Desperate (Harris Trilogy Book One) (21 page)

After the ankle was set, she moved about the operating room cleaning up. His eyes followed her. Intent on her chores, she fought the nervousness his bold looks caused.

A hand on her arm, he stated, “You are a great nurse, Miss Monroe. You are my favorite.”

Her eyes looked at his hand
with distaste. “Thank you.”

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my office catching up on some paperwork.”

It was doubtful he’d do any paperwork. More than likely he would consume some more alcohol.  

Her day had been vile and she was in a black mood.
Several young men had died from their injuries. She was feeling a little depressed because she had spent three days trying to nurse one young man back to health, who was not but fifteen years old. His injuries were not life threatening, but the surgeon who performed surgery at the field hospital had used an unwashed needle when tending to his wound. The wound became infected and he died while Kate was changing his bandages. 

S
omewhere a mother would be mourning the death of her son before he even had a chance to really live. She had come to hate this terrible war with a vengeance. Young men, some only boys, forced to fight and die in a war they probably didn’t even understand. Hell, she didn’t understand it herself. 

A
young nurse named Penny approached her while she was sterilizing the operating table for the next surgery scheduled in ten minutes. “Doctor Wilson would like to speak to you in his office, Kate.” She shifted from one foot to the other as if nervous. “He said immediately.”

Quiet and shy, Penny
kept to herself most of the time. While she couldn’t be deemed a beauty, she was pretty. Kate had tried to befriend her but she was just too standoffish. “Thank you, Penny.”

Expected to assist with the next surgery,
Kate’s ill mood only got worse. She hurried to Doctor Wilson’s office wondering why he summoned her. Irritated, she rapped loudly on the huge wood door. She let out an agitated breath. Whatever he wanted better not take long. 

“Come in.”

The moment she entered his office she noticed his blood shot eyes. Dr. Wilson was even more inebriated now than he was thirty minutes ago. Apparently, he had been drinking since he left the operating room. “You wanted to speak to me, sir?”

“Yes, Miss Monroe.” His words were slurred.
“I just wanted to compliment you on your nursing abilities. You are a natural with the patients.” His eyes roamed over her from head to toe.

“Thank you, sir.” The man made her skin crawl.
“Is that all sir, I would like to get back to my duties? I am assisting Jacob with surgery.”

He stood
, moved from behind his desk, and slowly walked toward her swaying like he was on a ship in a storm. Only about two inches taller than her, he stood peering over his glasses at her. Thick framed, with thinning gray hair, he looked to be about fifty years old.

She
stepped back until she felt the door against her back. Her hands trembled as she fumbled with the doorknob behind her deciding to retreat.   

“I have been watching you.
You are a beautiful young woman. I would love to get to know you better.” He reached out and touched a lock of hair that had escaped from Kate’s bun. “You have wonderful hair, so thick and full. I have wanted to run my fingers through it from the first day I saw you.”

At that moment Kate managed to get the door open a couple of inches, only to have Dr. Wilson slam it shut before she could escap
e. She felt numb. The audacity of the old hoot was shocking. He reached out and grabbed her arm. 

Appalled, she
tried to pull away but he only held her tighter. “Get your hands off me, you old lecher. I’ll tell Lucinda about your conduct.” 

“You’ll tel
l no one. Nothing or no one can protect you from me.” Angry, glassy, bloodshot eyes mere inches from her face caused her to cringe. “Who do you think will lose their position?  I am a doctor, and you are just a nurse. You must be here because you are in dire need of funds. A young lady with family support would not be caught dead emptying bed pans and cleaning up filth. If you keep your mouth shut and do what I say, you can remain working here. Now remove your clothes.”

His superior attitude had her bristling.
“I will not you odious, old man! Turn me loose this instant or I will scream!” She jerked harder trying to get Dr. Wilson to release his hold on her.

Lips compressed with anger, he threatened,
“If you scream I promise you will no longer be able to work here. My services are greatly needed here, but you can easily be replaced. Now if you will not remove your clothes I will remove them for you. Do not try my patience.”

Dr. Wilson tried to unbutton Kate’s dress to gain ac
cess. He wasn’t making much progress since she was fighting him. Annoyed, he gave up on the dress, dipped his head and tried to press his lips to hers. 

