they were the same color as the malt, a rich chocolate brown.
She couldn’t resist the opportunity to talk to him. “Steve, is your last name Carter?”
“Yeah.” His eyes closed again, but he mumbled something she couldn’t decipher.
She wanted to question him, but there was another knock on the door.
This time she definitely checked and was greatly relieved to find her mother there. “Come in, Mom. I’m glad to see you.”
“I hope I’m not keeping you from sleep,” Anna said, carefully studying her daughter’s face.
“No, I slept about six hours. I may take another nap later, but I’m fine for now.”
“And how is our patient?”
“We woke him up and he drank some of a chocolate malt, but he didn’t really eat anything. Will that help him?”
“It won’t hurt him,” Anna said with a smile.
The beeper on his drip sounded. “I’ll change it since I’m here,” Anna said. “I can check his wound, too.”
The two women adjourned to the bedroom. While they were working on the patient, another knock sounded on the door.
“Is that Dad?” Jessica asked.
“No, he had some work he needed to do. Has Mike been here?”
“Yes, when Tori came with my lunch.”
“Then who could it be? Make sure you look before you unlock the door.”
Her mother didn’t need to warn her.
She couldn’t get a good look at the person, but she could tell it was a man. Before she had a chance to study him, a booming voice sounded through the door.
“Open this door. I know you’re in there.”
Chapter Four
Jessica recognized the voice at once. When she’d left Rawhide three years ago, Bobby Daniels had begged her to marry him. But she’d refused.
“Is that Bobby?” Anna whispered.
Jessica nodded and picked up the phone. After dialing a number, she said, “Let me talk to Mike at once, please.”
“This is Mike,” a strong voice said after a couple of seconds.
“Jess, I’m not going away. Let me in!” Bobby continued to yell.
Jessica ignored him and focused on Mike. “Bobby Daniels is banging on the door, calling my name. He says he knows I’m in here. What do I do?”
“Nothing. I’ll take care of it.”
She hung up the phone and gestured to her mother to be quiet. A minute later they heard Mike’s voice. “Bobby? Come down here please.”
“I’m talking to Jess!” Bobby returned, his voice belligerent.
“I’m not going to ask twice. You either get your butt down here or I’ll haul you down and throw you in jail!”
Jessica held her breath, waiting for Bobby’s response. She let out a sigh of relief when she heard his footsteps going down the stairs.
“How did he know you were here?” Anna asked.
“I don’t know but Mike had better find out.”
MIKE LED THE RECALCITRANT Bobby Daniels into his office and sat him down. “Now, I want to know who told you Jessica was upstairs.”
Refusing to meet his gaze, Bobby said, “I just figured it out.”
“Oh, really? You realized Jessica had returned from Hollywood because…”
“Because her mom went up there.”
“Right. Since her mom is a nurse, it would be unusual for her to visit anyone but her daughters?”
As if realizing his excuses were not going to satisfy the sheriff, Bobby said, “I heard rumors, okay?”
“Of course. Just a minute.” He picked up the phone and dialed two numbers. “Harry, can you come in my office, please?” Then he leaned back in his chair and stared at Bobby, who stirred restlessly in his seat.
“Yeah, Mike?” Harry asked as he came into the office.
“Harry, do you know Bobby Daniels?”
Harry frowned. “We’ve met.”
“Who introduced you?”
“Andy Rivers.” He was a deputy on the night shift.
“Oh, that’s right. They’re close friends, aren’t they?” Mike pretended he had no idea of that fact until this minute.
Bobby’s cheeks flushed.
“Go call him and tell him I want him here in ten minutes.”
“But he’ll be sleeping,” Harry said.
“Just do as I said,” Mike ordered. Then he stood.
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