Truth or Lies? by A. Gomez (book club recommendations txt) 📗

She quickly ran off to do his bidding. Wow, doctors making house calls this late in the evening. I guess money did talk. He told one of his men to get me a glass of cold water and a cold compress. Chang was being very attentive and acting extremely concerned for my wellbeing. Who was he kidding? He was about to sell me to the highest bidder. It was more about protecting and taking care of his property than being concerned for me. Clearly.

The watchdog came back with the glass of water and compress. I took a sip and placed the compress on my forehead. It felt good. The coolness was helping the nausea go away. It did nothing to calm my racing heart, however.

“The doctor is in the area, Boss, so he’ll be here in just a few minutes,” Debbie informed Chang.

“Excellent,” Chang exclaimed. “Dr. Langley, just lay here until he arrives. I need you healthy.”

No shit, you need me healthy. You won’t get any of your filthy money if I’m not up to par. I laid on the sofa, listening to the pounding of my pulse in my ears. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe evenly and normal. I couldn’t believe it had come to this. I thought I was making progress with him. I thought he was enjoying my company so much that I could at least talk him into letting Betty Lou go. So I thought. I should’ve known better.

The elegant chimes of the doorbell sounded. The doctor must be at the door. I heard only one set of footsteps walk in. Chang stood up.

“Thank you for coming, doctor.” Chang was always so disgustingly polite. “I’m very concerned for this young lady and I do need her healthy.”

“No problem, Mr. Chang. You do always compensate me handsomely. Now, where is the patient?”

My eyes flew open. I knew that voice. That was David’s voice. Tony and Gator Leg were telling the truth! I sat up and turned to look over my shoulder. I locked eyes with David. He didn’t react when he saw me; his expression was impassive. My eyes were wide and my jaw dropped open, shock etched all over my face. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening. I was chanting in my head. How did I not know that David was involved in something so odious? Was he involved in this while we were dating or did Ginger bring him into this? This all felt like something straight out of an episode of the Twilight Zone.

“I can’t examine her here with everyone looking. We need a room and some privacy please,” David said, his tone even and calm as if this was just business as usual.

“Of course,” Chang answered. “You can use my office.” Chang held out his hand for me to take. I slowly took his hand and got up. He escorted us to the doorway of his office and then left us as we walked in. David closed the door behind him. He placed the bag he was carrying on a chair and just gazed at me.

“Isabel,” he whispered. “Isabel,” and then he rushed to embrace me.

I was taken off guard. “Let me go!” I hissed in a low voice through gritted teeth. “Don’t touch me!” I pushed him away as hard as I could. “They told me you worked for this monster but I just didn’t want to believe it. I thought I knew you, David. I told them you would never be involved in something so disgusting as this. Boy was I wrong.”

“Isabel, keep your voice down.” His eyes were guarded. “It’s not what you think. I don’t work for Victor Chang. I’m helping the DEA and he just thinks I work for him.”

“Liar, liar pants on fire,” I seethed, scowling at him. “Debbie said she needs a good rapport with Ginger for when she needs a doctor and you’re the only doctor I can think of Ginger will go to for this kind of help. And from what I keep hearing, the money is way too good to say no to.” My head was beginning to ache. I flopped down on the elegant love seat Chang had in his office, rubbing my forehead with my fingertips. “We dated for almost a year, David. I think I would’ve known if you were DEA at some point,” I whispered.

“I’m not DEA, Isabel. I’m just helping them. That’s why I broke things off with you. Please, let me at least pretend to examine you. It could go bad for both of us if Chang thinks otherwise.”

I sighed loudly. I peeked up at him and nodded. He sat down next to me with his stethoscope and began to listen to my lungs.

“What do you mean ‘that’s why I broke things off with you?’ You left me for Ginger’s spread-eagled legs. Remember? I wouldn’t give you what Ginger was so willing to give you,” I spat with venom at him.

He was probing my neck and collarbone with his fingers, “I left you because that’s when the DEA approached me to help them. They didn’t give me a choice, so I had to help.” He glanced at the door and then at his watch. “We don’t have much time before Chang barges back in here.” David was taking my vitals now.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, David,” I muttered in a low voice.

He quietly exhaled. “The DEA knew that Ginger was buying opioids from someone or some group from south of the border and then delivering them to someone else in the area. They knew it was Chang but they had no proof. They just never thought that Victor Chang was involved in human sex trafficking as well. It wasn’t until you got involved