Page 16 of Nica
Except for Melissa Carpenter, a voice whispered in his head.He should have known something was wrong that day.Should have recognized the symptoms of the drug in his system.Should have stopped.
“I believe you.”Rafe’s gaze held compassion, which was a lot more than he deserved, especially after keeping so many secrets from the Boudreau family.
“The Melissa Carpenter case,” Gabe continued quietly.“I was drugged.That’s a long story, might be part of why this caller is harassing me, but again, it might not.I still blame myself for not realizing I was impaired.For thinking I could operate when something was clearly wrong.”
Rafe nodded slowly.“That I understand.”
The sheriff grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair.“Let’s go see what they did to your clinic.Then you’re heading home to tell my sister to prepare herself to tell Momma and Dad the whole truth.No more hiding.”
As they walked to their vehicles, Rafe called to him.“Gabe.”
He turned.
“Whoever this is, we’ll find them.”Rafe’s expression was grim.“Nobody threatens my family.And like it or not, that now includes you.”
The weight on Gabe’s shoulders lightened fractionally.He wasn’t alone in this, and by telling Rafe, he’d made sure Nica was protected.
As he followed Rafe’s cruiser through the quiet streets of Shiloh Springs, his phone vibrated with a text.Unknown number.
Tell the sheriff whatever you want.It won’t help.Some mistakes can’t be forgiven, Dr.Summers.Or forgotten.Some debts can only be paid in blood.
Gabe’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as he tossed the phone on the seat beside him.One thing was clear to him now, whoever this was, they were here in Shiloh Springs, or they had somebody who was, because he knew Gabe had gone to see Rafe.
Whoever was after him, whatever they wanted, he would protect Nica with his life.Even if it meant facing his past.Even if it meant losing everything else.
Because some things were worth fighting for.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Nica drove toofast down Orchard Road, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.When the call had come earlier that morning, she’d been half asleep, and had gone looking for Gabe, because he wasn’t beside her when she woke.Her mind still reeled with the news, a break-in at the medical clinic.Gabe had barely muttered a goodbye before rushing out the door, leaving his coffee half-finished on the kitchen counter.
She hadn’t planned on following him.It would look odd if she showed up at the clinic when she wasn’t sick.But then she remembered the anonymous phone calls he’d been receiving.The ones threatening to expose Gabe’s past, to tell everyone about the controversial death of a patient when he was in California.Threats to go to the press.It wouldn’t matter that Gabe had been cleared of any culpability in the woman’s death, the implication was more than enough—he’d not only lose the confidence of the citizens of Shiloh Springs, but he’d most likely lose patients.
Nica pulled into the clinic parking lot, surprised not to see Gabe’s green pickup among the collection of vehicles.Two sheriff’s department cruisers were parked haphazardly near the front entrance, lights still flashing.Through the open doorway she spotted Dusty Warner, her brother’s right-hand man at the sheriff’s station.She couldn’t help wondering where Rafe was, because this was something big enough he’d want to investigate personally.
“So strange,” she murmured, glancing toward the clock on her dash.Gabe should have beaten her here by at least ten minutes.
The clinic’s automatic doors were propped open, and she could see several people inside.When she walked through, she looked at the controlled chaos, along with multiple voices all seeming to be talking at once.Patient files were scattered across the floor like fallen leaves.The waiting room chairs had been upended, potted plants knocked over, soil spilling across the recently waxed linoleum.Lisa Hartwell, the receptionist who’d worked at the clinic since Mrs.O’Malley retired, sat on the one upright chair, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
Dusty stood next to her, notepad in hand, his tanned face set in grim lines.Two technicians in blue coveralls moved methodically around the space, checking surfaces for fingerprints and collecting evidence in small plastic bags.She drew in a deep breath, trying to come to grips with the fact somebody had broken into the town’s only clinic.The one old Doc Jenkins had managed since she’d been a kid with scraped knees or when she’d had strep throat.In her mind, the clinic was sacrosanct, and to think somebody defiled it seemed inconceivable.
“Nica,” Dusty acknowledged with a nod when he spotted her.“Looking for Dr.Summers?Haven’t seen him yet.Rafe will be back in a bit, he had to run back to the station.”
Alarm bells rang in her mind.Why wasn’t Gabe here?Had something happened to him?If somebody had the audacity of breaking into the clinic, would they have ambushed him on his way here?She didn’t remember seeing his truck anywhere along the way, but she honestly hadn’t been paying attention, too focused on getting here.
Dusty shook his head.“Lisa got here, noticed the mess, and called 911.”
“I’m not—” Nica stopped herself, wondering why Dusty assumed she was looking for Gabe.No one knew she and Gabe had eloped.As far as the town was concerned, she graduated with her master’s degree and came back home to decide what she wanted to do with her life.There were sure to be shock waves throughout the county when the news came out that she was Mrs.Gabriel Summers.“I just heard about the break-in.Thought I’d see if I could help.”
Lisa looked up, her mascara smudged beneath red-rimmed eyes.“It’s awful, Nica.Just awful.Who would do something like this?”
“Any idea what they were after?”Nica asked, stepping carefully around the fallen coat rack.
“That’s the odd thing,” Dusty said, scratching his golden-blond hair.“Drug cabinet wasn’t touched.Lock’s still intact, which means they either weren’t after drugs, or got spooked before they could touch the drugs.This wasn’t your typical pharmacy heist.”
Nica turned to see Gabe stride in, her brother Rafe close behind him.Relief flooded through her at the sight of her husband, though she maintained her distance.Gabe’s eyes found hers immediately, a silent message passing between them—I’m okay.
“Dr.Summers,” Dusty greeted him.“Was wondering when you’d get here.Place is a mess.”
