Where There's Smoke

by Sandra Brown

  Her stomach dropped. “Nothing’s going on!”

  “No? Then why all the rushed, breathless explanations when I came into the kitchen? I haven’t heard such fast talking since Drenda Larson’s daddy caught us in his hay barn when we were thirteen.”

  “Bowie’s an employee. We were talking business.”

  “Okay, I’ll believe that,” Key said, his cocky grin back in place. “If you’ll believe that all Drenda Larson and I were doing in that haystack was looking for a needle.”

  Lara’s prediction proved correct.

  A week following Letty Leonard’s funeral, the media moved to greener pastures to graze on other personal disasters and dilemmas. During that week, however, Lara had been hounded each time she stepped across her threshold. Sheriff Baxter had done his official duty, albeit grudgingly, and seen to it that the reporters and cameramen stayed off her property. But their presence on the public street made her a virtual prisoner at the clinic.

  The TV network affiliates from Dallas and Shreveport had filed stories that were aired on national newscasts, but Lara Porter and the key role she’d played in the downfall of Senator Clark Tackett five years earlier only rated fifteen seconds of air time in the last few minutes of the newscasts. She’d lost her rank as a lead story.

  The Leonards, too, had been thrust into the spotlight but had hired an attorney to do their talking. He was a wet-behind-the-ears graduate of Baylor Law School who had only recently passed the bar. He rose to the occasion, however, and wasn’t intimidated by being in the limelight. Stubbornly and repeatedly, he told reporters that his clients had no statements to make and were trying to deal with their bereavement before addressing the question of liability for their daughter’s death.

  Lara had done some intensive soul-searching. It had been a judgment call as to whether to use an anticoagulant on Letty. After hours of review and research, she stood by her original decision. However, in order to ease her mind, she conferred with the emergency room doctor who had next tended to the young patient. He backed her decision and assured her he would testify to such if it ever became a matter of litigation.

  As days passed and Lara didn’t hear from the Leonards’ lawyer, she hoped that the rumor of the malpractice suit against her was just that—a rumor. No doubt it had been spawned by one of the Tacketts. Her repeated calls to them had rendered nothing and only increased her frustration. Jody Tackett was either indeed too ill to take a telephone call, or she had good liars protecting her.

  Lara had spoken to the housekeeper and to Janellen, but she hadn’t seen or spoken to Key since the night he’d brought Helen Berry to her. He probably thought she’d been joking when she mentioned his taking her to Central America. Another opportunity to broach the subject hadn’t presented itself, but her determination hadn’t wavered one iota. It was just that so many other events had temporarily distracted her.

  When she had awakened this morning, the last of the TV vans was gone, but because of the negative publicity, the patients with appointments had called to cancel. It was difficult to remain optimistic about cultivating a practice when she couldn’t get people inside her door. She and Nancy went through the motions of working, but they had more idle time on their hands than either wanted to acknowledge.

  By midafternoon she left her private office with the intention of dismissing Nancy early. Nancy, surprisingly, was speaking to someone in the waiting room.

  “We’d like to see the doctor right away. I know we don’t have an appointment, but then you’re not exactly overflowing with patients, are you?”

  The strident, condescending voice belonged to Darcy Winston.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “May I help you?”

  When Lara spoke from the doorway, Darcy turned. She wasn’t as flawless close up as she’d appeared on the school auditorium stage. There were faint crow’s feet around her eyes and frown lines across her forehead. She had artfully applied cosmetics, but her face bore unmistakable traces of hard living and deep-seated bitterness.

  Lara had formed an unflattering opinion of Darcy Winston’s character, but knew from experience that such bias was unfair. Trying to keep an open mind, she smiled and extended her hand. “Hello, Mrs. Winston, I’m Lara Mallory.”

  Darcy raised one carefully penciled eyebrow inquisitively. Lara explained how she recognized her. “I heard you speak at the town meeting. You were extremely convincing.”

