Aaron’s mouth gaped open at the scene before him, which seemed to play out in slow motion. Tipping over onto its left tires, the van lost stability and slammed down on its left side. Sparks flew up from the pavement as the van skidded down the road with a horrific shriek and crashed into a light pole. Aaron ran back to his car and drove to the area of the wreck.
Constable Keller Greevy pulled a man out of the rear of the van. “Take a look at him, Doc,” he said as Aaron jogged over to them. “I’ll check on the driver and anyone else in the van.”
Keller held his gun in front of him as he crept toward the front of the van. He stopped and looked back at Aaron. “Don’t come too close. I think it’s on fire.”
Aaron backpedaled as he saw flames shooting out of a window of the van and held up his hand toward Keller. “Maybe we should wait for the firefighters.”
Keller crept back toward the rear of the van. Smoke billowed from the rear doors. “I don’t know if I can get back in—”
Aaron jumped as the van exploded, knocking Keller off his feet and onto his back. After several seconds, he rolled over and crawled back to Aaron.
“Are you all right?” Aaron said. “Let me check you over.”
Keller managed to stand upright, his eyes wide open. “That was close.” He checked out his body parts. “I guess I should’ve waited.”
“Does anything hurt? I don’t see any burns or gashes.”
“I’m okay, just a little shook up.”
Aaron wiped off Keller’s back. “You’ve got some scrapes back here. You’re lucky; I don’t smell any burned clothing.”
Keller pointed to the man on the street. “How’s he doing?”
“I think his neck is broken. Anyway, he’s dead.”
“Let’s stand farther away from the fire.” Keller called the fire department and EMS.
He exited his phone and stepped closer to Aaron. “These guys had a string of robberies going. One guy would rob a house, and the van would pull up just in time to pick up the loot.”
“Do you know them?”
Keller looked at the prostrate man lying on the ground. “I’ve seen him. He was a drug dealer and probably a user, too.”
Aaron’s stomach tightened as he walked over to the inert body. He recognized the clothing and pointed at the man. “He shot at me.”
An image of his smiling parents flashed into his mind, followed by a vision of a drugged robber standing with a gun over their bloody dead bodies. His head swam and he gasped for air, then his vision went black.
Aaron felt arms around his waist, and he was pulled back.
“Doc, snap out of it.”
Aaron blinked and put his hand to his forehead. “What happened?”
Keller released his grip. “You started yelling and kicking the guy. If he wasn’t dead before, he sure is now. It even hurt me to watch, and I’m hurting more than enough already.”
Aaron pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped sweat from his eyes and off his face.
Keller leaned toward him. “It must’ve been something real personal.”
Aaron took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. “Yeah. It was.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m better now, thanks.”
A fire truck and an ambulance arrived, and Aaron and Keller watched as the firefighters doused the fire and the paramedics examined the victims.
Aaron turned to Keller. “What about Wanda’s voodoo curse on you? Did the poppet work?”
Keller grinned. “Like a charm. There’s no curse on me now.”
One of the medics walked over to Keller. “I don’t think we need to transport them to the hospital. CPR won’t help. They’re both dead, one traumatic cardiac arrest and the driver burnt to a crisp.”
“I’ll call the ME,” Keller said.
“How did you happen to be right behind the van?” Aaron said.
“We got a call that a robbery was going down in your neighborhood.”
“One of my neighbors called? That’s interesting. Our houses aren’t that close together, and trees block the views. I wonder how they knew?”
“I don’t think the caller was one of the neighbors on your street.”
Aaron cocked his head. “Who was it then?”
“He didn’t leave his name, but the dispatcher said it sounded like Grant Belkin, the rancher behind you.”
****
Grant Belkin sat at his kitchen table and spoke to an empty chair. “Your hair looks good today. Soft and bright.”
Grant sighed and nodded. “I know I look stressed. A lot has been happenin’ around here. Things that needed to happen.”
He listened for several seconds.
“Yeah, I know. The doctor is havin’ a rough time.”
Chapter 43
Aaron skipped around puddles in the parking area as he caught up with Stella outside the front door of the clinic Wednesday morning.
“How did you sleep last night?”
Stella sighed. “Not well.”
She stopped inside the door. “What happened to your hand?”
Aaron looked at the bandages on his right palm. “I surprised a robber in my house last night. He had a gun, and I scraped my hand while I was crawling out of my garage to get away.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m not hurt. They’re just abrasions.”
“Did the robber steal anything?”
“Not much. An old watch and some money I’d left out on my bathroom counter. I don’t think he’d been inside for very long.”
“So, he got away?”
Aaron shook his head. “No, he didn’t. He died when his getaway van crashed.”
Stella’s eyes widened. “I heard about that on the news. What a night you had.”
“He shot at me. I’m lucky he missed. I felt the bullet whiz by my ear.”
“Honey, with all that’s been happening to you lately, you must have a guardian angel.”
Aaron nodded and looked up. “I think I do.”
Later that morning, Aaron strutted down the hall toward a patient room.
