Precipice of Doubt

by Mardi Alexander

  Precipice of Doubt

  Veterinarian Jodi Bowman has lost confidence in her skills after a series of bad outcomes leave her questioning her every move. Her assistant Cole Jameson offers the support she needs to get back on her feet, and as their mutual affection deepens, Jodi wonders if Cole might not be as straight as she appears. Cole lost everything in a workplace romance once before, and she has no interest in allowing history to repeat itself. But can she resist Jodi, and her own heart?

  As wildlife carers Charlie and Pip settle into their new relationship, immigration challenges threaten to tear them apart. When all four women confront the wrath of the Australian wilderness, will love be enough to guide them?

  Precipice of Doubt

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  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

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  Precipice of Doubt

  © 2018 By Mardi Alexander & Laurie Eichler. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13:978-1-63555-129-7

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: August 2018

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ruth Sternglantz

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design By Sheri (hindsightgraphics@gmail.com)

  By the Authors

  Mardi Alexander & Laurie Eichler:

  To Be Determined

  Precipice of Doubt

  Mardi Alexander:

  Twice Lucky

  Spirit of the Dance

  Laurie Eichler:

  Written as Laurie Salzler:

  A Kiss Before Dawn

  Right Out of Nowhere

  Positive Lightning

  In the Stillness of Dawn

  After a Time (YA)

  The Day Cagney Lost Her Wag (Children’s)

  Acknowledgments

  Mardi Alexander:

  Writing with Laurie is never work, although there have been times we have certainly labored. Our collaboration continues to be fun, exciting, and paved with discoveries, heaps of laughs, and midnight conversations built in and around joey feeding times. Laurie, your friendship and generosity in sharing this writing adventure is a gift I regard as most precious. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. xx

  Every animal and person is unique and comes into your life at just the right time, for just the right reason. There have been few more special than Bonnie, who was my inspiration for Lucille. A more gentle, loving soul, with a magical heart and disposition I have yet to meet. To have known you, and have loved you, for ever so brief a time, has been one of the greatest gifts that I have ever received.

  To all the crew at BSB, and for Sandy and Ruth who both pushed to make us, and the story, better—thank you.

  To Michelle, who continues to share my crazy life, the long hours, rescue callouts, and helps me appreciate all that we have. Thank you, babe. xxx

  Laurie Eichler:

  Mardi, it’s all your fault, you know. You planted that seed to make me fall helplessly in love with those joeys, and you’re doing it again with koalas. *smile* And then we started writing together and what a journey we’ve begun. “Get out of my head” is synonymous with “we’ve got a good thing going, let’s write another.” And so we shall. Your friendship, camaraderie, and guidance in all things we manage to get ourselves into is something I will forever treasure and could never thank you enough. xx

  Thank you to Ruth and Sandy for getting this book exactly how we wanted it.

  To those of you who follow me as Laurie Salzler as well as Laurie Eichler, thank you for your support and desire for more. And there will be more.

  I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my wonderful cohorts from WIRES (Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service, Inc.) You guys are a wealth of knowledge and experience that I so appreciate. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Viv, Tony, Teresa, Robyn, Sandra, Vickii, Chris, Pam, and you too, Mardi (to name a few). A simple thank you is not enough, but it’ll have to do for now.

  Dedication

  MA: Bonnie—The cuddliest koala, ever. (17.09.2007–01.03.2018)

  LE: As wildlife carers, we’re forced to make sometimes difficult life and death decisions on behalf of some of the most unique and beautiful creatures on this planet. I have been extremely lucky to partake in the lives of ten orphaned kangaroo joeys (thus far). Every single one of them was a teacher…in life, love, and letting go. This book is for you, Willow, Ash, Rizzo, Zelda, Rizzi, Sampson, Martin, Dorothy, Jamie, and Annie.

  Prologue

  Loud pounding on the front door of the veterinary clinic surgery shocked Jodi Bowman into wakefulness. She blinked a few times in the muted light radiating from her computer screen. She had fallen asleep at her desk. Again. The second time this week. She yawned and wiped drool from the corner of her mouth. Blurgh. Very classy, Bowman. The pounding continued. She stretched in an attempt to wake her body up as she made her way to the clinic’s front door, rubbing tired eyes with one hand, while she disconnected the security alarm and opened the door with her other. A frantic husband and wife team, shadowed by two children aged somewhere between eight and ten, met her at the door. The husband’s arms were full of a small tan and white body wrapped in a bloodstained white towel.

  “Please, Jodi. Our Penny needs your help.”

  Jodi opened the door up wide. She loved her job, but some days it smacked of never ending. She smiled wearily. “You’d best all come on through then.”

