Dr. White's Baby Wish

by Sue MacKay

  ‘You know—bat, ball and wickets. The kids can’t get enough of it. Bet when you hit a ball it stays hit.’

  ‘It’s been a while since I swung a bat.’ He shook his head. ‘Thanks for the invitation, Gemma, but don’t count me in. I’ve already got something on.’

  ‘You sure? We have a lot of fun, there’s always great food and—’ she grinned ‘—ice-cold beer.’

  Cody gave her a smile in return. ‘Thanks, but no thanks.’ Harper wouldn’t be pleased if he accepted the invitation, however graciously it had been extended. They worked together; playing together wasn’t part of the deal. He headed to the bedroom with Harper’s water glass in his hand.

  ‘Gemma giving you a hard time?’ Harper asked as he handed her the glass.

  Knowing Harper would back him all the way about not joining her family, he grunted, ‘She insists I join you all for the birthday do on Sunday.’

  ‘Oh.’ She winced as she swallowed the pills. ‘You’d have to stay all afternoon.’

  What happened to her seeing things his way? ‘I’ve got plans to spend the afternoon with my mother.’ It was what he did in the weekends now that he was back in town. Her condition had lost her most of her friends and she was lonely.

  ‘Bring her with you, with us.’

  Yeah, right. ‘Sorry, no can do. Mum’s got dementia and needs watching all the time.’ Not to mention how rattled she got when out of her usual haunts or was with people she’d never met.

  ‘Well, you know best, of course. But there are plenty of us to keep an eye on her. She might have fun! The kids will be friendly. My parents and brothers and sister are quite nice most of the time. The brothers and sisters-in-law are housetrained on a good day.’

  ‘I thought it hurt to talk.’ He was over these bossy women. ‘You sure you and Gemma aren’t sisters, rather than related by marriage?’ They had the same genes.

  Harper grimaced. ‘We’ll talk some more tomorrow.’

  That was it? She must be feeling even worse than he’d thought. ‘Go to sleep,’ he growled and strode out into the kitchen, where thankfully Gemma was waiting with keys in hand, ready to take flight.

  ‘Thanks for doing this.’ She grinned and stretched up on tiptoes to drop a sisterly kiss on his chin. ‘I really appreciate it. Her brothers will be more than thankful. Harper can be very stubborn at times and I know she’d never have come home with me tonight.’

  ‘I must be stark, raving mad,’ Cody muttered as the front door closed behind her. Outmanoeuvred was what he really was. It didn’t sit comfortably. Not at all.

  CHAPTER THREE

  NOW WHAT WAS he supposed to do? Nearly five in the afternoon, a beautiful woman hopefully sound asleep in the room next door—which was not how he usually spent time with women in their homes—and he had absolutely nothing to do. He was not going to check up on Harper. What if she was awake? Or, worse, woke while he was in her room? She’d be calling him a pervert at the very least.

  Staring around, he took in the multitude of framed photos hanging on the walls and standing on bookcases and the sideboard. They were mostly of kids, boys and girls—very young, middling and nearly teenaged, he guessed. Laughing, smiling, pulling faces, dressed in school uniforms, in shorts and shirts, ski outfits, swimming gear and playing cricket. Basically all about having fun. With Harper right amongst them—laughing and smiling. Cute, and nothing like the serious woman who kept everyone in the department on their toes as she worked alongside them.

  The kids’ room was where he was supposed to sleep tonight. So, Harper had children. Where were they? And where was their dad? He obviously wasn’t Jason. Why hadn’t Harper wanted her brother to know what had happened at work today? And where did George fit in? Questions tumbled over and over in his brain, cranking up his agitation. It irked him he didn’t know these things about Harper.

  It really riled him that he wanted to find out.

  Cody’s chuckle was bitter. He’d loved Sadie deeply, and her death had made him wary of being so vulnerable again. Even nearly five years down the track he couldn’t look back at those dark days without curling in on himself. Sure, he’d love a family, had bought a house suited for one, but to step up and take a chance? He was so not ready. The day might come when he was, but today wasn’t it. He sighed. Nor was tomorrow.

