Small Town Doctor Read online

  She took him in before turning back to Sheriff Ryder. “You can’t do this. Get another doctor from another town…someone who doesn’t know.”

  “Doctor Macis is new to Clearwater, he didn’t know what happened. If you don’t let him help Abbi I’ll make good on my promise.”

  She shook her head. “No, I can care for her myself.”

  “Ella, this is your last chance.” He used his free hand to reach for his handcuffs. “I’ll do it.”

  Sheriff Ryder’s fingers dug into her wrists as the last light peeked through the trees, glimmering on his handcuffs as they came into view.

  “Don’t make me choose risking my daughter or going to jail,” she countered.

  “Ma’am, I’m only here to help, please let me see to her.” Doctor Macis stepped closer. “While you’re wasting time fighting us, your daughter could be getting worse. Now either let us help her or I’ll help him detain you. Instead of being there when Abbi wants her mother, you’ll be in the back of the SUV waiting to go back to the station. Is that what you want?”

  “If you hurt her—”

  “I’m only here to help.” The doctor held his hands out in front of him as if to say he meant no harm.

  “Fine.” She tried to shake free from Ryan’s grip but he held tight. “Let me go.”

  “Do I have your word you’ll calm down?”

  She nodded, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “As long as you don’t take her from me.”

  Doctor Macis grabbed the bag he sat on the bumper of the SUV. “Ryan, can you grab the bag from the hood of my truck, while Ms. Carmichael leads me to the child?” Ryan gave her another look before letting her go and stepping back toward the truck. The doctor moved beside her. “Show me to her and tell me how long she’s been ill.”

  She wanted to scream, to tell him to leave; everything in her wanted this man and everyone else away from her daughter. She knew Ryan, but this stranger set her on edge. Instead, she forced herself to walk toward the house because she didn’t want to end up in the Sheriff’s handcuffs.

  “Abbi’s always been healthy, but two days ago she woke up feeling unwell. She so hot and—”

  “Ryan mentioned she’s been unable to keep anything down. How long has that been going on?”

  “Early yesterday.” She pushed open the door and was suddenly embarrassed by the small run-down cabin. “I’ve tried everything to break the fever but—” Her voice cracked.

  “I’m going to help her.” He stepped past her toward the little girl who lay on a mattress next to the fire.

  “I brought her out here by the fire this morning because her skin felt cool to the touch.”

  “May I?” When she nodded, he went to Abbi and knelt beside the bed, touching her forehead and then her cheek. “Her heartbeat is erratic and she’s dehydrated.”

  “What’s wrong with her?” Ella came and squatted down on the other side of the bed.

  “I don’t know yet, but I’m going to start an IV to give her fluids, that should help her.” He hollered over his shoulder. “Ryan, I need that bag.”

  “Is she going to be all right?” Ella took the little girl’s hand in her own.

  “I’m going to do everything I can for her.”

  The way he said that made her stomach sink. Her sweet daughter was in a bad condition, but if she lost Abbi life would no longer have any meaning. The lovely blonde haired, blue-eyed little girl was the only real family she had left. The two of them were alone in the world. Her parents popped into Clearwater occasionally, but things had been strained with them since before Abbi was born. They only came to see their granddaughter, not for Ella.

  “Please save my baby.” Her voice broke, and tears streamed down her already moistened cheeks.

  * * *

  Fluids dripped slowly through the IV lines, rehydrating the child while James checked her vitals again. He didn’t like how pale and unresponsive she was. She needed to be in a hospital where they could do more for her, but he’d wait a little longer before he forced that. With a miracle they’d see some improvement.

  He slipped his stethoscope from around his neck, catching Ryan’s attention. “Ella, hold this ice pack to her forehead, I need to get something from my truck.” He rose from the bed and moved toward the door knowing Ryan would follow him.

  With the cabin door shut behind them, he turned to Ryan. “I’ve got to get her blood to the lab to see what’s wrong with her, but I can’t leave her.”