  Chapter One

  Ninety-eight, ninety-nine…One hundred laps of the seawater baths were part of Jodi’s morning routine, rain, hail, or shine. It was a peaceful start to the day. No thinking, no planning, just stroke, kick, and breathe. No one to talk to, no questions to ask or answer, no phones ringing. Tap the wall, tumble, push off the wall, and feel the rush of watery fingers drag along her limbs. The tickle of bubbles ran along the underside of her body before her head broke the surface and the physical mantra started again. Stroke, kick, and breathe. Touch the wall. One hundred. She gripped the stainless steel handles alongside the diving block. She emerged halfway out of the water, closed her eyes, and willed her breathing to slow. The early morning sun warmed her shoulders and back as water sheeted off.

  She hefted herself the rest of the way out of the pool, grabbed her towel, and walked around the edge of the pool’s perimeter. There was no dallying this morning. She briefly stood under the freshwater outdoor shower and rinsed off the salt. Her swim was slightly later than usual. She needed to get home, change, and grab some breakfast before she started work at her veterinary hospital clinic in the seaside town of Yamba.

  Turning off the water, she towelled her hair briskly and wrapped it around her waist. When she turned towards the car park she spied a familiar face. Cole Jameson, her veterinary nurse, held two takeaway cups of coffee while sitting on the park bench overlooking the baths.

  Jodi walked quickly to erase the distance between them and laid a hand on her heart.

  Cole wore a mock-exasperated look, although it was slightly unconvincing given she also appeared to be nervous. Wordlessly, Col
e held aloft a coffee cup as Jodi approached.

  Jodi sat down heavily, accepting the offered steaming cup. “You’re a lifesaver. What would I do without you?” She took an appreciative sip and luxuriated in the warmth travelling down to her toes. She hummed in delight and closed her eyes to savour the flavour…and Cole’s presence. Although Cole had worked in her practice for going on five years now, she had to admit that being with Cole outside of the clinic environment was somewhat intimate, for lack of a better word. Which felt strange. Cole was straight.

  Rarely did they see each other outside of work. Which was probably why she had really never noticed how attractive Cole looked out of her baggy scrubs. And that surprised her. She mentally shook her head and wondered when the last time was she’d noticed any woman for that matter. She reckoned it was probably back in her first year at university, maybe. But Cole…

  Cole held up a paper bag, interrupting Jodi’s thoughts. “You’d starve to death and the clinic would be a mess.”

  Jodi looked inside and spied a toasted ham sandwich and proceeded to stuff one half of it into her mouth. “Mm. You’re most likely right.”

  “I know.”

  They sat in companionable silence as Jodi finished her surprise breakfast. “Why are you up so early?”

  “I figured you’d need some refreshment after your early start—or, should I say, late night.”

  “How did—?”

  “And I need to apologize. I picked up the practice mobile by mistake and took it home. So I know you got a call from the Petersens a bit before two a.m. I take it the puppies arrived then?”

  “Mm. Six. By caesarean.” Jodi drained the last of the coffee and put the scrunched up paper bag into the cup.

  “You should have called me.”

  “No point both of us losing sleep.”

  Cole sighed. “Perhaps not, but if you’d have called me you might have gotten home earlier.”

  “Next time.”

  Cole snorted. Jodi acknowledged calling Cole in the middle of the night to meet her at work was most unlikely to happen. Jodi looked after her staff.

  They stood and headed towards the car park. Jodi scrunched up her nose. “Don’t feel bad. You can still be a part of it. I’m pretty sure I left an awful mess behind.” Jodi laughed as Cole rolled her big brown eyes. “Thanks for brekkie. I owe you.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Go home, get changed, and get your butt back to work so you can help me clean up your mess before we open the clinic.”

  Jodi waved. “See you directly.”

  Cole secretly enjoyed surprising her boss after her early morning swim. She’d long known Jodi was a fitness freak but found it funny how she’d never really taken much notice of Jodi’s body before. But watching her glide up and down in the water and stepping out to stand under the shower to clean off after her swim, there was no denying Jodi’s muscle tone and fitness. Perving on her boss in her swimmers was an unexpected bonus to the day.

  The morning had gone better than Cole had a right to expect. In truth, she had expected Jodi to take her to task for taking the practice phone home. Although she’d had a slight ulterior motive, she wasn’t about to voice that to her boss and risk losing her job over it. She and Jodi got on well, working comfortably together in the small but demanding practice. Cole had learned the hard way to tread lightly when it came to employer and employee relations—her last position had cost her everything, engagement, job, and home. Never again would she take things for granted. Work was work. Love was love. Oil and water didn’t mix. Simple.

  Cole entered the vet clinic via the back door and turned on lights as she went. She rounded the corner into the surgical room and came to a halt. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. Jodi hadn’t lied. It looked like a bomb had gone off in the room. Bloodied gauze, towels, and discarded tubing were scattered on the table and on one side of the floor. She couldn’t stay mad at her boss for long though, as she knew Jodi had stayed back until late to make sure another of their patients, a Doberman puppy, had stabilized after surgery when it had been brought in by its owners right on closing time. The puppy had been accidently run over with the family car and had sustained internal injuries. It had been a long and tricky surgery and she knew Jodi had stayed on long after she had been sent home.

