Perfect Stranger: Mason Creek #17 Read online

  “Where am I?”

  “You were in an accident and we’re getting ready to transport you to the hospital. Is there anyone we can call?”

  “No.”

  I heard people speaking in the distance but I drifted away again. When I awoke, bright lights burned around me.

  “Hello there. You’re back.”

  I blinked, clearing my vision and then looked into a pair of beautiful eyes. They were green and fringed with dark lashes. Why couldn’t my lashes be thick like that? Men had all the luck.

  “Can you hear me?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Good. I’m Dr. Campbell and you were in an accident. You have a few cracked ribs and a broken leg. Your leg is stabilized for now, but you need to have surgery. Tonight.”

  “No, I can’t do that. I have to leave.”

  “You can’t leave. Your leg needs to be repaired. If you don’t have the surgery, it could have serious consequences for you.”

  “Like what?”

  “Infection, permanent damage, and other things.”

  I got the impression he wasn’t telling me everything. “And what else?”

  His eyes met mine, and they softened. “Your bone is broken and the bone has ruptured the skin. The orthopedist is on his way in now.”

  “You don’t understand. I can’t. My daughter.”

  “Miss Abercrombie, you don’t understand. Caring for your daughter in your current condition isn’t possible. This surgery isn’t elective.”

  “But, I don’t have anyone that can take care of her.”

  He smiled. “Then it’s a good thing this accident happened where it did.”

  “Where’s that?”

  “Near Mason Creek, Montana.”

  “What’s so special about that?”

  “You’ll soon find out, but one thing’s for sure. You won’t have to worry about your daughter. There are plenty of people around who will be willing to help.”

  I pulled the sheet up to my chin. “But I don’t even know them.”

  “It will be fine. I promise.”

  He patted my hand and left. It was much later when he came back in with the specialist. By then, I was woozy from the pain medication they’d given me.

  “Are you the orthodontist?”

  A chuckle came out of both of them. “No, I don’t fix crooked teeth, but I’m pretty good with broken bones.” He grinned.

  “Oops. I’m so messed up from that pain stuff they gave me.”

  “It’s okay. I hear all sorts of things in here. I’m Dr. Mayfield and I’m going to get you walking again.” He was an older gentleman, I’d say in his early fifties. His hair was silver on the temples and he was handsome too, but not anywhere close to Dr. Campbell.

  “My daughter…”

  “Will be fine. We’re working on that now and as soon as we have those details for you, we’ll take you to surgery.”

  Dr. Campbell’s phone dinged and he answered it. I listened in and when he hung up, he said, “Your daughter is going to be fine. Jessie Carlson is on the way over. Her husband is my partner in our medical practice and she has two kids. It can’t get any better than that.”

  We waited for this Jessie lady to arrive and when she did, the whole place cheered up. She was bright, vivacious, and reassured me that Claire would be fine. “I have a two-month-old sleeping at home. My parents live here and they love kids. Claire will be in great hands. All I need to know about is her diet. Does she have any allergies or restrictions?”

  Claire was two and a half and on regular food, so I passed that information along. “I feed her everything. She has all her teeth and isn’t a picky eater.”

  “Perfect. I’ll collect her and be out of here. When you’re coherent again, after surgery, I’ll bring her in for a visit.”

  I cried my thanks but then thought about what I faced ahead. This wasn’t good. What if he found me now that I’d had to stop. I’d have to think of something once this surgery was over.

  Chapter Three

  MILLER

  I stayed with the patient, whose name was Mariah Abercrombie, until they wheeled her into surgery, and then went home. The image of her as she lay on the gurney wouldn’t leave. She’d suffered a compound fracture of the tibia and it would need repair. Surgery would be followed by rehab, if everything went well. I didn’t envy her.

  Miles called to let me know Jessie had Claire settled in and all was fine.

  “Are you two going to be able to handle this?”

