Season of Fear (26 page)

Page forward for excerpts from Christine Bush's

Danger at Deer Hollow

Warning at Eagle's Watch

Classical Medical/Mystery Romance

available in eBook Format

Excerpt from

Danger at Deer Hollow

by

Christine Bush

Chapter 1

"Have you had any private nursing experience, Miss Greene?"

For over an hour Libby had looked the agency interviewer directly in the eye, patiently answering his seemingly endless list of questions about her qualifications. "No, Mr. Hoxley, I haven't. My experience has been primarily as a floor nurse at the local hospital. However, I feel that I'm very capable of adjusting to a position in a private home."

After ending her relationship with Adam Stone, who was an orthopedic surgeon, Libby hadn't been able to cope with the constant association with him. Working in the same hospital, she was constantly running into him on the floor, in the cafeteria, and in the staff meetings. Seeing that sad, rejected look always in his eyes, haunting her everywhere she went, was just too much. He had been a fundamental part of her life for the past three years, since the day she finished nursing school, in fact. He was a brother of one of her former classmates, and she had met him at a reception after her graduation ceremonies.

Together for three years, and now so far apart that she couldn't bear to work in the same building.

"Well, Miss Greene, I think I have all of the information that is required for the time being. Thank you for registering with our agency. I hope you'll be hearing from us soon regarding a suitable position."

Mr. Hoxley's pinched voice shook her back to the present. The interview was finally over.

"Thank you, sir. I'll be looking forward to hearing from you."

A quick handshake and she found herself heading for the parking lot, wondering, not for the first time, if she had done the right thing when she resigned from her position at the hospital. Jobs were so hard to come by these days, and the small sum of money she had stashed away for the proverbial rainy day was not going to last her through a storm of great length! But then the vision of Adam's hurt face flashed in front of her again, and she gave a resigned sigh.

The stress had been bad for both of them, and as difficult as it seemed, a clean break was the only way to clear the air and give them both time to recuperate. She had turned down his proposal of marriage with mixed emotions. She cared about Adam. And she had thought that she had known him well, known his desires and goals in life, the things that were important to him. How wrong a person could be!

In the past few months new aspects of his personality had come to light, and they were aspects that were very foreign to Libby's ideals. An increasing love of money had been the first change she had noticed. His concerns for his patients had gradually become financial instead of physical. And then he seemed to develop a cruel streak, beginning with harsh commands and criticisms of his nursing staff, and building to the incident that had almost broken Libby's heart as she realized that Adam was not the right man for her, not a man she could love and respect.

They had been driving along a beautiful, tree-lined country road. It was after midnight, and they had a lovely, romantic evening together. After cocktails, dinner, dancing, and soft conversation at a rustic little inn in a nearby town, Libby was feeling happy and relaxed. They drove along in the summer night, enjoying the breeze as it flowed in the open car window. Perhaps the hardness she had noticed in Adam in the past few months had been her imagination. Or perhaps he had been under some great strain that she didn't know about. Whatever the moodiness had been, it seemed to have disappeared. Tonight he was the Adam she remembered. Carefree, gentle, laughing, and sensitive. He was attentive and romantic, and Libby felt wonderful.

They sped along through the dark night. Suddenly a small rabbit hopped onto the pavement before the car. Seeing the lights, it leaped for the side of the road to find safety. Libby began to draw a breath of relief until Adam swore violently and veered the car to the side of the road, killing the small creature.

"That'll teach those little devils not to get in my way," he roared, and began to laugh heartily, as if he had just told a hilarious joke. Libby felt sick.

Depressed, angry, nauseous, she sat in the dark corner of the car deep in thought. How could anyone have been so heartless? Adam was supposed to be a doctor, bent on healing and saving the living creatures of the world; instead he had become obsessed with his own power, unfeelingly sweeping a young life away! But whatever had motivated him, she knew for certain that her impressions had been right. He was certainly not the man for her. And with that final realization, she felt an inexpressible sadness enveloping her, choking her.

Her heart was in her throat as they pulled up before Libby's modest apartment building a few moments later. She couldn't talk, she felt as if her vocal cords were paralyzed.

Just let me slip away, her brain screamed silently. I just can't face this situation. It hurts too much. I'll never be able to look at Adam again without hearing that laugh, that disgusting laugh.

"Cat got your tongue, gorgeous? How come you're so quiet? This has sure been a terrific evening, don't you agree?"

She tried to open her mouth. The words stuck in her throat. He didn't even know, didn't even realize the impact his violent actions had had upon her. And while he was making small talk, her heart was aching for their broken dreams.

He went on. "Libby, there's something I've been giving a lot of thought to, something I've wanted to talk to you about. We have so much in common, and we always have such a great time together. How would you like to be a doctor's wife?"

A proposal! Suddenly, like a dam giving way, the words poured out. She gave voice to all the emotions and anger and disappointment that had welled up inside of her. She told him how his actions had disgusted her, and when the words were spent, she told him she never wanted to see him again. Exhausted, she ended the tirade and flung herself out of the car. She felt empty as he drove away into the night.

The two weeks that followed were depressing. Nervous and tense at her job, alone and unhappy in the evenings, she had finally realized that she must change the routine of her life entirely, if she were to exorcise the painful memories. But the prospect was frightening, and making the decision took a lot of soul-searching and strength.

It's not an easy task for a young woman with no family to summon up the courage to uproot herself from the only environment she has known. Libby had determinedly resigned her job and had given notice to her landlord. She decided to enter the field of private nursing, hoping to be able to get her feet back on the ground. Coping with a family group seemed to have an advantage over working with an entire hospital staff. And perhaps residing with a family would make her feel more at home in a new and unfamiliar city.

Well, she had made the decision. She was leaving Adam and this town. Leaving, that is, as soon as Mr. Hoxley could find her a position. Nursing jobs were not abundant, but he had assured her that there was a need for competent, experienced nurses who were willing to live-in during their employment. He had looked rather skeptical when she had said she had no outside demands upon her time, but he had thankfully asked no further questions.

Daydreaming of the new experiences the future might bring, Libby arrived back at her apartment with a feeling of excitement. "See," she told herself gaily, "already the cobwebs are beginning to clear. I haven't felt like singing in months, and I sure do now!" Humming the tune of an old song leftover from her school days, she put her key into the lock. As she entered the room, the phone began to ring. She picked up the receiver.

"Miss Greene?" Mr. Hoxley's pinched voice asked. "I'm glad I was able to catch you. As soon as you left the office, I received a rather urgent request for a private nurse, some distance from here. As you had mentioned that you would like to begin immediately and that you wouldn't mind relocating in another town, I thought perhaps you might be interested in the job."

She could barely contain her excitement as she accepted his offer. "When do I begin?" she asked.

"There's a bus that leaves town early tomorrow morning. Mr. Weston, your employer, is more than willing to pay the fare."

After a few more details, Libby hung up the phone. She was tingling all over. A new place, a new job, a new home. The future was beginning.

She flitted about the small apartment as she packed. It was with a light heart that she said goodbye to the place that had been her home, full of memories that she longed to forget, full of experiences that she was eager to leave behind.

It was a tired but excited young woman who fell asleep that night. Her head was full of dreams, hopes, and anticipation for the new and unknown future that lay ahead of her.

She opened her eyes the next morning to face a bright new day, ready to leave her troubled past far behind her. For better or for worse, she would not turn back now!