  Cole decided to leave the mess until last, after she had everything else cleaned and sorted. She checked on the animals who had spent the night. Several had near fresh IV bags, meaning Jodi had overseen their care in addition to the puppies’ the previous night.

  One of the kennel doors rattled loudly as Popcorn impatiently pawed to be let out. A client, Mrs. Rosa, had asked Jodi if she’d give her beloved dog a home if she became too infirm to care for the little Pomeranian herself. Jodi agreed, never thinking that in a few short years, the elderly woman would succumb to a series of strokes.

  Cole lifted Popcorn down from her cage and let her have the run of the office while she refreshed water bowls and bedding, booted up several computers, and gave the floor a quick mop. With Popcorn at her heels, she set the coffee machine up, knowing it would be in much needed service throughout the day.

  She was midway through putting a load of soiled bedding into the washing machine when she heard the turning of a key in the back door lock, announcing Jodi’s arrival. Popcorn ran in anticipation to the door, her nails clicking on the tiles.

  Jodi’s hair was still damp from her swim and neatly tied up into a loose bun. Her outfit was rounded off with fresh surgical scrubs. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, Jodi had her business face on and strode straight over to the nearest cage. She scanned the patient’s sheet and talked to the matching hospitalized animal. Only when she was satisfied did she look up and smile a greeting to Cole. “Good morning.”

  Cole grinned back at her. “Again.”

  Jodi smirked. “Yes, again. Thank you, again, for my breakfast.” She picked Popcorn up and gave the dog the attention she craved.

  Cole winked at her. “You’re welcome.”

  “On the proviso I shout lunch, and you hand my phone back.”

  Cole held up her left hand, her little finger pointing to the sky, which Jodi interlocked with her own. They pinkie-shook. “It’s a deal.”

  Cole held nothing but respect and admiration for Jodi, knowing how she took each and every patient to heart and gave them the very best care. Long days and nights never seemed to diminish her abilities or her dedication to the job. Silently she retrieved the mobile from her bag and handed it over, albeit sheepishly.

  With a last look around, bar the surgical room, it was time to open the front doors to the public. She looked to Jodi for confirmation. “It’s time. You ready?”

  Jodi straightened her shoulders and rolled her neck. “Too right. Open sesame.” She disappeared briefly to take Popcorn back to her kennel.

  Cole grinned at their long-standing joke that they were a cave that people came to visit, expecting relief, confidence, help, or, sometimes, even miracles. She turned the sign to Open and unlocked the wooden door as well as the screen door. By chance, she looked down and spied an old shoebox on the doorstep with holes punched in its sides. She grimaced briefly, nervous at what the box might contain. No box left on a doorstop ever boded good tidings and good fortune. She retrieved the box and carefully carried it out the back.

  Jodi walked around the corner with two fresh mugs of coffee in her hand. “Whatchya got there?”

  “A delivery. On the doorstep.”

  “Oh.” Jodi stepped closer and Cole cut away the tape holding the box lid down. She opened it up and was greeted instantly by two black and white magpie chicks, necks extended, mouths open wide, screeching and demanding food.

  Cole sighed. “Oh, dear. I better dig out some insectivore mix.”

  The mooing door chime announced a customer. Jodi set the mugs down and patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll get that. I’ll leave you to see what we’ve got in stock to feed these two.”

  Cole mix
ed up a powdered portion with pre-boiled warm water just as Jodi came through the door with another box.

  “Hope you made plenty.”

  Cole looked up. “Huh?”

  “We got another one.” Jodi lifted the lid to reveal a grey fluffy magpie chick wobbling about and demanding food.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

  “I know.” The door chime sounded again. Jodi waved. “Got it.”

  Cole took the box from Jodi and set it next to the first one.

  “You are not going to believe this.” Jodi put another towel-covered box on the bench.

  “Don’t tell me…”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake! What? Is it raining magpies?”

  Jodi shrugged and grinned. “Looks like it’s gonna be one of those days.”

  The door chime mooed again and Cole rolled her eyes. “You better bring me in a cute puppy or kitten next or you’ll owe me dinner as well as lunch.”

  A few minutes later Jodi returned, laughing. “Hope you’re hungry!”

  “You can’t be serious.” Cole looked up from feeding the four already in the box.

  “Serious as a heart attack. Here’s two more for your collection.” Jodi carefully added the newcomers to the box.

  Cole snagged a piece of food with the tweezers and held it over the birds. “Damn! I can’t keep track of which of you buggers I’ve fed and who to feed next.” Cole stared into the box where six magpies screamed with gaping beaks, pushing against each other for the mouthful.