by Cate Beauman
He nodded. “Good. How long did it take them to get over it?”
“I’ll let you know when they do.”
He winced. “Ouch. Do you talk to them?”
She shook her head. “I haven’t seen or heard from them since my first year of medical school.”
“So what’s that? Ten years?”
“Pretty much.”
His family was so close. His parents had supported all of his major decisions. “I’m sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Sure it does. They were foolish not to see who you are.”
She looked down. “Thank you.”
Several strong strides brought them back to the sandy bottom. He stood, stepping to the boggy edge, helping her out.
She tried to pull away, but he stopped her. “Thank you for telling me your story.”
She gave him a small smile. “Like I said, there wasn’t much to say.”
He shook his head. “There was plenty. And I admire you more for it.”
She sent him another small smile. “Your parents must be proud to know they’ve raised such a kind, honorable man.”
“I’ve heard rumors I’m their favorite.”
She grinned. “I’m sure you are.”
“Come on.” He kept her hand in his as they started along the faint path, just able to make out the tip of the cabin’s roof through the overgrowth. “We’ll have to do this again.”
“Yeah. Definitely.” She slowed then stopped. “What’s that?”
“What?”
She pointed east. “That building.”
He caught sight of the corner of the wooden structure. “I don’t know. Want to check it out?”
“Sure.”
They walked a good fifty yards, stopping in the small clearing by the tiny shack that reminded him of an ice-fishing hut.
“This couldn’t be a house.” Reagan dropped his hand, moving closer. “It’s much too small, but it’s in fairly decent shape.” She picked her way through the underbrush toward the door. “Maybe a hunting cabin?” She peeked in the one and only window. “There’s a table and some sort of heating unit.” She stepped back, rattling something.
He recognized the sound as metal, his gaze following the rusted chain. “Stop!” he said as he lunged forward, hooking his arm around her waist, yanking her up before her foot found its way into the trap. Losing his balance, he fell backwards, landing so she fell on top of him.
She stared down at him, her eyes huge. “What are you—what was that?”
“A bear trap.”
She swallowed “Oh.” She pressed her palm to her chest, taking a deep breath, and stood, lending him her hand. “I guess this is a hunting cabin.”
Studying the structure, he shook his head as he gained his feet. “I bet this is an old moonshining place.”
“How did you know about the trap?”
He brushed off his shorts. “We apprehended more than a few fugitives in the woods when I was still on Taskforce. We kept our eyes out for that kind of stuff all the time.”
She nodded.
He walked closer to the rusted metal, picked up a sturdy stick, and activated the trigger. The wood broke in half as the dangerous teeth snapped around it. “People get serious when they don’t want other’s messing in their business.”
“I guess so.”
“Come on.” He turned away and took her hand. “Let’s go home.”
She nodded, gripping his fingers as they walked back through the forest.
~~~~
Reagan’s heart still galloped as she rinsed the conditioner from her hair, thinking of her close call with the bear trap. She and Shane had been home a good half-hour, yet she shuddered again, remembering the slam of rusty teeth snapping the thick branch in half as if it were nothing. That would have been her leg if Shane hadn’t stepped in to save the day.
Her semi-relaxing morning had quickly turned dangerous with the frightening reminder that she was very much an outsider in this odd mountain town. People get serious when they don’t want other’s messing in their business. She chuckled humorlessly as she shut off the water, drawing unfortunate parallels between Shane’s statement and her own situation at the clinic. She was here to help, and no one was happy about it.
Shaking her head, she wrapped herself in a towel and stepped into her bedroom, gasping when she spotted Jenny sitting on her bed. “Oh, you scared me.”
“Sorry.” Jenny’s shoulders sagged in the casual pink t-shirt Reagan had given her from her own stash of clothes.
“That’s okay.” She sat next to her. “Did Faith keep you up last night?”
“No more’n usual.”
She heard Faith cry at two and Jenny get a bottle, but the house had been quiet otherwise.
“You seem upset. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Nothin’s wrong,” she said, her voice quaking.
“Are you sure?”
“Yup.” A tear fell down her cheek.
She scooted closer to the teenager, tucking a lock of long blond hair behind Jenny’s ear. “Jenny, what’s going on?”
She jerked her shoulders. “Nothin’.”
“Where’s Faith?”
“She’s sleepin’.” Her lips trembled.
She took Jenny’s hand. “You can tell me.”
“I made a mistake.”
“Okay.”
She looked at Reagan with shattered eyes. “You’re gonna be mad.”
She gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure I won’t.”
“Shane’s gonna be mad.”
“I’m sure he won’t.” But she was starting to understand where this was going.
“I had sex with Terry.”
She pressed her lips together, absorbing the wave of frustrated disappointment. “All-the-way sex?”
She nodded.
“But you’re still healing.”
“It hurt some.”
“Did he use a condom?”
Jenny started crying. “No.”
Reagan stifled a sigh. “Did he pull out?”
“He said he was gonna but he spewed his seed in me instead.”
She hugged the girl and closed her eyes as Jenny sobbed. “It’s too soon for us to do a pregnancy test.”
