Snodgrass, Catherine

by Another Chance AnotherTime (lit)

  As an extra precaution until the police could investigate thoroughly, Alec decreed no visitor be left alone with Dani. For now, that didn't seem to be a problem, since people constantly streamed in and out of her room today. Alec was determined to see that Renee never got the chance to pull a stunt like that again. He was doing everything in his power to protect Dani while the police quietly collected the evidence. But Alec had all the proof he needed.

  "There you are."

  He glanced up from his coffee as Walt approached. "Good morning. What has you here on a Sunday? Did the police call you in?"

  "No. They want to keep a low profile. I came in to catch up on paperwork. Things were a little tense at home."

  Alec bet they were. Andrea would be making a scene. Her mother would be indulging her. And poor Walt was stuck in the middle. No wonder paperwork held more appeal.

  Walt sat astride one of the chairs and draped his arms over the back. "I never thought I'd say this, but you young guys just don't know how to eat right." He motioned to the pastry. "Never live to be a hundred eating junk like that."

  "You could be right, Walt."

  "I know I am."

  Alec had to give him that. For someone who was sixty-something, Walt had a physique of a man half his age. The snow-white crop of hair was the only true indication he had grown older. Even his skin was burnished to a light bronze, again with none of the obvious effects of sun damage.

  "I was sorry to hear about you and Andrea. I had been looking forward to having you as a son-in-law."

  "Walt, it never got close to that possibility." He wadded his napkin into a ball and then tossed it neatly into the trashcan across the room.

  Nodding Walt followed the shot. "I just wanted you to know that it's not going to affect our working relationship."

  "I never considered that it would. I know you're a bigger man than that." The coffee cup followed the napkin.

  Walt focused his gaze back on Alec. "Looks like you've been busy around here this weekend. Administration is going to raise hell when they see all the lab tests you ordered. They hate hashing it out with insurance companies. Insurance might refuse to pay if-"

  "Walt, you would have done the same thing and you know it. I just never expected to find...this."

  He laced his fingers together and let them droop. "Are we really talking attempted murder here?"

  Alec couldn't say it, but it was definitely an attempt to cause bodily harm. "I think we're dealing with Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy."

  Silence descended while Walt absorbed the words. It was a shock, Alec knew. He was still trying to deal with the repercussions of the discovery himself.

  The older doctor leaned back. "I thought we were dealing with an adult patient, not a child. Most victims are children. Most culprits their mothers."

  It wasn't necessary to tell him that. Alec had been looking for a motivation for hours. Case histories were filled with mothers who checked their children into the hospital, claiming illness that did not exist. Once admitted, the mothers themselves injected tainted solutions into the child's system to create symptoms. Their reasoning? Attention to prove they are good mothers because they are caring for their children.

  But Dani was no child. And the only reasons Alec could come up all revolved around Kevin. With Dani ill, Renee was the poor, devoted friend, helpless, needing this new man in her life. A long shot at best, but the only one he had, and certainly not one he felt like sharing.

  "Any suspect? The insurance company will want one. So will the police. Do you have any proof, or plans to get it? Surveillance cameras would need to be set up."

  Thousands of questions that Walt should have already dealt with. What was he asking Alec? As chief of staff, he had the responsibility of the security and reputation of the hospital. Once more, Alec shared all the information and suspicions he had. The only proof he had was the contents of the syringe. Any fingerprints had long been tainted by himself, Betty, and the lab staff.

  "So you have no plans to try to catch this person?"

  The frustration in Walt's voice bordered on anger. Alec didn't care-he had a higher responsibility. "Isn't that up to the police?"

  "My primary concern is the welfare of my patient. I've done my best to see to her safety."

  "If we talk to Miss Morgan, tell her what's going on, get her cooperation..."

  Alec shook his head. "This is her best friend, her life-long friend. Not only would we not receive her cooperation, but she would also go straight to Renee Spencer with the information."