“Okay, Doc,” Stella said. “What’s up with you? Since you got here today, you’ve been acting like a cowboy who’s just lassoed a cowgirl.”
Aaron stopped and smiled. “Is it that obvious?”
“Something has perked you up.”
“I think I’m in cowgirl heaven.”
“Is it anyone in particular? Maybe that nice lady who called a few days ago?”
“You’re sharp.”
“A woman knows when love is in the air.”
“Love?” He scratched his chin. “I don’t know.”
“You’re blushing, so it must be love.”
Aaron smiled. “We’ll see.”
Aaron drove to a nearby store in the early evening to pick up toothpaste, shaving cream, and a few other personal necessities, and then he guided his car through a drizzling rain to his happy hour place. After shaking water from his umbrella at the front door, he entered the bar and looked for Red, but the corner chairs were empty.
Aaron sat down in his usual place.
“Did you hear about Red?” the bartender said.
“No. What about him?”
“He died in his sleep two nights ago. His son flew in and stopped by here yesterday.”
Aaron shook his head. “That’s too bad. I was just getting to know him. I’ll sure miss him.”
“So will all of us. His son said Red used to talk about our bar all the time.”
“I know he liked it here.”
They looked at Red’s empty space.
“We’re thinking about putting a plaque on the chair, in memory of him,” the bartender said.
“That’s a great idea. I’ll contribute to that.”
“Thanks. His son asked about you. I think Red really liked your company.”
Aaron sipped his cabernet and sat in silence at the bar.
So maybe Red’s shell didn’t prote
ct him. I guess he never got over that misdiagnosis, that patient of his who went berserk and killed his own family.
Aaron looked down and sighed. I wonder how my shell is doing.
He nodded and pounded his thigh with his fist.
I’m going to do my best with this job, even if it kills me.
He stayed for several hours, thinking of Red and the parade of recent strange events in East Texas.
It’s like I’m in the twilight zone.
Chapter 44
Stella knocked on Aaron’s office door the next morning. “Marley Brighton is here. She’d like a prescription refill for Forrester.”
“I’ll be right out.”
Aaron scanned the last page of a patient’s medical record and walked out into the hallway. He saw Marley and cleared his throat. “Good afternoon. How’s Forrester?”
“He’s adjusting. It’s hard, day by day.”
“I can only imagine.”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but can you refill this prescription for him? I figured since I was in the neighborhood …”
Aaron looked at the pill bottle. It had contained a muscle relaxant. “Sure, no problem.”
Marley leaned in closer to him. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out between us.”
Aaron shrugged his shoulders. “It wasn’t meant to be.” I’m already moving on, he thought.
He wrote a prescription for a muscle relaxant and handed it to Marley.
“Forrester and I appreciate this.” She smiled at him and put the prescription in her purse. “And thanks again for helping out with the Taggett family.”
“I feel good about that, but there’s still a big question mark: Race.” Aaron sighed. “I can’t figure him.”
Marley’s eyes were bright like lasers. “You’ll be fine.”
Aaron looked down. I wish I could be sure of that.
Just after Marley left, a tall man walked through the front door of the clinic.
“Is Dr. Rovsing here?” he said to Juliana at the registration desk.
“Yes. Who shall I say wants to see him?”
“I’m Red Relford’s son.”
“Is Mr. Relford one of our patients?”
“No. He was a friend of Dr. Rovsing’s. He died three days ago.”
“I’m so sorry. Wait here and I’ll let him know.”
A few minutes later, Aaron followed Juliana to the waiting area.
“I’m happy to meet you,” Aaron said as the two men shook hands.
“Same here. Thanks for being a good friend for Dad. He talked about you.”
Aaron nodded. “I enjoyed my evenings with him at the bar. I’ll miss him.”
“He lived a long, good life. I wish I could’ve seen him more. My job keeps me in Oregon.”
“He told me stories about his life, his experiences. I enjoyed those stories. I’ll never forget them.”
“He was a psychiatrist. He helped a lot of people.”
“I’m sure he did.” Aaron put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “He had a kindness about him.”
“He was happy with his work, until the last few years of his practice.” He sighed and looked down. “We were close to this family, and my dad treated one of the sons. One day, the son flipped out and killed everyone in the family. Dad was never the same after that. He always felt he should’ve done something.”
“Red told me about that. I’m sorry that happened to him. Unfortunately, doctors can’t predict everything.”
“We kept telling him that. Anyway, I’m glad he met you. He seemed happier in the last few weeks.”
Aaron smiled. “Thanks for letting me know.”
Red’s son pulled an envelope from his pocket. “He wrote you a letter. I guess he might’ve known he was dying.”
Aaron opened the envelope and smiled as he scanned the letter. “I’ll keep this letter safe.”
“He’ll be cremated. He wants you and me to spread his ashes in the Big Thicket.”
“Interesting. He never talked to me about that. Ashes in the Big Thicket.”
“Don’t you think it’s a strange request? I mean, I hear that it’s a weird place.”
“You heard right.”
“Why would he want his ashes in there?”