  He chuckled. “Parker woke up and thought Jessie had another baby, but wondered why this one had teeth and was so big.”

  I joined in on his laughter. “How did you answer that one?”

  “We explained she was only staying with us for a while. He was happy because he said girls aren’t as fun as boys.”

  “Yeah, I wonder how long that will last.”

  “So do we. Anyway, how is the patient?”

  “Man, her leg is a mess. It is weird how she is super reluctant to give out any family information.”

  “Miller, maybe she’s like me and doesn’t have any.”

  “I thought about that, but it’s an overreaction for her.”

  “Maybe she’ll open up when she is more lucid. Anyway, we can talk about it tomorrow.”

  I went home, and when I got there it dawned on me I’d never stopped at the store. I’d have to do it tomorrow. It was late and sleep was calling.

  On the way to work the following morning, I stopped at Java Jitters and grabbed a coffee with a couple of muffins to get me going. Jessie wasn’t in, and I didn’t expect to see her. She was probably busy arranging for her parents to care for the kids.

  “I heard you and Miles had a busy night,” Poppy said. Poppy was Jessie’s right hand and part business owner. She’d been there from the start and after Henry was born, Jessie offered her a percentage of ownership, which she’d gladly accepted.

  “You must’ve talked to Jessie.”

  “Yeah, and she’s not coming in today. She and her mom are trying to get the little girl settled in. They need to get some things for her as this was unexpected. The mother didn’t have a portable crib in her car, so they’re off to shop.”

  “I’m so thankful she’s able to take care of the child. Her mother was so worried last night.”

  “As I would’ve been. It’s so sad she doesn’t have any family to come and help.”

  “I agree. Well, I’d better get to work.” I grabbed my order and left.

  When I got to the office, the waiting room was already filling up. This place was never slow. It was great though, as we saw all types of illnesses and other things. It kept our skills sharp as physicians.

  Miles strolled into the kitchen. “Any word on the patient?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t called in yet,” I said, after swallowing a bite of muffin. “Ever since I came to Mason Creek, my diet has gone to hell.” I held up my muffin.

  “Those things are difficult to avoid if you’re in Java Jitters.”

  “Tell me about it. Anyway, as soon as I finish this, I’m going to give the hospital a call.”

  “Let me know.” He disappeared out of the room and I followed soon after.

  The hospital informed me the patient had made it through surgery but was having a difficult time. She kept asking about her daughter and worried someone had taken her. “Is there a way you can come by today? She needs some reassurance.”

  “Sure. I’ll swing by at lunch.” Turned out I wasn’t able to make it until the end of the day. We were slammed. Miles took my last patient so I could leave to see her.

  When I walked into her room, a nurse was with her.

  “Hey. Looks like you need a friend,” I said.

  “Where’s Claire?” Her voice quivered.

  “She’s fine. She’s with Jessie and Miles Carlson. He’s the other local family physician. You honestly don’t have to worry about her.”

  She grabbed my hand. “Are you
sure? You’re not just saying that, are you?”

  “Of course not. Why would I do that?”

  Her fingers rubbed a spot over her eyes. “I don’t know. It’s just that I don’t know any of you.”

  “I understand.” Then an idea struck. “Hold on a second.” I grabbed my phone and FaceTimed Jessie. I prayed she wasn’t too busy to answer.

  “Why are you FaceTiming me?” she asked, grinning.

  “I’m in Mariah Abercrombie’s room at the hospital and she’s worried about Claire. I wanted to reassure her everything was fine.”

  “Oh. I’ll be happy to show her Claire.”

  I handed the phone to Mariah and she and Jessie chatted while she watched Claire playing with Parker. Henry was in a baby seat in the background.

  “You have no idea how grateful I am you’re doing this,” Mariah said.

  “Please don’t worry about her. She’s fine and is an absolute joy. My mom was here today and Claire already has her wrapped around her pinkie.”

