Free Different Paths by Judy Clemens Page B

Dr. Peterson got some hand soap from the sink and rinsed down my leg, wiping the cast. When she was done she took a few inches of the padding and stocking thing that were still sticking out of the top of the cast and rolled them over the highest part of the cast, which ended right below my knee.
    I frowned at my toes, bare and sticking out of the cast. “If it’s my foot that’s broken, why’s the cast so huge?”
    “To protect you. Keeps your leg from moving your ankle and foot around.”
    “But how am I supposed to—”
    “You can walk on it. Look.” She pulled a shoe-type thing out of a bag. “This will go over your foot. You strap the Velcro over the top. After a day or two you can use this to work again. Make sure you put a bag over the cast when you do get back to the barn—and tape it to your skin at the top so stuff doesn’t get in. You can wear an extra large boot over it if you want.”
    “But I can’t walk on it today?”
    “You like pain?”
    I frowned at her.
    “Give it a couple of days to heal, Stella. Take it easy. Pop some Tylenol and let other people do stuff for you.”
    “She won’t let me, you know.” Lucy looked almost irritated.
    “Well, then, I guess that’s her problem. If she wants to heal, she’ll take my advice.”
    “She’s not always so good at that.”
    “Hey,” I said. “Right here. Haven’t left the room.”
    Dr. Peterson kept looking at Lucy. “Maybe you’ll need to take some Tylenol, too.”
    Lucy nodded. “I just might.”
    I wriggled off the table. “Will you two shut up?”
    Dr. Peterson grabbed my elbow. “Fine. Now stay there for a minute.” She left, but was back moments later with a battered pair of crutches. “Use these. I’ll give you a prescription to get a better pair at the medical supply store, but these will do you till then.”
    “A prescription?” I watched as she scribbled on her pad. “For crutches?”
    “Insurance won’t let us sell them to you. They want to pay much less than they think we’d charge. So some patients kindly give us their old pair and we can loan them out. Just try to bring them back when you’re done with them.”
    “Sure.”
    Dr. Peterson stuck the crutches under my arms and adjusted them for my height. “These will do you fine until you get your new ones. Come here.” She opened the door and gestured to the hallway. “Try them out. Let me make sure you can manage.”
    I must’ve done fine, because she said good-bye and good luck and headed for another exam room.
    “Dr. Peterson,” I said.
    She looked back.
    “Thanks.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    I grinned. “You did pretty good for a woman doctor.”
    I almost fell over when I ducked the prescription pad she aimed at my head.

Chapter Thirteen
    “One more stop,” I said.
    Lucy slowed at the corner of Bethlehem Pike and Reliance Road and made a right. “Where? Grocery store?”
    “Police station.”
    She glanced at me. “What for?”
    “I want to see if Willard got any answers yesterday when they finished with Carla’s truck. From the sound of the news this morning they still don’t have a suspect, and I want to know what’s going on.”
    “Carla hadn’t heard anything.”
    “Yeah, but maybe Willard didn’t want to bother her in the hospital.”
    She considered that. “Okay. Your wish is my command.”
    Right.
    Lucy parked across the street from the station and helped me out of the passenger seat.
    I took a deep breath. “I’m okay from here.”
    “You sure?”
    “Positive.”
    She glanced across the tracks in the direction of Landis’ Supermarket. “Then I’m gonna run to the grocery store. Putting your jeans in that bag reminded me of some things I need.”
    “Bring a donut back for me? Please?”
    She smiled. “Just don’t tell Lenny, or he’ll feel left out.”
    I zipped my lips with my fingers and almost fell over. Lucy got a good laugh.
    My entrance into the police station was just as clumsy, and Gladys, the receptionist,