Free A Daughter's Perfect Secret by Kimberly Van Meter

following day, a casual comment by a patient gave Rafe the in he’d been waiting for since arriving in this town.
    “They just don’t have enough doctors on staff at the clinic,” Mary Lou Griggs complained to Rafe as he took her pulse for a routine checkup. “I tell you, they ought to hold a job fair or something to draw attention to the clinic. I’m sure anyone would be willing to move here once they saw how great it was to raise a family and put down roots.”
    Rafe nodded. “So what makes you say the clinic is short staffed?”
    “Well, I went for my weekly checkup with the nutritionist—have you met her yet? She’s brilliant, if a little strict, but you can’t argue results. I’m down two sizes. Anyway, I waited in line for an hour before anyone could draw my blood to test my glucose levels.”
    Rafe covered his disappointment by shrugging with a mild smile. “Well, you probably just hit them on a particularly busy day. And besides, doctors aren’t the ones who would be drawing your blood. Those are lab techs.”
    “Oh, I know. That was just one example. But you’re right, they probably need more lab techs, too. No, the real thing, no offense, Dr. Black, is that I always go to the clinic for treatment of my sciatica because they’re more holistic in their approach than you. I’m not a pill person,” she added, almost apologetically, as if she’d insulted Rafe somehow with her admission.
    “I don’t much like pills myself,” he said. “But sometimes they are a necessary evil to the treatment process. However, if you’ve found an alternative method to ease your pain, I’m happy to hear it.”
    A smile bloomed on Mary Lou’s face. “I’m so glad to hear that, Dr. Black. And here I thought you were so old-fashioned when it came to holistic health. I don’t know where I got that idea. You know, you ought to volunteer at the clinic every now and again. A friendly face is always nice.”
    “Aren’t there friendly faces at the clinic?” he asked playfully to mask his true motivation.
    “Oh, of course,” Mary Lou amended hastily, shooting him a quick look. “I just meant, well, you’re so personable, I always feel like I’m visiting a friend instead of seeing a doctor. Because, you know, doctors can be a little standoffish at times. It’s that doctor-patient thing, I suppose, and the need to retain a little distance.”
    Rafe nodded and said, “Well, we all have different methods. But I think you’re right. Volunteering at the clinic sounds like a good idea. I’m still fairly new to the community, and that seems a good way to get to know people.”
    “Oh yes. I think everyone goes to the clinic at some point in their lives if they live in Cold Plains. I mean, the health exam alone would put you there, right?”
    He agreed. “Everyone undergoes the health exam. Even I did.”
    Mary Lou did a quick, flirty appraisal, which coming from the middle-aged woman nearly made Rafe shift in embarrassment, and said, “I’m sure you passed with flying colors. You’re as handsome as the devil.”
    Rafe laughed and murmured appropriately humble remarks before steering the conversation back to her health concerns, but his mind was elsewhere. When he’d first arrived in Cold Plains, his first stop had been at the clinic to inquire whether there were any openings—and this was before he’d discovered there was rumor of a secret infirmary—but he’d been politely turned down. He figured it was because he hadn’t been vetted yet in the community’s eyes, but that was months ago. And now, it seemed they needed a few extra hands. Perhaps he could land some pro bono work, gain some goodwill and possibly find an opportunity to nose around places he’d been previously shut out of.
    By the end of the day, he was still preoccupied with his plan of attack when Darcy stopped him as he locked up and started to head for his car. “Dr. Black…” she ventured, appearing unsure. “Can I talk to you a