  "But to let-"

  "I didn't say I was going to let her get away with it. There's got to be documentation, medical records of some kind to link her with other incidents. Hopefully, the police will find them."

  Walt drummed his fingers on the back of the chair. "I agree you've made every precaution, but what about the evenings?"

  Alec stifled a yawn and shoved himself to his feet. "I gave her a roommate. Sorry, Walt, but I've got to get some sleep. If you need me, I'll be in my office."

  * * *

  It was amazing that something so simple as a shower could have tired Dani out to the extent that it did. Or maybe it was her company.

  Six of her students had decided it was time to visit. The mother of one of the girls had driven them. Now there were eight people in the room, not including Dani and her roommate, Elsie Carter.

  Elsie was what Dani hoped she would be when she grew to advanced years. The old woman's dark eyes sparkled with humor, affection for all, and a determination Dani couldn't help but envy. She proudly announced her age as eighty-five, and was a little miffed that her granddaughter had seen fit to bring her into the hospital for tests. It was interfering with her quarterly trip to Las Vegas.

  Still, she took the setback in stride. She indulged her own visitors, who actually had the common sense not to linger, and then draped her attention over those who visited Dani. Even now she had one girl reading to her from a volume of Walt Whitman, while two others sat enraptured over Elsie's interpretation of the man's work. Dani wished they were that attentive in class.

  For herself, Dani endured having her hair blow-dried and nails filed by two budding cosmetologists while she helped a third young lady struggle through the mysteries of compound fractions. Renee and the mother sat chatting like two old friends, happily ignoring the rest of them.

  Dani prayed the principal didn't choose that time to visit. If he saw her zipping through math problems, he'd waste no time dropping two of her history classes and shoving her into mathematics. She also found herself wishing someone would come along and empty the room. But the nurses seemed oblivious to the breach of rules.

  Again, she took her cue from Elsie. Doesn't it feel good to be pampered, treasured, and in your own pajamas?

  Dani found herself smiling. Yes, it did. Seize the day. Enjoy the moment. That's what Elsie would say. Still, she might enjoy it more if one particular doctor would drop by.

  Guilt shamed her conscience. Alec sat by her bed all night long. One glance at his face early that morning showed how exhausted he was. And all she wanted was to have him at her side once more. No thought to him, or his other patients.

  You're treading a dangerous path, Dani girl. Lusting after your doctor? How teenager-ish can you get?

  It isn't lust, she argued back. Alec had saved her life, nursed her back to health. Naturally there would be a certain inclination to want him nearby. It was gratitude, a fear of something going wrong and him not be there to help her.

  Dani laughed out loud. Puzzled heads turned her way. She waved them back.

  "It looks like a slumber party in here."

  They laughed and returned to what they were doing. A lie. Well, not really a lie. It did look like a slumber party in the room. But no one need know where her thoughts had wandered.

  All right, so Alec Edwards was a good-looking man. Not movie star handsome, but an attractiveness that drew female glances his way. From time to time during the nig
ht, Dani would awake and find him there, faithfully standing vigil over her. Alec was her protector from all that was bad in the world.

  Once she found him asleep with his head on her mattress, and gave in to the temptation to slip her fingers through that dark tangle of thick hair. Thankfully, he had not woken. That would have involved more explanations than she could possibly give.

  How could Dani begin to tell him of the compulsion she felt to press her fingers to his lips? She longed to run her hands through his hair, to nuzzle her body against his. And to run like hell in the opposite direction each time the emotions became too much to bear.

  The whole thing was ridiculous. Doctors did not fall for their patients. One look in the mirror confirmed the obvious-that she was definitely not at her most desirable level. But what if he did feel that...yearning?

  Dani found herself alternately wishing he did and then praying he did not. Already, the sheer force of his personality overwhelmed her. Seeing him lifted her spirits. She allowed him to care for her in ways not afforded to others. She craved his presence in the room. If he were pulled to her as she seemed pulled to him, Alec would be the one calling the shots. She doubted very seriously if he would willingly allow her to control each aspect of the relationship.

