Free Disrobed for Death by Sylvia Rochester Page B

body. His arm and hand were drawn close to him. She wondered if he had suffered a stroke. When his name was called, the woman on his left helped support him. As with his arm, he lacked control over his right leg.
    Susan looked down, not wanting him to catch her staring. Too young, way too young.
    She silently thanked her Maker that her fall had not resulted in such debilitation. A few minutes later, a nurse opened a door and entered the waiting room. “Ms. Griffin?”
    Susan rose and handed the woman her paperwork.
    “Right this way.” They walked down a hall and into an examining room. “Have a seat. The doctor will be right with you.”
    I’ve heard that before , Susan thought. She’d never had a doctor show up promptly. The wait could be anywhere from ten minutes to an hour while the patient was left to freeze in an icebox of a room. Rubbing her arms against the chill, she took note of the diplomas covering one wall. On the counter below them, a model of the brain sat on a stand. None of the objects interested Susan at this time, only what would happen between Jack and her. She decided to wait and see if he made light of her hallucinations.
    Jack entered the room while reading over her chart. “I won’t need you,” he said to the nurse, who nodded and exited the room. “Leave the door open.”
    Susan knew that was for his protection, so he couldn’t be accused of anything unethical. He didn’t have to worry. She had no intention of jumping his bones…only saving them.
    Jack circled behind her chair. “Look down,” he said, after which he moved her hair aside and examined his handiwork. “Any seepage? Or headaches?”
    “Not anymore.”
    “Good. It’s healed nicely. I’m going to take out the few stitches.”
    She didn’t feel a thing.
    “You can wash your hair now, but don’t scrub where it was sutured. Baby it.”
    He set his scissors and tweezers aside and pulled off his latex gloves.
    “Anymore visions or hallucinations?” He grinned.
    “So you still don’t believe me?”
    “Oh, I believe you experienced something, but I also believe it was a result of your sedation. Well, have you?”
    “No, but—”
    “My point exactly. Given time, you’ll forget about it.”
    No matter what she said, it was obvious she wasn’t going to convince him. He was a man of science, and she doubted he gave the paranormal much thought. If something couldn’t be seen, touched, or examined, he seemed to believe it couldn’t possibly be real. Well, maybe after Wesley saved his butt he’d become a believer. She wasn’t one to say, ‘I told you so,’ but in his case, she’d make an exception.
    “Thank you, Doctor.”
    “One more thing,” he said as she turned to go. “Your friend, the one who brought you to the hospital…”
    “Anna Katherine?” Susan thought her real name was in order here.
    “Does she live around the Hammond area?”
    “Just outside of town on the road to Palmetto. I never give out private numbers, but if you’re interested in contacting her, you can reach her at the Bawdy Boutique. She’s my assistant manager.”
    “I might just do that. Thanks.”
    Susan chuckled as she climbed into the Camaro. So Jack was interested in A. K. She couldn’t wait to break the news to her friend. He’d better put on his jogging shoes if he wanted to keep up with her.
    She arrived at the Bawdy Boutique, still giddy at the idea of Jack and A. K. Seeing several cars in the parking lot that ran alongside the building also boosted her spirits. Sure, she had insurance, but no policy covered everything, and her hospital and doctor’s bills were going to be exorbitant. She was counting on profits to cover her expenses. If all her hard work was going to pay off, now was the time.
    With a big sigh of relief, she counted her blessings. No more chasing the catwalks, selecting what was hot and scratching orders for what was not, getting the grunge jobs of promotion and props, and playing second fiddle to