by Darla Jones
After more splashing, car racing, and sand shoveling, LynAnn and her children’s day at the river passed all too quickly for him. When he glanced her way, a feeling deep in his gut told him she was a very special woman. A woman he wanted to get to know.
When their evening meal was over, LynAnn prepared to leave, and he found her toting a sack of toys through the great room and offered to carry it. They headed outside to her Suzuki. “Won’t you change your mind and stay longer? We haven’t had a chance to get acquainted.”
Her big brown eyes widened as if stunned by his invitation, and she gave her head a negative shake. “Sorry, I can’t. They’re expecting me at the hospital in the morning.”
Jeff frowned, “Ah, too bad.” He had to make a play for her right now if he ever wanted to see her again. He couldn’t let this beautiful woman get away so easily. “Perhaps you’ll have a free weekend soon and you could plan to spend some time here. Summer days go fast after the Fourth of July. Jon had a wonderful time with your children.”
At his suggestion her doe-eyes widened again and noting her reaction, he added, “Of course, Jean and Stu could come too.”
“I don’t think it’s possible. Our weekends are booked up.”
He knew a feeble excuse when he heard one, but instead of giving up, he switched tactics. Tactic number two: “Maybe you’ll change your mind. I’ll give you a call sometime.”
“I appreciate your offer, but no thanks. If you’re asking me for a date, I don’t date.” Her refusal was firm. She balked as she threw up the trunk of her car with a little more muscle than necessary and watched him stash the bag of toys inside and slam the lid. Then she spun on her heel and sped back toward the cabin so fast on her short legs, he needed long strides to keep up with her.
Tactic number three: Use her children to tug at her heart strings. “I’m certain your children would love to come back. They had a great time.”
Reaching the porch again, she whirled around so quickly he had to jerk to a halt. Hands on her hips, she craned her neck to meet his gaze. “Mr. Kelley, I’ve made myself crystal clear. The answer is no.”
Strike three. Bemused, Jeff scratched his head wondering what happened. Women never refused his offer for a date.
When LynAnn and her brood were ready to leave, he walked them to her car. “Thank you, Jeff,” both children thanked him for his hospitality and then it was LynAnn’s turn. “Thank you for having us, Jeff. We had a wonderful time.”
He noticed she addressed him by his first name again, and her tone sounded genuine. He ran his fingers over the scratches on his cheek, winked, and gave her a big grin. “I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed myself more.”
Ignoring his reference to their skirmish, she executed a crisp turn and strapped her children into their car seats.
Jeff did a slow front to back scan of her six-year-old car. With a few dings and fading red paint, it had seen better days. He spread his arms in a gesture meaning to encompass the auto. “Stu told me about this car. It’s famous. LynAnn seems you’re quite the car enthusiast.”
She was about to open the driver’s side door, but halted and turned to face him. “What are you talking about?” Puzzled, she made a face.
The man grinned from ear to ear. “Stu told me about following you to the Subaru dealership for a recall on your car. You thought your car was a Subaru.” He slapped his thigh and hooted with laughter. When he finally stopped laughing, he teased, “You own a Suzuki, not a Subaru.”
Sliding into her car seat, LynAnn shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever. As long as it has wheels and gets me from point A to point B, what does it matter? Besides, I knew the name started with an ‘S.’ I was fairly close.”
Clearly, the smart woman had no desire to learn the makes and models of cars, not even her own. Cars were Jeff’s passion, and he found it unbelievable a woman of her intelligence could be so naïve about automobiles.
Everyone waved as they drove off.
The following day at the river proved to be quiet and boring without LynAnn and her children. Jeff wanted to kick his own rump for the terrible fool he’d made of himself asking her for a date. He hadn’t been on a date in months, and he guessed he was out of practice dealing with women. He had dealt with plenty of females in his thirty-five years, but none quite as appealing and intriguing as LynAnn.