  Again Darcy communicated by using her eyebrow. She gave Lara an arch look, obviously trying to guess how much she knew about her “intruder.”

  Lara turned to the girl standing beside her mother. “And your name is Heather, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Heather.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Heather’s the reason we’re here,” Darcy said.

  “Oh? What’s the problem?”

  “I want you to put her on birth control pills.”

  “Mo-ther!”

  The girl was mortified, and Lara didn’t blame her. Unfortunately, Darcy was living up to Lara’s expectations. She was a first-class bitch. Wanting to spare Heather further embarrassment, Lara asked, “Nancy, which examination room is ready?”

  Nancy was eyeing Darcy, her expression sour. “Three.”

  “Thank you. Heather?” Smiling, Lara pulled open the connecting door and held it for the girl. Darcy fell into line behind her.

  “Mrs. Winston, you may wait out here where you’ll be more comfortable. Nancy will need some information from you in order to start a patient file on Heather. If you like, she’ll get you something to drink while you wait.”

  “She’s my daughter.” Her tone made it obvious that she was accustomed to intimidating people and getting her way.

  “And this is my office,” Lara said with matching imperiousness. “Heather is my patient. I respect and protect the privacy of my patients.”

  Without another word, she closed the door on Darcy’s tight, angry frown and showed the girl into the examination room. She left her there with Nancy, who would see that she was undressed, draped, and weighed before taking her blood pressure and collecting specimens of urine and blood.

  Nancy summoned Lara from her office with a light tap on the door. As she moved back toward the waiting area, Nancy whispered, “How am I supposed to pacify Bat Lady?”

  “Throw her a small rodent.”

  Nancy gave her a thumbs-up sign. She went into the examination room where Heather was warily perched on the end of the table. “Everything okay?”

  “Fine, I guess. I don’t like having my finger pricked.”

  “Neither do I.”

  “It’s better than having blood drawn from your arm, though. I hate needles.”

  “They aren’t my favorite things either.”

  “But you’re a doctor.”

  “I’m a person, too.”

  The girl smiled, more at ease now.

  “When do you start cheerleading practice?”

  “How’d you know I was a cheerleader?”

  “The booster club sent me an application for membership.” Lara examined her eardrums with an otoscope. “I saw your picture.”

  “We start practicing next week.”

  “So soon? Say ‘ah.’ ” Using a tongue depressor, she looked at Heather’s throat. “School doesn’t start for another month yet.”

  “Ahhhh. Yeah, but we want to be good. Last year we won several trophies.”

  “Swallow for me. Any tenderness in your glands here?” Lara asked as she felt Heather’s neck.

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Good. Take care of your throat. If you notice any soreness, let me know. Sore throats and hoarseness are inherent to yell leaders.”

  “Okay. Sure.”

  Lara lifted the drape and placed the stethoscope beneath Heather’s left breast. The girl gasped. “I know it’s cold,” Lara apologized with a smile. After listening to her heart, she moved to her back to listen t
o her lungs. “Take several deep breaths through your mouth, please. That’s good.” After a moment she moved once again to stand in front of the girl. “Are your periods regular?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Heavy?”

  “Usually just the first and second day. Not after that.”

  “Do you have cramps?”

  “Yeah. Really bitchin’.”

  “Do you take something?”

  “Midol, aspirin. Stuff like that.”

  “Does it help?”

  “I’ll live,” she replied with a grin.

  Making Heather as comfortable as possible on the table, Lara summoned Nancy from the waiting room to assist her with a breast check and a pelvic examination.

  “This is gross,” Heather said as Lara guided her feet into the stirrups.

  “Yes, I know. Try to relax as much as possible.”

  “Right,” Heather said sarcastically when Lara opened the speculum.

  When she was finished, she left Heather to dress and returned to her office. Heather joined her there a few minutes later. Lara indicated the sofa and sat down beside her, creating a mood that was more friendly than clinical.

  “Why do you want to go on birth control pills, Heather?”

