The Surgeon's Surprise Twins by Jacqueline Diamond Read Free Book Online Page B

firm?”
    â€œAbout…twenty thousand dollars.” To Bailey, it was an enormous sum.
    â€œIs that everything you have?”
    No use dissembling. “Pretty much.”
    Nora tapped her foot. “I’d hate to think of you losing it.”
    â€œI won’t. They send me monthly accounting.” Across the lot, a group of senior citizens emerged from the main building, exchanging farewells as they dispersed. They reminded her of something. “Most of their clients are older folks, like those guys. They’re smart. I’m sure a lot of them have experience with investing. They must be staying on top of the whole business.”
    Nora’s expression darkened. “How do they find these investors? Through seminars?”
    â€œYes. And word of mouth.” Bailey had heard the whole spiel. “Seniors have the funds to invest, so naturally Phyllis and Boone go where the money is.”
    â€œThis is making me very uncomfortable.” Nora broke off as a red sports car veered off the street and navigated the parking lot toward them. “I should ask Leo to have someone check into it.”
    Sic the police on her sister? “You can’t do that!” Bailey protested. “Casting doubt on their reputations—that could ruin them, even if they’re innocent.”
    â€œYou’re not sure, though, are you? Why else would you say if? ”
    She didn’t have an answer. Nora gave her a hug and slid into the car beside handsome, beaming Leo.
    Was it possible she’d placed too much trust in her sister? Bailey wondered. But Phyllis wouldn’t take advantage of her. No, if anything was wrong, it must be Boone’s fault…only he was Dr. Tartikoff’s brother. Surely he couldn’t be guilty of anything underhanded, either.
    Wait. Why was she defending the guy’s honor, as if he had any? Owen had lectured her about keeping her mouth shut, then gone and blabbed to the entire operating room about them sharing a house. If not for that, Nora wouldn’t have started poking into Bailey’s affairs and there wouldn’t be a risk of the cops becoming suspicious.
    Bailey had to be angry at someone, and she couldn’t blame Nora. She didn’t want to target her sister, either. That left the man who’d shot his mouth off.
    He deserved a piece of her mind. And tonight, she was going to give it to him.
    Â 
    O WEN SPENT S ATURDAY AFTERNOON in L.A., taping a roundtable discussion with a medical ethicist, a state assemblyman and a patients’ rights advocate about how far doctorsshould go to comply with a patient’s wishes in implanting multiple embryos. While everyone agreed that the health and safety of mother and babies were paramount, they disagreed about whether legislation should intervene.
    As always, Owen enjoyed the fierce debate. He never lost his awareness, though, of the presence of TV cameras and the need to choose his words carefully.
    The assemblyman argued in favor of legislation. “I plan to introduce a bill setting up a panel to establish standards for doctors in fertility cases,” he announced.
    â€œJust what we need, more bureaucrats intruding into women’s private medical decisions!” the advocate flared. “A lot of states and foreign countries take a heavy-handed approach. Many of them bar surrogacy, as if women were imbeciles who can’t make decisions for themselves. Thank goodness California hasn’t gone that route!”
    The mention of surrogates broke into Owen’s concentration. Was there a need for regulation in that regard? As it stood, he wasn’t the only one who’d been deceived; so had Bailey. Should there be ground rules about how much had to be disclosed? And if so, to whom—the woman, or the donor, too?
    â€œDr. Tartikoff?” prompted the moderator. “What do you think?”
    Startled, he realized he’d lost track of the discussion. Rallying, Owen