that was soft and breathy. He offered her the roses.

“Oh, thank you! Aren’t you sweet? Come in a moment while I find a vase to put them in.”

Chanel forced her legs to move backwards so Doctor Baker could enter. She couldn’t believe he was here, in her apartment, collecting her roommate for a date. It was awful; it was obscene; it was so disgusting she thought she might puke. But she held her ground in the living room, refusing to be intimidated.

Tanya headed toward the kitchen in search of a vase. Chanel felt his eyes on her and wished she hadn’t changed into her short summer nightdress so early. It was Friday night and she thought they were having a girls’ night in. Tanya hadn’t said a word to her about a date. Now she understood why.

The doctor’s gaze raked over her chest and continued down the bare length of her legs. Chanel grasped the edges of the nightdress and wished she could tug it lower. Ending mid-thigh, it was far from indecent, but she felt naked beneath his gaze. Desire glinted in the depths of his eyes and a knowing grin turned up the corners of his lips.

“I take it you’re staying in?” he murmured and reached out to lift a strand of hair off her face.

Chanel pulled away, but he merely chuckled, unperturbed by her reaction.

“There, that’s better. Now I can see you properly.”

She could still feel the press of his fingers against her cheek and her stomach clenched in disgust. How on earth could Tanya bear to go out with him…and more? Chanel shuddered at the thought.

“There you are!” Tanya said, bouncing back into the room. “All done. And thank you once again. They’re absolutely beautiful.” She smiled at him.

“Almost as beautiful as you,” he replied smoothly and reached for her hand.

Tanya blushed and Chanel had to turn away to prevent herself from retching. She hurried from the room.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at the hospital, Doctor Munro,” he called after her. “I do hope you have a good night.”

“Bye, Chanel. Don’t wait up.” Tanya giggled.

Chanel didn’t unclench her fists until after she’d heard the click of the door as it closed behind them. Anger surged through her and she looked around for something to hit. She wanted to pound something hard until it no longer resembled what it started out to be. Really, she wanted to pummel Doctor Baker’s smug face.

How could Tanya be so stupid? So blind? So desperate? It was beyond Chanel to understand. Delayed shock set in and she shook until she was forced to find somewhere to sit. Collapsing on the couch in the front room, she drew her knees up to her chest. She couldn’t deal with this. She couldn’t deal with the thought of her boss having sex with her roommate.

Consensual or not, it was wrong on so many levels. It needed to be stopped. She’d gone to the police and gotten nowhere. Despite the detective’s assurances, she hadn’t heard from him again. It had been more than a week. By now, he must have made a decision about whether or not to proceed. He’d probably dismissed her as some hysterical female the minute she left the building. She didn’t dare report that back to Tom.

No, she’d take her complaint to the medical board and force them to see it for what it was. If need be, she’d take Tanya with her. When the girl found out she wasn’t the first one to be propositioned, she might not feel quite so kindly toward their boss. Chanel could only hope.

It was hours later when Chanel heard a noise at the door and woke to find she’d fallen asleep on the couch. The smell of burning meat seared her nostrils. She’d forgotten all about the lamb. She squinted at the illuminated dials of the clock from where it sat up on the dresser. Two fifty-three. Rubbing at her eyes, she looked up in time to see Tanya stumble into the hall.

Chanel frowned and sat up. “Tanya,” she called out in the dark.

The girl jumped and then slowly turned around to face her. “Chanel, you frightened me half to death. What are you still doing up?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I fell asleep on the couch. I only woke when I heard you at the door.”

Tanya looked away. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I tried to be as quiet as I could. What’s that smell?”

“It’s the lamb. I forgot about it.” She paused and then said as calmly as she could, “I thought you were spending the night somewhere else?”

Tanya shrugged. “I thought so, too, but Leo changed his mind. He dropped me off here just now.”

“Where did you go?”

A smile lit up Tanya’s face. “He took me to that swanky new restaurant down at Circular Quay. I’ve heard you have to book months in advance for a table. We dined on oysters and caviar and drank the most amazing wine. Afterwards, we went for a walk along the wharf.”

“I’m surprised he took the risk he might be recognized. He’s married, after all.”

Tanya’s expression turned petulant. “Why do you have to go and spoil things? We had a lovely night.”

“So, did you sleep with him?”

Tanya gasped at Chanel’s bluntness, but Chanel didn’t care. Sex was what Doctor Baker was after. Chanel couldn’t believe he’d put out for such an expensive meal and not get what he wanted in return.

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Tanya replied in a voice breathy with excitement, “but yes, we did. In a hotel room down near the harbor. On sheets that were as soft as silk. For an older man, he’s got what it takes, if you know what I mean.” She giggled and Chanel turned away in disgust.

How could Tanya be so blind? It wasn’t like she was a teenager, unwise to the ways of the world. She was thirty years of age. Old enough to have experienced the modus operandi of sleazes like Doctor Baker. Or so Chanel would have thought.

Tanya came from a strict Hindu background. Whilst loving, her father was very protective of his only child. Perhaps he’d shielded her from the worst men had to offer? Was it possible she really was that naïve? Was it up to Chanel to save Tanya from herself?

Unable to listen to another minute of Tanya’s praises of their boss, Chanel pulled herself off the couch, turned off the oven, switched on the fan and strode toward the door to her room.

“Hey, where are you going? Don’t you want to hear how we—?”

Chanel spun on her heel. With her hands on her hips, she glared at her friend. “No, Tanya. I don’t. It’s almost three in the morning. I’m tired and I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

And with that, Chanel turned and left the room.