The First Ghost Read Free Page A

attending physician when they brought you into the ER. I wanted to see how you were doing.”
    Drat. “I guess I’m going to be fine.”
    “I can see that.” He smiled again and my heart did a little flip that had nothing to do with my health. His smile lit the sterile room. “Do you mind?” He moved closer with his penlight and peered into my eyes. “Don’t blink.”
    I tried to not blink and to look beautiful at the same time. It isn’t possible. I blinked like a nervous owl until he finally had to hold my eyelid open with a gentle finger. He had wonderful hands.
    “Sorry about that,” I said.
    “Not at all. You’re the perfect patient.” He sat on the edge of my bed.
    Oh, be still my heart. There was that smile again. “Do you visit all your patients?”
    “Only the beautiful ones.”
    Holy crap. He was flirting. I did a little giddy dance inside, but for some reason I was tongue-tied. I searched frantically for something witty to say, but what popped out instead was, “Were you her doctor, too?”
    He pulled back slightly with a puzzled look. “Her?”
    “Her. That girl.” I motioned toward Corinne’s now empty bed. “The one who died.”
    “Oh, that girl. Yes, I was the attending when she was brought in, too. Very sad. She was so young.”
    “She didn’t have any family or anyone except her aunt.”
    He sat up straighter. “Did you know her?”
    “No, I...um...” I’m a dreadful liar. My mind searched for something plausible. “I overheard somebody talking.”
    “The nurses?” He frowned. “Hospital personnel shouldn’t be gossiping like that.”
    I didn’t mean to get anyone in trouble. “I don’t think it was a nurse. I...I’m not sure who it was.” I put a hand dramatically to my forehead and felt the bandage there. “I’m not quite myself today. Maybe I misunderstood. I hoped that her aunt knew. That’s all.”
    “It’s sweet to be so concerned about a stranger.” The warm smile was back. He was either the most compassionate doctor I’d ever met or he was totally digging me. Somehow I wasn’t sure whether to be creeped out or flattered.
    “I sort of feel responsible for her.” As I said it, I realized it was true and I knew I was going to help Corinne. Just this one time. Just this one ghost. “No one should die all alone. Did they get in touch with her aunt?”
    “I don’t know. I just did the ER intake. I can check.”
    “Would you? It would really set my mind at ease. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here.”
    “I imagine they’ll let you go home tomorrow afternoon. We only admitted you because you were unconscious for so long. That’s not normal given the severity of your injury.”
    “I thought it was just a bump.”
    “It was. I meant the injury wasn’t that severe. You shouldn’t have been out of it for so long. But your eyes rolled up and you were muttering about a man on the train tracks and...well...it was a little spooky,” he admitted, not looking at all stalker-ish. “When I heard you were okay, I wanted to see for myself.”
    “I know I fell, but I don’t remember much after that.”
    “That part is normal for a head injury. At least you didn’t damage anything permanently. You should probably stay at home for a couple of days to heal up. You...uh...do live around here, right?”
    He was so cute and transparent. “I’m local,” I said with a smile. “I wish I could stay at home, but my boss is a real Cruella de Vil. It’s back to work for me. She would fire me for any old reason.”
    “Even with a doctor’s note?”
    I considered the offer. “Not then, but she’d make my life hell. It’s better that I go in. How early will they let me out of here?”
    “Not too early. You have to be cleared by the specialist first and you definitely aren’t going to work tomorrow. Maybe the day after that. If you wanted to give me your number, I could call you.” He made a note on the clipboard. “About the aunt,” he added.
    My