  “Do you have what you need to draw it?” When James nodded, Ryan continued, “Get it. I’ll take it to Michael. He’ll rush the order and I’ll be back with the results quickly.”

  “I’ll call him and give him the heads-up.” James reached into his pocket to pull out his cell phone when Ryan stopped him.

  “There’s no reception here, even my radio is fading in and out.” They walked toward James’s truck. “I don’t like leaving you out here alone.”

  “We’ve got no choice. Just make it clear to Ella that if things start to get worse with Abbi I’m taking her to the hospital.” James reached in and grabbed the last bag from the truck, where he kept the tools he needed to take a blood sample. “You’re going to need to wait for the results, have Michael look at the report, and send whatever supplies we’ll need.”

  “Fine.” Ryan opened the side door to his SUV and reached inside. “The radio is the best communication we have way up here, so keep this. You’ll be able to reach me if anything happens. Once the results are back, if you need to bring her to the hospital I’ll be able to give you the heads-up. It could scrape a few minutes off the time if I didn’t have to come all the way back out here.”

  “I’m not sure Ella will take it very well if that’s the call that needs to be made, but I’ll deal with her.” James took the radio and glanced back at the house. “I think it’s pneumonia but the dehydration and the nasty lung infection is making it appear worse. That little girl is far from out of the woods, she’s in a bad condition, but I agree with you. If we’re forced to take her to the hospital without Ella it will make it worse.”

  “I’ll get back here as quickly as I can.” Ryan looked back at the cabin. “Is the girl going to survive?”

  “I’m going to do everything I can.”

  “In other words…you’re concerned.” Ryan rolled his shoulders before meeting James’s gaze.

  “Even if she was in the hospital there’s no guarantee but I’m not going to give up on her. Let’s drawl this blood and get you on your way.” Without anything further, he turned and headed back inside the cabin.

  He wasn’t going to let this girl die on his watch no matter what it cost him. This was outside his comfort zone, but he’d use the same methods. He had the skills to save the girl and now it was time to work the magic.

  I didn’t work my ass off all those years just to fail now.

  He stepped into the cabin and found Ella where he’d left her, huddled next to Abbi. It was clear the fear of losing her only child tightened every muscle in her body—it was the terror of others and the girl’s sickness. On the trip up the mountain, he couldn’t help but question her parenting, why she hadn’t been willing to take her to a hospital. Now that he’d met Ella, he could at least see her reasoning, even if he didn’t understand it.

  Comprehending Ella’s reasons was beyond him.

  Ella mumbled fairy stories to her daughter, trying to soothe her as she moaned while the fever and pains made her body tremble. It was so different from the life James had growing up. He and his twin sister Jessi were raised by a nanny after their mother died when they were only infants. Their father, a doctor, worked day in and day out until he died of a heart attack at only forty-nine. Four short years ago. Seeing what their father went through was the reason Jessi didn’t follow in their footsteps, choosing instead to teach medical classes online. At least before the twins—Kari and Kami—came along. Now she was a full-time mother and wife to Michael. James couldn’t help but be
envious of the perfect family his sister had, while he was busy working.

  He’d be damned if Jessi would ever do this to Kari or Kami. Having a husband and brother who were both pediatricians meant the twins couldn’t even sneeze without them both demanding a full work-up.

  “Doctor…” Ella called to him, and from the look on her face he could tell she’d said something but he didn’t hear her.

  “Ella, I apologize. I was thinking. What did you say?”

  “Is Abbi going to be okay?”

  “I’m doing everything I can for her.” He came to kneel next to the bed. “I’m going to do some blood work and Ryan’s going to run it down to the lab.”

  “Why don’t you go?” There was a twinge of unease in her voice.

  “I need to stay with her and see if we can’t get her fever down.”