Woozy and nauseous, s
he felt as if she were going to retch from the smell of whiskey on his breath. With all her strength, she wrenched her arms from his grasp. She opened her mouth getting ready to let out a blood-curdling scream when she was abruptly knocked to the floor. 

She
glanced up just in time to see Jacob punch Dr. Wilson square in the nose. Blood gushed from his nose. It streamed all over the front of his clothes and then dripped to the floor.  When Kate saw the expression on Jacob’s face, she knew he was angry enough to kill Dr. Wilson. 

“You broke my nose, Jacob,”
Dr. Wilson hissed through clenched teeth. Blood oozed through his hands as he covered his nose.

Jacob pulled Kate
to her feet. Strong hands rubbed over her arms to see if she had been harmed. Voice full of concern, he asked, “Are you okay? Did he harm you?” 

A
little shy, she tried to button her dress since Dr. Wilson had managed to undo a couple of buttons. “No Jacob, I’m fine, just a little shaken.”

“Go tell Lucinda what happened.
I’ll knock some more sense into the despicable bastard when you depart.”

She
wrapped her arm around Jacob’s and dug in her heels. “He looks as if he is going to bleed to death. I don’t think he can take much more sense knocking. Why don’t we let the authorities take over now?”

Shaking with fur
y, Jacob pointed at the door. “Leave the room, Kate.” 

“No, I don’
t want you to kill him, Jacob. I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me. Even though he deserves it, I think the courts should take it from here. Think about your career.”

She tugged on his arm to lead him from the room.
In a stern voice she hissed, “I’m not leaving without you.” She had always suspected he had a terrible temper. Now she knew just how dangerous he could be when someone he loved was threatened. If she left him alone with Dr. Wilson, Jacob would probably kill him with his fists. 

He finally relented and let her
escort him out into the hallway. Penny was standing in the hallway ringing her hands in fright.

“You knew he was going to try to force h
imself on me didn’t you, Penny? You brought Jacob to my rescue.” She took both of Penny’s hands into hers. “How did you know?”

Pitiful sobs racked her slim body.
Dropping her face into her hands, Penny’s wails became louder. Kate whispered in a trembling voice, “Oh no, he did the same thing to you.” She wrapped her arms around Penny and let her cry until she calmed enough to speak. “Why didn’t you tell someone?”

Jacob handed her his handkerchief.
Kate exchanged a glance with him while Penny dabbed at her eyes. “I really need this job. If I were to get fired, my mom and I would be destitute. My small paycheck is the only thing keeping us from starvation. Dr. Wilson swore I would lose my job if I told anyone.”

It broke her heart to think how
desperate Penny had felt. She had been just as desperate when she disguised herself as her brother and joined the infantry. “It’s going to be okay, Penny. I promise you he will pay for what he has done. You are safe now.”

When Jacob informed Lucinda about Dr. Wilson’s conduct, he was fired on th
e spot. He packed up his belongings and left quickly before he felt the wrath of Jacob again.

Kate was sitting in Lucinda’s office with her arm draped over Penny
’s shoulders trying to console her. Her heart wrenching sobs were tormenting Kate. She felt helpless wanting to tell her everything would be better tomorrow, but she did not know for sure it would.

It was with certain dread that Lucinda walked
into her office for the confrontation with Kate. She took the chair next to Penny and placed her hand on her knee. “I fired him, Penny. I informed the authorities of his conduct. I’m sorry for what he did to you. It is not fair that you were raped in my hospital. I feel partly responsible because it happened on my watch.”

The lines around her mouth tightened. “Chances are he’ll
not even spend one night in prison. He comes from a wealthy family and he is a man. That means he can pretty much get away with anything, even forcing women to have sex with him.”

R
ed faced with fury, Kate bolted out of her chair. Hands on her hips, she turned on Lucinda. “What do you mean he will not be arrested? He raped her, and tried to rape me. It is not fair he will walk away from this with no consequences.” 

“I’m sorry, Kate.
He informed the authorities he forced no one to do anything they did not want to do. He was adamant the nurse in question consented.”

