As Paige was getting dressed that night, Kat said, “You look exhausted.”
“I am.”
“Why are you going out? You should be going to bed. Or is that redundant?”
“No. Not tonight.”
“Jason again?”
“Yes. I’m going to meet his parents.”
“Ah.” Kat shook her head.
“It’s not like that at all,” Paige said. It’s really not.
Jason’s mother and father lived in a charming old house in the Pacific Heights district. Jason’s father was an aristocratic-looking man in his seventies. Jason’s mother was a warm, down-to-earth woman. They made Paige feel instantly at home.
“Jason has told us so much about you,” Mrs. Curtis said. “He didn’t tell us how beautiful you are.”
“Thank you.”
They went into the library, filled with miniature models of buildings that Jason and his father had designed.
“I guess that between us, Jason, his great-grandfather, and I have done a lot of the landscape of San Francisco,” Jason’s father said. “My son is a genius.”
“That’s what I keep telling Paige,” Jason said.
Paige laughed. “I believe it.” Her eyes were getting heavy and she was fighting to stay awake.
Jason was watching her, concerned. “Let’s go in to dinner,” he suggested.
They went into the large dining room. It was oakpaneled, furnished with attractive antiques and portraits on the wall. A maid began serving.
Jason’s father said, “That painting over there is Jason’s great-grandfather. All the buildings he designed were destroyed in the earthquake of 1906. It’s too bad. They were priceless. I’ll show you some photographs of them after dinner if you…”
Paige’s head had dropped to the table. She was sound asleep.
“I’m glad I didn’t serve soup,” Jason’s mother said.
Ken Mallory had a problem. As word of the wager about Kat had spread around the hospital, the bets had quickly increased to ten thousand dollars. Mallory had been so confident of his success that he had bet much more than he could afford to pay off.
If I fail, I’m in a hell of a lot of trouble. But I’m not going to fail. Time for the master to go to work.
Kat was having lunch in the cafeteria with Paige and Honey when Mallory approached the table.
“Mind if I join you doctors?”
Not ladies, not girls. Doctors. The sensitive type, Kat thought cynically. “Not at all. Sit down,” Kat said.
Paige and Honey exchanged a look.
“Well, I have to get going,” Paige said.
“Me, too. See you later.”
Mallory watched Paige and Honey leave.
“Busy morning?” Mallory asked. He made it sound as though he really cared.
“Aren’t they all?” Kat gave him a warm, promising smile.
Mallory had planned his strategy carefully. I’m going to let her know I’m interested in her as a person, not just as a woman. They hate the sex-object thing. Discuss medicine with her. I’ll take it slow and easy. I have a whole month to get her in the sack.
“Did you hear about the postmortem on Mrs. Turnball?” Mallory began. “The woman had a Coca-Cola bottle in her stomach! Can you imagine how…?”
Kat leaned forward. “Are you doing anything Saturday night, Ken?”
Mallory was caught completely off guard. “What?”
“I thought you might like to take me out to dinner.”
He found himself almost blushing. My God! he thought. Talk about shooting fish in a barrel! This is no lesbian. The guys said that because they couldn’t get into her pants. Well, I’m going to. She’s actually asking for it! He tried to remember with whom he had a date on Saturday. Sally, the little nurse in OR. She can wait.
“Nothing important,” Mallory said. “I’d love to take you to dinner.”
Kat put her hand over his. “Wonderful,” she said softly. “I’ll really be looking forward to it.”
He grinned. “So will I.” You have no idea how much, baby. Ten thousand dollars’ worth!
That afternoon, Kat reported back to Paige and Honey.
“His mouth dropped open!” Kat laughed. “You should have seen the look on his face! He looked like the cat that swallowed the canary.”
Paige said, “Remember, you’re the Kat. He’s the canary.”
“What are you going to do Saturday night?” Honey asked.