  Cody pushed the past aside and took another scan of the photos. No man seemed to be especially close with Harper, as in ‘in a relationship’ close. There were two men hugging her and some kids in many of the photos. Presumably one was Jason. The other could be another brother. Both guys were holding women with love written all over their faces, Gemma being one of them. So was Harper single or not? In any relationship? Divorced? There were those kids who apparently used the spare room, so there had to be a father out there, which meant a man in Harper’s life in one way or another.

  Harper’s bedroom hadn’t looked as though she shared it with anyone. It was too feminine, and not one item of clothing was male, there was no comb or shaver on the dresser, or the bits and pieces he’d expect on the bedside table on the opposite side of the bed to the one Harper had crawled into.

  The mystery was no clearer in the second, tiny bedroom where two single beds with bright quilts, one with fire engines and the other with frogs printed all over them, took up most of the space. More photos were interspersed with pictures of everything from lions to TV cartoon characters. Hell, he’d be having nightmares sleeping in here.

  He was meant to be sleeping in here.

  He might check out that couch. Except it was only a two-seater and he was six-five tall. Even these beds weren’t going to be long enough but he’d be able to manoeuvre himself into a more comfortable position in one than on the couch.

  On his hip his phone vibrated, giving him a much-needed diversion, though he didn’t recognise the number on the screen. ‘Yup?’

  ‘Now I know you’re definitely back in town.’

  He recognised the voice of his old mate instantly, despite not having talked for years. ‘Hey, Trent, been meaning to catch up, but got busy, you know?’ Truth was he’d been reluctant to get in touch because he was uncertain of the welcome he’d get. At sixteen they’d been the closest of mates at school and into loads of mischief, but the day school had finished he’d headed out the gate without a backward glance, leaving everything and everyone behind.

  Including Trent. Eager to get on with life, rebelling against settling into more study, this time at university, he’d put his surprisingly not-too-bad exam results aside and found a job down south on a fishing trawler. Despite only being seventeen, he’d already had the body of a rugby prop, so getting a job had been easy in an industry that required plenty of muscle.

  ‘Police Inspector Trent Ballinger to you.’ A deep laugh rumbled through the phone.

  ‘Way to go, man. Well done, you.’ Cody headed for the lounge and the garden on the other side of the sliding glass doors. He didn’t want to wake Harper, and anyway he needed some fresh air after being holed up with her in the car and then here. Hell, even her home smelt of citrus, a scent he was rapidly accepting as Harper’s scent.

  ‘Saw your name on the report that was filed a few hours ago about Strong and his mule. It wasn’t hard to track you down.’

  His friend did have the New Zealand police resources on his side. ‘That lowlife locked up good and tight?’

  ‘You should’ve given him what for while you had the opportunity.’ Trent sighed. ‘I didn’t say that. But, hell, the man hasn’t stopped whinging since the boys brought him in. Anyone would think he’d been hard done by, losing those drugs.’

  ‘It was tempting to give him a wee nudge.’ He was not admitting to the knee slam in the lowlife’s back, though. Trent might still be a friend but he was a cop first and foremost. ‘How did Strong get in on the act in the first place? I presume he was waiting to pick up Frew outside the international terminal but he managed to slip into our department too easily. I wouldn’t have thought the par
amedics would’ve let him ride in with them.’

  ‘He followed them, and strolled up to the ambulance bay as they were disembarking, waved a card that the paramedics believed was a police identity and walked on in.’

  ‘Guess if you’ve got the balls you can get away with just about anything.’ Cody was shocked at how simple it had been, and a tad angry.

  ‘More like if you’ve got a loaded gun you can get away with most things.’

  Cody swallowed. ‘It was loaded?’ After flipping out of Lowlife’s hand, it’d spun across the floor to be picked up by Harper, who’d then stuck it under her waistband before attending to Frew. He shivered. Maybe luck had been on their side after all. ‘I thought it might be but hoped I was wrong.’

  ‘I think you’ll find the hospital will be tightening security quick-fast,’ Trent said.