A finger to her chest, Kate hissed, “Well, how about me.
I didn’t consent! Did he lie about that too?”

“He’s
a man, Kate, a wealthy man. The law does not pertain to the likes of him,” Lucinda replied, sounding sympathetic. She stood and moved to her desk. “I’ll send letters out to all other hospitals informing them of his transgressions. Hopefully, he will not be able to find employment in another hospital. My hands are tied. I wish I could do more but I cannot.”

Wilson was going to go free.
Life definitely was not fair for women. What happened was not Lucinda’s fault, but something needed to be done. The hospital was full of drunk and disorderly doctors. No reason to sit here and argue about something she couldn’t change.

She pulled
Penny to her feet. “I’m going to take Penny home with me until she calms down, and then I’ll make sure she gets home.” As she led Penny through the door, she wondered just how many other nurses had been raped by Doctor Wilson. Maybe others would be brave enough to come forth when word got out he had been fired for raping one of the nurses. With more witnesses, the authorities would have to arrest Dr. Wilson.

Chapte
r Twelve

When Kate arrived home with Penny in tow, she immediately escorted her new friend upstairs to Lila, her grandfather’s maid. As soon as she saw the tousled hair and withdrawn stare in the young woman’s eyes, she took charge. She mixed up a concoction and made Penny drink every drop. It must have been vile because her lips turned up in distaste and her whole body shuddered. It was not but a few minutes and she was sound asleep in Kate’s bed.

Anger curled up in the center of her chest as she descended the stairs
to locate her grandfather. Maybe he had enough influence to convince the authorities to arrest Dr. Wilson. Before she could knock on the door of his office, the door swung open and Jacob almost knocked her down for the second time in one day.

Strong hands reached out to grip her shoulders to steady her.
“Kate, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were at the door.”

“It’s okay, Jacob.
I wanted to speak to grandfather concerning the atrocities I’m told Dr. Wilson will not be punished for.” Her cheeks puffed out in anger. “I’m still struggling to comprehend how someone can take a young girl’s innocence against her will and not face retribution.”

Sitting at his desk in his office, Roy heard the disc
ussion between Kate and Jacob. “Come in, Kate. Jacob has given me an account of the happenings today.” Concern in his voice, he asked, “Were you injured, my dear?”

“Of course not, Grandfather.
Jacob arrived just in time, thanks to Penny. I’m fine, but Penny is not. She is struggling to remain sane.” Worn out from stress and worry, Kate plopped into the chair in front of Roy’s desk. “Lila gave her some concoction and she is resting peacefully in my bed, but she can’t stay long or her mother will suspect all is not normal.” 

“Don’
t you worry about anything. Jacob and I assure you Dr. Wilson will be punished.” He took her arm and pulled her to her feet. “Please go tend to your friend, and trust us to rectify this injustice.” He patted her hand as he propelled her toward the door.

As Kate exited
the room she met Jacob’s eyes. Not a word transpired between them, but she knew Dr. Wilson would never take advantage of a young woman again. Deep down she knew Jacob dealt viciously with anyone who crossed him or harmed someone he cared about.

Jacob followed her
out the door. He leaned against the doorjamb and watched her ascend the stairs. He admired her passion. The way she had stood up for herself and Penny made him want her even more. Perhaps Kate didn’t need saving today. More than likely she could have gotten out of the horrid situation all by herself. It still made him feel proud that he was her knight in shining armor. 

He fou
nd himself imagining her naked. Carnal thoughts entered his head and he wondered what it would be like to bed her. Never had anyone fired his desire more. Taking a deep breath, he tried to gain control. He would take his time and court her properly. Good things come to those who wait.   

****

Kate was beginning to worry Penny would never wake. She was afraid Lila had given her too much of the mysterious liquid. Gently shaking Penny at first, and then more roughly, she finally stirred, stretching like a cat waking from a long nap. 

Looming ov
er the bed, Kate touched her cheek, and exclaimed, “I’m so glad you are still with us. I was beginning to believe Lila had poisoned you. How do you feel?”

“M
uch better, thank you for asking. What ever you gave me was wonderful.  I think I could fly.” She blinked several times before she sat up and gave Kate a lopsided grin.

