“Better now that I’m home. I’m certainly resting better. However, it would have been nice if you’d not had me dragged back in here so quickly, but I’m very happy to be your anchor. That’s what I called Trevor when he stayed with me those nights I was here.” She asked if he was regaining control of his emotions yet. “Yes. Off and on, I feel the urge to sob about how I treated everyone, but it’s getting better too.”

  “Do you know what’s going on with Dr. Harris?” He said that his family was dealing with it. “I haven’t given my full statement to the police yet. Also, I had them make sure that they were given a copy of the recordings of the room.”

  “Now that I know that they were able to get. My parents are on the board of directors here.” She said that was good. “You’re to rest up until Jade comes back to check on you. I won’t leave your side until she runs me home.”

  Lizzy wasn’t sure that getting so attached to Clay was such a good idea. Not that anyone asked her, but she was beginning to have second thoughts about kissing him the other day. Then there was the flirting. She knew better than that.

  As she did doze in and out, she wasn’t in too much pain. When Dr. Strong came to see her, Lizzy was beginning to have a lot more pain. Asking her for something until she was able to go home, the doctor told her that she had a concussion and would be staying with them until she was ready to be on her own.

  “I won’t be by myself. My parents are at my place now. Well, they were when I left.” She asked her if she needed to get in touch with them. “Oh, that’s all right. When I’m home, they’ll make sure that I’m not in too much pain. If you’ll just call me a cab or something, I can go there and rest up.”

  “How about I give them a call?” It wasn’t that she didn’t want her to meet her parents, but they were odd ducks, and most people hadn’t any idea how to be around them. Telling the doctor that her mom and dad were sort of weird only got the other woman laughing. “They’re from a commune. I mean…well, I don’t know what I mean. They’re hippies. And they love it. I’m not like them at all.”

  “I’ll give them a call, and we’ll see about getting you someplace where you can mend. If it’s not with them, then you’ll stay with us. Clay likes you, and so do the rest of us.” Lizzy asked the doctor if she was all right with Clay liking her. “He’s a grown man and will date whom he wants, I guess. If I had a problem with you dating him, I’d tell you. But I don’t. However, Lizzy, if you don’t stop calling me Dr. Strong and not Jade, I’m going to have to hurt you. Or something. You’ve been hurt enough.”

  “I don’t know you all that well.” Jade told her that it was about time they did. “I’m not even sure that I should be dating—not that we have dated or anything yet, but I’m not so sure that it would be a good thing for us to see each other.”

  “Why?” Lizzy told her that her parents were dippy. “Dippy? Well, I guess we’ll find out. It’s all right if they’re a little strange, Lizzy. I think that anyone that knew my family would think the same thing. I’m going to be raising my half-brother as my son when my mother gives birth to him. Dippy? We’ll work around that too if it gets serious between you and Clay.”

  “That’s just the point I’m trying to make. Are you always this stubborn?” Jade laughed and said that she was. “I heard that about you. Well, I don’t think we should see each other. I’m not, nor is my family, the type of people that has a congressman in the family. Someone that is trying to set himself up for the White House.”

  “You’re thinking about this too hard.” Lizzy didn’t think she was but heard the door to where she was open and close. “I was just about to call Lizzy’s parents, Clay. Would you do that for me while I check out the stitching on her head?”

  “Wait.” But it was too late, Jade told her. Clay was already on it. “You’ve no idea what sort of shitstorm you’ve created by calling them. I hope you’re prepared for this. Because once they hear that their daughter is hurt, they’re going to cause…you know what? This is all on your head.

  Lizzy was given something for pain, but it was so mild that all it did was take the edge off her pain. It was her head that hurt the worse, and she was sure that once her parents showed up, it would only get worse. Closing her eyes when she heard her mother shriek, Lizzy wished that she’d asked for something stronger to be knocked out when they arrived.

  “Where are you, darling?” She called out to her mom when she yelled for her. Not being able to see them because of the bandages, it was Clay that took her hand into his and made the introductions and brought them up to speed on what was going on with her injuries. “Oh, Darling. Didn’t I tell you that it was going to be bad news for you to go away from us? I told you what your tea leaves said. And then you went and done it anyway. Is you having a good job and a place of your own worth all this? I’d rethink things right now.”

  “Honey, let her be able to answer us rather than going over things from the past. How are you, my little girl?” It occurred to her just then that she rarely heard her parents call her by her name. Her father asked Clay who he might be. “I mean, I know that you called us. For which I’m deeply grateful for. But I don’t know you, do I?”

  “My family is the Strongs. And no, I don’t think I’ve ever met you before. Lizzy and I met when I was in here for surgery. She was my anesthesiologist when I was being operated on. I think I fell a little bit in love with her right then.” Lizzy said that Clay was kidding. “If you say so. Anyway, I’m happy to meet you both. My parents will be in soon to meet you as well.”

  “Who did this to my little girl?” Mom didn’t wait for an answer but went on wailing about how her face was going to be ruined. “You’ll come back with us to the commune, and we’ll take care of you there. There is nothing that some fresh air and fresh vegetables won’t cure for you. You’ll see. In no time, you’ll be as good as new.”

