Pam felt her insides turn to mush. So this is what it’s really like, she thought, enjoying Tom’s deep kiss. After a long moment, they parted and rested their foreheads against each other.
“Whew!” Tom whistled. “We’d better get married quick! I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to hold out!”
Feeling the heat rise from her middle and throughout her entire body, Pam smiled. “About those honeymoon plans. I’ll take a look in the newspaper. The travel agencies usually have lots of ads running on Sundays.”
“Interesting change of subject.”
Pam felt her face burn.
Tom laughed and reached for the newspaper, handing her the travel sections. Eyeing that, and the other thin section of the newspaper, she ignored the fact that the Boston Globe’s Sunday edition was at least triple in size. I’m sure I can get a subscription, she told herself. It’s not a big deal.
Without warning, Tom jumped up, sending the paper he was reading to the floor. Grabbing her hands, he pulled her up. “Let’s go out for breakfast.”
Pam frowned. “Ah, we’re already eating.”
He shook his head and handed her a jacket. “Nah. This doesn’t count. Here, put this on. Before we go, we can check out the barn. I know how you love cows. Maybe Lucy’s close to having her baby.”
Pam shrugged. “Okay. I’ll clean up here first...”
“NO!” Tom practically shouted.
She studied his face. His mouth drew into a tight line and he wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Tom, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he insisted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout. Let’s just go.”
She was about to say she wanted to use the bathroom but the phone rang.
“Ignore it,” he said, taking the jacket and draping it around her shoulders.
“Why? What’s going on?”
The answering machine beeped. “Tom? Pick up.”
Pam recognized Katie’s voice.
“It’s Mom. You may want to look at—” Tom clicked off the machine. Pam didn’t hear the rest of the message, but she still retrieved the newspaper from the floor.
Then she caught the headline. “Boston Doctor Involved in Death of Two Area Teens Returns to Middleton to Wed Local Farmer.”
Truths Unveiled
Truths Unveiled
Chapter Thirty-Four
Tom pulled Pam toward him and held her tight. They stood in the airport’s waiting area, listening for her flight to be called. “I don’t want you to go,” he told her. If he was honest, he’d admit he wasn’t sure which was worse: Boston, because of the distance and their separation, or Middleton where some jerk got his jollies by trying to harass her.
On the outside, Pam seemed to take the article well. Much better than he’d hoped. She frowned when she read it but said little. Nor did she withdraw like he’d seen her do in the past. Sticking to their plan, they went to church. At first, she appeared tense but eventually calmed down. And everyone they met welcomed her warmly.
After the service, they went back to Tom’s house with his parents and the Cartwrights for leftovers from the party the night before. The Housers and a few other area families stopped by later in the day.
On Monday, Tom got back into his routine at the farm and then the rescue station. Fortunately, no major incidents had occurred in his absence. Meanwhile, Pam spent the day at the medical center, filling out forms and taking care of administrative issues. Now it was Tuesday morning. Time for her to head back to Boston.
Though Tom didn’t think the newspaper article was that bad, there was no reason for it. The story was old news. In addition, he was sure it revived Pam’s greatest fears. Instead of stating that Ryan Collins was dangerously intoxicated and the cause of the accident, it reported that the accident was alcohol and weather related. Why?
Tom also wondered about the purpose behind the article. Obviously, the reporter knew Pam was moving back to the area. Why did she, or anyone else, need to be reminded of that horrible incident? At the very least, the reporter could have said she’d been exonerated from any wrong doing. But he didn’t. Just wait until he got a hold of that reporter! Someone put the guy up to it. And Tom was determined to find out who it was.
“I’ve got to go,” Pam whispered. “They just called my flight.” She appeared cheerful but Tom knew she felt exposed. No one wanted people whispering about them behind their back. Unfortunately, though he hated to admit it, that’s exactly what the article served to do. At least Pam would be away from it this week. Providing, of course, there were no other reminders.
That thought made Tom edgy. He repeated the reporter’s name in his head. A freelancer. He wasn’t familiar with the man’s other works. He planned to remedy that and soon! For now, watching Pam start to leave, he pulled out his wallet and credit card. “Wait! I’m going with you!” There was still time. He could fly standby.
Pam placed her hands on his chest and met his eyes. “I’d love that. You know I would. But I’ve got to work. What would you do with yourself there? Think about all the stuff you’ve got going on here: The hospital, the zoning board meeting, and your sons. Eddie mentioned Susan said she’d call and work out a visitation schedule with you.” Pam paused and traced the V neck of his shirt. “It’s what you’ve been praying for.”
Tom held her hands against his heart. Suddenly, he felt a laugh bubble to the surface.
Pam smiled. “Okay, I give up. What’s so funny?”
