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Checked Out Page 13

by Sharon St. George


  “Not as far as I know.” Unless Cleo’s theory about Laurie Popejoy warning Cody away turned out to be true. Although even Cleo couldn’t explain how Poole might arrange on such short notice to have Cody kicked in the head by his horse.

  The waiter reappeared to ask if we were ready to order. James asked for a few more minutes, and he moved on.

  “There must be a connection. Something spooked Cody. He wouldn’t do something as drastic as skipping out on his surgery without a hell of a good reason.”

  I wasn’t ready to share Cleo’s theory with James. “You’ve met our administrator,” I said. “He’s a good man. If he discovers why Cody left the hospital, he’ll tell you.”

  “Unless his lawyers advise against it.”

  I couldn’t argue with that, and I couldn’t tell James about Cody’s case being part of the urologic surgery review. Divulging privileged information outside the legal protection of a medical staff committee could get me fired in a heartbeat.

  “Did you ask Seamus if he knows why Cody called you from the hospital?”

  “No.” James lifted his glass then put it down without drinking. “I hate to bring it up. He’s ill and still grieving. It’s only been eleven days since Cody died.”

  “Maybe you should. He might know what Cody wanted to tell you.”

  “If he did, he would have said something by now. He believes Cody’s death was an accident. I’d rather leave it at that unless we ….”

  James stopped in mid-sentence and looked toward the entrance to the restaurant. I turned to see what caught his eye. It was Nick, walking toward a table with Dr. Phyllis Poole on his arm.

  “Isn’t that your friend?”

  “You mean Nick Alexander? Yes.” Although friend wasn’t exactly the right word.

  “That’s the woman from the blues combo, isn’t it?”

  “That’s right, Dr. Poole. She’s the surgeon who was scheduled to operate on Cody.”

  James shook his head, “I’m an idiot. I didn’t recognize her the other night when she was wearing all that makeup.”

  “Recognize her? What do you mean?”

  “From the hospital in Idaho where DeeDee was taken after her accident.”

  “DeeDee Dakota? Cody’s wife?” I nearly spilled my tea. “Are you telling me Dr. Poole was involved with her care?”

  “Cody called me in New York right after DeeDee’s accident, and I took the red-eye out to Idaho. I sat with him at DeeDee’s bedside while a parade of doctors and nurses passed by. That woman was one of them.”

  “That was more than two years ago. Are you sure?”

  He glanced toward the table where Poole sat with Nick. “Minus the spotlight and the glamour makeup. Yep, I’m positive.”

  “What else do you remember?”

  “Just that no one thought DeeDee was badly hurt. When they got her to the hospital, she was only supposed to be there overnight for observation. The next day she seemed fine, but they wanted to keep her one more night. The morning she was supposed to be discharged, she took an unexpected turn for the worse and lapsed into a coma. They were going to transfer her to a medical center in Boise, but Dad arranged to have her flown here to Timbergate instead.”

  His story matched everything I had read about the incident. “Did you come along?”

  “Indirectly. Cody rode on the air ambulance flight with DeeDee, and I drove their truck and trailer home. DeeDee wouldn’t have wanted her horse left behind.”

  I saw the sadness James felt remembering that time. Still, I had to ask another question. “Were you here at TMC when DeeDee died?”

  He answered in a voice husky with emotion. “I barely made it, but I was here.” He blinked, gave his head a slight shake. “It was heartbreaking. She was an amazing woman. Beautiful and brave.”

  It sounded as if James’s feelings for his sister-in-law ran deep. I wondered how deep.

  “It must have been sad for all of you.”

  “It was. She was one of those people you couldn’t help but love.”

  I felt like a heel for pressing him about her when he was already hurting about Cody’s death.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve upset you by asking about her.”

  “I’d come to terms with that, but now Cody’s death and Dad’s illness are taking a toll.” He fixed his gaze on the menu. “Do you see anything you like?”

