Page 53 of A Little Summer Sizzle

Jared nodded, fished a handkerchief out of his pocket, and handed it to Saoirse. “Dry your eyes. Don’t let them see you cry. Don’t let them think this place is getting to you or they’ll wile away their afternoon questioning you. I’m going to run up the street and draft the fastest writ I can the judge won’t laugh at and then take a little stroll and drop one copy on the county attorney’s desk myself. Can’t wait to see the look on his face. I’ve been told he was the worst kind of bully in high school and it always heals my heart a little when I can ruin a bully’s day. If you have to spend another night in here, I’ll refund half the money your Daddy sent me.” He winked. “Derek and I have our eye on a few new things for the Littles at the Ranch, so youknowI don’t want to do that.”

Saoirse managed a chuckle as she imagined the Littles’ pleasure at receiving such a nice gift from them, but she wasn’t about to ask Sutter to pay for her bills. She wiped her face. “P’ease tell ‘im I pay ‘im back.”

“I’m telling him no such thing. His mother started this dung ball rolling downhill. He can put a dent in the company coffers to fix her mess. And make sure he buys you something really nice as an apology. Nothing electronic or glittery. I’m talking ski lodges in the Alps.”

Saoirse giggled, shaking her head. “Doan wan’ annythig.”

“That’s why he’s sitting out there in that chair, little one.” Jared smiled as he packed his briefcase. He rose and pressed a white buzzer by the door. “You lie down and relax while I tear some strips off our boys in blue. Try to get some rest. I don’t think you slept last night, did you?”

Saoirse shook her head.

“Sleep, honey. And don’t worry. I’ll see you very soon.”

The police officer who had manhandled her earlier opened the door. At Jared’s raised eyebrow, he said, “Doc’s on the way from Porter’s Corner to see her. Said it would take him about an hour to get here. If you’d let us get some doctor from town—”

“No, Ned Carter is the doctor we trust. Until he gets here, make sure my client has food and water in the meanwhile. Eighth Amendment!” Jared said, glancing back at Saoirse. “And I’ll be asking Dr. Carter if he’s found any bruises on my client,” he said forcefully, glaring at the officer before he strode away.

The police officer scowled after him, then swung his face back to Saoirse. He jerked his head instead of grabbing her. Grateful to be spared a fresh set of bruises, Saoirse followed him back to her cell.

Hearing the cell door slide shut and lock still made Saoirse’s stomach bottom out, but she kept her thoughts on the image Jared had given her: of Sutter sitting out in the hallway, working to get her released. Wrapping her arms around herself wasn’t quite as good as one of Daddy’s hugs, but it made her feel closer to him, made her feel safe and loved.

She clung to those feelings as she lay down on her side and closed her eyes.

The doctor woke her,striding into her cell as the door opened. He looked more like a cowboy than a doctor, wearing a black Stetson atop his head, his eyes surrounded by squint-lines. He doffed his hat to her. “Miss Fay, I’m Doctor Ned Carter from Porter’s Corner. I’m the doctor on call for anyone who is in residence on the Ranch. Do you consent to me treating you?”

She sat up and nodded.

“Okay.” He set a bag on the cot beside her, opened it and took out a stethoscope. “Clive,” he called. “Get a damn chair in here! If you’re going to make me examine her in a cell, at least let me do it without aggravating my sciatica.”

The police officer carried a folding metal chair into the cell and set it next to the bunk. “Sorry, Doc.”

Doctor Carter clucked his tongue at the policeman but sat down in the chair as the officer made a hasty retreat.

“I told his mother not to let that boy play football. Rattled his brains and inflated his ego.”

Saoirse cracked a small smile that the doctor returned. He rubbed the pad of his stethoscope. “Let me warm this up a little for you and then I’m going to have a listen to your heart and lungs. I’m told you had a seizure yesterday and haven’t had any medication since then. Any trouble breathing?”

Saoirse shook her head and lifted her shirt when the doctor indicated. He pressed the stethoscope to her chest and then her back. He pulled out a clipboard and made notes, then took her temperature with one of the little devices that went in her ear.

“Let me see this tongue?” She opened her mouth and when he asked her to, stuck out her tongue as far as she could. The doctor clucked over it. “This should have had stitches. Not much I can do about it now. It’s too swollen. But I’m going to irrigate it and prescribe you an antiseptic mouthwash that I want you to use three times a day. Might ache a little while I mess with it, but then it should settle down.” He took out a tongue depressor and poked around, then gave her a mouthwash that she swished around and spit out in the cell’s toilet. When she sat back down, he took another look and nodded. “It doesn’t look infected but the human mouth isn’t a sanitary place on a good day and you haven’t had a good day, have you?”

When Saoirse shrugged, he patted her shoulder. “Okay, let me take a little history. Jared made a list of your medications. I just want to make sure these are right. But first, let’s get you some pain relief. This is just a numbing spray. Should make it a little easier to talk.”

Saoirse nodded and stuck out her tongue again. The doctor squirted a cooling mist over it and the throbbing in her mouth eased.

“Better?”

Saoirse nodded gratefully.

The doctor went through her medical history, nodding as she told him what medications she’d been prescribed and how she took them.

“Have you had anything to eat or drink today?” he asked when she said she usually took her medication with a meal.

She shook her head. Red rushed under the doctor’s tan.

He leaned back in his chair and shouted. “Clive! You bring this woman some water and a damn sandwich right the hell now.”

There was silence, followed by quick steps in the hallway. The doctor grinned as he retrieved a handful of blister packs from his bag. “Kinda like shootin’ fish in a barrel.”

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