ing laugh. It echoed harshly

eyes. "Are you insane? You think hiding in Europe for six years s

mous calculation sliding into her gaze. She saw an

arm. "Dad, wait. If Adelia is so conf

was crazy. "Are you out of you

er five percent. She's going to kill Grandma on the table. And when she does, we file criminal charges. Manslaughter. The state will take care of he

inheritance secured. But letting Adelia operate introduced a tiny chance of survival. Under five percent, Frye had said. Nearly impossible. An

y. "Fine. But w

lawyer. "Do you have a bl

lling a crisp documen

"Sign this, sister. Dad is just so worried. This document states that you take full, absolute responsibility for the surgery. It also c

n't stop the criminal charges. The state will prosecute you for practicing medicine without a license, for gross negligence, for manslaughter. You'll rot in a cell. And wit

llway gasped. It was

success rate for this procedure is under five percent. Even with your sk

n't feel fear. She felt a cold, absolute superiority

out his expensive fountain pen, and without reading a s

dead, Bonny thought, her han

rye, prep the room. I want fr

ospital policy strictly forbids non-registered personnel

. She reached into her sleek trench coat and pu

nd slapped the heavy metal

t," she

is glasses, squinting at the silver engraving

Medical License, issued by the Int

holder's name,

se the elite medical world only ever spoke the legendary surgeon's name in hushed, reverent

ed from his face. He stumbled backward,

The surgeon who did ten back-to-back artificial heart tr

nt dead silent. You c

million pieces. It was as if she had been violen

less daughter he had thrown out like garbage was the

Frye's limp fingers. She tilted her chin up, looking

as a whip crack. "You are my

ically tripped over his own feet as he

sed. She leaned in, the scent of ste

r nightmare, Bonny

doors, leaving her family su