Kate giggled.
Penny’s such a timid little woman who always seemed as if she were afraid of her own shadow. She did not seem so shy now. “We need to return you home. Your mom will be worried if you’re not home at your usual time. Can you stand?”

“Sure I can stand.” She pushed off the bed and swayed a little. “Maybe I need a little help.”

“Let’s go downstairs and get you some coffee,” Kate offered.

Half an hour later,
Lacy maneuvered the carriage through the busy streets of Richmond to safely deposit Penny at her home. “Are you sure you are okay?”

“Honestly Kate, I’m fine.
I can’t abide my mom knowing I am no longer an innocent. Promise me you’ll tell no one.”

Pain squeezed at her heart as she peered into Penny’s sorrowful eyes.
“I would never do anything to hurt you. I’m sure Dr. Wilson will never bother us again. You can return to work tomorrow and pretend none of this happened.”

“Thanks, Kate.”

“Thank you, Penny.
You were extremely brave and unselfish today when you sent Jacob to rescue me.”

“I couldn’t bear the thought of him
doing to you what he did to me. I will survive but I will never forget.” She visibly shuddered. “I wish I would have been as brave as you and reported him.” 

Kate wrapped her arm around Penny
’s shoulders. “You are not responsible for what happened. You shouldn’t feel guilty for something you were forced to do. He gave you no other choice. Stop beating yourself up over something you had no control over.”

“He took my virginity, Kate.
Even though I pleaded with him to stop, he only thought of his own needs. Not once did he consider the fact he has ruined my chances for marriage.” A tear escaped down Penny’s cheek, as she relived the many times Dr. Wilson forced her to have sex with him.

Life was unfair for the poor.
Penny endured the sexual advances of Dr. Wilson to keep from losing her job. He knew how important her job was and used it against her.

B
efore she stumbled from the carriage, Penny threw her arms around her neck and squeezed. From inside the carriage, Kate watched until she was in the safety of her home. The world was full of devious men like Dr. Wilson and Bob Lewis. Men that did not care who they hurt as long as their lusts were satisfied.

****

Jacob kept to the shadows as he made his way to Dr. Benjamin Wilson’s townhouse. It wasn’t the first time he had taken a life. He knew he was not God, but felt the need to right a wrong. Another young girl would not be harmed at the hands of such an evil person as Benjamin Wilson.

If the authorities would not get involved, he would decide Dr. Wils
on’s fate. Braced against the brick wall, he waited and listened to make sure no one approached the now deserted street. Few people frequented the streets at three in the morning. And those that did were either drunk or too deep in despair to care.  

Wilson sat
at his desk nursing a bottle of whiskey. He didn’t hear Jacob soundlessly climb through the window. He always liked to face the evil person he was going to rid the world. It gave him pleasure to see their face when they realized they were going to die.

Misshapen and swollen, it was obvious he had a broken nose.
“Hello, Wilson.”

Startled, Wilson dropped the open whiskey bottle on his desk, its conten
ts pouring to the floor below. Whiskey spilled onto the beautiful Oriental rug protecting the floor from the heavy oak desk.

A huge
, white bandage covered his distorted nose. Sweat rivulets streamed from his forehead at the dangerous sight of Jacob’s huge frame looming over him.

His voice cracked as he pleaded, “I have been
punished enough by you, Jacob. My nose is broken. I think you have done enough to my person. My reputation is in shambles, and I lost my position at the hospital. Please leave my home this very instant.”

Jacob
could smell his fear. His soft, furious whisper filled the room. “You ruined your reputation. You are the one that forced young women to have sex with you. Did you know the young lady you tried to rape this morning is Roy Talbert’s granddaughter? He is livid that an old drunk like you laid hands on his only living relative. I’m here to make sure you never hurt another young innocent woman again. I am here seeking revenge.”

Jacob reached across the desk and roughly
drug Wilson to face him. He began to whimper, his eyes shut tight too frightened to look into Jacob’s menacing face. “Please have mercy. I promise to never touch another young girl again. I swear to God.”

“Shut up, Wilson.
Stop whining and die like a man.” Jacob hit him a hard blow to the head instantly knocking him unconscious. Throwing Wilson over his shoulder, he left the house out the same window he had entered. 