  ‘The old stable door trick.’ It wasn’t right that outsiders, detectives or not, could get in so easily. During the night no one got through, but it seemed daytime security was lax. ‘From what I’ve seen of George Sampson so far, he’ll already have someone looking into it.’

  ‘How’s the doc? She holding up?’

  Cody chuckled. ‘You always ask this many questions?’

  ‘Occupational hazard,’ Trent replied. ‘You avoiding the question?’

  No, he didn’t want to talk about Harper, not even to a long lost, now found friend. Somehow talking about her felt like he was going behind her back, which made no sense whatsoever. He went with the medical. ‘Her throat and neck are very sore but otherwise she’s physically okay. Apart from a migraine that’s knocked her to her knees,’ he added in case Trent’s lot wanted to question her some more today.

  ‘Stress will do that.’

  Cody got an image in his skull of that gun being held to Harper’s head, and the rank fear pervading her sweet eyes. ‘Not sure how she’ll go with all the head stuff, though. It’ll be tough trying to put aside the fact that someone threatened to shoot her brains out.’

  ‘I hear she handled the situation well,’ Trent said, then thankfully changed the subject. ‘How long have you been back in town?’

  He winced, regretting not phoning Trent sooner. ‘Six weeks. Shifted Mother into a retirement home with hospital facilities and then packed up her house, sold off stuff, all of the usual.’ It had been hard going through forty years of her possessions. She’d kept everything of his dad’s since he’d died ten years back as well, including all his clothes, even his old pipes that he’d smoked in the evenings and the rods from trout-fishing excursions. The rods which were now in his shed in case one day he had a child he could take on similar forays. If he ever got brave enough to start over.

  The trip down memory lane had at times made him laugh, and at others caused him to shed tears for the mum and dad he’d loved. Still loved. His mother mightn’t be the same any more, with the dementia doing its number on her, but she was still Mother. Packing up everything and getting rid of most of the clutter had reminded him of fun family holidays to the beach when he’d been small, and of annoying the hell out of his older brother just because he could.

  ‘So, you up for a pint?’ Trent asked, reminding Cody he was in the middle of a conversation. ‘I’m done for the day.’

  He’d kill for one. ‘I can’t tonight. Got something on.’

  ‘Found a hot female, huh?’

  ‘Nah, haven’t got time for that at the moment.’ Stretching the truth wasn’t a lie. Harper wasn’t his type of woman; she was too focused on her career from what he’d seen, and obviously with family issues which she wouldn’t want him getting involved in. But she is hot. Sizzling. He was seeing that more and more the longer he spent in her company.

  ‘I heard about your wife.’

  Who hadn’t? It’d been headline news for days. ‘It’s history now.’ Except the consequence was he didn’t talk about personal things or want to put his heart on the line again. He knew the doctors had done everything they could to save her. It didn’t make him feel any better.

  ‘That when you took up nursing?’ Trent had known he’d considered it, even at school.

  ‘Yep. It was horrible not being able to help Sadie.’ Huh? He didn’t do talking, remember? It had to be the day that had screwed his brain.

  ‘You back home for good?’

  Cody managed a chuckle. ‘I’ve bought myself a house that needs lots of work, a big sucker on the hill overlooking Oriental Bay. It’s going to keep me out of mischief for years, so yes, I guess I’m here for the long haul.’

  ‘You staying out of mischief? I must be talking to the wrong Cody Brand.’

  If only he knew. Knowing he was stuck in this apartment tonight with a woman he’d only met five days ago, and who he was now babysitting, would bring Trent to his knees with laughter. As Cody stuffed his phone in his back pocket, he wondered just what was stopping him walking out and going to pick up his motorbike before heading down to the pub for that drink with Trent.

  A promise that he’d stay the night.

  A sense that Harper needed someone to keep an eye out for her. He always knew when someone wanted that—just didn’t always do it right. But he kept on trying.

  Cody wanted to be here, making sure Harper got through the night without any nightmares about what might’ve happened if everything had gone wrong.

  And if that migraine got worse he wanted to take care of her.