  The very notion of that kind of intimacy with a man intrigued and frightened her. Dani was used to running her own life, taking care of herself, depending on no one...no man. She liked it that way and so did the few men she had dated. But Alec Edwards...

  Nearly laughing aloud again at where her thoughts had drifted, Dani shook her head. He was her doctor, nothing more. She was the damsel in distress, falling for the handsome knight. Fairytales were nice to hear, but Dani had never believed in them.

  Then why did her gaze keep wandering to the door and hoping for a glimpse of him?

  "How are you holding up over there, dear?" Elsie asked.

  "I'm fine." Dani wouldn't dream of telling her anything else.

  A distinguished looking gentleman walked into the room as if he owned the place. "I don't see how you can be with all these people in here."

  Elsie gave him an indulgent smile. "Now, Walter, that's no way to behave."

  "It looks like a sorority house in here." He walked to her side and gave her a kiss to her upturned cheek.

  "Don't you start now or I'll have to tell these young ladies about how I used to change your diapers."

  A red flush crept under his cheeks while the teenagers giggled at his expense.

  Dani smiled. "Is this your son?"

  "Oh, heavens no." Elsie waved away the suggestion with the back of her hand. "This is Dr. Walter Rushmore. He's the chief of staff here."

  "And I still like to think my rules regarding visitors stand." His shoulders sagged with Elsie's frustrated sigh. "All right, you win. But keep the noise level down...So, what are you in for, Elsie?"

  Setting her lips, she tsked. "That blasted granddaughter of mine. I told her I was feeling a little dizzy and the next thing you know, here I am."

  His regard for the old woman was reflected in his eyes. "We'll do our best to put her mind at ease." Then his gaze turned to Dani. It traveled the circuit of her face, her wounds, before stopping on her eyes.

  "I understand you've had quite a couple of days yourself, Miss Morgan."

  Before Dani could reply, he was standing over her perusing her stitches. The attention unnerved her. Where was Alec? Why was this man checking his work? Manners kept her from telling him to back off.

  "Nice job. Very nice." The words were by rote, given absentmindedly. "Of course, I wouldn't expect any less than perfection from Alec Edwards. Quite a doctor, that one. He could be making a fortune in private practice in Beverly Hills, but he chooses to remain here where he can do the most good. I've seen him work wonders with burn victims and reconstructive surgery. He once said it was like sculpting."

  "Oh...is he a sculptor?"

  Dr. Rushmore snapped out of his reverie and smiled down at her. "Not to my knowledge. I believe he was using that as a metaphor. Ladies, I must ask you to leave for a few minutes. I need to speak with Miss Morgan privately."

  He waiting patiently while each person said goodbye and then he pulled the curtain around her bed. Dani's heart raced with anxiety. Was there something wrong with Alec? Was that why the chief of staff saw fit to visit her personally?

  "Tell me, Miss Morgan, do you recall anything unusual happening yesterday?"

  "Not really. Why? Has something happened to my doctor?"

  Another smile came as he patted her hand. "Nothing at all. I'm just making certain you've been cared for appropriately by our staff. That is my job. All the nurses have been attentive?"

  She nodded. "They're great."

  "I understand a nurse was here yesterday afternoon to check your IV."

  Puzzled, Dani scrunched her eyebrows together trying to remember.

  "She's new and still on probation," he said. "I'm just checking on her performance."

  "I'm sorry. You'll have to check with another patient. I don't remember much other than seeing her standing there injecting something into the IV line. She told me to go back to sleep and that Dr. Edwards had ordered something for my nausea."

  Still smiling, he stood and opened the curtain. "I'll check with someone else then. We just like to know you're getting the best care possible." He left as quickly as he entered.

  "That was odd."