  “Ella…” Ryan came closer to the bed than he had the whole time they’d been there. “We need to be clear that if Abbi’s condition deteriorates, Doctor Macis is under the authority to take her to the hospital with or without your permission. If you fight him I’ll be sure you’re arrested for child endangerment, interfering with law enforcement, and anything else I can get to stick. Do you understand me?”

  Ella shook her head, sending her blonde hair flying free from a ponytail, her breath coming out in a ragged gasps. She was on the verge of a panic attack.

  “Ms. Carmichael, look at me.” James waited until she turned her head to face him. “If Abbi’s body continues to fail she will go into kidney and possibly heart failure. She will die if we don’t get her to the hospital where I can help her more. I know you love your daughter and you don’t want that.”

  “What happens if I don’t agree to this?”

  “Then the doctor and I will load her into my SUV and take her now.” Ryan squatted before her.

  “I knew I shouldn’t have let you in.” A single tear ran down her cheek.

  James reached across Abbi and laid his hand over Ella’s. “Listen to me. If it comes to taking her to the hospital, it will be her last hope.”

  “If she leaves here—” She continued to shake her head. “I can’t. They hate me for what happened and they’ll take it out on my sweet Abbi. The hospital staff won’t help her…they will leave her to die. Please, she can’t go there.”

  “Haven’t I shown you I’m here to help her?” She nodded in agreement to his question. “I would help her there just as I’ve done it here. She would be under my care and in good hands, I promise you that.”

  “I need your word you’re not going to fight him if he makes the decision.” Ryan stood and adjusted his gun belt.

  “If I agree I want you to be the only one who treats her. No one else, I can’t risk her.”

  “I can say I’ll do my best, that’s all I can promise. Depending on the results of the blood work we might need to bring in a specialized doctor, but I’ll oversee everything if that makes you feel better.” James squeezed her hand. “Now agree so I can send Ryan with the blood.”

  “I don’t like it but…fine. Just help her.” Ella tipped her head to look up at Ryan. “I won’t fight him, but if anything happens to her I’ll hold you responsible.”

  “I’ve been telling you for years that no one blames you and there’s no reason for you to stay in hiding.” Ryan glanced at Abbi. “It’s not good for her. She needs to be around kids her own age. What are you going to do when it’s time for her to go to school?”

  “This isn’t the time for this discussion.” James took his hand away from her and unzipped the bag. He needed to get the blood sample taken and send Ryan on his way before he had Ella as worked up as she was when they arrived. She had just calmed to his presence and he didn’t want her in a nervous state again.

  “Ella, could you grab more ice packs from that bag.” He nodded to the one sitting on the edge of the sofa. “The fluids are helping to bring more color to her cheeks but the fever isn’t breaking. In another thirty minutes we can give her another dose of the medication I brought.” He tied off her arm, finding the best vein he could in order to get the blood he needed.

  “What happens if it doesn’t break the fever?” She grabbed two of the ice packs.

  “Bend them, it will crack them, and become instantly cool.” He nodded to the ice packs. “As for the fever, Ryan’s going to pick up another medication while he’s in town.” If the fever didn’t subside by morning, the hospital would be the only option. He wouldn’t risk long-term brain damage because of Ella’s irrational fears. “Don’t worry, Ella, we’re going to make sure she’s okay.” Even after all these years as a pediatrician, a sick child still tore at his heart.

  Chapter Three

  The sun had set long ago when Ella stepped outside into the cool night air. Only a few stars spotted through the sky, shinning like diamonds in the darkness. The moon played peak-a-boo with the clouds, so every once in a while a glimpse of it could be seen through the trees. Being out in the middle of the woods, surrounded by only the trees and wild animals had always been peaceful for her. Now that her daughter lying unconscious just inside the cabin, she was restless and doubting her decisions of the last few years.