After securing the cabin, he and Jon headed back home to Pottersville. A fiery orange sun slung low in the sky like a beacon shedding a saffron glow across the mountains and on the windshield of his beloved BMW. He smiled to himself as an image of LynAnn drifted into his mind. The day with her and her children had been perfect except for the man with a backpack the boys saw by the cave. He knew the man was not a ranger, and he was carrying some sort of listening device. He’d used the same type of instrument during his stint in the marines in Afghanistan.
Chapter 3
“Dr. Samuels, you’re wanted in room three. I’ll bring a suture kit.” LynAnn spoke to the young physician’s back as he studied an X-ray on the light box. Wearing her loose fitting scrubs with her hair hiked up in a ponytail, she was back in her element at St. Luke’s. The ER bustled with activity: phones rang, call bells buzzed, and sick babies cried. The smell of lemon-scented disinfectant saturated the air.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” The doctor continued to study the X-ray. “Come here, LynAnn.” He motioned her to the X-ray box.
Thinking he intended to show her something on the X-ray, she did as instructed. The doctor began pointing out arthritis spurs on the spinal film. “See, here’s a bad spur.” His body moved closer as he spoke and pointed out the area. “Here’s another.” He shifted himself even closer, and she could feel his breath heat the nape of her neck. “When are you through working?” he asked without a pause.
LynAnn tried to move, but his arms were on either side of her, propped up against the light box. “Step back, Dr. Samuels, if you don’t want any trouble.” Her lips pursed, she thrust her balled fists onto her hips and her elevated voice displayed the anger pulsing through her body.
“Heh heh.” He gave a cynical laugh and did as he was told. “I want you to have dinner with me.” His gaze moved from her face to her ample breasts. He licked his lips and then smacked them together as if he wanted to devour them. “Umm, I’m already hungry.”
“Leave me alone. You’re absolutely disgusting,” she spat the words at him. “You’re wanted in room three. A boy needs his arm sutured. We have work to do. Now, let’s get it done.” She spun her petite body around and stomped off to the supply room. She’d worked eleven hours of her twelve hour shift. Only one more hour to go, and then this God’s gift to women doctor pulled his famous stunt. The man was good looking, she supposed, and half the single, young nurses in the hospital chased after him. Then why didn’t he leave her alone?
Dr. Samuels sutured the boy’s laceration with expertise and his professional bedside manner had returned. “The stitches can be removed in a week.” He ruffled the boy’s hair.
“Thank you, Doctor,” the boy’s mother addressed him as though he were a saint and had performed a miracle. With a nod to both her and LynAnn, he strolled from the room.
While LynAnn dressed the boy’s arm, she gave instructions to his mother. “Keep the area clean and change the dressing daily. If you see any redness or swelling, notify your family doctor.” Squelch. The ambulance radio squawked at the nurses’ desk. A male voice announced: “Station 21 here. Arrival time five minutes…” She drew in a deep breath hoping the patient on the way would be the final one of the evening.
When at last her shift was over, LynAnn couldn’t wait to get home and pull her oxfords from her aching feet. As expected, the Fourth of July had been a busy day in the ER. Weary, she trudged through the long basement corridor of the hospital to make her way to the employees’ parking lot. The area was off limits to the general public and because the hospital administrator had issued a conserve-power memo, only a few of the fluorescent
lights illuminated the long eerie hallway. The air was heavy with moisture, and the odor of musty cement blocks filled her nostrils.
Cre-ak. She was halfway down the hall when she heard an eerie sound behind her. Twirling her body around, she saw no one. “Who’s there?” she called out, and her voice echoed back at her. There was no reply and with another spin of her body she set out again, this time at a faster pace. Twenty more quick paces and more unlit lights later, another more distinct sound caught her attention. Click. Click…Footsteps. She turned once more and found no one. Overwrought, her body went as rigid. “Dr. Samuels, if that’s you, I don’t think you’re funny,” she yelled out and again only her own voice ricocheted back.