Jenny cried harder. “I don’t want no more babies. Raisin’ Faith’s hard enough.”
She drew Jenny away. “Why did you do it, honey?”
“He’s mad at me for stayin’ here and workin’ with you on my schoolin’, and because I said I won’t marry him.”
She plucked a tissue from the box and wiped Jenny’s tears. “You’re making good choices for you and Faith.”
“I sure didn’t last night.”
She shook her head. “No. Not exactly.” She caught another tear. “You don’t have to make Terry feel better by participating in stuff that doesn’t feel right for you.”
“I don’t want to see him.”
“Then you don’t have to.” Now they just had to cross their fingers they wouldn’t be dealing with another pregnancy.
“I’m not seein’ him no more. I’m thinkin’ he wants me to be pregnant so I’ll give up bein’ foolish.” She rolled her eyes.
She had a feeling Jenny was exactly right. “School is not foolish. Providing a future for you and Faith is exactly the right thing to do, Jenny.”
“I know.” She wiped at her cheeks.
“I wanted to run an idea—” Shane stopped in the doorway, frowning. “What’s wrong?”
Jenny looked at Reagan, her eyes pleading for privacy.
“Girl stuff.” Reagan hugged Jenny again. “If you want to talk you know where I am.”
Jenny gripped her tight, sucking in a shuddering breath. “I’m so lucky you’ve taken me and Faith in.”
She ran her hand down Jenny’s hair. “And nothing’s changed. You’re going to keep studying and start your nursing program.”
She nodded.
Reagan kissed her che
ek and handed over a fresh tissue. “Put on your scrubs and we’ll go to work.”
“Okay.” She walked out, looking at the floor instead of Shane.
Shane stepped in and closed the door, taking the spot Jenny had vacated. “What’s up?”
She took a deep breath, dreading the conversation they were about to have. Jenny had the men in her life pegged well: Terry was trying to hold her back, and Shane was going to be mad. “She’s struggling with a decision she made.”
He narrowed his eyes. “She slept with him.”
She held his gaze instead of answering.
“That little bastard.” He rushed to his feet.
She grabbed his arm before he could take a step. “Sit down.”
“Reagan—”
“Don’t you dare say anything to her,” she said in a hissing whisper. “She’ll think I told you.”
“You didn’t have to. I can put two and two together easily enough.” Closing his eyes, he shook his head.
“They didn’t use protection.”
His eyes flew open, and he collapsed back against the mattress. “Son of a bitch.”
“We’ll give her a test as soon as possible.”
“And if it’s positive?”
“We’ll figure it out.”
He scrubbed his hands over his face. “Parenting sucks sometimes.”
She smiled sadly. Parenting did suck sometimes, but this would be as close to the experience as she would ever get. “It’s the hardest job on the planet—or so I’ve heard.”
“Without a doubt.”
She stood, reaching for her robe, realizing she’d forgotten she was only wearing her towel. She slid the mid-thigh-length material over her arms, belting the fabric in place.
Shane rubbed at his jaw. “I’m changing the subject.”
“Okay.”
He sat up. “I have an idea I want to run by you.”
“Sure.” She sat next to him.
“How would you feel if I gave Ethan the name of that doctor you’re trying to track down?”
She frowned. “Why would you do that?”
“Because my boss is a freaking computer genius. If Schlibenburg’s out there, Ethan will find him.”
For the first time in days she felt a stirring of hope. “Really?”
“I’d bet my career on it.”
“Sure. This is great.” She stood, hurrying to her desk, and wrote down his name. “There’s all kinds of information about his work online, but then it just stops. Ethan won’t have any trouble tracking him down until he gets to the last five years.” She walked back, handing over the paper.
He took the paper from her. “I’ll see what he can do.”
“I really appreciate this.”
“No problem.” He frowned, sliding a gentle finger over the half-dollar-sized bruise on her lower thigh. “You got banged up this morning.”
She swallowed, absorbing the rush of heat from his touch. “It’s fine.” She stepped back, holding his gaze.
“How are you doing after our little adventure?”
“Okay. I’m a little shaken up. I never thanked you for helping me out.”
He shrugged. “No big deal.”
“If you hadn’t grabbed me, it would’ve been a whole lot worse.”
He winced. “I don’t even want to think about it.”
“We should probably tell Jenny to stay away from that place. There could be more traps.”
“I’ll let you handle it.” He stood. “I need a few minutes to digest Jenny’s latest development.”
“Okay.”
“I’m going to work out before she heads off to work.”
“Have fun.”
“I’ll talk to Ethan.” He gestured to the paper in his hand.
She nodded. “Thanks.”
He walked out, and she hurried over to her computer, checking her e-mail, noting that Doctor Jacobson had yet to respond to her request for a meeting. None of the other half-dozen physicians she’d contacted had e-mailed her back either. If Ethan could find Doctor Schlibenburg, she might be able to bypass Doctor Jacobson altogether.
Chapter Fifteen
Reagan slid a disinfecting wipe over one of the plastic chairs lining the wall in the waiting area while Jenny did the same on the opposite side of the room, still sniffling. She pulled a tissue from the box on the small table stacked with magazines, tapped Jenny’s shoulder, and handed it over, smiling sympathetically. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” She blew her nose. “I can’t seem to quit cryin’. I’m feelin’ so mad at myself.”
