Exclusive

by Fern Michaels

  “Where else would I be at one o’clock in the morning?”

  “I haven’t a clue. Listen, I have something I want you to see. Are you near your computer?”

  “I can be in 1.2 seconds. I’m there now.”

  God, she loved this man’s sense of humor.

  “Go to Google and type in Dr. Benjamin Sameer.”

  “Okay.”

  Abby heard the keys clicking as he typed. “When your results show, click on the link for the home page for the Center for Mind and Body.” More computer clicks.

  “I’m there, now what?”

  “Go to the links on the right side of the page. Click the hyperlink that says ‘Meet Dr. Sameer and his staff.’ I’ll wait while you read through it.”

  “Hmm, give me a minute,” Chris said.

  “When you’re finished, find the link at the very bottom of the page that says ‘A Note from Dr. Sameer.’ I’ll wait.”

  “Good, because I’m a slow reader.”

  “Sure you are,” she teased.

  “Wait until you really get to know me. I’m not only a slow reader, but I’m very slow in other areas, too.”

  She heard his soft chuckle. Damn, if this wasn’t a form of phone sex, she didn’t know what was. She was not going to dignify that comment with an answer, no matter how sexy she thought it was.

  “This isn’t the same doctor Ida is seeing, is it?” Chris asked, all traces of humor gone.

  “No, but she goes to the Center for Mind and Body. I looked at the address and the picture. It’s definitely where she’s been going the past couple of months.”

  “Then who has been treating Ida? It doesn’t say anything about another doctor taking over while he’s on sabbatical. Of course that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Maybe he referred his patients to this doctor treating Ida, and he just didn’t post this to the Web site.”

  Abby twirled her hair in a knot. “I suppose it’s possible, but with the same name?”

  “Abs, they’re probably related. I bet the older Dr. Sameer is his father.”

  “True, but what about the rest of the staff? Where are they? I distinctly remember mom telling me that Dr. Sameer’s daughter worked at the center. She’s the receptionist or secretary. Neither Ida nor Mom has ever mentioned any other employees.”

  “Are you really worried about this, Abs?”

  “Right now I’m more concerned than worried.”

  “This just hit me. Why were you doing Google searches on Dr. Sameer?”

  “I’ve had too much tea. Mom took me aside and asked me if I or someone at the paper could check into Dr. Sameer’s past. She said there was something about him that didn’t ring true. She didn’t have anything specific to add, just that she was suspicious. I put one of my second-stringers on this earlier today. I was ready to call it a night, then I decided I’d better check my e-mail, just in case. I saw I’d received a response. And you know the rest.”

  “Are you up for taking a ride to the beach?”

  Hell yes! She’d go anywhere with Chris. The moon. End of the earth. Pink’s.

  “Mom will kill me if this turns out to be nothing.”

  “And if it isn’t?”

  “Then Ida will kill me. She’s been dating him ever since he cured her OCD.”

  “Can you be ready in half an hour?”

  “Shit, in half an hour I can be decked out ready to attend the presidential inauguration.”

  “That’s impressive, Abs.”

  “What can I say? I’m a no-frills kind of girl. Very low-maintenance.”

  “I just bet you are,” Chris said. “There’s no traffic this late, so I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” Abby said. She pushed the END button, then looked down at her clothes. Gray sweats, orange T-shirt. Red socks with a hole in the left heel. She contemplated going as she was but decided against it.

  In her room she pulled on a pair of faded Levi’s with a black sleeveless turtleneck. She stuffed her feet in a pair of black Uggs, relishing how warm and soft the boots were. Just like fuzzy slippers. In the bathroom, she brushed her teeth, pulled her wild curls back in a low ponytail. She wasn’t about to add blush, lip gloss, or mascara. She’d showered earlier, when she came home. Not that she cared what Chris thought she looked like. Yes, she did care, but she still wasn’t putting makeup on at this ungodly hour. She’d have to remove it anyway.

  Exactly fifteen minutes later, Abby heard a knock. “Be right there.” She glanced in the mirror, figuring this was as good as it gets. Almost. She could jazz herself up when she wanted. She hurried to the front door, stopping to move samples of granite for the new kitchen countertops she planned to install.

  Abby fumbled with the deadbolt, then had trouble grasping the chain lock.

  “Are you expecting a serial killer?” Chris said.