  Mariah pressed a hand to her heart as tears bubbled from her eyes. “I’m so happy to hear that. I’m not sure where my phone is, or any of my things, but if Dr. Campbell wouldn’t mind, I’d love to FaceTime with you every now and again.”

  “I’m happy to do that, and as soon as you’re up to it, I’ll bring her in to see you.”

  “I don’t know what to say or how I’ll ever repay you.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that. We’re all happy to help.”

  Mariah handed the phone back to me and I thanked Jessie as well.

  “Did that offer you some relief?” I asked after we’d ended the call.

  “It did. I just don’t know what to say. Everyone here has been so kind.”

  I pulled up a chair and took a seat by her bed. “That was one of the reasons I moved here. I came out for what I thought was going to be a few weeks and here I am, a permanent resident. I bought into Miles’s practice so I’m a bona fide Mason Creeker now. You can’t beat the people here. They’re wonderful.”

  She stared at me for a second, then her fingers picked at the sheet.

  “Is everything okay? There was something I wanted to discuss with you. When we looked at your X-rays last night, we noticed you have more than a few healed bones that had been broken in the past.”

  Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “No, it’s nothing. I’m just super clumsy.”

  Those weren’t healed bones from being clumsy. They resembled those of someone who’d been abused and I wondered if that was why she wouldn’t admit to having any family. I hadn’t told Miles of this, because I wanted to talk to her about it first.

  “Mariah, you can talk to me and I won’t breathe a word to anyone. I can’t. It’s doctor-patient confidentiality, not to mention HIPAA.”

  Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine and it was obvious she didn’t trust me by the way she bit her lip and kept fidgeting with the sheet.

  “If you don’t want to talk now, just know I’m here anytime you want.”

  Large blue eyes met mine as she nodded. “It’s nothing, really.”

  “Fine, but if you change your mind, I’m here.”

  We both knew she was lying, but I wasn’t going to press her. She had enough to deal with as it was.

  Chapter Four

  MARIAH

  After Dr. Campbell left, I slept. The nurse woke me up several times but I promptly fell back asleep each time. It was the longest I’d slept since… I couldn’t remember when.

  The room was bright when I woke. A nurse stood by the bed, calling my name.

  “Ms. Abercrombie, we want to take you to X-ray. The doctor would like to see the results of the surgery.”

  I glanced around and saw two men in the room. Alarm bells clanged in my head.

  “Who are they?”

  “They’re going to take you to radiology and bring you back here.”

  “No.” My mouth pressed into a thin line. I wasn’t going anywhere with those strangers.

  “But ma’am, the doctor has ordered another X-ray.”

  “I don’t care. I won’t go anywhere with them.”

  One of them stepped forward and said, “Ma’am, all we want to do is wheel you down to radiology, get a couple of quick views and we’ll bring you right back here.”

  “No.” I’d seen movies where people had posed as medical personnel and done all sorts of crazy things. “I won’t go.”

  They murmured something to the nurse and all three of them left my room. The nurse came back later, accompanied by Dr. Mayfield.

  “Hello there. I hear you don’t want to go to X-ray.”

  “Not with those men I don’t.”

  Dr. Mayfield told the nurse, “Have them bring the mobile unit in here.”

  She left and when we were alone, he asked, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  “Not really.”

  “Ms. Abercrombie, has something happened here that has frightened you?”

  “I don’t know those men and I’m helpless with this leg.”

  “I see.”

  “I don’t think you do.”

  “If you tell me, perhaps I can help.” His friendly eyes almost made me spill the beans, but I’d learned long ago what happened when I did that.

  “When can I get out of here?” I asked instead.

  “After I look at your X-ray, I might have a clearer answer to that. It will depend on whether or not you’ll need more surgery and how much rehab you’ll need.”

  “More surgery?” I asked, loudly.

  “Ms. Abercrombie, let me explain. Your tibia was broken in several places. I did the best I could last night, but sometimes, a second surgery is necessary to fix the bone in place properly.”

