Page 41 of A Doctor to Heal Her Heart

Sam stopped for breath, holding up one finger to forestall any interruption. Hadn’t he said that to her about Sally? It sounded vaguely familiar. Whatever. She was on a roll now and he could say whatever he wanted later.

‘You’re the most honourable man I know. You’re dedicated, loyal to the people you work with, and you’ve been a good friend to me. So just...just give yourself a break.’

She’d expected him to come back at her with some smart answer, but there was silence. He was staring at the ground, almost as if he hadn’t heard.

‘Well, what have you got to say to that?’

He looked up at her. ‘Thank you.’

That was the last thing she’d expected. ‘Is that all?’

‘I think so.’ He put his arm around her. The kind of gesture that any friend, sitting on any steps, might make, but it made her shiver. ‘That means a lot, Sam. Thank you.’

‘Nothing else?’

‘I could make some comment about being glad you’re on my side,

because you can be too scary for words at times.’ He was grinning now.

He said the nicest things. ‘Well, just hold that thought.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘And while you’re doing it, what do you say to a takeaway for tonight? My treat, I could eat a horse...’

Euan chuckled softly, helping her to her feet and pulling out his keys to lock the summer house. As they strolled across the lawn together, the low sun at their backs, a trick of the light made their shadows appear to touch...

The alarms up at the house started to sound.

‘Someone must have come back...’ He was suddenly watchful, his eyes scanning the windows at the back of the house, looking for any clue as to who it might be. ‘Stay here while I go and see.’

He strode on ahead of her and Sam followed, running to keep up with him. ‘Sam, will you stay here? Please.’

‘If someone’s there, I’d rather be with you.’

‘If someone’s there, I’d rather you were safely out of the way.’

‘Safest place I can think of is with you.’

He rolled his eyes, but there was nothing he could do to stop her, save carrying her screaming to the car and locking her in, and he seemed to know it. ‘All right, then. But stay with me.’

He was checking the windows as he walked along the veranda and unlocked the doors that led into the community room. He punched a combination into the console on the wall, and the din of the alarm stopped.

Silence. ‘It’s probably someone who’s forgotten something and come back to get it.’ Sam walked over to an empty bookcase and retrieved her laptop from where she’d stowed it out of the way.

‘Yeah. Probably.’ Euan was still on the alert, listening for any sign of someone else in the house. He moved over to the door that led to the hall and opened it, then threw his hand out behind him in a signal to Sam to stay where she was.

‘All right, lads. There’s the door.’ He spoke to someone in the hallway, the words unhurried and calm, then walked through the door, closing it behind him.

Why did he have to be so bloody protective? Sam crept over to the door, pressing her ear to it in an effort to hear what was going on. Euan’s voice sounded again, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying. There was a scuffling sound and a thump, and then the sound of the front door slamming.

The alarms went off again. Inside the house the shrill tone was almost unbearable, and Sam turned to the console, wondering if just glaring at it would do any good.

Someone stood inside the open door to the veranda. Probably just a teenager, from his build, with the hood of his jacket tied tightly to obscure most of his face. Maybe he was just as frightened as she was but if so why didn’t he turn and run? The alarm cut out again and he took a step forward.

‘Give me the laptop.’ Sam realised she had her laptop clutched to her chest, like a shield.

‘Okay.’ Her voice sounded peculiar, high and trembling. ‘Take it and go.’

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