  Abby finally managed to unlock the door. “No, Chris, I’m not. But in case you haven’t noticed, I am a single woman living alone in a city with a relatively high crime rate. While Brentwood is an upscale neighborhood, I never take my safety for granted. Does that answer your question?”

  “I think I like you better when we talk on the phone. You’re not such a smart-ass.” Chris took the keys from her and locked the front door.

  “Wait! Chester is in there. I can’t leave him.”

  Abby reached for her keys and managed to unlock the door without dropping them. She went to the kitchen, only to find Chester curled beneath the kitchen table, sound asleep. She decided to let him sleep.

  Chris walked around to the passenger side and opened her door. “What happened to Chester?”

  “He was sleeping under the table in the kitchen. I didn’t have the heart to wake him.”

  “And I thought you were heartless.”

  Abby slid across the seat, still amazed that Chris didn’t drive a BMW or something that denoted wealth. A Toyota Camry. She liked that about him. Chris was Chris.

  “You’re a jerk, you know that?” Abby teased.

  “I’ve been called worse.”

  “Like what?” Abby asked, not really wanting to know, but she liked this light, silly banter between them. It was comfortable, like her Uggs. She laughed.

  “You don’t need to know.” Chris reached across the console, searching for her hand. He found it and held it.

  Abby didn’t say a word. No way was she going to screw this up. She was way too comfortable.

  Chapter 23

  Loud banging on the front door sent Toots bolting upright in her bed. She fumbled around in the dark, searching for the switch to the lamp on her nightstand. She looked at the alarm clock. Almost three o’clock, the witching hour. More banging. Damn, someone was knocking—no, beating—on her front door. Not having a clue who would be paying a visit at this ungodly hour, Toots instantly thought of Abby. She practically levitated down the stairs.

  “I’m coming, just a minute.” Toots hurried to the front door, hoping and praying it wasn’t Abby or someone coming to tell her Abby had been in an accident. She flicked the outside light on, then pushed the door aside.

  “Hey, Mom. Did I wake you?” Abby said.

  Toots stood aside, allowing her to enter. “Are you drunk?”

  Abby called out to someone. “No, I’m not drunk, and if I were, I wouldn’t be driving, and I sure as hell wouldn’t be knocking on your door this time of night.”

  “Did you bring a friend?”

  Chris appeared in the doorway.

  “I’m not sure I even want to know why both of you are here. Neither of you look sick, so I guess we can rule that out. Mental illness, now there’s a possibility. Let’s go into the kitchen. I’ll make a pot of coffee while you tell me what in the name of Pete you’re doing here.”

  “Dang, Mom don’t act so happy to see us,” Abby said before poking her mother in the ribs.

  “Stop it! You know how I hate when you do that.” Toots yanked Abby’s ponytail.

  Chris pulled Too
ts next to him, gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I could use a cup of coffee. How about you, Abs?”

  “I’d rather have tea, but coffee will do. Mom, would you stop staring at me like I’m some kind of psycho or something?”

  “I’m sorry, Abby. I had a flashback of your father. He was a tea drinker, too. When you said that, it just reminds me of how much I miss him.”

  “Oh, Mom, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Now let me start a pot of coffee. I have a feeling I’m not going to like what you have come all this way at this insane hour to tell me.” Toots scooped coffee into the paper filter, filled the back of the machine with water, then flipped on the switch.

  The smell of coffee made Abby realize she was hungry. As usual, she’d made a bag of microwave popcorn for dinner. That had been hours ago. “Have anything good to munch on?” Abby asked as she opened the refrigerator.

  “All we have are good things to munch on. With Mavis doing the cooking, all we get to eat is health food. I haven’t had a good sugary bowl of Froot Loops in ages.”

  “Step aside, Abs, let me have a look-see. I’m starving. I had ice cream for dinner again.”

  “I ate popcorn. Again,” Abby offered.

  “You two are going to wither away if you don’t eat right,” Toots said. She was one to talk. When the coffee finished brewing, Toots poured three mugs and brought them to the table. “Abby, grab the cream and sugar while you’re up. And bring that bottle of aspirin next to the coffee-maker with you. I have a killer headache.”

  Abby did as instructed. She had a plate of sliced cheese, strawberries, and a sliced orange. “This is a feast. Mavis needs to come and stay with me for a while. I’ll let her cook for me anytime.”

  “She is one of the good ones, no doubt about it,” Toots said affectionately.

