I pulled a fresh sheet of medical exam paper over the table while Julia swiped the edges with an antibacterial wipe. We headed down the hall to the staff office. The rectangular area was bisected by a long desk with multiple charging points; on one side was a wall of cupboard space, and on the other a coffee-making station. Dr. Wallington was writing reports into a file while two of the other doctors were speaking earnestly about a patient. I pulled my coat out of the closet and turned to Julia.

“I’m glad I didn’t prescribe any oxy, then.”

I’d learned that what healed wasn’t always in a doctor’s drugs or a surgeon’s blade. Sometimes it was the quieter things, like compassion, being heard and shown you mattered. I was confident I’d made the right decision with Alice. We’d wait and see what her MRI said.

“It’s a tough call these days,” Julia agreed. She lowered her voice and glanced around. “Speaking of oxy, watch out for Marjorie. She’s on the warpath right now.”

Marjorie was the medical administrator of the clinic, which was situated within the auspices of Cascade Regional Hospital. She’d worked here forever and was unnecessarily crotchety as a result. I’d only worked here for three years, after taking over for a doctor who’d decided to partially retire, so she basically scared the crap out of me.

“What’s wrong now?”

“People keep leaving the medical supply room unlocked. She keeps all the samples from our pharma reps in there.”

“Yikes. I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Hey, wanna grab a drink?” Julia slid her coat on. “It’s happy hour. We can get one of those derby thingies you like.”

I laughed. Sometimes I was still surprised by the collegial nature of my job. “It’s a Brown Derby. Wish I could, but Josh has been sick. Rain check?”

Her reply was cut off as our receptionist, Brittany, burst through the door, her eyes almost comically wide.

“Dr. Sweeney! You need to get downstairs! Josh’s been admitted to the ER!”

CHAPTER 4

IT WAS PAST TIME to go home when Nate finally finished his report. Skamania was a small town, but it still had its share of domestic assaults, breaking and entering, and drug offenders. Murder was less common, however. The office was still buzzing with the news a day after it happened.

Two detectives were standing near Nate’s cubicle gossiping like a pair of old fishwives about the murder, about the vacation to Toronto Mike Spillane was planning, about how Harry Chen had done on the sergeant’s exam, and about one of the many addicts who’d been booked earlier today.