Aaron stared out the front window across the road at the trees in the Big Thicket. “Maybe he felt it would be a good place to dispose of the baggage he left behind.”
“Like bad memories?”
Aaron nodded. “That’s a thought.” He contemplated the trees swaying in the breeze.
Red’s son turned to Aaron. “Oh, one more favor. I wonder if you could take his dog.”
Aaron laughed. “Now that you mention it, I’ve been thinking about getting a dog. Sure, I’ll take him.”
Aaron walked into a patient room, and a woman extended her hand. “I’m Sandra Bogarty. My son is Buck.”
“I remember Buck. Did his hand heal?”
“Oh, yes. That’s all fine.” She looked down. “He wrecked his hot rod a week ago.”
“Is he okay?”
“No bad injuries, but other boys were in the car, and they told me what happened. One of them was on the ground and not breathing at first.”
“They were ejected? Is everyone all right now?”
“Yes, thank goodness, but the wreck really affected Buck. He won’t come out of his bedroom. He barely eats at all, and he won’t talk to me.”
“It sounds like the experience traumatized him emotionally.”
She massaged her temple. “He’s never been like this. He won’t even see his friends when they come over. Should I worry about him?”
“Maybe I can come over and talk with him.”
“Oh, thank you. I would so appreciate it if you did.”
She and Aaron worked out a time for his visit to Buck.
A man sat in a chair in the hallway.
Aaron saw him and stopped. “Tucker Boudreaux. Is it you today?”
Tucker stood and approached Aaron. “It sure is.” His short hair was combed and he wore a dress shirt.
Aaron smiled. “You’re looking well.”
“I feel good. Sometimes I feel even better when I don’t take my medicine, but everyone says the pills help me.”
“Yes, they do. Please remember that.”
“I saw you in the store yesterday, and I had an idea about you.”
Here we go, Aaron thought.
“You looked so happy. A thought came into my head: if it’s a fille, a girl, then you should go for it.”
Aaron grinned and put his hands on Tucker’s shoulders. “I might just do that.”
“Trust me. I can tell. You won’t be sorry.”
“That’s right. Sometimes you can predict things.”
Tucker nodded. “And when I do, you’d best pay attention.”
In the lounge, Aaron poured coffee into his and Stella’s cups. “This has been a crazy month,” he said.
Stella sipped from her cup. “That’s a good word for it. Crazy people have been a challenge to you since you got here. Do you think you attract them?”
Aaron laughed. “Maybe I do.”
They walked out into the hall, and Stella turned to him. “Speaking of this crazy month, it seems that we really do have more than our fair share of addiction and mental illness in this town. What do you think?”
“It’s a problem everywhere, not just here.”
Stella furrowed her brow. “Are you sure about that?”
Aaron nodded. “There aren’t enough behavioral health specialists in this country, and even if there were, we don’t have cures for every mind gone haywire.”
Stella shook her head. “What a world. Maybe all of us will end up someday in the Big Thicket, right along with Race Taggett.”
Aaron frowned. Is that my fate?
“By the way, I wonder if Keller still feels Wanda’s voodoo curse,” Stella said.
“He told me his poppet broke the spell.”
Stella chuckled
. “Maybe it did, but what’s important is that he believes the curse is gone.”
After their workday, Stella held on to Aaron’s elbow and escorted him into the parking area. “You’ve got that look in your eyes. Is there a romantic weekend ahead?”
“I hope so. I’ve got my best boots on,” Aaron said.
Stella laughed. “Good luck. I’ll be cheering for you, cowboy.”
Back home, Aaron sat at his desk and unfolded the letter from Red Relford: “It was nice chatting with you, Aaron. You helped me reconnect with good memories. I’ve been thinking about the Great War. You remind me of a sergeant I served with. A good man, like you. The world needs more good people.”
Aaron sat back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. Thanks, Red, I needed that.
Chapter 45
With windows down and radio blaring, Aaron sped to Rachel’s house early Saturday evening. She lived out in the country, about ten miles from Aaron’s town, on the edge of the Big Thicket. He passed only one other house on her road, about one-half mile back.
Aaron hopped out of his car humming a song and turned around in a circle. I don’t see any other houses.
Rachel walked out onto her front porch and waved. “I’m kind of isolated way out here.”
“It’s a beautiful area.”
“Do you want to have a look around?”
Aaron nodded. “Sure.” He stepped up to the porch and followed her into the living room. It smells like a vet’s office.
She led him back through her kitchen and into a family room. Two dogs barked at him from behind a fence, and a few cats roamed in other areas of the spacious room.
“I have some wild things outside.” She led Aaron out the back door and up to a tall fence. “Take a look around the yard. A couple of raccoons might be wandering about.”
They walked to one side of the fence. She pointed to a section of the yard with a caged-in area. “There’s a young bald eagle in the aviary part.”
“This is impressive. It’s your own little private zoo. Where do you get these animals?”
“From the rehabilitation group I belong to. I’m trained and licensed to care for certain wild mammals and birds of prey. They’re usually found injured in the Big Thicket and need a place to rest and recover.”
“Do you handle them and get close to them?”
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