  Elsie brushed it aside. "He's always gone about things strangely, but he's a good man, a good doctor. I've known him all his life. Lovely wife, beautiful daughter. She was a sickly little girl as I recall. In and out of hospitals a lot. It was a blessing she grew up as robust as she did. Don't pay him any mind, dear. He was just doing his job."

  Then he was going about it in a really odd way. He should have observed the nurse's behavior first-hand, talked to her supervisor, evaluated complaints, not gone directly to the patient for information. It was the equivalent of the school superintendent going to the students.

  The encounter was unsettling. Perhaps Alec could shed some light on the man's behavior, or at least see it did not occur again. Dani threw back the covers and draped her legs over the side of the bed. Her robe and slippers lay within arm's reach.

  "Going to stretch your legs?"

  "I thought it would do me some good." She could hardly tell the old woman that she was going to hunt down her doctor.

  The nurses at the station gave her a cheery greeting when Dani stepped into the hallway. They would have no reason not to-she had been encouraged to walk around soon and often. However, if they suspected she was going to leave the floor, Dani doubted they'd be as agreeable.

  It wasn't until she reached the safety of the elevator that the full impact of what she was trying to do hit her. How in the world could she hope to find Alec's office in a hospital this size? For all she knew, he could be in wing clear on the other side of the facility. She couldn't manage to shower without wearing herself out. How could she hike all over the hospital?

  The elevator stopped two floors down. Dani tensed as the doors opened to a young orderly. Surely he would challenge her presence and escort her back to her room. She was relieved when all she got was a smile and a nod. Dani decided to test her luck.

  "You wouldn't happen to know where Dr. Alec Edwards's office is, would you? I'm supposed to meet him there to have my sutures checked."

  "Face lift, huh?"

  Dani resisted the urge to call him an idiot. Obviously, he was so new he didn't have a clue.

  "Yes...do you know where his office is?"

  "I sure do. I'll take you there."

  That would certainly solve one or two problems-directions and any further challenges. In the end, Alec's office wasn't that hard to find-once she knew where to look. The orderly took her to the second floor. The receptionist near the waiting room didn't give them much more than a glance. Alec's office was halfway down the left corridor.

  Having delivered her safely, he
hurried back to his duties. Dani stared at the door, at the engraved nameplate screwed in place. After wiping the sweat from her hands, she twisted the doorknob and walked in. Disappointment crushed her-it was Alec's examination room, all bright and pristine and waiting for his next patient.

  Her shoulders sagged with defeat. Then she spied the connecting door. Securing the first door, Dani opened the second. It was dark inside and the only light filtered in from under the hallway door. He didn't even have a window.

  Dani was about to admit defeat once more and return to her room when she saw a lump on the floor. Giving her eyes time to adjust, she focused on the form, and then smiled. Alec had removed one of the cushions from the leather sofa and was asleep on the floor beside the sofa.

  It seemed cruel to wake him, since he had spent the night by her side seeing to her welfare. Still, the need to talk to him made it difficult to budge. Dani shut the door behind her. He had to wake up some time. She would wait him out.

  * * *

  The earth shook Alec from a deep sleep. By an instinct he did not know existed, he draped his arm and leg over the woman curled beside him. Just as quickly as the tremor began, it ended.

  The woman patted the floor, searching. "The baby. Where's the baby?"

  Still groggy himself, Alec's reply was fast. "The baby's dead."

  His answer woke them fully, startling them into reality. Alec fumbled for the light. A headache slammed into his temple.

  Dani squinted from the brightness. It was better than having to face him in this embarrassing predicament. She should have stayed on the blasted couch, no matter how uncomfortable-not tossed the remaining cushion beside him. Then to have that old fear rear its ugly head.

  Alec grabbed the cushions and shoved them onto the couch before giving her a hand up. She expected him to demand why she was here. Instead, he motioned her to sit, and then joined her. Although on opposite ends of the sofa, there was no more than a foot between them.