“I have a feeling Stevie and Frankie would rather you took Tiny.” Leon turned his head to look at her as he spoke, and his smile made her heart soar.
The anxiety that had held her in a vise had slowly loosened its grip until it was now a nagging doubt. But it wasn’t minor, and it wasn’t going away anytime soon. More than anything, she wanted to confide in Leon. That wasn’t possible for a number of reasons. The first, and most important, one was that Lilith was her patient. Any information they discussed concerning the other woman’s medical condition was confidential. The second reason was that she knew how close Leon was to Alan Grayson. Until she had concrete evidence that malpractice had taken place, she didn’t want to speculate about his friend’s role. And that led her on to a whole host of other reasons. Joy Valeski’s murder might have nothing to do with what she and Lilith had discussed today. Her imagination could be working overtime without reason.
She pushed the dark thoughts aside and returned Leon’s smile. “And I get the feeling you and Tiny are inseparable.”
“I could be persuaded some days. Like when he plays in the creek, then decides the best way to dry off is to roll on my bed.” His gaze became searching and, when he spoke, his speech impediment was more pronounced. “You look more relaxed than when you arrived. Bad day?”
She took a moment to drink in the mood. The beautiful setting and the warm summer evening. Her boys playing happily with the big, goofy dog. The soothing presence of the cat on her knee. And the unfamiliar, but welcome, comfort generated by having someone who cared how her day had gone.
“After I left you in the parking lot of city hall...” She frowned at the memory. It seemed longer than just a few hours ago. “I found out someone had scratched my car.”
“Deliberately?” When she nodded, Leon’s expression went from shocked to angry. “You told Laurie, right?”
“Yes.” The truth was, she hadn’t thought much about the damage to her car in the aftermath of her conversation with Lilith. “But then something else came up. Something I can’t discuss with you.”
He ran a hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration. “This is crazy. I’m a doctor as well. I took an oath. I know that confidentiality must be at the center of the relationship between a patient and their health-care provider, but how can I support you if I don’t know what’s going on with this patient of yours?”
Flora blinked hard, but the action didn’t take away the hard, bright sting at the back of her eyes. Leon couldn’t know what those words meant to her. Since Danny’s death she’d resigned herself to being alone. If she had stopped to think about it, she’d have said she was okay with that. Just me and my boys. Now, all of a sudden, it felt like maybe she needed more.
Someone died. The image of Joy’s bloodied and brutalized body doused her emotions like ice water. It was only natural that having another person to share what she was dealing with would feel good. The fact that the other person had broad, muscular shoulders, just right for sharing burdens and maybe resting her head on at the end of a long, hard day? Well, yes. She had to admit that helped.
Leaning closer to Leon’s chair, Flora placed her hand over his. She intended it to be a fleeting contact. Just enough to reassure them both. Instead, the warmth of his skin on hers acted like static electricity, setting off a chain reaction through her whole body. From the way his eyes widened, she could see it had affected Leon the same way. Heat fogged her brain and her heart commenced a dangerous new beat.
Careful not to let him see how the touch affected her, she withdrew her hand and searched for an insignificant comment. “Laurie is taking care of it and, on a lighter note, I think I’ve finally found a receptionist.”
“Call me old-fashioned, but I’d have thought that, in a center like yours, having someone to do the admin would be an essential.” His smile was teasing. “Maybe even before you opened.”
She pulled a face at him, liking the way they had slipped into this easy, comfortable way of communicating. “We had someone. She worked the morning of her first day, went out for lunch, and never came back.”
“Boy, you must be a tough boss.” Leon shook his head.
Flora choked back a laugh. “There are three doctors at the Ryerson Center, remember? And, once you get to know us, we are all quite nice.”
“Did your receptionist give any reason for her abrupt departure?” he asked.
“When she didn’t return after lunch, one of my colleagues called her. He said she told him there was a family emergency and she had to leave town immediately,” Flora said. “We haven’t heard from her since.”
“Is she from Stillwater? I know most people around here.”
“Her name is Jennifer Webster, but she isn’t from around here. We joked about both being newbies and getting to know the town together. It was sad that she had to leave so suddenly. She seemed fiercely efficient. Actually, she was just fierce. Even her clothes, like her bright yellow scarf that was a bit harsh on the eyes. That first day was so busy and then...” Flora trailed off, aware that she was talking to cover up a sudden discomfort. Her feelings of unease were growing stronger, but she wasn’t sure why. Although the sun was still shining, she felt like a dark cloud had descended. “You don’t think...”
He took her hand, clearly trying to recapture a mood that had been destroyed. “I think it wouldn’t hurt to talk to Laurie about Jennifer and the damage to your car.”
Flora returned the clasp of his fingers, grateful for the comfort generated by his touch. “She said she’d call