  “Mom, we’ve talked about this before. I’m not going to go back there. I’m a grown woman, and I can take care of myself.” Mom huffed at her, which meant that she was going to argue with her nonstop until one of them gave in. And it wasn’t going to be her. “Where are you staying while in town?”

  “Oh, we brought our camper. You know us. We can’t be without our own comforts.” Mentally she rolled her eyes. Comfort meant they’d have no running water, no bathroom and no way to keep the place warm. She was afraid that Clay’s family was going to invite them to stay with them. “How much longer are you going to be in the hospital, darling? I’d like to be able to bring you back to the camper with us so that we can pamper you a bit.”

  “She’s going to be staying with me.” Lizzy squeezed Clay’s hand in thanks. “My sister-in-law is a doctor. That way, we can keep an eye on her in the event something might happen. Not that any of us think it will, but you never know with head wounds.”

  “I suppose that’s all right. We do so miss having her around.” Lizzy could have kissed Jade when she assured her that she was in good hands. “Yes, I guess she would be with a doctor in the house. But she is my little girl, you know. Maybe we can make it a daily thing to come and visit her. What do you think, Alfred?”

  “We don’t want to be a pest while she’s healing, Linda. These people seem to have a handle on things for us. Once she’s healed up, then we’ll visit with her enough that we’ll be able to talk her into coming back home with us.” Dad whispered in her ear. “You’ll be just fine, child of mine. I’ll make sure that I keep your mom away for as much as I can.”

  “Thank you, dad.” The pain was making itself known to her again, and she thought perhaps if she were to get something mild again, she’d be able to handle her family a little better. However, Jade said that she needed to check on her wounds again, and she wanted to give her something stronger to keep her still while she did it.

  “Oh, you shouldn’t be giving her drugs. I have some stones in the camper that you can use. Alfred, you should go there and get them now for this doctor. I don’t want my baby to be using drugs.” Dad told mom that she might need something to work quickly, and they both knew that stones could take a little while to kick in. “I suppose so. Well, we’ll be back later, darling. You try and keep off the drugs, and we’ll talk to you when we get back. Maybe there won’t be as many people here that we can have a long conversation about how you’re dealing with things without us around.”

  She wasn’t sure that her parents had left until Clay told her. Jade said that she was going to remove the bandages now. Jade told her that she’d been meaning to remove them while her parents were there but decided against that when she spoke to them. Clay and Jade both told her how sorry they were for calling them.

  “It’s all right. I’m sure they would have found out sooner or later.” It was nice to be able to see everyone, but she really did need something for pain. Once Jade called in the orders for it, the nurse came in and gave it to her through her IV. “Oh my yes, that helps a great deal. Thank you.”

  While it didn’t knock her out, it did take a huge edge off of the pain. She looked over at Clay when the rest of them left. Lizzy asked him if he had learned a lesson about listening to her about her parents.

  “Yes. They’re odd, just like you—what did she mean about stones? I thought they used crystals or something.” Lizzy explained it to him. “Ah. So they can’t afford crystals and go hunting for stones everywhere they go. Like just out in the open? Or do they have specific places they go to find them? I’m not making fun. I’m just curious.”

  “Mom or dad will get this feeling that a stone is around, and they have to go find it. Usually, it’s not far from where they’re living, but sometimes they have to travel around to find the spot that is calling to them.” He asked her if she was serious. “Yes. You have no idea how many times I was woke up in the middle of the night to go stone hunting. I even said I’d buy them crystals, but they assured me that stones were working so well for them that they’d stick with that.”

  She watched as Clay seemed to be fighting with his humor. When he said that he was sorry and then burst out laughing, she joined him. He hadn’t any idea why he found it so funny, he told her that it was sort of humous, but he did.

  “I do as well now that I’m away from them. I used to be so embarrassed when I lived on the land with them. The place isn’t far from here, about a twenty minute drive. And since my parents are the only ones that have a cell phone, thanks to me, so that they can call me when they need something, they’re given an almost king and queen like status at the farm. Or commune, whatever you want to call it.” He asked what they did on this place. “Mostly, they just hang out together and grow their own food. I believe, too, that they still make wine. Occasionally they’ll get a bunch of vegetables gathered up and head into town to sell them off. Which never made sense to me. Because they’d have to buy food to keep them fed. Also, I think they might well grow marijuana, but I don’t look too hard at whether or not that’s going on to know for sure.”

  Clay laughed again. “I’m hoping that you’ll come and stay at my house. I’m supposed to be recuperating there, and having you there will not be as hard on me when I want to visit with you.” She said she had an apartment. “Yes, but I need to keep an eye on you, remember? Also, if you’re at your place, there is no telling when—do they really live like hippies?”

  “They really do. Since before I was born.” He nodded but didn’t say anything more. “Look, I can fully understand if you don’t want to see me anymore. Or, for that matter, see me at all. There is no telling what sort of things might happen if they come around too much.”