He shook his head, trying to keep a straight face. “You’re right. I did pray to be reunited with A.J. and Mark. I also prayed to be reunited with you. And suddenly, I have it. It’s all I’ve ever asked for.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Still laughing, Tom leaned his forehead against hers. “And then we have you. All these years, feeling like you did something wrong when you really didn’t. So God sends you back to Middleton, back to me, and we get the accident thing pretty much straightened out. The only problem now is that loose cannon going around trying to dredge up the past!”
Pam giggled. “Clearly, God has His own time table, and His own ideas about what He wants.”
“Either that or He has a wild sense of humor!”
With that, Tom found Pam’s lips and kissed her deeply, inhaling the fresh scent of her skin and shampoo. Please take care of her, Lord, he prayed. Keep her safe and help me do what I need to do in order to help her, A.J., Mark and…
Tom was so caught up in trying to cover every contingency in the prayer that he didn’t hear the boarding call. Pam kissed him and pulled away.
“I love you,” she said, running her fingers against his cheek. “See you soon.”
“Not soon enough.” Tom quickly kissed her again. “Now you’re sure you’ve got a ride home from the airport? And your friend from the car dealership will give you a loaner for a few weeks?”
“I promise. I’ve known him and his family for years.” She blew him one more kiss as she walked backward down the restricted corridor.
“Call me as soon as you land. I’ll be waiting!”
Tom stayed until the 747 lifted into the clouds. Then he made a mental list of all he needed to do.
Walking back to his Avalanche, he felt his cell phone vibrate on his hip. He checked the number, then flipped open the phone. Good. Just the person he wanted to reach.
Truths Unveiled
Truths Unveiled
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Look at you!” Marty Lewis teased.
Pam sat at a table in the hospital’s cafeteria, cheerfully dunking a chocolate chip cookie into a glass of milk. Smiling, she pointed to the chair across from her. “Do you have a second?”
The hospital administrator nodded and sat down. “Three weeks ago, you left here looking like you were on your way to a funeral. And now you’re so…” He searched for the right word. “Bubbly!”
Pam beamed. “You have yourself to thank for that.”
“What ever do you
mean?” he asked, feigning innocence. He busied himself with pouring a packet of sugar into his coffee. Then he glanced up at her. “So tell me what happened in Middleton? Did you like the place?”
Pam held out her left hand. The doctor had been her boss and her mentor for the past decade. Before that, he’d been her orthopedic surgeon. She also considered him to be a close friend. It was he who first told her about Marlene Everett’s move to Middleton and the available ED opening there.
“I guess you did,” Marty bellowed. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Tom Jarrod. He’s Middleton’s chief of rescue operations.”
“And your high school sweetheart?”
Pam blushed. “So you knew.” There wasn’t much Marty didn’t know in the medical community. She was sure he’d been given a full report about her visit.
“Just a few rumors,” he assured her. “Nothing concrete.” Then he winked. “But I take full credit.”
Suddenly, Pam felt sheepish. “You don’t think it’s too soon?”
Marty laughed. “For you? Pamela Harrington, I’ve known you forever. Never in all that time did I ever witness you do anything impulsively. In fact, you are the slowest, most methodical, analyzing, aggravating person I’ve ever met!”
Pam felt the heat rise to her face.
“And with that said, let me add that since he was your high school sweetheart, don’t you think it’s about time? When do I get to meet him?”
Her cheeks burned brighter. “He’ll be up this weekend to help me pack.”
“So, do I take it this is the beginning of your notice?” Marty’s words were businesslike, but his expression told her he was happy for her. She had completed her emergency physician fellowship at Boston Community Hospital the previous year and accepted a year-long contract that contained a renewal clause. She loved Boston Community. The only reason she’d consider leaving would be to work with Marlene Everett. Supposedly in Chicago. Or so she’d thought.
Marty held out his hand. “Congratulations.”
Pam’s eyes filled as she wrapped both hands around his. “You’re the best, Marty.”
And he was. After the accident, when her parents had brought her to Boston, Marty handled all of her surgeries. From the beginning, he took charge of her entire treatment and rehabilitation. Was he also her ticket into Boston Community Hospital after med school? Maybe, but she did graduated third in her class at Harvard, number one went to New York and number two went to Los Angeles. Even in critical analysis of herself, she believed she’d earned it. Still, she felt indebted to this man. His healing touch and constant support played a direct role in teaching her how to walk again and how to excel academically and on the job.
“Middleton’s lucky to have you,” Marty told her. “And so is this fellow. Just be sure to stay in touch.”
“Always,” she promised.
