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“Thanks.” He turned around and offered his hand to Russ. Her cousin shook it and thanked him for his business. Then he turned and looked at her.
After a moment’s hesitation, he extended his hand to her, too. “Thanks for taking me on.”
She shook his hand reluctantly. But she would be professional. “Of course. Let me know if there are any problems.”
With a nod, he hurried out of the office.
“You were kind of hard on him, weren’t you?” Russ asked.
“Do you know what he assumed when he discovered all we’d done for him?”
Russ shrugged his shoulders, telling her nothing.
“The arrogant man decided it was bribery to get him to marry me. It seems Mom and Doc have been pushing him in that direction!”
“He’s not used to people being nice. He comes from Chicago. You remember, Caroline wrote Aunt B.J. about how cold and unfeeling everyone was.” Russ folded his arms across his chest. “Give him some time, Tori.”
“He can have all the time he wants, as long as he leaves me alone. I’ve worked too hard and long to convince people I’m as competent as you and not just a dumb blonde!”
Russ grinned. “I know. Even I didn’t believe you could convince people, because you used to be so quiet. But you’ve learned to speak up for yourself.”
“Yes, I have. And if that man dares to question my skills in any way, I won’t be doing his accounting for him, no matter what kind of bind he’s in. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Russ agreed, still grinning. He admired Tori’s fierce determination.
IT WAS FRIDAY, the day she normally stopped by the clinic and collected the patients’ pay sheets. She’d record the amount owed, print out a bill and mail it to the patient with a return envelope. The doctor never had to deal with the business end. It was a system that had worked well for Doc.
After Russ had arrived, she left the office and walked the two blocks to the clinic. Usually Tori enjoyed the walk. It helped remind her that it was Friday, the start of the weekend. And the exercise felt good. Today, she prayed she’d get the information from the receptionist and not have to see the new doctor.
“Hi, Faye,” she sang out to the receptionist. “Do you have all the papers ready?”
“Not quite,” the receptionist said. “Dr. Jon wants to see you first. He has a question.”
“He should’ve had you call the office. It would have saved time.”
“It won’t take long.” As she said that, Faye picked up the phone and called the doctor. “Doctor, Tori Randall is here.”
She hung up the phone and smiled at Tori. “You can go to his office. It’s Doc’s old one. Doc is using that little room down the hall when he’s in.”
“I see.” Without saying anything else, she opened the door to the examining rooms and office and went in. She lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders, determined to give the appearance of a confident, all-business woman.
He was waiting for her at his door. “Come in, Tori. I’m sorry to take up your time but I have a couple of questions.”
“Next time you should have Faye call me. It would save both of us time.”
He let one eyebrow slide up as if he doubted that comment. He invited her to sit down and circled the desk to sit in Doc’s old chair. “Doc said sometimes some patients don’t have insurance and need payment plans. He said you take care of that for him. Do you know the people well enough to do that for me? I’m not sure who can afford to pay and who cannot.”
“If you want me to discount rates or set up payment plans I can. I know most of the patients well enough to make those determinations.”
“Good. That’s what I’d like.”
She stared at him. “Just like that? No calling and asking permission from you?”
“I have to trust you, Tori. Doc says you’re trustworthy.”
“I’ll remember to thank Doc,” she said, her voice cold, recognizing that it was Doc he trusted, not her.
“I also forgot to ask when I get a statement about the money deposited in my account.” When she said nothing, he added, “I don’t want to write a lot of rubber checks.”
“I make deposits on Fridays. They’ll send you a copy of the deposit, probably on Tuesday. You can ask Doc when it comes in.”
“Great. Uh, if—if I discover a patient who can’t pay at all, can I mark NP on it, or just not send the billing to you?”
“I’ll need that information for your tax records, so it would be in your best interest to send the billing. If NP is what you want to use, that works for me.” She paused, then added, “But it will take you longer to pay off any debts you have from medical school if you do that.”
“Thank you, Miss Genius Accountant. Even I can figure that out,” he assured her, a grim smile on his lips.
She gave him an abrupt nod and stood up to leave.
“Tori? I was wrong. I apologize. Can’t you forgive me?” He stood there, tall, handsome, a charming smile on his lips.
Which only made Tori madder. She’d bet he always got everything his way because of that smile. “I’m trying to be professional, Dr. Wilson. Like people in Chicago.”
She heard him sigh as she closed the door behind her. But she had no intention of relenting and smiling in return. That would only confirm his suspicions.
On the walk back to the office, she decided she couldn’t be friends with him until he had at least a girlfriend or, preferably, a wife. So she’d start looking for a good candidate.
When she returned to the office, Russ was coming out of his, grabbing his jacket off the hall tree that stood by the front door.
“Where are you going?” she asked, expecting him to tell her he was meeting a client.
“Something’s wrong. Abby was supposed to go to school today. They were having a meeting to discuss a special project they’re starting for the fall. She didn’t show and she’s not answering the phone.”
Something in Tori’s head sounded an alarm. Abby loved teaching. Besides, she was always on time and always responsible. “I’ll go with you,” she said, putting the papers on the desk.
“She probably overslept. She hasn’t been feeling good lately. I’m sure everything’s okay.”
“Probably, but she might be sick and need some help. I’m coming,” Tori told him, leaving him no choice.
Russ had bought ten acres of land just outside town, so it was only a five-minute ride. They’d built a beautiful house. Abby called it her dream house. Though the family had protested they should live on the ranch, like the rest of them, with both their jobs in town, they’d graciously refused.
As she fastened her seat belt, Tori asked, “Why hasn’t she been feeling well? Has she seen the doctor?”
