Ralph Compton Frontier Medicine by Robert J. Randisi & Ralph Compton

Author:Robert J. Randisi & Ralph Compton [Randisi, Robert J. & Compton, Ralph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2021-01-12T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

* * *

When Kincaid saw Nora Legend coming out the door he hoped she wasn’t calling off the meeting.

“Right this way, gentlemen,” she said, and he felt better.

He got down, helped Doc Edwin, and they followed Nora into the building.

“Everybody is in the meeting room,” she said along the way.

“That’s good,” Kincaid said.

She stopped in front of a set of double doors.

“In you go,” she said.

They entered and she followed. None of the seated men got to their feet. At the head of the table Kincaid saw a man in his mid-forties, dark-haired and handsome.

“You all know Dr. Edwin,” Nora said. “This is Dr. Gabriel Kincaid.”

“Dr. Kincaid,” the dark-haired man said, “I’m Mayor Everett. Do you know any of these gentlemen?”

Kincaid looked at the men, didn’t recall ever having treated any of them.

“No, I don’t,” he said.

“Well,” the mayor said, “I believe Dr. Edwin does, so he can fill you in later. At the moment, we should get to the matter at hand. Please, have a seat.”

Kincaid and Doc Edwin sat side by side, while Nora went and took her chair.

“We weren’t expecting Dr. Edwin,” Everett said. “Nora told us you wanted to address the council.”

“I’m here to support my colleague,” Doc Edwin said.

“I see,” Everett said. “And what, exactly, are you supporting, Doc?”

“I’ll let Dr. Kincaid do the talkin’,” Doc Edwin said.

“All right, then,” Mayor Everett said, looking at Kincaid. “Go ahead. Nora indicated this was important.”

“Only if the children in this county are important,” Kincaid began. “I’m sure you heard about the tragedy out at the old schoolhouse.”

“Of course,” the mayor said. “It was terrible.”

“I was there,” Kincaid said. “I had to tell one mother her child had been killed.”

“How awful,” Nora said.

“What’s your point, Doctor?” the mayor asked.

“My point is, this wouldn’t have happened if they had a new schoolhouse,” Kincaid said. “And that’s what they need now, a brand-new schoolhouse.”

The mayor looked down the table at one of the men, Taylor.

“Haven’t we found the school another building?” he asked.

“We have,” Taylor said. “The old Worth place.”

“Another old house?” Kincaid asked. “Are we going to risk more of our children’s lives? What if that one collapses?”

“It won’t,” the mayor said.

“Mr. Mayor, these children need a new building,” Kincaid said. “We need to have one built for them.”

“Dr. Kincaid,” the mayor said, “you haven’t been a member of this community for very long—”

“You’re right,” Kincaid said, cutting him off. “I haven’t. So I don’t know what these other gentlemen do.” He looked at the three men sitting between Nora and the mayor. “Are any of you carpenters?”

The man named Taylor hesitantly raised his hand. He was a heavy, middle-aged man who did, indeed, look like a carpenter.

“So this job would fall to you, sir,” Kincaid said. “All you would have to do is submit a bid to the town to get it, right?”

“Well . . .”

“Now hold on!” the mayor said.

“You hold on, John,” Doc Edwin said, breaking into the conversation. “You’re up for reelection next year.

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