Playing Doctor (Bandit Creek Books) Read Free Page A

window.”
    She and Smitty both looked up at the Sheriff who joined the rest of the boots. “I found a bullet hole inside. We’re digging the bullet out now, but I can tell you one thing for certain, it’s not the sort of calibre any of the hunters around here use.”
    “Too small, too big, what?” Smitty asked.
    “Too big. “ The Sheriff nodded at Abby. “Were you just about to go inside?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Do you remember what happened?”
    “Well, I crossed the street to see what kind of trouble Smitty had gotten into. I was about to entred the coffee shop when I saw a penny on the ground. It’s good luck, you know, so I reached down for it. The next thing I know I’m on the ground wondering how I got there.”
    “I’m no crime scene expert, but it looks to me like that penny saved your life. If you had been standing, that bullet probably would have hit the back of your head.”
    “Someone shot at me?” She sat up. “I don’t believe it.”
    Smitty pushed her back down. “You’re not going anywhere until you’ve been looked at by the paramedics.”
    She sat up again. “I’m a doctor, I say I’m fine.”
    He pushed her back down. “You’re covered in blood, there’s glass in your hair and someone tried to kill you. You are far from fine.”
    She’d seen him in this mood before. He wasn’t going to let up until she allowed him to complete whatever mission he’d just assigned himself. She sighed. “Okay. What do you want to do next?”
    He stared at her a moment, then turned and bellowed at the paramedics who’d backed off a few feet. “Can we get some assistance here? She’s obviously in need of medical attention.”
    The two paramedics rushed over, put their tackle boxes of medical supplies down and began a standard check of her
    “Hey Stan and Mike, how’s it going?” she said.
    “Better than you, Doc,” Mike replied looking into her eyes while shining a small, though powerful, light directly into them. “Can you tell me what day this is?”
    “Yep, it’s three days since I won a hundred bucks from you in our last poker game.”
    He didn’t respond to that, but a blush crept up his neck. “How about your breathing, any trouble?”
    “Nope. I’m pretty sure I lost consciousness for a moment or two though. Do I have any lacerations on my scalp?”
    “I’m checking that next.”
    He leaned over her and began examining her scalp with his gloved fingers. Every second or two he found some glass and tossed it to the side.
    “I feel like you’re grooming me like a gorilla.”
    “No, ma’am.”
    “Ma’am? When did I suddenly become a ma’am? I’ve known you my whole life.”
    Mike leaned down a little closer and said softly, “That friend of yours has been giving me a death glare. I thought it was a good idea to keep things on a professional level.”
    “Oh for heaven’s sake. Smitty,” she called.
    He appeared in her peripheral vision almost immediately. “Everything okay here, Abby?”
    “Yeah, but I left my purse in the clinic. Could you grab it for me? It’s in my office in the top drawer of my desk.”
    He looked around then said. “I’ll get it later.”
    “Smitty, I’m going to be right here for several more minutes while the paramedics do their thing. I’m not going anywhere and I’ll be surrounded by police and medical professionals the entire time.”
    “You’re playing dirty, doc.”
    She waved a hand at him. “Shoo.”
    He gave Mike one more evil glare then left.
    “Thanks Abby.”
    “No problem. That he-man act of his is getting old really fast.”
    “If someone is shooting at you, you’d better get used to it,” the Sheriff said, squatting down next to her on the sidewalk.
    “Why on earth would someone be shooting at me?”
    “Don’t know, but a high calibre bullet came damn close to blowing your brains out. You want to count on luck saving your ass again?”
    “This is ridiculous. There’s no reason for anyone to be shooting at me.