McKenna sat atthe Watsons’ kitchen table, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.The feeling had returned to her fingers, but the buzzing sensation of blood returning to deprived limbs hadn’t stopped.She knew what signs to watch for with frostbite.She sure as hell had it, but time would tell how serious it was.She pulled the blanket Mrs.Watson had given her around her shoulders and curled her toes into the worn, tattered pink slippers.
At the doorway, Jaxon talked to the sheriff.The occasional word or sentence floated to her ears, reminding her of the horror Dr.Lots had suffered.
Eaten to death.
Remains.
She jerked up her head and locked eyes with Jaxon.His mouth tensed, and he returned his attention to the sheriff.
Mrs.Watson reached over and patted her hand.“Are you sure you don’t want a homemade cinnamon bun?I wish you and Jaxon would’ve come here once your generator conked out.We have more than enough room and lord knows if I don’t keep two years worth of food in the cold room we’d starve to death with these boys.”
McKenna forced a tight smile.“I wouldn’t have brought any danger to your door.And honestly, it didn’t occur to me.I had enough food, and the wood-burning fireplace kept us warm.”
“I’m sure warmth wasn’t an issue.”Mrs.Watson winked.Her gaze slid to Jaxon and then back to McKenna.“I had no idea you two were a couple.”
A couple?The moisture left McKenna’s mouth, and she sucked back a sip of the hot brew.She couldn’t exactly explain that she and Jaxon had been fuck buddies for a night.Besides, she wasn’t sure what was going to happen between them, but the one-nighter stipulation was no longer something she intended to enforce.
“I’m just sorry all this happened because of me.”Regret folded her stomach in two.Fresh tears hit her eyes, and she struggled to swallow the emotion closing her throat.
“Don’t you dare blame yourself,” Mrs.Watson scolded.“Dr.Lots was sick.This isn’t the first strange thing that’s happened with him.”
McKenna frowned.“What do you mean?”
Mrs.Watson sighed, glanced at the sheriff, and then leaned closer to McKenna.Mr.Watson and the boys were outside returning the four-wheeler.
“Rumor has it he called the sheriff and reported that Dr.Martin, the dentist, was stealing his patients.”
McKenna drew her head back.“The dentist?Why in the world...”
“Oh, believe me, it gets weirder than that.You know Bev?Well her niece, Lily, works at the pharmacy.Apparently, he’s been self-medicating with narcotics, and on top of that, he prescribed antiviral medication instead of antibiotics three times in the last month.”
“Wow.That’s scary.”
“Mmm hmm.The pharmacist had to report him to the College of Physicians.I have no doubt that’s what triggered this.He has an open case with them.”
“What do you think is going on?”
She shrugged.Her gaze drifted to the sheriff again, and Mrs.Watson straightened in her seat.She pulled the edges of her robe tightly together and nodded.“Thanks for coming, Hank.”
“Don’t mention it.I’m sorry for all the trouble, but I’m grateful Jaxon got to your four-wheeler and found McKenna in time.”
Jaxon pulled out a chair, shuffled it close to her side, and sat in front of the mug Mrs.Watson had filled for him.She leaned into him, her body drawn to his heat.
“Thank you for not pressing charges,” Jaxon said.“If there’s any damage to your property or the four-wheeler, I’ll—”
Mrs.Watson waved him away.“Don’t be ridiculous.I’m only upset you two didn’t come here for help sooner.”She turned to the sheriff.“I was just reassuring McKenna that none of this is her fault.I don’t think she’s aware of what’s gone on with Dr.Lots.”
“Ah.Well, small towns talk, but nothing was confirmed until recently.”
“What’s that mean?”Jaxon asked.His hand closed over McKenna’s knee.
The sheriff cleared his throat and averted his gaze.McKenna frowned.If Jaxon’s display of affection made others uncomfortable, so be it.She needed nothing more than his touch right now.
“Dr.Lots’s daughter, Louisa, called from Denver.She said she’d heard from some friends in Whistlemore that her dad was acting strange.She thought I should be aware of his condition.”
“And that is?”McKenna pressed.
He tapped his thumb on the edge of the mug and hesitated.“Well, he’s deceased now so I guess it doesn’t matter.He’s been suffering from a personality altering head trauma since a skiing accident he had a couple months back.According to Louisa, his medication helped greatly.I don’t know if he ran out and couldn’t access it due to the weather, or if he just took a bad turn.It’s hard to say, and by the sounds of it, there’s nothing for us to use for an autopsy.”