Her heart throbbing in her temples, LynAnn’s short legs sprinted at top speed down the hallway. Since Dr. Samuels’ shift ended the same time as hers, he was likely the one trying to frighten her. Maybe he thought it was a harmless joke, but she didn’t. Besides, she didn’t trust the man, and she didn’t want to be caught alone with him in the deserted hallway, which felt more like a cold underground mine. Out of breath and her already tired legs burning from their workout, at last she reached the exit door and without glancing back, heaved it open. Glaring daylight greeted her.
Slowing her pace, she had a chance to survey the parking area. Two nurses she knew were near their cars, and they both gave her a wave. When she finally reached her Subaru/Suzuki, whichever it was, she scrambled inside, clicked the door locks, and tried to catch her breath. She observed the basement exit door for a few minutes, but no one emerged. If Dr. Samuels had set out to frighten her, he’d managed quite well. The doctor was more than disgusting, he was perverted. Wrapping her arms around her torso, she forced herself to take long deep breaths and finally when her nerves calmed she started her car and headed home.
****
Once safe at home and after being greeted by her children and babysitter, LynAnn trudged a load of clothes from the basement laundry room and began folding them on the kitchen table. Rap. Rap…tap. She recognized her friend’s distinctive knock at her door, and Jean probably wanted to ask about their stay at the cabin. But as soon as she saw her, she knew there was a problem. Usually bubbly and smiling, the slouch of her friend’s shoulders and the downward slope of her lips told her she had something serious to discuss.
Leaving her laundry, LynAnn waved her to a seat in her scantly furnished living room and sat opposite her on the sofa. Tall and shapely, Jean plunked into an overstuffed chair, crossed her long legs in front of her and ran her fingers through her short curly black hair. “Stu’s been a real grump the last few days. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.” Her pale skin flushed as she threw her hands in the air. “You know he loves kids, especially your Matt. The other day I sorta brought up the subject of starting a family of our own, and he’s been an ice cube ever since.” The more she spoke, the louder and higher pitched her voice became. “I’m twenty-seven, and my biological clock ticks louder every day.”
“Maybe he has problems at work on his mind.” LynAnn tried to make an excuse for Stu. “Why don’t you ask him if anything is wrong?”
“I’ve tried and he says nothing is wrong, but something is eating at him.”
Not knowing what to make of the situation, she frowned and gave her head a frustrated shake. “Give him some time. When he’s ready, he’ll discuss his problem with you. I’m sure you’ll work it out.” Cassie wandered over to her, and LynAnn hoisted her onto her lap. In a princess phase, the little girl wore a pink tiara trimmed with fake fur and huge plastic rhinestones.
Jean nodded and was thoughtful for a bit. “You’re probably right,” she agreed. Then she changed the subject. “Did you and the kids have a good time at the cabin?”
“We truly did. It’s in a beautiful location, and you can tell Stu he didn’t have to worry about us being there alone. Jeff Kelley and his son were with us.”
“What.” Jean’s mouth dropped open and she jumped to her feet so fast LynAnn thought someone yelled Fire.
With two strides of her long legs Jean slid beside her on the sofa. Shaking her head and frowning at the same time, she spoke in a rush, “Oh, LynAnn, I’m sorry. He told Stu he would be in Albany the entire weekend.”
“Jeff didn’t mind us being there, and we had a great time. He’s a nice guy, and he was wonderful with the kids.” She had no idea why Jean was getting so bent out of shape.
Her friend’s dark eyes bulged and her voice raised. “Nice guy,” she repeated the words as if LynAnn had cursed a blue streak. “He’s a womanizer. Keep your distance from him. You’ll only get hurt. Knowing Jeff, I bet he made a play for you.”
LynAnn was stunned by her frankness, but busying herself adjusting Cassie’s tiara, refused to let it show. She shook her head. “No, he didn’t.” Perhaps it was a white lie, but she didn’t want to rile her friend further.
“Jeff treats women like dirt. He wines and dines them all for a fling and then it’s over.” Jean’s hands flew into the air, and once again the volume of her voice escalated. “He dumps them without a second thought.”
“How do you know this?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
“Stu told me, of course.”