  Once they were settled at the table, Toots was the first to speak. “Now I want you to tell me why you both drove all the way out here.” Toots eyed the two, then a bombshell thought almost knocked her brain loose. “Are you two seeing one another? Is that why you’re here? You have an announcement to make? I’ve seen the way you look at each other.”

  Had there been a large sinkhole close by, Abby would have gladly taken a nosedive right into its center. Chris just laughed, but he didn’t correct her.

  “Mother, let’s talk about the real reason we’re here, okay?”

  “I’ve pissed you off. You never call me ‘Mother’ unless you’re mad.”

  Abby forged ahead, ignoring her mother’s comment. “Remember when you asked me to check into Dr. Sameer’s background in that e-mail you sent this morning?”

  Toots nodded. “Of course, I’m not that far gone. At least not yet.”

  “You were right to be suspicious. Is your laptop handy?”

  “It’s upstairs, I’ll get it.” Toots left the room, returning minutes later with the computer. She turned it on, tapped a few keys to log on to the Internet. She turned the screen around so Abby could do whatever she needed to.

  Abby pulled up the e-mail she’d received from her second-stringer and downloaded the attached file. When it was finished, she scrolled through the document until she found what she was looking for. “Here, look at this and tell me your thoughts.” Abby positioned the computer so her mother could read it.

  Toots had known there was something wrong with that weirdo! “I don’t think this is the same man we know as Dr. Sameer. Ida needs to see this. She’s having sex with him. This is not good. No, not good at all.”

  Toots raced up the stairs, leaving Abby and Chris to discuss Ida’s sex life.

  When Toots reached Ida’s bedroom, she stopped outside the door. This was going to tear Ida up, but better now than later. She rapped on the door before pushing it open. Ida lay sprawled across the bed like a two-dollar drunk. They’d all had too many daiquiris that evening. Toots walked over to the bed, where Ida was cutting some major logs. She hated to disturb her, especially when she was snoring. She’d heard somewhere that waking people who snored was dangerous because they were in such a deep sleep, and it frightened them when they were startled awake. Toots didn’t have a clue where she’d heard that, but thought it was another crock. She nudged Ida on her shoulder. She rolled over onto her side. Her mouth hung open like a treasure chest. “Ida, wake up.”

  She rolled over on her back, legs and arms spread out in the shape of an X. Toots nudged her again. “Ida, this is important. I need you to wake up.”

  “What the hell are you doing in here, Toots? Did Bing come back? What’s wrong?” Sophie, who had heard the banging on the door and finally decided to investigate what was going on, was standing in the doorway.

  Toots poked Ida again. “Ida, wake up. I know you can hear me. Your mouth hangs open when you’re asleep, and you snore like the town drunk. And you’re talking to me. I need you up on your feet. Your armpit hair is gray.”

  Sophie cackled. “And you’re a drunk.”

  Toots laughed, whispering to Sophie, “She’s gonna pay you back someday, and when she does, you better watch your ass.” In a loud voice, Toots said, “Ida, we have some news concerning Dr. Sameer. If you don’t open your eyes and get your skinny rear end out of bed, I’m going to send Sophie downstairs for a pitcher of ice water. Abby and Chris are downstairs waiting for you.”

  Ida sat up in the bed immediately. “Why didn’t you tell me that when you came stomping into my room?”

  “I didn’t stomp. Now toss something over that see-through nightgown you’re wearing and come downstairs. I’ll make another pot of coffee.”

  “Brush your teeth, too,” Sophie shot back.

  “Sophie, don’t you ever have anything nice to say?” Ida asked.

  Sophie stopped in the doorway, considering Ida’s words. After giving a whole two seconds of thought to the question, she replied, “No.”

  “We’ll be waiting for you,” Toots said.

  When they got back to the kitchen, Toots made another pot of coffee while Abby and Chris gave Sophie the highlights of what they’d read.

  “I told your mother I thought he was strange. Too nice. I always felt like he was undressing me with those beady eyes of his,” Sophie said.

  Ida chose that moment to make her grand entrance. She’d cleaned up fast and looked damned good, Toots thought.

  “He wasn’t undressing you, Sophie, most likely he just wanted your underwear.” Ida stopped cold in her tracks when she realized what she had said. “I…I am joking of course. Abby, dear, why are you up so early? Chris?”

  “Sit down, Ida. The kids have uncovered some information. I think you need to hear it.”