Through the fog, Jacob saw Scott waiting by
the carriage. He opened the door shutting it behind Jacob when he crawled inside with Wilson’s body. Fortunately, Jacob knew how to dispose of a body so that no one would ever find Benjamin Wilson.

****

It didn’t take long for the gossip to spread to Chimborazo Hospital. Kate listened to the doctors and nurses as they speculated over the disappearance of Dr. Wilson. The authorities were called in, but without one shred of evidence the case was at a standstill. Dr. Wilson’s family had hired a Pinkerton Agent, but he found no evidence either. It was as if the man disappeared off the face of the earth.

Kate carried on her duties with
as much normalcy as possible. Frightened investigators would question her, she jumped at every noise. What if they suspected she knew something about Dr. Wilson’s disappearance? She had to calm down and gain control of her nerves. 

B
ent over tucking the corner of a sheet under the mattress, someone grabbed her from behind. She gasped and found herself in Jacob’s arms. 

“Hello, b
eautiful. How are you today?” He acted as if he had nothing to do with Dr. Wilson’s disappearance. His wicked smile led her to believe he had a clear conscience.

As she tried to push him away, she whispered,
“How can you be so chipper? Aren’t you at all worried?” She was a little annoyed at being scared by him and his nonchalant attitude. 

Thick, sensual
lips curled into a grin as he whispered, “I’m trying not to look guilty.”

Slapping at his chest, she
scolded, “You’re such a cad, Jacob. I’m worried about you. I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me.”

“I know what I’m doing.
Stop worrying and give me a little kiss.”

She
stopped struggling and lifted her face toward his. Their lips met. It was sweet. She enjoyed his kiss. It was just not what she felt when she kissed David. Jacob’s kiss did not make her heart beat faster. Only David consumed her with relentless passion. She nestled her face on his chest. More than anything she wanted to love Jacob, but she couldn’t forget the ecstasy she had shared with David.

Still holding her in his arms, Jacob asked, “How about hav
ing supper with me tonight?”

She
pushed at his chest with both hands until he released his hold on her. “I would love too. Pick me up at 6:00. Now leave me alone and let me get back to my duties.”

He bent at the waist and gave her a gallant bow.
“Until tonight, my love.”

She couldn’t help but to laugh. He was so charming.
She just hoped she could come to love him as much as he deserved.

****

Sitting across the table from Jacob, Kate was almost reluctant to ask him any questions about Dr. Wilson. Even though she was dying to know what happened, she thought the less she knew the better off she would be in case she was questioned.

The restaurant was the fanciest place she had dined since courtin
g Jacob. He definitely knew how to make a woman feel special. Fashionably dressed couples sat at perfectly set tables. Candles illuminated, giving off just enough light to make a romantic atmosphere. French doors stood open permitting moonlight to set the mood for young lovers. 

A
s usual Jacob was gorgeous. His long blond hair shone in the soft light. His attire was immaculate. Shoulders and arms like cords of steel filled out his suit perfectly. He was by far the most handsome man in the room. His eyes wandered hungrily over her face. He was so transfixed on her it was if she were the only person in the room. He noticed nothing about the other diners or his surroundings. Everything those eyes said were naughty.

Suddenly shy, she traced her fingers over the rim of her wine glass. She
leaned in close and whispered, “Have you been questioned, Jacob?”

“No, Kate.
I don’t think I’m a suspect. There are plenty of people who did not like Dr. Wilson. I’m sure there will be a long line of suspects. Remember Dr. Wilson disappeared. The authorities have no reason to believe he is dead. Stop worrying, sweet heart. I know what I’m doing.”

“I’ll try
to stop worrying, Jacob.” 

They enjoyed their meal. The
conversation changed and they talked of work and the war. She felt guilty having this wonderful meal with a handsome man, while David was probably eating a drab meal alone. No matter how hard she fought, her thoughts always returned to him.

She
stared in shock as Jacob sat a blue velvet case on the table. He smiled waiting for her to open the case. When she kept staring at it, he finally asked, “Aren’t you curious to know what’s inside?”