Karen Smith - Her Mr. Right?

“Actually, I wasn’t sure what Peter would do. I mean, I knew patient care was important to him. He’s the epitome of a caring doctor. Yet maintaining his father’s legacy was important, too. So I imagine the decision he made wasn’t easy. In the end, I guess he did what he knew would make himself happy, and that was taking care of patients. Why are you so interested in the Wilders?”

“Because they’re involved in everything—the running of the hospital, interaction with patients, the board, as well as their connection to the takeover. I imagine a family like that is not only respected but can make enemies just by being who they are. If, as you believe, the allegations my office is investigating have no merit, I have to look for other reasons why anyone would want me to give them credence.”

Could someone be feeding false information to the state Attorney General’s Office because he or she had a grudge against the Wilders? That was possible, Isobel surmised.

“Tell me about David Wilder. Why did he return to Walnut River?”

Isobel leaned forward and accused, “That’s another one of those questions you already know the answer to.”

A small smile played across Neil’s lips and she couldn’t seem to move her gaze from them.

“Indulge me,” Neil suggested once again.

“David’s a renowned plastic surgeon. He came back to Walnut River to help a little girl who needed reconstructive work done.”

“Not because of the takeover attempt?”

“I don’t think so. But I don’t know for sure. He probably knew about it but he was here to help Courtney’s little girl.”

“Courtney Albright who works in the gift shop?”

“Yes.”

“But she and David Wilder are now engaged.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know if his airfare was charged to a hospital account?”

“I don’t know. But if it was, there wouldn’t be anything wrong with that, would there? After all, if he was asked to come as a consultant—”

The beeping of Isobel’s cell phone in her purse interrupted them. “I need to check that,” she said. “It might be my father. With him at home alone—”

“Go ahead.” Neil didn’t look impatient or even annoyed, and that surprised her. Didn’t he want to get this questioning over and done with as much as she did?

She opened her phone, saw her sister’s number on the screen and became alarmed. What if something had happened to their dad?

“Debbie, what’s wrong? Is Dad okay?”

“Sorry to scare you, Iz. Dad’s okay as far as I know, but I need your help.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Chad had an away game and his bus broke down on the way home.”

Isobel’s nephew Chad was sixteen and hoping to get a baseball scholarship to college. Since his mom and dad had divorced two years ago, he’d become more quiet, more withdrawn. He obviously missed his father who had moved to the Midwest to take a better job and start a new life. Chad was a big help with his younger brother and sister but sometimes Isobel thought Debbie’s older son felt he had to take his dad’s place, and that could be a burden for a sixteen-year-old.

“What do you need?”

“Can you come over and watch Meg and Johnny while I go get Chad? I wouldn’t lay this on you but I can’t find anybody else.”

Isobel’s niece was six and her nephew was four. “I can come over but I’m in a meeting right now and I’ll have to stop and pick up Dad first. He’s been alone so much lately, I hate to have him spend the evening at the house by himself.”

“Isobel.” Neil’s voice cut into her conversation with her sister.

“Hold on a minute, Debbie.”

“What’s going on?” Neil asked.

Succinctly she told him.

“I have a few more questions for you but they aren’t as important as helping your sister. Why don’t I go pick up your father and bring him to wherever you need him to be?”

Isobel was stunned. “Are you serious? Why would you want to help?”

“Maybe because I’m a stranger in town and I have nothing else to do.”

Sure, Neil might just want to fill his time, but she saw a kindness in him she hadn’t seen in a man for a long while. Should she accept his offer? What would he expect in return?

“Isobel?” her sister called to her from the phone.

“What?”

“The boys are standing by the side of the road and I really want to get there as soon as I can. Can you cut your meeting short?”

Isobel’s gaze met Neil’s. She wasn’t sure what she saw there. Curiosity? Interest? Desire? Was her imagination tricking her into thinking this man might be interested in her? She didn’t even want his interest, did she?

Yet being closed in this office with him, inhaling the musky scent of his cologne, appreciating the baritone of his voice as well as his desire to get to the truth, she had to admit she did want to get to know him better, in spite of the consequences or the risk.

“You’re sure you want to do this?” she asked him.

He nodded. “I’m sure. I can have all this packed up in three minutes. Tell your sister you’ll be there as soon as you can.”

As Isobel did just that, she wondered if she was making a terrible mistake.

Neil gave Isobel’s sister’s kitchen a quick study as he pushed open the screen door for John Suarez and juggled two pizza boxes.

A little girl came running to meet the older man, her dark-brown pigtails flying. She looked to be about the age of a first-grader.

“Grandpa, Grandpa. Will you play dominoes with us? Aunt Iz said I should ask.”

Aunt Iz? Neil had to smile as he followed her father inside the cheery kitchen with its purple-pansy and yellow-gingham theme.

A little boy in jeans and a Spider-Man T-shirt added, “Will you play with us? Will you play with us?” to his sister’s question.

Neil leaned close to Isobel. “Aunt Iz?”

“Only my family uses that nickname, so don’t get any ideas.”

He inhaled the honeysuckle scent surrounding her and right away noticed her change of clothes to jeans and a powder-blue T-shirt with a sleeping cat on the front. Printed under the white feline, the print said Don’t wake me unless there’s an emergency.

When she spied him reading her T-shirt, she explained, “I always keep a duffel bag in my car with a change. It comes in handy.” Monitoring what her niece and nephew were doing, she warned gently, “Don’t pull on Grandpa’s arm.”

“I smell pizza,” the little boy said and came over to stand in front of Neil. “Who are you?”

Neil hadn’t been around children much, but he appreciated forthrightness in anyone. He crouched down to the little boy’s level, pizza boxes and all. “I’m Neil Kane. I’m working at the hospital right now with your aunt, and I brought supper.”

The supper part of the explanation intrigued Isobel’s nephew most. “Mom only lets us order pizza one time a week.” He held up his index finger and stared at the boxes with longing. “I like pepperoni. Did you bring pepperoni?”

Neil laughed and stood. “Yes, I did. Your grandfather said that was your favorite.”

“Can we eat now?” the boy pushed.

Isobel ruffled her nephew’s hair. “Why don’t you tell Mr. Kane your name first.”

“My name is Johnny, after Grandpa.” He pointed to his sister. “And her name is Meg. Now can we eat?”

“You get the napkins. I’ll get the silverware. Neil, can you set those on the table?”

Isobel was a manager, no doubt about that.

After they were all seated at the table and Isobel’s father had rolled his pizza so he could eat it one-handed, she asked him, “How did physical therapy go today?”

“They’re trying to turn me into a muscle man. I just want to be able to use my arm again.”