Free In Sickness and in Death by Jaye P. Marshall Page B

finished and said, “I just know something’s wrong. Thank you, Officer.”

    The next morning Brian found Adrienne at work at the hospital. She was obviously pretending to study some charts, but was actually straining to eavesdrop on a conversation between two of her fellow nurses.
    “Have you seen him yet?” one asked with a giggle.
    “Have I ever!”
    “Isn’t he just the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever laid eyes on?”
    “I think I’ll see if I can just manage to bump into him in the cafeteria.”
    “I’d like to bump into him alright, but not in the cafeteria.”
    Both girls laughed and went their separate ways down the corridor. Adrienne moved to the station where the graying head nurse was reviewing the day’s schedule. She returned the charts to their holder, leaned down and said in a confidential tone. “That new doctor must be something else the way he has all of the girls twittering.”
    “He’s a looker,” the older woman replied. “And from what I hear, he’s got brains and money to boot. He should rise like cream.”
    “Really?” Adrienne said, with what she apparently intended to be a light laugh. “I just may have to check him out.”
    Purposefully Adrienne strode down the hallway. She entered a room that, according to the charts she had just scrutinized, contained one of the new Dr. Robinson’s patients. She busied herself straightening the room and soon the newest addition to the staff entered.
    “Good morning, Mrs. Woods,” he greeted the patient. “How are we feeling this morning?”
    Brian watched Adrienne’s corner-of-the-eye surveillance of the doctor while she made sure to display her curvaceous body to its best advantage.
    When the doctor had finished checking out the patient, he turned to Adrienne,
    “Nurse.”
    “Yes, Doctor,” Adrienne stepped closer and looked up at him coyly from under lowered lashes.
    Dr. Robinson glanced at her nametag. “Uh, Adrienne, I’d like Mrs. Woods here—” he smiled at the patient, “—to begin physical therapy. Would you see to it that she is scheduled for this afternoon?”
    “Of course, Doctor. I’ll take care of it right away.”

    Over the next several days Brian observed how Adrienne shadowed the new doctor, always popping up whenever he needed someone to carry out instructions. She used every means within her power to make sure that his desires got the very highest priority. Soon he knew her name without checking her nametag.
    Brian shook his head. It wouldn’t be long before she had him completely hooked. Was this doctor the next guy she would try to bleed dry? How could he stop her before it was too late? How could he get her to see that using guys like that was wrong? He tried sending her thought messages, but it didn’t seem as if he got through. When he wasn’t trying to influence Adrienne, he periodically checked in on his mom but spent most of his time in meditation, attempting to strengthen his powers of concentration. He would need all he could muster if he were to get his message across. One evening a few days later, he found Adrienne in a dimly lit lounge with none other than the handsome Dr. Robinson.
    They were sitting at a small table with their heads close together.
    “Why did you ever want to be a nurse?” he was asking.
    Adrienne’s eyes shone and the tip of her tongue caressed her upper lip. “Oh, I just love being able to help people, you know.” She shrugged. “I felt nursing would offer the best opportunities for that.”
    “I know what you mean. I felt the same way about becoming a doctor.” He gave a slight laugh. “Of course, my father did provide a bit of encouragement there.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “He’s a doctor – a neurosurgeon. I guess it’s kind of a family tradition. My father, his father before him – all doctors.” He laughed. “If you traced our family tree all the way back, you’d probably find a shaman at the head of the clan.”
    She laughed with him. “Maybe