“Sweetie, you made a mistake.”
“A big mistake.”
“We’ve all made them.”
“I let you down. And Shane.” Her lips wobbled.
She shook her head, leading Jenny to one of the dry seats, crouching in front of her. “You’re being awfully hard on yourself. Shane and I were young once. I can promise you we both did things we aren’t particularly proud of.”
“I don’t want more babies right now.” She sucked in several shuddering breaths. “I won’t be able to do nursin’ if I’m tryin’ to feed two mouths and my own.”
She took Jenny’s hands. “You’ll be able to do your nursing, Jenny—one way or the other. Forty weeks is a long time to get plenty accomplished if that’s the way things work out. Either way, I’m not going to let you go through this alone. No matter what, I’m not walking away from you and Faith.”
She nodded and sniffled some more. “I never met someone as kind as you.”
Reagan hugged her tight. “You’re an amazing person. I want you to remember that.” She drew away. “Now go in the bathroom, wash your face, and get out here so you can do your first height, weight, and temperature check on a patient.”
Her red-rimmed eyes grew huge. “On a patient? Other than you and Shane?”
“You bet.” She wanted to cheer Jenny up, but more, she wanted to show her she was ready and capable of this next step. “I’ll be standing right next to you the whole time.”
“Okay.” Jenny hurried off to the bathroom and closed the door.
Sighing, she stood and glanced at the clock, frowning as she realized their first patient of the day was fifteen minutes late. “Hurry and press a cold cloth to your eyes. Eunice should be here any second.”
“I’m comin’.” Jenny opened the door, wiping water droplets from her pretty complexion. “Do I look better?”
She studied Jenny’s pink nose and her slightly swollen eyes. “You’re on your way.”
“Good.” She tossed away her napkin. “I put out the stuff for Eunice’s pap smear, but she might not be comin’.”
Reagan peeked her head into the mauve examination room, giving the small table of supplies a visual once over, making certain Jenny hadn’t overlooked anything she would need for the well-woman appointment. “Why wouldn’t she be coming?”
Jenny rubbed at her arms as she pressed her lips together, her discomfort obvious.
“Jenny, why wouldn’t Eunice be coming?”
“Well, Terry was tellin’ me about Henry. Word’s travelin’ fast through The Gap about him not havin’ black lung. They’re sayin’ the others probably don’t have it neither and that your interferin’ ways are costin’ people jobs.”
Reagan turned away, straightening the cheaply framed picture of meadow flowers. “I see.”
“I didn’t want to tell you.” Jenny hurried around to face her, gripping her arm. “You’re a good doctor, Reagan. You saved me and Faith. You’re helpin’ lots of folks around here who need it.”
“I can’t help them if they won’t come in.”
“Maybe Eunice is just runnin’ behind like you suspect.”
“Maybe.” But it was doubtful. She glanced at the clock again. “Go ahead and put the well-woman kit away. You can take the rest of the day off.”
Jenny shook her head. “I don’t want to leave you. What if you get busy?”
Her second appoint
ment was late as well. “I’ll call you if I get in over my head.”
Jenny hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll come right over if you need me.”
Someone walked up the front steps. “Hold that thought.” She smiled at Jenny, wiggling her brows, more than a little relieved that the rumors swirling around Henry’s case weren’t ruining the progress she’d worked so hard to achieve. “I guess Eunice was just running behind.” Her smile faded and her stomach sank when Shane walked through the door wearing jeans and a black t-shirt, holding Faith.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” she and Jenny said at the same time.
Shane tilted his head, his brow raised in question. “What’s wrong?”
“Eunice didn’t show up for her appointment, and it don’t look like Carrie’s bringin’ her girl in for a check-up either.”
Shane looked at Reagan, holding her gaze. “Huh.”
“Huh” certainly said it all. Shane knew as well as she did that they were back to square one with the people of Black Bear Gap.
“I was gonna take vitals on my first real patient.” Jenny shrugged, but the disappointment in her voice was unmistakable.
“You’ll just have to catch the next one,” he said.
Reagan met Shane’s gaze again as she exhaled a long breath, struggling to hold back her tears. She should have expected this to happen the moment Henry came in here insulting her and telling her she was wrong. Why hadn’t she prepared herself for the town to close rank? The hours and effort she and Shane had put into this place didn’t matter. They would always be the outsiders. In the minds of the people, she and the man staring at her were part of some government conspiracy sent to eliminate jobs. No amount of kindness was going to change that. But Jenny still needed a chance to learn. Swallowing her disappointment, she forced a smile. “Shane’s right. You’ll have to catch the next one, but we can practice on him in the meantime.”
“Again?” Jenny rolled her eyes.
“I’m sure Shane would love to help us out.”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
“Great. Today we’re going to learn how to do a blood draw.”
He frowned. “Wait a minute. What?”
Jenny’s eyes brightened. “This is great. I read about a venipuncture procedure in that book you gave me, but I never saw a blood draw done in real life.”
