and the best in Techtatuan," Peter said.
"Which means the biggest and the best in the country. They have money
and influence.
Alfonso Marquez started with nothing and ended up a millionaire. He
died a couple of years ago from a heart attack and his three sons
inherited the business."
"Are they all lawyers?" she asked.
Peter laughed.
"Carlos practises. Raoul is qualified, but he hasn't decided yet
whether he wants to be a lawyer or a polo player, or an actor, or
whatever else takes his fancy. Leonardo is still in diapers." He saw
her expression and grinned.
"Well, not literally.
He's the baby of the family, though."
"Who's throwing the party?"
"Carlos, ostensibly. It'll be very conventional to start with, then
Carlos and his wife will go home, followed by the more traditionally
minded guests. After that things will probably hot up a little." He
glanced at her.
"Well quite a lot, actually. We can go before that happens, of
course."
"It turns into an orgy, does it?"
He looked at her quizzically.
"Would that interest you?"
"No, it wouldn't," she said sharply.
"I'm fussy who I share my body with, and I've never been into group
sex."
He smiled.
"Don't worry, we'll leave before anyone starts taking off their
trousers, if you're harassed by a randy young stud, I'll protect you."
He picked up his clipboard.
"I have a couple more patients to check and then we can go for a
coffee. Wait here for me, I'll be right back."
She sat in one of the comfortable swivel chairs, and spun herself round
gently. Protect me, would you? she thought. Thanks for the offer,
but I think I can protect myself. She remembered her schooldays and
the first book she had read on judo. When one of the boys had tried to
grab her bag, she had used a throw, pulling him off balance and
sweeping his ankle, to tumble him to the ground. She still remembered
the expression of surprise on his face. It had probably equalled hers,
she thought, because she had never expected the technique to work. But
success had excited her and she talked her parents into letting her
join a judo club, achieving her black belt in the minimum period
allowed. She had hoped to take her second Clan, but working for her
A-levels, she had no spare time.
The memory of her examinations automatically triggered a picture of
Faisel. If I hadn't passed with such good grades, I wouldn't have gone
on holiday, she thought. My life would have been so different. I was
able to take care of myself physically but Faisel overpowered my mind
with a few lies and a beautiful smile. Talk about the world's most
deadly weapon. Sexual attraction, masquerading as love, takes some
beating. It certainly turned me into a weak-kneed victim.
She had never gone back to judo but before she qualified as a doctor,
the deceptively gentle elegance of aikido had intrigued her. She
studied it for two years before the -pressure of exams, and then the
pressure of work, made it impossible to continue training. When she
began working for Major Fairhaven, many years later, she found herself
being taught methods more suited to dirty street-fighting than a
martial arts DOJO. But her past skills, and her natural sense of
timing, had given her a definite advantage over some of the others in
her class.
Peter's desk phone rang suddenly, bringing her back to the present.
She picked it up and heard an authoritative, masculine voice on the
other end, a voice she did not recognise.
"How much longer are you going to keep me waiting, Draven?"
"Dr. Draven isn't here," she said coolly.
"This is Dr. Muldaire. Can I help you?"
"Muldaire? You're the new woman, aren't you?" There was a pause.
"Are you properly qualified?"
Jacey bit back a sharp rejoinder.
"Yes," she said
"Which means the biggest and the best in the country. They have money
and influence.
Alfonso Marquez started with nothing and ended up a millionaire. He
died a couple of years ago from a heart attack and his three sons
inherited the business."
"Are they all lawyers?" she asked.
Peter laughed.
"Carlos practises. Raoul is qualified, but he hasn't decided yet
whether he wants to be a lawyer or a polo player, or an actor, or
whatever else takes his fancy. Leonardo is still in diapers." He saw
her expression and grinned.
"Well, not literally.
He's the baby of the family, though."
"Who's throwing the party?"
"Carlos, ostensibly. It'll be very conventional to start with, then
Carlos and his wife will go home, followed by the more traditionally
minded guests. After that things will probably hot up a little." He
glanced at her.
"Well quite a lot, actually. We can go before that happens, of
course."
"It turns into an orgy, does it?"
He looked at her quizzically.
"Would that interest you?"
"No, it wouldn't," she said sharply.
"I'm fussy who I share my body with, and I've never been into group
sex."
He smiled.
"Don't worry, we'll leave before anyone starts taking off their
trousers, if you're harassed by a randy young stud, I'll protect you."
He picked up his clipboard.
"I have a couple more patients to check and then we can go for a
coffee. Wait here for me, I'll be right back."
She sat in one of the comfortable swivel chairs, and spun herself round
gently. Protect me, would you? she thought. Thanks for the offer,
but I think I can protect myself. She remembered her schooldays and
the first book she had read on judo. When one of the boys had tried to
grab her bag, she had used a throw, pulling him off balance and
sweeping his ankle, to tumble him to the ground. She still remembered
the expression of surprise on his face. It had probably equalled hers,
she thought, because she had never expected the technique to work. But
success had excited her and she talked her parents into letting her
join a judo club, achieving her black belt in the minimum period
allowed. She had hoped to take her second Clan, but working for her
A-levels, she had no spare time.
The memory of her examinations automatically triggered a picture of
Faisel. If I hadn't passed with such good grades, I wouldn't have gone
on holiday, she thought. My life would have been so different. I was
able to take care of myself physically but Faisel overpowered my mind
with a few lies and a beautiful smile. Talk about the world's most
deadly weapon. Sexual attraction, masquerading as love, takes some
beating. It certainly turned me into a weak-kneed victim.
She had never gone back to judo but before she qualified as a doctor,
the deceptively gentle elegance of aikido had intrigued her. She
studied it for two years before the -pressure of exams, and then the
pressure of work, made it impossible to continue training. When she
began working for Major Fairhaven, many years later, she found herself
being taught methods more suited to dirty street-fighting than a
martial arts DOJO. But her past skills, and her natural sense of
timing, had given her a definite advantage over some of the others in
her class.
Peter's desk phone rang suddenly, bringing her back to the present.
She picked it up and heard an authoritative, masculine voice on the
other end, a voice she did not recognise.
"How much longer are you going to keep me waiting, Draven?"
"Dr. Draven isn't here," she said coolly.
"This is Dr. Muldaire. Can I help you?"
"Muldaire? You're the new woman, aren't you?" There was a pause.
"Are you properly qualified?"
Jacey bit back a sharp rejoinder.
"Yes," she said
Similar Books
