Richard Mabry - Diagnosis Death

After supper, David and Elena said goodnight on the front porch. "I'll call you tomorrow," he said. "Get some rest."

"I'll look forward to your call. Right now, I just want a hot bath and a soft bed."

Elena went to the closet and exchanged her slacks, blouse, and low-heel dress shoes for a robe and slippers. She was headed for the bathroom for a long, hot soak when she had a brief perception of movement outside the window. Is someone out there? She opened the bathroom door, stepped inside, and turned on the water in the tub. Then, as though she'd forgotten something, she turned back into the bedroom.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move in the bushes outside her window. Once more, she'd forgotten to draw the blinds. Well, too late now. Was she certain there was a face at the window? She reran the film in her mind. Yes, someone was there.

What now? Call the police? Even as she debated what to do, Elena sidled toward the easy chair that sat hard against the wall, out of the window's line of sight. She reached behind the chair and retrieved the object she'd placed there after the first Peeping Tom incident.

Stop it. Call the police. No, by the time the police get here, the prowler will be gone. Then she'd be sentenced to weeks more of dodging shadows, wondering when her stalker would turn up next.

Elena eased into the hall and hurried to the outside door. She slid through it with no sound and moved gingerly around the side of the house, keeping to shadows. He was standing in the bushes, his head a few inches from the window. Apparently, he thought the possibility that she might return and shed her robe made the wait worthwhile.

Every step took an eternity. Don't make a noise. Her whole plan was predicated on surprise. What if it didn't work? What if the surprise she had in store for the perverted peeper didn't immobilize him? What would she do if he turned on her? Fight? Run?

Elena crouched to stay under the prowler's line of sight and duck-walked the last six feet. She stopped an arm's length away, straightened, and shoved her weapon forward until it touched the intruder's back.

Next came what Elena had been told was the most chilling sound in the world- chik-chuk- as she racked the slide of the shotgun she held pressed against his spinal column.

The man's hands shot up as though jet-propelled. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

"Get on the ground, hands behind your head. Now!" Elena reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out the cell phone she'd dropped in as she left the house. As she punched in 9-1-1, Dr. Nathan Godwin sank to his knees, laced his fingers together behind his head, and eased to the ground like a candle melting in the sun.

Saturday night was always busy at RJ's, and Elena had to remind him of her relationship with Will and Cathy before the restaurant owner agreed to set up the party in a private room. These five people had helped her through some tough times, and she thought a celebratory dinner with them was fitting. Cathy and Will were seated across from her. David occupied the chair to her left, Natalie was on her right. Marcus Bell sat across the table from Natalie.

Elena waited until the water glasses were filled, then raised hers. "I'd like to propose a toast to friendships, old and new."

Glasses touched, murmurs of "hear, hear." Then the conversational buzz began.

Elena leaned across the table toward Cathy. "I'm glad your OB let you come tonight."

"I'm doing well, so he decided to turn me loose for an evening. Thank you for inviting us."

To Will, she said, "I'm grateful for all your legal help, but more important, I appreciate your support. I can never repay you for all you've done."

"Consider the bill paid. You've been a great addition to Cathy's practice. Well, I guess it's yours too, now."

"Thank you for inviting me," Natalie said to Elena. "I don't have many friends in town, and even though I work in the hospital, I don't come in contact with the doctors very much."

"Maybe Marcus can help you with that," Elena said.

"I'll do my best," Marcus said. "I have to admit that the social worker's office isn't somewhere doctors like to hang out, but maybe I can buy you coffee in the cafeteria and introduce you around."

Natalie turned toward her sister-in-law and mouthed, "Thanks." And was she blushing just a bit?

Elena decided to ask the question she knew was on everyone's mind. "Will, what do you think will happen to Dr. Godwin?"

Will put down the roll he was buttering. "I heard through the grapevine that he left the police station, went home, emailed his resignation to the members of the hospital board, and started packing."

Cathy looked puzzled. "Won't he have to be here for a trial?"

"He'll be charged with a misdemeanor. I'm pretty sure his lawyer will plead it out and ask for probation. In the meantime, Nathan will probably move on to another town and most likely repeat the pattern."

"I guess repeating the pattern is pretty typical in cases like that," Elena said.

"In his case, very typical." Will replied. "One of my sources in the police department tells me this isn't the first time Nathan has done this. Marcus, is there anything you can do to spread the word about him? Ethically, of course."

Marcus nodded. "I expect the hospital board to ask me to resume the duties they gave to Nathan, so I'd be the one responding to any requests for references. I'll have to be careful what I say, but I think I can get the message across."

"Elena, I still can't believe you confronted Nathan instead of calling the police," Cathy said.

"I'd forgotten that shotgun was still at my folks' house," Will said. "But there was no ammunition for it."

"Nathan didn't know that," Elena said. "And I'll have to admit, that sound even scared me, and I was the one holding the gun."

Elena let her gaze sweep around the table. She felt blessed by the presence of these people in her life. Coming to Dainger had indeed involved danger. But the process had left her better equipped to move on with her life.

Natalie was chatting with Marcus. Cathy and Will had their heads together, whispering as only a married couple could do. Beside her, David pretended to study his menu, but she saw the glances he directed toward her.

Elena knew she had to face her feelings for David soon. Marcus had become a friend, but she was convinced that was all he'd be in her life. Frank Perrin-well, Frank was a "bad boy" who might provide a thrill, like seeing how close to a flame you could get your hand without getting burned. But she was certain the threat of a burn would always be there.

Mark's death had taken away a part of her life that could never be replaced. His infidelity, even if he had planned to end the affair, left her with a sense of distrust, but it was unfair to let that carry over to David. More and more, she felt certain that he was the best candidate to help her rebuild her life, if she'd just give him the chance.

As though he'd been tuned in to her thoughts, David leaned in toward her and whispered, "Would you like to go to church with me in the morning?"

"I'd like that."

"And sometime next week, I want to take you out for dinner and a movie."

"You mean like we used to do back in Dallas. As a friend?" Elena struggled to hide the grin she felt coming.

"Absolutely not. Like a real date."

"Sounds fine." She let the smile break through. "I think we have a lot to talk about."

S ummer moved to fall, and winter followed. But at last spring came to Dainger. White clouds of blossoms filled Bradford pear trees. Delicate red flowers decorated the redbuds. Along the highway, bluebonnets sprang up in random profusion. The earth was green with the promise of new beginnings.