  “She wants me to.”

  “Your mother?”

  “She’s afraid I’ll get pregnant.”

  “Is that a possibility?”

  Heather hesitated. “Well, I guess. I mean, I have a boyfriend… and we, you know.”

  “I’m not asking to be nosy,” Lara told her gently. “I make no moral judgments. I’m a doctor who needs to decide what’s best for my patient. The only way I can do that is to have as much information as possible.” She let that sink in, then asked, “Are you having sexual intercourse?”

  Heather looked down at her tightly clasped hands. “Not yet.” Then she furtively glanced at the closed door. “She thinks we already have. I’ve told her we haven’t, but she doesn’t believe me.”

  Once she began, the words poured from her, crowding one another in their rush to get out. “She caught Tanner and me making out in the living room. We weren’t doing anything. I mean, I had taken off my blouse and bra, and Tanner had taken off his shirt, but by her reaction you’d have thought we were totally naked, that she’d caught us actually doing it.”

  Suddenly her eyes swung up to Lara. “Oh, jeez, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say it that way. I didn’t link it to you and Senator Tackett.”

  “No offense taken,” Lara said quietly. “This is about you, not me. When your mother found you and Tanner, she jumped to the wrong conclusion, is that right?”

  “To put it mildly, she went totally apeshit,” Heather said, rolling her eyes. “She screeched so loud she woke up my daddy. He ran downstairs, bringing his pistol, thinking the house had been broken into again.” She shoved back a handful of glossy auburn hair. “It was awful. Tanner kept telling them that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, but Mother threw him out of the house and hasn’t let me see him since. I’ve been grounded. She took away my car keys and my phone.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “I might as well be in Siberia. It’s awful! And I didn’t do anything! She looks at me like I’m a, you know, a whore. Daddy’s tried to make peace, but she doesn’t easily forgive and forget. I’ve told her a million times that I’m still a virgin. Technically, that is. Tanner’s, you know, used his finger, but not his…”

  Lara indicated her understanding with a nod.

  “But Mother doesn’t believe that. This morning she told me we were coming to you, and I was going to start taking birth control pills whether I liked it or not. She said if I was going to screw around, at least she wasn’t going to get stuck with a grandkid to raise.”

  Lara empathized with the girl because Darcy’s sentiments echoed those of her own parents. The message had been: Do whatever you want, just don’t get caught and thereby inconvenience us. Heather sniffed wetly. Lara passed her a box of tissues. “I miss Tanner so much. He loves me. He really does. And I love him.”

  “I’m sure you do.”

  “He’s so sweet to me. Not like her. Nothing I do pleases her.”

  Lara waited while Heather noisily blew her nose, then said, “I see no problem in prescribing the pills for you. You appear to be in good health.”

  “They’ll make me fat, won’t they?”

  Lara smiled. “Weight gain can be a side effect, but I doubt that will be a problem for a young woman as active and energetic as you.” She looked intently into the girl’s face. “Aside from the physical aspects, I want you to be psychologically prepared for this step. Are you certain that this is what you want, Heather?”

  Again, her eyes darted toward the door. “Yeah, it is. I mean, Tanner’s promised that he’ll use something, but if I was taking pills, too, no way could I get pregnant.”

  “Just remember that the pills don’t protect you from sexually transmitted diseases. If you’re going to be sexually active, I suggest using a condom every time, even with a steady boyfriend. Encourage your friends to do the same.”

  She wrote out the prescription form, then together they moved toward the waiting room. Darcy was impatiently thumbing through a magazine. She tossed it aside as soon as they entered.

  “Well?”

  “I’ve given Heather a prescription for oral contraceptives and asked her to come back in six months just to see that everything is okay. Of course, she’s to call me if she has any negative side effects or discomfort.”

  “You were in there an awfully long time.”

  Lara refused to be defensive. “Your daughter is a delightful young woman. I enjoyed talking with her. Which reminds me, I’m interested in implementing some health education programs at the high school. As president of the school board, would Mr. Winston be open to hearing my ideas?”

