Page 1 of Code Trauma

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Nurse Practitioner Holly Cooper shut the door of her Honda CRV and clicked the remote to lock the car. She let her gaze roam the hospital parking lot while she turned her collar up against the biting wind.

Was he watching? She walked toward the entrance of the hospital, unable to stop herself from tossing another glance behind her. She’d been doing that a lot over the past two weeks.

Ever since the threats had started.

Notes on her windshield at work, her mailbox at home.

Even a noteinher locker at work.

Leave and don’t come back.

You’re not wanted here.

Go away.

She shuddered and hunched her shoulders against another strong gust and the shiver that danced up her spine. She despised the fear that consumed her but couldn’t seem to do anything to stop it.

She’d reported the incidents to the sheriff, who was looking into them, but he’d come up empty so far. The same with hospital security.

Holly had closed all her social media accounts and tried to make sure she took precautions when it came to walking to her car before and after a shift.

But she was still scared.

You could call Andy, a little voice whispered.

No. She couldn’t. She shut off that line of thought and breathed a relieved sigh when she stepped safely through the automatic doors and into the hospital lobby.

Why would someone threaten her? Who had she angered?

The only person she could think of was Garrett Mann, the doctor who’d repeatedly asked her out and whom she’d consistently turned down. He was flirty and cute, true, but she’d seen the fallout of his relationships and wasn’t interested in being his next conquest. But more than that, while her current relationship was in a state of ... what? Limbo? Uncertainty?

Whatever the word, it didn’t change the fact she was in love with someone else. She’d told Garrett that, of course, but it didn’t seem to make a difference to him.

“Come on, Holly,” he’d cajoled just yesterday, “all this playing hard to get is just wasting time that could be better spent having fun. You know you want to go out with me.”

She’d rolled her eyes and walked on while she considered filing a harassment suit against him. Then again, if she went out with him once, he’d probably lose interest. Or she could encourage him to a DEFCON 1 level of annoyance.

Since that held absolutely no appeal, all she could do was pray that if she ignored him long enough, he’d leave her alone. If not, she’d talk to her boss and HR.

She reached the base locker room and pushed inside. Her locker was on the last row, and she scanned the room, noting part of the night shift crew, Carrie and Pam, getting ready to leave. Their presence helped calm her nerves. Slightly.

“Holly?”

She jumped and spun, her heart racing. Okay, maybe she needed more calming. She placed a hand over her thudding chest and shook her head at the woman who’d stepped up behind her. “Penny. You scared me.”

“No kidding. Are you all right?” The redheaded, gray-eyed, Penny Satterfield had been a close friend from the moment Holly had met her. Funny and smart, she had an openness about her that invited friendships and fun. And her skill as a medical helicopter pilot was legendary throughout the business.

“Yes.” Holly hesitated then sighed. “Actually, no.”

“What’s wrong?”

With a glance at the other ladies, she whispered, “Someone’s threatening me.”

Penny gaped then. “What do you mean? Threatening you how? Since when?”

“Shh!” Holly motioned to the far corner of the locker room. “Come back here. I’ve got about ten minutes before I need to clock in.”

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