  I swallowed the thick glob of dust that had accumulated in my throat. “My leg’s not just broken?”

  “I’m afraid not. You have multiple screws stabilizing it and we need to make sure they were placed correctly. Healing is going to be a long process.”

  I vaguely remembered someone saying something about that. “Jesus. What am I going to do?”

  “You’re going to stay here until you’re well enough to leave.”

  “The police?”

  “What about them?” His eyes dug into mine.

  “Were they called in?”

  “Of course. That was a terrible accident on the interstate.”

  “Oh no.”

  “Ms. Abercrombie, have you done something illegal?”

  “What? No!”

  “Your questions make me curious about that. What are you afraid of then?”

  “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

  Someone knocked and then a man wheeled in a machine.

  “Ah, here he is,” Dr. Mayfield said.

  He began to walk out but I yelled, “Where are you going?”

  “I have to step outside in order for the X-ray to be taken. I’ll be in the hall.”

  I nodded and the other man said, “I have to slide this plate under you.”

  He was as gentle as possible, but pain still shot up and down my leg. He held a button attached to a cord and went out of the room. “Don’t move,” he said as he left.

  I heard the machine hum for a second and he was back in. “I’m going to do two more views.” He moved the angle of the machine and instructed me not to move. This was repeated once more and he pulled that thing out from under my leg. “All done.” He smiled and Dr. Mayfield came back in.

  “These should be back soon but I want the radiologist to view them with me. I’ll come and talk to you afterward.”

  Left alone with my thoughts, I wondered if I’d overreacted to those men. Too much had happened to me in the past because of him so I didn’t think so. I could never be too careful. Even if he found me here, the chance of him finding Claire was slim.

  I dozed off again until Dr. Mayfield returned.

  “I have good and bad news. The good news is the screws we placed look good, but it looks like
we’ll have to go back in and place a couple more.”

  “When?”

  “As soon as possible. It has to happen before too much healing begins.” He showed me on the X-ray where they needed to put them to prevent my leg bone from healing crooked.

  “Today?”

  “Since the team is here, I’d like to.”

  “Okay. I’d rather get it over with.”

  When the nurse came back in with papers for me to sign, I asked, “Did they happen to bring any of my belongings in? Like a phone?”

  She offered a kind smile. “Let me ask around. I wasn’t here last night but I’ll do my best to find out.”

  “Thank you.” I signed all the paperwork and asked, “Can you call Jessie Carlson for me? I believe her husband is a doctor here.”

  “Let me see if I can call him to get her number.” She returned with a piece of paper that had Jessie’s number on it.

  I dialed it from the phone in the room and she answered.

  “Hello.”

  “Jessie, this is Mariah Abercrombie.”

  “Hey there. Your angel is doing great.”

  “Thank you, but I’m calling to let you know they have to take me back to surgery.”

  “Oh, no! Does my husband know?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “I’ll call him and don’t worry about a thing on our end. Everything is great here.”

  “Thank you. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

  “You will by getting well.”

  It took about another hour for them to take me to surgery. Dr. Mayfield must’ve known I wouldn’t go without him because he was there too. Before we had a chance to leave the room, Dr. Campbell showed up.

  “Hey, I didn’t think I’d make it in time.”

  “Did you come to scrub in?” Dr. Mayfield asked.

  “No, I just came to wish the patient well. Since she doesn’t know anyone, I figured it might help.”

  I grinned. “Thanks, but it’s in his hands now.” I pointed a finger at Dr. Mayfield.

  “You’re going to be fine. He’ll get you all patched up.”

  I gave him a thumbs-up and they wheeled me out. Dr. Campbell walked along with us, which added a layer of comfort to my strange surroundings. We reached a point where he waved goodbye as they pushed me through a set of double doors. Then we went into a room that freaked me out. There were all kinds of tools in there, making it look like a garden shed.