  “I wasn’t kidding when I told you that I’m a little bit in love with you. Being around your parents hasn’t changed a thing. You’re who you are because of them, and there isn’t anything that I’d change about you.” She said he might later down the line. “And if that happens, not that I think it will, we’ll work on that when we have to. For now, I want us both to get healed so we can show our faces in public and have a nice date. I suppose we could go to the movies and sit in the dark, but that wouldn’t allow me to be able to see your beautiful face and eyes. Which I love very much.”

  The police came by to talk to her again. After going over everything that had happened in the OR, she was asked to stick around town so that they could come back when they had questions. She assured them that she’d be around and said that she wanted this to be taken care of as well.

  Clay went to get himself some food. She was put on a clear liquid diet so that it wouldn’t hurt her wounds. Jenson came in to talk to her just as Clay called to tell her that he was on his way back. She was a little unnerved by Jenson. When he sat down, she knew that whatever he had to say to her was going to be important.

  “Doctor Harris is saying that everything that happened in the OR was your fault. He wants you to be arrested and himself to be let go. Before you say anything, I want you to know that the police have gone over the recordings of the room and have gotten statements from all the others in the room. You aren’t in any kind of trouble at all.” She let out a breath that she’d not realized she’d been holding. “I’m an attorney and will represent you if it comes to that. The hospital has asked me to do so. They have turned over all his records and his computer to the police. Did you know that Harris had a drinking problem before this happened?”

  “I had only heard that he had one. Also, drugs, but again, it was only hearsay. I don’t work with him. Today was the first time I’d been asked to cover for the person who was supposed to work for him. Have you talked to him?” Jenson told her that he had as had the police. “I have a feeling that he called off so as not to have to work with Harris. Is that true?”

  “It is. He couldn’t stand to be around the man. He told the police that he was also terrified that he was going to kill someone soon, and he wanted no part of it. His name is Carter, and he handed over all his files from working with Harris as well. He’d gone to the previous head of the department and was told to keep his mouth shut. As you can imagine, that didn’t go over well when my father, who is the board president, found out. Because of this, a great many higher-ups are going to be losing their jobs.”

  “Good.” Jenson laughed. “I’m not the only one that he had a problem with. I mean, even not working with the man, he would single me out when he saw me in the halls or someplace. Even outside of the hospital setting. He’s a prick.”

  “Yes, I will agree with you on that. There is other information that I’m going to give you. You can tell Clay should you wish, but this isn’t to go beyond this room. Harris has been trying to get you, along with other staff members, fired so that he could bring in his own crew. We’ve not figured out who that might be as yet, but the police are still digging. Do you know anything?” She said that she didn’t have any idea. “I didn’t think you’d know anything without saying something.”

  “What happens to me now? I mean, if he’s making these sorts of accusations, what about my job here?” Jansen told her what he knew. “So I’m on medical leave for the time being but not going to be told anything yet. I can handle that. I don’t want to be a part of it anyway, but I don’t think there is any way that I can walk away from this now. Is there?”

  “No. You’re going to be called as a witness if this goes to trial. Which I can’t see not happening. But, as you can imagine, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. In the meantime, I’d very much like for you to stay with Clay. I know you don’t know each other well yet, but I think it would be better for both of you if you didn’t have to travel back and forth between places until he’s gotten a clean bill of health from his doctor. Please?”

  “All right, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to be anything to each other. You’ve already met my parents, and you have to know that I’m not his type.” Jenson kissed her on the back of her hand and stood up. “I haven’t any idea what that means. I said I’m not his type.”

  He left her there. Just walked out the door as if he knew something she didn’t. Lizzy was beginning to think his family was just as odd as her own. She’d just have to be on her toes about hanging around with them. There was something very odd about them too.

  Chapter 3

  Clay had been in town for three days now, and he just wanted to get back to his home. He supposed that being in DC had been fun if it hadn’t been for the constant meetings and tests he’d had to work on. But today, he was meeting the people in charge for a meeting just between them and himself. Waiting in the lobby, he watched the people as they came and went with their meetings.

  There had been four people here when he’d arrived at eight. Clay wasn’t happy about being lumped in with others for an eight o’clock meeting where they’d call them back one at a time to talk to them. Why not bring them in at different times and meet with them then. Glancing at his watch, he was dismayed to find it was nearly noon now. There was so much he could have gotten done in the last four hours.

  “Mr. Strong, they’ll see you now.” Getting up, he was happy now that he’d taken Jade’s advice about what he should wear. Jenson thought that he should wear a suit and tie. But Jade told him that he should be himself. So he opted to wear a nice shirt with a tie and jeans. No suit coat and no dress shoes. He was glad he’d dressed this way because he would have been very irritated wearing a suit and waiting for four hours.

  As soon as he was introduced to all the people in the room, he just stared at Jade. He’d not known that she was going to be in the room and thought it was strange that she was. The file that was sitting in front of him was closed, and he didn’t bother opening it until they gave him a reason to. Clay wanted to see what was going on first. Mr. Becker, the man who seemed to be in charge over the last few days, laughed before speaking.