Critical Condition by Sandra Orchard

Author:Sandra Orchard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

The wind wrestled the screen door from Tara’s hand as she opened it. “Has something happened?” After the trouble she’d caused Zach earlier today, he was the last person she’d expected to see on her doorstep tonight.

“Can I come in?” he asked above the sound of pelting rain.

Even if she’d wanted to say no, Suzie didn’t give her the chance. She leaped to her feet, shouting, “Dak here,” and tugged him inside to the toy farmyard decorating the living-room floor. “Pway wif me.” Suzie pressed a plastic farmer into his hand.

Closing the front door, Tara massaged the pain pulsing at her temple.

Zach humored Suzie for a few minutes and then playfully mussed her hair. “I need to talk to your mom for a bit, okay?”

Suzie’s lips dipped into a pout.

“Hey, hey, what’s this?” Zach hooked his finger under Suzie’s chin. “I won’t play more later if you pout.”

Suzie immediately brightened. “I be good.”

Zach chuckled, and when he turned to Tara, they shared one of those proud looks she’d often seen parents exchange over the heads of their children at church.

She turned away and busied herself filling the kettle. Why did she have to torment herself by noticing things like that?

Because her heart had jumped to her throat at the sight of him hunkered down on the floor making farm-animal noises to entertain her daughter. Because Suzie thrived under his attention. Because, despite everything, she was ridiculously pleased that he’d come. “You want tea?” Water overflowed the kettle and poured over her hand.

He rose, a dimple winking in his cheek. “I’m good, thanks.”

She twisted off the tap, left the kettle in the sink, and snatched up a hand towel. “What did you want to talk about?”

“First, I want to apologize for losing it with you this afternoon. I appreciate your help. Very much.” He retrieved the laptop he’d left by the front door on his way in and brought it to the dining table. “I just got a little crazy when I thought Whittaker was on to you.”

“Apology accepted.”

His smile sent a rush of warmth clear to her toes. She gathered the photos she hadn’t finished sorting, along with the card from Mom’s neighbor, and moved them to the sideboard.

Zach caught her hand. “Sit, please.”

“This sounds serious.” Slipping her hand from his grasp, she sat in the chair beside him.

“I have news. I’m not sure whether it’s good or bad.”

She drew in a quick breath, and her heart thumped hard against her ribs.

“The coffee Alice gave you was clean. We’ve still got her under surveillance,” he rushed on. “The fingerprint match warranted that much.”

“You don’t think she poisoned my lunch?”

“I didn’t say that,” he countered. “But we don’t have a motive.”

“She wants my job!”

“Maybe. But do you really think she killed Deb Parker to make you look incompetent?”

Tara ducked her head. Okay, point made. “So what’s with the computer? You’ve decided to hack into medical records after all?”

His eyes twinkled. “Nope.” He hit the power button. “Something perfectly legal. Social media.

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