  I glanced toward Nick and Poole. Neither of them had spotted us, but the last thing I needed was for Poole to see me with her dead patient’s brother.

  “Not really. I’m afraid I have to leave.”

  “Why? Are you upset about seeing Alexander with another woman?”

  “No, I think I’m getting a migraine. They come on fast.” I picked up my purse. “Sorry to spoil the evening.”

  I left James alone at the table and made my exit. A discreet glance on my way out confirmed that Nick and Poole were deep in conversation. Neither had noticed us.

  I pulled into the driveway at the ranch and drove down the lane to the barn, where I parked and sat for a moment. I’d agreed to see James because he’d said he had something to tell me. How important could it be? As important as knowing Dr. Poole had been one of DeeDee Dakota’s care providers years ago? Not likely.

  A flash of light in my rearview mirror caught my eye. A car pulled into Jack and Amah’s driveway. Not Nick. He and Poole wouldn’t have finished their appetizers, much less dinner. And he wouldn’t bring another woman to my grandparents’ house in any case, unless he’d lost his mind. My cellphone rang. It was James.

  “Hi,” he said. “I followed you home. I was worried about your headache—wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “Thanks, that’s sweet, but I’m already feeling better.”

  “Good. I still owe you a dinner if you’re interested.”

  And I still hadn’t heard what he wanted to tell me.

  “Stay there.” I took a flashlight from my glove compartment and walked up the lane. He got out and stood beside his car.

  “What happened back there? I don’t buy the migraine story.”

  “It’s complicated.” How could I explain my erratic behavior to James without telling him Dr. Poole may have killed his brother?

  “I have time to listen. Can we go someplace where there’s food?”

  “There’s a pizza place just down the road.” I heard the lack of enthusiasm in my voice.

  He ignored it. “Good. Get in. I’m starving.”

  At Four Corners Pizza, James ordered a white pizza and a pitcher of soda. The young girl behind the counter gave him a puzzled look.

  “They don’t do white,” I said.

  “Then what do you want?”

  “What do you have by the slice?” I asked the girl.

  She brightened. “Oh, combination or pepperoni.”

  James said pepperoni, and I said combination. We took our slices and went to a booth.

  “No white pizza?” James said. “Really?”

  “This is Coyote Creek, not New York.”

  “Damn, how do you do it?”

  “Do what?”

  “Live here.”

  “Hey, this is your hometown, too. But never mind that. You said you had something to tell me.”

  “We’ll get to that, but first, you might explain ditching me at the Feed Bag. You said it was complicated.”

  “James, please trust me for now. It’s true I didn’t expect to see Nick there with that woman, but there’s more to it. Some of it is personal and hard to talk about, and the other has to do with my job. It’s confidential.”

  “Okay, I’ll let it go … for the time being.”

  “Thanks. Now it’s my turn to ask questions. You’ve been observing the other O’Briens for a few days. What did you want to tell me?”

  “Damn, I hate to say it.” He shook his head. “If I’m right, it’s a disaster.”

  “James, what is it?”

  He clasped his hands on the edge of the table as if he were praying
. “I hope like hell I’m wrong, but I think Echo’s pregnant.”

  “Your stepmother?” James was right. A disaster.

  “Please don’t call her my stepmother.”

  “We are talking about the girl with the snake on her belly?” I recalled her dragging on a cigarette in the grocery store parking lot.

  “What snake?”

  “Never mind. What makes you think she’s pregnant?” I almost added that it seemed impossible, considering the state of Seamus’s health.

  “My ex-wife was pregnant once. I know the signs even though she miscarried in her second month. We never had kids.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “So am I. Sorry for the lost child, but glad I’m not sharing joint custody with my ex.”

  “You’ll make a great father someday.”

  “I hope to, but in the meantime, what do I do about Echo’s pregnancy?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Should I talk to my father … tell him I know?”

  “Before you get to that, you’d better find out whether she’s told him yet. She can’t be very far along.”