  It had to be the nurse in him coming out. He couldn’t think of any other reason for letting his caring side get the better of him in this case. It wasn’t as though Harper needed protecting from her would-be assailant. The guy was behind bars, for now at least.

  But he couldn’t help the memories creeping in as he twisted a cap off a lonely bottle of beer he found in the fridge. Looking out for Harper today had been instinctive, and easy. He’d have done whatever it took to get that man away from her. Now he’d do everything possible to keep on his guard with Dr White. Someone had to look out for his heart, and that someone was him.

  *

  Harper woke slowly. There was a vice around her head and drums behind her eyes. Her stomach ached, as did her throat.

  But that was nothing compared to the film reeling through her mind, bringing into sharp focus the man with his gun and how he’d held it to her head.

  At least she’d woken up before the pictures had got too violent. But now she didn’t want to go back to sleep—not yet, anyway. She was shaking. How close had Strong come to killing her?

  ‘Stop it,’ she yelled at herself. Doing this wasn’t helping at all. She had to be tough, put it all behind her.

  Her mouth was dry. Reaching for the glass on the bedside table, she was disappointed to find it empty. She’d have to move.

  Another tablet for her migraine wouldn’t go amiss. What time had she taken the last one? Pushing up onto an elbow, she paused until the room steadied. Light streamed down the hall. Had she left the kitchen light on earlier? Or the one in the lounge? No recollection of being in those rooms came to her, but that didn’t bother her. It wasn’t unusual for her to drop into a deep sleep after taking the migraine meds.

  Carefully sitting up and putting her feet on the floor, she once again waited for her head to catch up with the rest of her body. The headache had calmed down a little. Or was it waiting to pounce when she went out into the light?

  Cody Brand. His name slammed into her head.

  He was in her apartment somewhere. Sleeping in the kids’ room? Or sitting in the lounge watching television?

  It all rushed in, setting her head spinning harder. Gemma being bossy. Cody saying he’d stay the night to keep an eye on her. He was why she’d fallen asleep so quickly, all fear of being attacked again allayed by his presence.

  Most of all she recalled being held in strong arms against a broad, warm chest and wanting to snuggle even closer as he’d carried her up the drive. He’d made her feel safe so often throughout the day. There were a few other things he had made her feel too t
hat she’d prefer not to go into.

  Oozing a stalled breath over her lips, she debated crawling back under the sheet and pretending she hadn’t woken up. But the pounding in her head and the tightening of that band of pain wasn’t going away if she didn’t have another tablet. And some water. She was so thirsty her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth.

  Standing on unsteady legs, she aimed for the kitchen, hoping she wouldn’t find Cody in there. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her in her nightie, but searching for the robe that she rarely used somewhere at the back of her wardrobe would expend energy she didn’t have. She just wanted the tablet and water and to climb back into bed.

  The kitchen was empty, but the TV was on in the lounge with the sound muted. Harper couldn’t resist. She peeked around the corner and gasped. That big body was sprawled over her couch with the neighbour’s cat curled on top of the chest she’d enjoyed so much. Her heart flipped. Cute. Who’d have thought it of such a large man? A gentle rumble erupted. Cody was sound asleep, snoring softly.

  On the floor sat a takeout pizza box with two pieces left. Was she hungry? Stepping closer she bent down to steal a piece but got a whiff of cold melted cheese and something else unpleasant. Her stomach immediately protested. Fair enough. She didn’t usually eat during a migraine episode.

  Straightening up, she studied Cody. Stubble had appeared on his chin. What would that feel like against the palm of her hand?

  She’d never know. Gripping her hands together in case she gave into the need crawling through her, she backed away.

  Of course she didn’t have eyes in the back of her head. Duh. Thump. The back of her leg banged into the coffee table and she sat down heavily on it. Of course the table shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Who’d shifted it? Her eyes went straight to the man now waking up on her couch.

  ‘Hey, you’re up.’ Cody stretched, carefully lifted the cat off and placed it on what little piece of couch he wasn’t taking up. Then he sat up and Harper felt dwarfed. Not that she was tiny.