“Yeah,” Russ said, but he didn’t add any details.
“Well? What’s wrong?”
“I’m not supposed to tell,” he said, but he was grinning.
Tori guessed at once. “She’s pregnant!”
“Yeah, but don’t let on you know, or she’ll kill me. We had a hard time and she wants to wait a little longer before she tells the family.”
“Russ, that’s wonderful. I figured it wouldn’t be long since Rich and Samantha are expecting. Oh, that’s great. How far along is she?”
Russ was still beaming. “About two and a half months. She said we can tell everyone at three months. I’ve been dying to tell Mom and Dad.”
“So she’s been throwing up every morning? I almost got sick myself when Samantha described her first three months.” She shuddered.
Russ frowned. “No. But she’s been getting bad headaches. Since school ended, she’s stayed in bed when they happen. But she won’t take anything for it because of the baby. I convinced her to go see Jon and she’s got an appointment Monday.”
“Maybe she should go see Doc Jacoby. You know, she’s used to him.”
“She’s already seen him once.”
“But I didn’t see the billing.”
“She paid him cash and asked him not to let you know,” he told her with another grin.
“The sneak!” She knew Russ would know she was teasing. Abby was like another sister in the sprawling Randall family.
He turned into the driveway of his new house. “Life is just almost too good, Tori,” he muttered. “Abby, the new house, now a baby.” He opened his door. “You want to wait here?”
“No, I’ll come with you. But I won’t say anything about the baby,” she promised.
“Be sure you don’t. I don’t want her mad at me. She’ll put me in time-out like she does the kids at school!”
Tori ignored that comment. Russ and Abby were so in love. They…completed each other, more than any people she’d ever seen. If he had to go to time-out, Abby would go with him. They did everything except their jobs together.
Since he had company with him, Russ pushed the doorbell as he unlocked the door. “Abby? Tori and I are here. Are you dressed?”
An eerie silence was the only answer. Tori frowned and followed Russ into the foyer. The house was curiously quiet.
“Maybe she’s still asleep,” Tori suggested.
“I’ll go check. Wait here.”
Tori pretended to study the furnishings in their new house. Abby had great taste and Aunt Megan had helped her decorate the house. Even though Russ hadn’t given her a budget, not wanting to deny his beloved Abby anything she wanted, Abby had used some family antiques she’d had from her parents, who were both dead now. And she’d bought some things from Megan’s store. She’d even gone to estate sales and auctions with Megan. The result was an eclectic collection of nice pieces. Very personal.
She could hear Russ’s voice calling Abby’s name. Again there was no response. Russ came back down the hall, looking into the different bedrooms.
“I’d better check to see if her car is here. Maybe Elizabeth picked her up and they stopped to shop before the meeting. She’s probably there already. I’ll look in the garage and you call the school, see if she’s turned up there.”
The closest phone was in the kitchen, the favorite room in the house, always filled with sunshine in the mornings. The door to the garage was off the kitchen, so she followed Russ across the den in that direction, praying he was right.
Something didn’t seem right to her.
Russ had his eyes focused on the left, going to the garage. Tori turned to the right for the phone. She was the one who saw Abby first.
“Abby!” she screamed.
Russ spun around. He saw his wife lying on the floor, not moving.
He ran to Abby’s side, wrapping his arms around her.
Tori grabbed the phone and called 911. Saying it was an emergency, she asked for a doctor. After she gave the directions, she asked for her mother, but her mother wasn’t working that morning.
Russ was kneeling on the floor, rocking Abby in his arms, tears streaming down his face.
Tori lifted the phone again and dialed the Randall ranch. Her mother answered the phone. “Mom, come quick to Russ’s house and bring Janie. There’s something wrong with Abby.”
Chapter Four
Abigail Randall was dead.
It didn’t take a genius to know that. Jon was pretty sure Russ knew that, but he had to tell him anyway. He was going to transport her body back to the clinic. He turned and entered the den where Anna and another lady sat with Russ.
“Russ,” Jon said gently. His gaze met Tori’s first. She was standing behind the couch. Finally Russ looked up at him. Jon could tell he was still in shock. His movements were slow, his eyes glazed.
“Yes?” he whispered.
“Your wife has…passed away. I’m going to take her back to the clinic and try to determine what happened.”
Russ continued to stare at him. “She was pregnant.”
“I know, Doc told me.”
“Russ?” Rich Randall shouted as he came through the door. He didn’t know what was wrong, but his mother had called his house on the way to Russ’s. As his twin, Rich probably felt the closest to his brother.
Jon turned and caught Rich by the arm. Whispering, he said, “His wife died. I’m taking her away now. He’s in shock.”
It appeared Rich was in shock, too. He stood there, his mouth open.
Tori appeared on Rich’s other side. “Russ needs you, Rich. Abby was—p-pregnant and—he was so happy.”
Anna moved from Russ’s side, leaving room for Rich to comfort his brother. She came to Jon. “Is there anything I can do to help? She was so young!”
He squeezed Anna’s arm. He wanted to offer comfort to Tori, too, but he didn’t feel he could. “I know. I’m going now. But Anna, I want you to keep an eye on Russ. He’s in shock. If he needs medication to sleep, let me know, okay?”
“Of course, but I can go to your office if you need me.”
He knew she meant to help on the autopsy, but he wouldn’t ask that of her. “Thanks, Anna, but I’ll manage. I’m very sorry for the family’s loss.” His gaze traveled to Tori, also, but she didn’t look at him.
The phone rang. Tori looked at her mother. “Shall I get it?”
Anna nodded.
Jon watched her step to the phone. She was a strong woman. His mother had always expected every crisis to revolve around her, but Tori was different.