  “Not showing yet,” James said, “but bouts of nausea. I only know the earliest signs.”

  “If you noticed, your father must have, too. It’s likely she told him. Think of the leverage it gives her.”

  “You’re right. Maybe changing his will was never about Cody’s death. It makes more sense if he expects to gain another heir.”

  “But if that’s true, how long has he known?”

  “My question exactly. Did Dad know about the baby before Cody died?”

  “Are you going to ask him?”

  James refilled our glasses from the pitcher of soda, and I realized I had yet to take a bite of my pizza. He’d eaten only half of his slice. He picked up the other half, then dropped it back on his paper plate.

  “I think I have to. I don’t want to hurt him, but I feel I should warn him. Once that kid is born, Echo could use it to take everything he has. I love my father too much to let that happen.”

  “You said you father’s health has failed, but if Echo’s pregnant, he must be well enough to have sex.”

  James hunched his shoulders and leaned toward me. “That’s another thing that bothers me. When I tried to convince him to see an internist like you suggested, he refused. Said he didn’t need any more doctors. Then I saw a prescription for an erectile dysfunction drug in his medicine cabinet. I suspect that was Echo’s idea. She must have figured having his baby would put a lock on the lion’s share of his inheritance. Apparently she decided to have his kid even if it kills him.”

  “Did you happen to see the name of the prescribing doctor?”

  “No. Part of the label was missing and the rest was blurred, like it had fallen in water. He probably knocked it into the bathroom sink. All I could really make out was the name of the drug. When I realized what it was, it threw me for a loop. I couldn’t quite believe it.”

  “What about the date? Did you notice if it was recent?”

  “Sorry, no.” James massaged his temples. A weary gesture. “So what do you think? Should I talk to Dad?”

  “It’s a tough call. If he already knows she’s pregnant—or when he finds out—he’s going to be excited and proud. You don’t want to spoil that by suggesting she got pregnant out of greed rather than out of love. On the other hand, you love your father and want to protect him.”

  “That’s about it. Echo has convinced Dad he’s the love of her life. How do I rip that away from him now, when he’s just lost his favorite son?”

  “Don’t say that. I’m sure your father loves you as much as he loved Cody. Parents love their children equally.”

  “In your world, and in your family, that may be true, but I live in a different world. All my father ever wanted from me was a son to carry on his life’s work. In his eyes, producing plays in New York City is foolishness and worse—it’s a rejection of his values.”

  “James, if your father is seriously ill, this could be your last chance to clear the air.”

  He searched my face. “Is there something you’re not telling me? Is my father dying?”

  “I don’t know anything for sure, but you have to talk to him. It’s never easy to ask the hard questions, but sometimes it has to be done.” I hoped my advice sounded wise and heartfelt, because I truly meant it that way.

  “I suppose you’re right.” James stood and dropped a few bills on the table. Sadness and confusion played across his face, making it impossible for me to believe he was guilty of any wrongdoing in the O’Brien saga.

  I wondered whether I was reading the man standing before me or letting the memory of a childhood crush cloud my thinking.

  Chapter 16

  James and I parted at the door to my apartment with awkward, back-patting hugs and promises to keep in touch. I stood on the deck and watched him drive his rental car down the lane and onto the street fronting the main house. As he drove away, Fanny appeared, rubbing against my leg. I let her inside and locked my door. She dove into a bowl of kibble while I clicked the remote to catch the local eleven o’clock news. I changed into a sleep tee and shorts and settled on my futon bed with a glass of milk. Five minutes into the news, I heard knocking on my door and guessed that would be Nick.

  After checking the peephole, I let him in. “Why are you here?”

  He flopped down in the chair at my computer desk. “Just checking in. I thought we might as well compare notes.”

  I realized I was still holding the milk. “Want something to drink?”

  “No. I want to hear about your abrupt departure from The Feed Bag. Did your date do something to tick you off?”