****
Pam arrived back at her condo after seven the following morning. Though tired from a long overnight ED shift, she also felt invigorated. Yes, Sunday’s newspaper article irked her, but she’d come to terms with it. The hypnosis had helped that. It gave her a clearer picture of what happened. She still didn’t have all the answers. But for now, she had enough. People were going to talk. She couldn’t stop it. But she only cared about what Tom, his family and the staff at the medical center thought. If they could handle it, so could she.
Focusing on Tom, Pam’s lips automatically climbed up in a smile. He planned to fly into Boston the next night. They’d spent the past four days apart but constantly connected by cell phone and e-mail. Thank goodness for modern technology, she mused. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy.
As Pam slipped the key into the deadbolt, her front door swung open. “Did I forget to lock up?” Frowning, she walked inside. I guess anything is possible. Things had been so hectic lately. Stepping inside, she suddenly gasped. All her possessions in the living room lay in a heap on the floor, either ripped or destroyed. Granted, she wasn’t the best housekeeper, but even she couldn’t make this big of a mess. Then it hit her! And she knew what had happened.
On instinct, she started to run inside and assess the damage, but then stopped. She knew enough about police procedures to avoid touching anything. Not that the Boston police department had time to check for fingerprints. Burglaries in this city were far too common. But still. Just in case…
Pam’s next thought was to flee. Run outside and call the cops. Call Tom. She reached into her purse for her cell phone, but her hands were shaking so bad it slipped from her grasp. Forcing her hands to steady, she reached down and grabbed the phone to dial 911. Then it occurred to her that the burglar might still be somewhere inside the condo. After all, she had two bedrooms and a den on the second floor. This realization made her leap back from the door to her condo.
Trying to steady her trembling limbs, she tiptoed forward and softly closed her door. Now she needed to call the police.
Then she felt someone seize her from behind. She couldn’t breathe and her heart froze.
“I’ve got you now!” A deep voice whispered in her ear.
Truths Unveiled
Truths Unveiled
Chapter Thirty-Six
Pam screamed at the top of her lungs, kicking and fighting the strong arms holding her tight.
“Hey! It’s me!” Tom turned her around to face him. “What’s wrong?”
It took a second to sink in. “Tom!” Pam gasped. “What are you doing here?”
“More to the point,” he answered, placing a hand on each of her shoulders. “What are you doing? I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay?”
Pam held up a hand. “Just a second.” Relieved to see him, and not the big, bad boogie man she’d envisioned, she paused to catch her breath and try to calm down. “You’re early,” she managed, in between jagged breaths. “I didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”
“That’s called a surprise, silly.”
Vigorously, she nodded. “Believe me. I’m surprised.”
He moved to the door. “Let’s go inside. It’s cold out here.”
“Wait!” She grabbed his arm. “Someone broke in!”
“What!” Tom moved her to the side and entered the condo. “Did you call the cops?”
She held up her cell phone. “I’m doing it now.”
“Good. I’ll be right back. You stay here.”
“Right,” she muttered, following close behind.
When he reached the living room, he let out a loud whistle and rested his hands on his hips. “Yup. It looks like someone paid you a visit, all right. I’ll check the other rooms.” Careful not to disturb anything, he stepped through the mess. Her piles of mail and medical journals lay thrown on the floor along with all the books from the numerous shelves lining one wall of the room. The coffee table lay on its side next to her shattered Lenox coasters and a crystal vase. Seeing them, she thought instantly of her mother who’d given them to her. Barbara would not be pleased.
After making the call and reporting the crime, Pam hung up and rubbed her goose-bumped arms. Where should I start? she wondered. What could be missing? She really didn’t own anything of value. She wore all of her good jewelry. She glanced at the opposite corner of the room. Nope. The television, DVD player and stereo were still there. Crashed and on the floor, but still there.
“Whoever did this is a pig!” Tom ranted from the other room.
She found him in her home office, assessing the damage done to her computer.
“Oh no! I just bought that!” She pointed to an antique stethoscope lying bent and broken on the desk.
“Don’t touch it!” Tom warned.
“I know. Heck, I can’t even get to it. There’s so much crap on the floor. He trashed all the books off these shelves, too!”
Tom held out his hand to her. “Do you notice anything missing?’
It’s hard to tell,” Pam shrugged. Together they walked back to the living room. “I haven’t been upstairs, but I’d
have thought that they would take the computer, even if they wrecked everything else.”
****
“I’ll need a list of what’s missing,” the older cop told her. “Your insurance company will want one too.”
Pam nodded. Again she glanced around at the mess. The thought of cleaning it up boggled her mind. She watched as the younger cop, clearly fresh out of the academy, photographed the broken television and other items. Seeming satisfied, he headed for the next room.
Truths Unveiled Page 17