LynAnn felt a little pang dig into her breast and quickly dismissed it. What was wrong with her? So Jeff has flings and dumps women, it meant nothing to her. She wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Cassie wandered off and LynAnn jumped to her feet, retrieved the clothes basket from the kitchen and began folding clothes again with a renewed enthusiasm. She didn’t want to discuss the man. Their day at the cabin was over, and she never wanted to hear his name again. No doubt, after she left their meeting four years ago, he scribbled lunatic over his notes and deep sixed them.
Jean’s rant continued, “I’m telling you, the man’s a user. Women are a game to him. He has the art of seduction down to a science. Don’t get me wrong.” She paused as if trying to find the right words. “Stu is very fond of him. He’s an excellent attorney, and his record as DA is flawless. I’ve never seen him in action in the courtroom, but Stu says he can be a real bull if the situation warrants it. Stu admires his courtroom manner, but he detests the way he treats women. Jeff doesn’t mention the women he’s dating to Stu, probably because he knows Stu doesn’t care for his philandering. If Jeff carved a notch in his bedpost for every woman he’s had there, his bed would crumple into a pile of sawdust.”
LynAnn’s mouth gaped at Jean’s critical remarks. “Well, you don’t have to worry about me,” she assured her friend. “I won’t be hearing from him.” She wasn’t interested in men, not any men. Especially not the Jeff Kelley, the DA himself. Besides, she was a package deal, complete with two children and a dead husband. Any man who would consider her dating material would no doubt need a psychiatric evaluation or worse yet, end up on Dr. Phil for millions of TV viewers to feel sorry for the poor chump.
“Not now anyway.” Jean halted long enough to lift Cassie onto her lap. “He’s headed back to Albany again.”
“Have you ever been to the cave at his cabin?” LynAnn wanted to end their discussion about Jeff, yet the cave incident still puzzled her.
“The cave?” Jean snorted. “It’s nothing more than a hole in the side of a hill. Why do you ask?”
“Jon showed it to Matt, and they met a ranger there. Jeff went to check it out, and he seemed upset about the forest ranger being near his cabin.”
Jean shrugged her slender shoulders. “I don’t know why he’d be upset. His property borders state game lands. In fact, I’ve been there when one of the rangers visited his cabin.”
Uncomfortable discussing Jeff, LynAnn rose and changed the subject back to Jean’s problem. “Perhaps Stu is feeling overworked. Could he be working too hard?”
“It’s possible,” Jean admitted and rose to her feet to make her way back upstairs to her apartment. She towered above LynAnn. “I’ll give him some time and see what happens.”
“Stu’s a go
od man. I’m sure everything will work out.” LynAnn tried to reassure her. They were an ideal couple and completely devoted to each other. She reached up to stroke her friend’s cheek, glad the subject of the famous or infamous DA had been dropped. She would never have to deal with him again.
Later, in the evening, after her children were settled in bed, LynAnn opened her computer and brought up her emails. The heading “My daughter I’ve found you” immediately caught her attention. “Oh, my God,” she gasped and quickly read the text: Dearest LynAnn, I’ve been searching for you for years. At last, I found you on the Findyourloved1 web site. I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally find you. Call me as soon as you get this message. We have so much to talk about. Your mother, Debby.
A telephone number followed.
LynAnn’s hands trembled as she reread the message, grabbed her cell, and tapped in the number. After two rings, a female on the other end of the line answered with a cheery, “Hello.”
“Hello, Debby? This is LynAnn. I got your message.” Now her voice shook so hard she could barely speak. “Please, tell me why you think you’re my mother.”
“Oh, my dear daughter, I’m overjoyed with happiness. Your criteria on the web site matches mine. Your birthdate is exactly the day I gave birth to you. You were a beautiful baby. You were born in Arkansas. I live in California now and you have two brothers. We have to meet as soon as possible.”
“Could you tell me the name of the adoption agency you used?”
“It was done privately through an attorney. Were your adoptive parents good to you? I prayed they were. I was so young. Where do you live? I’ll check airline schedules and be there as soon as I can get a flight.”