  “Nothing like that. I wasn’t expecting you to be there with Poole, and I didn’t want her to see me with James. Do you think she recognized us?”

  “I doubt it. She had her back to you the whole time.”

  “Good, so what were you able to learn?”

  “Not much. She got paged. She was on call and had to be at the hospital by ten thirty for some kind of emergency surgery. She said she could only stay long enough to finish her meal.”

  “Emergency surgery, but she could stay and have dinner first?”

  “Hey, I’m no doctor. I don’t know how that stuff works.”

  I wondered if the emergency was a late date with Dr. Fausset, but I didn’t wonder out loud.

  “She asked for a rain check.”

  “And you agreed?”

  “I thought I should. It was slow going tonight. I was trying to be subtle. I don’t think she was suspicious, but I didn’t get a whole lot of information out of her, either.”

  “Did you get anything helpful?”

  “Maybe. I’ll let you decide. Apparently the O’Brien patriarch is a patient in her urology practice.”

  “What? Seamus is Phyllis Poole’s patient? How did she happen to tell you that? It’s a violation of patient confidentiality.”

  “I faked it. Said Seamus told me he was a patient of hers and that she came highly recommended. She said Seamus was actually Fausset’s patient, not hers.”

  “What if Seamus hadn’t been a patient there?”

  “No big deal.” Nick shrugged. “I’d have played dumb and said I must have been mistaken.”

  Fanny padded over to Nick and jumped on his lap. He stroked her fur and she squeezed her eyes closed in ecstasy.

  “Nick, did Poole give any hint why Seamus is seeing Dr. Fausset?”

  “No. She changed the subject. Do you have any ideas?”

  “As a matter of fact, that fits with something James said. He thinks Seamus’s wife is pregnant.”

  “Whoa!” Nick sat up and Fanny dropped to the floor. “That would definitely fit with his visits to Fausset.”

  “Including the prescription for erectile dysfunction medication that James saw in his father’s medicine cabinet. Although I’m having trouble believing Tobias Fausset would give that to someone as sick a
s Seamus. I’m guessing it was purchased online without a prescription.”

  “Poor old guy. His wife’s milking him in more ways than one.”

  I felt my face flame. “Nick, that’s a disgusting thing to say.”

  “Tell me it isn’t true.”

  “I’m afraid it is. Bearing his child gives her a lot of leverage when it comes to his will.”

  “Why would she need it? She’s already his wife.”

  “That isn’t a guarantee. He can divide his estate any way he wants as long as he’s alive and in his right mind.”

  “But California’s a community property state,” Nick said. “If all Echo wants is his money, couldn’t she divorce him and take half? That’s got to be more money that she’ll ever need.”

  “She could try, but it’s not that simple. They’ve only been married a couple of years. Anything less than ten doesn’t bode well for her.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “I’m a librarian. I researched California’s community property law for one of the doctors on staff. Take my word for it: Echo O’Brien would be a lot better off as a widow raising his child, especially if Seamus thinks it’s a male heir.”

  Nick’s brow furrowed. “Why do you say that?”

  “From what James says, Seamus has always wanted a son to carry on his business. Cody was his best bet and now he’s gone.”

  “What about James?”

  “He claims he’s not interested in the business and doesn’t expect more than a token inheritance. Cody wasn’t interested in the business either, until recently. James thinks he had a change of heart when he quit the rodeo, but he died before he had a chance to take over the reins of the O’Brien dynasty.”

  “So Seamus will be pinning his hopes on the little newborn. How soon can they tell if the fetus is boy or girl?”

  “Amniocentesis at sixteen weeks, or ultrasound at twenty weeks. We don’t know how far along she is, but I wouldn’t put it past Echo to convince Seamus she’s carrying a male child.”

  “How would she go about that?”

  “Lie, if necessary. He probably won’t live long enough to see it born.”

  “Damn, that’s brutal.” Nick got up from the table. “Seamus with a conniving, pregnant wife is a whole lot more than what I got from Poole.”

 

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