  Ida sat down as she had been told. “Listen, if this is about the $3 million, I’ve already contacted the bank. They said they would stop the transfer from going through, so I’m not out any money.”

  Toots, Sophie, Abby, and Chris stared at her for at least ten seconds.

  “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Ida glanced over her shoulder. “Is this what you wanted to tell me?”

  Abby came around the other side of the table to sit next to Ida. “None of us knew about the money. That’s not what we came to tell you, but knowing that just confirms our suspicions. Did Dr. Sameer ask you for money, or did you just give it to him?”

  Ida started to cry, her shoulders shaking as she wept. Abby grabbed a napkin from the holder on the table. “Here. Now go ahead and cry, it’ll be good for you. When you’re ready, you can tell us what happened. We’ll tell you what we know. If we have to, we’ll take this to the police. Right, Chris?”

  “If a crime has been committed, absolutely.”

  “He asked. Well, not really, I guess I offered it to him.”

  Abby smoothed the hair back from Ida’s face. “Tell me exactly what you said when you ‘offered’ Dr. Sameer the money. Think you can remember the details?”

  Ida blew her nose and nodded. “Sammy…I mean Dr. Sameer, whatever his name is, we were just talking o
ne morning a few days ago. He seemed sad. He said the clinic was in trouble. Patients weren’t as plentiful. He feared he would have to close. I didn’t want to see all of his work go down the drain just because of his finances. I think I said I could help him, that I almost felt as though I owed my life to him after he cured me of that terrible germ disorder. He said he couldn’t take my money, that he would go to a bank. I told him the offer was there if he wanted. Nothing was mentioned again until two nights ago.” Ida blotted her eyes with the napkin.

  “Go on, “Abby encouraged.

  “I don’t know if I can. I feel like such a fool.” Ida closed her eyes, her hands trembled. “This is so embarrassing.”

  “Ida, look, you’re not the first woman to be blindsided by a man,” Sophie explained. “Walter was a royal jerk who drank his career away, and when that wasn’t enough, he started using me for a punching bag. Right, Toots?”

  “Yes, the old bastard, may he rot in hell.”

  Ida looked at Sophie, “I’m sorry. I never knew. Sophie, you could have told me. I would’ve helped you.”

  “I know you would, but I was too embarrassed. I was taken in by Walter the same as you were taken in by that so-called doctor. Different situations, but I was just as easily fooled. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

  “Thanks, Sophie. That means a lot coming from you. So do you want to hear the rest?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “Looking back, I can’t believe how gullible I was. Sophie, Toots, you are right when you say I can’t live without a man in my life. I don’t know why, and it’s something I am going to take the time to discover when all is said and done. I know that sounds childish, but it’s the truth. So, Sammy, that was my pet name for him, would send his limousine driver Mohammed to pick me up late at night, then he’d bring me back in the morning. I’ve been sneaking out for months. When I asked you all to let me sleep late in the mornings, it wasn’t because I wanted to enjoy wallowing in bed. I slipped out at night and needed the extra time in the mornings to recover from my nightly adventures, if you will.

  “The day of our first public date, Sammy had said he wanted to ask me something. Being the silly, needy old woman that I am, I assumed he was going to ask me to marry him. When he came with Mohammed to pick me up, I thought we were going to a fancy restaurant, he would propose, and we would live happily ever after. We never made it to dinner. Sammy had arranged for Amala, the ‘daughter’ or whoever she is, to make dinner at his beach house. It was all very romantic. He’d set up a table on the deck, white linen tablecloth, a rose on each dinner plate. There was a bottle of Dom Pérignon chilling. I remember when I saw that, I felt disappointed because it was so…common. Isn’t that tacky? Don’t answer that. I know it is. One thing led to another. I wasn’t in the greatest mood after seeing the champagne, but Sammy didn’t seem to realize that, or if he did, he chose to ignore it. Now, I’m sure that’s what he was doing. Then he smiled and said he had something to ask me. I perked up, thinking I still had what it takes to attract an accomplished man, someone at the top of his profession. I know, I know. So, instead of him proposing, he asked if my offer for the loan was still open. Not in those exact words, but close enough. I felt like a balloon that had lost all of its air. Of course, I had made the offer, and wanting to be a woman who kept her word, when he asked, I said of course. Three million dollars, he said. I felt used, I guess, so I ran out. Sammy found me and brought me back here.