  “You’ll have to ask him.”

  “Then I will,” Lara replied graciously, in spite of Darcy’s curtness. “I’ll contact him as soon as the semester begins.”

  “How should I handle the bill?”

  “Nancy will take care of it now.” Lara turned to Heather. “Good luck with cheerleading. I’ll be watching you from the grandstands.”

  “Thanks, Dr. Mallory. I’ll wave at you.” She grinned, then added, “It still feels weird calling a lady ‘doctor.’ ”

  They were several blocks from the clinic before Darcy broke the antagonistic silence with her daughter. “Well, you two certainly seemed chummy when we left.”

  “She’s nice.”

  Darcy snorted. “Clark Tackett thought so too, and look where that landed him. She’s nothing but trash. And trouble.”

  Heather turned away to gaze out the window.

  Most of Darcy’s criticism arose from jealousy. She hadn’t expected or wanted Lara Mallory to be so charming. She was cool and classy. Every subconscious gesture bespoke good breeding and social training. She was so damned tidy that she’d made Darcy feel like she needed a bath. She was slender as a reed, and probably had not an ounce of cellulite clinging to her thighs. Her hair was thick and healthy. Her seemingly poreless skin was taut. From a woman’s standpoint, there was a lot there to envy.

  But what would a man, specifically Key Tackett, see in her? Her figure wasn’t voluptuous. She had a candid gaze, like a man’s. Or did her eyes assume a sultry mystery when she was with a lover?

  After making up her mind to visit Lara Mallory, Darcy had been forced to wait a week before doing so. Heather and Tanner had provided her the perfect excuse, but then the Leonard kid had died and the town had been in upheaval. Everyone was watching Lara Mallory. Darcy decided it would be smart to wait until the dust had settled. She wanted an up-close and personal look at Dr. Mallory, but without the whole town knowing she was curious.

  Was Lara Mallory Key’s new squeeze? Dammit, she’d come away as mystified as before. The doctor seemed too cool to appeal to Key’s lusty nature, but looks could be deceiving. And there was no acc
ounting for taste, particularly a taste for women, which she knew was unique to every man.

  So all Darcy had to show for her meeting with Lara was Heather’s dewy-eyed admiration for the woman who might have snatched Key away from her. Not that she’d actually been in a position to claim ownership of him. He had picked her up in a bar and slept with her only once, but she believed that they had a future as lovers. Without the interference of another woman, it could happen. Lara Mallory might jinx it.

  “Did y’all talk about me?” Darcy asked Heather peevishly. “I’ll bet you made me out to be a bitch.”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “What did you say about me?”

  “Nothing. Except general stuff.”

  “Then what did you talk about that took so damn long?”

  Heather sighed with adolescent resignation. “We talked about cheerleading and my periods and Tanner and becoming sexually active and stuff.”

  “What did she say about you becoming sexually active?”

  “That she didn’t make moral judgments.”

  “At least she’s not a hypocrite. That’d be the pot calling the kettle black, wouldn’t it?”

  “I guess.”

  “I thought you’d probably hear a sermon against going on birth control pills at your age.”

  “No,” Heather said wearily. “She only lectured about condoms.”

  “Condoms?”

  “Uh-huh. Mom, can I please have my phone back now?”

  “What did the doctor say about condoms?”

  Heather shot her a mutinous glare, then recited hurriedly, “That they’re still the best protection from disease and that if me and my friends are going to sleep with our boyfriends, we should always use them.”

  “She told you to have a condom handy just in a case a date turned into sex?”

  “Something like that,” Heather said, shrugging with unconcern. “Can I please have my phone back, Mommy? Please? And my car keys?”

  A glimmer of an idea winked on inside Darcy’s head. She regarded it from all angles and decided it was worth saving and nurturing. Smiling and feeling more like her old self, she reached across the console and patted Heather’s knee.