  She took a deep breath of the fresh air she needed so badly to clear her thoughts, letting the cool night air fill her lungs until it chilled her from the inside out. Exhaustion ate at every muscle in her body and closing her eyes made her feel as if she was rubbing them along a line of sandpaper. For two days, she’d avoided sleep, scared of what would happen to Abbi if she wasn’t awake to keep watch. Now her body was revolting, demanding rest before she passed out. Logical thoughts were almost beyond her, as her brain jumped from one thing to the next without any rhyme or reason.

  Had she made the wrong decision when she moved to her grandparent’s old cabin, away from civilization and the mistakes she’d made? Worse yet, would that decision cause her to lose her daughter? Her legs gave out from under her and her fears pressed down on her shoulders until she collapsed on all fours.

  “Please let him save my baby girl.” She cried out but no one heard her.

  Doctor Macis was inside with Abbi, still waiting for word from the sheriff on the results of the blood work.

  Every minute that passed when there were no wheels crunching the debris on the overgrown road and no communication on the radio, only served to worry her more. Where was Ryan? Why had he not returned with the supplies the doctor needed and news on what was wrong with her daughter?

  “Ms. Carmichael.” The doctor stepped up behind her, and she realized she was still on the ground. “Are you all right? What happened?”

  The concern in his voice for her and her daughter was the only reason she’d trusted him so far. She could tell he was a good doctor. As they waited, he held the same anxiety she did, while they both checked the clock and glancing to the radio Ryan left.

  “I’m fi…fine.” Her voice cracked before she forced herself to swallow.

  “What are you doing on the ground? You’re going to end up sick and we can’t have that.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you back inside.”

  “My baby…” Tears welled in her eyes. “I did this to my sweet Abbi and now she’s dying because of me.”

  He squeezed her tighter to him. “We’re not going to let that happen.”

  Unable to hold back the tears any longer, she let her head fall against his shoulder. “I’m an awful parent.”

  He pulled her up until they were both standing in a ray of moonlight, his hands on her shoulders as he stood in front of her. “I might not know the full story but I can see you’re not a bad parent. You care for your daughter.”

  “If I’m such a good mother, she’d be in the hospital. You said so much yourself when you arrived. What kind of parent lets their child suffer like this?”

  “One who lets fear control her actions.” She started to pull away from him but he held tight. “No, I’m not going to let you pull away out of fear or anger, not t
his time. Ella, you’re scared, and I understand that but we’re going to make sure Abbi is okay. We’ve broke her fever and that’s one step in the right direction.”

  “My Abbi.” She used the back of her hand to wipe the tears away from cheeks.

  “You’re scared because of what you’ve been through, so you stay hidden away from everyone…but that isn’t good for either of you. This isn’t just about the medical care. There are other negative aspects to you living up here. Abbi needs kids her own age to play with.”

  “Doctor Macis, I’m not neglecting my daughter.”

  “Call me James, please…and not in every way.” He ran his hand down her arm. “You care for Abbi’s needs. You keep her healthy, active, and the books in her room show you’ve started her education. I’m only offering my suggestion that you need to balance the life you want and socialize her. You know as much as I do that she needs other children to play with. There’s no reason you can’t go into town occasionally and give her that.”

  “There’s every reason. Did Ryan tell you why I chose to live here?”

  “No.” He tipped his head back to the cabin. “If you want to tell me, let’s go inside. You’re already worn down from caring for Abbi, you don’t need to be out here in the cold evening air.”

  The breeze whipped her hair as she let him lead her back into the cabin. She glanced back out at the woods but no longer found security or safety in the darkness of the trees. Or maybe she was letting her fears carry her way.

  “Why don’t you pour us coffee and I’ll check on Abbi.” He stalked off to Abbi’s bedroom, where they’d moved her once her fever broke so she was resting comfortably in her bed again.

  “Is she okay?” She called to him, but he’d already disappeared around the corner. Instead of following him, she moved to the small kitchen and grabbed the metal coffee pot from the wood burning stove.