SH Medical 07 - The Detective's Accidental Baby Read Online Free

substantial during her half hour lunch break. “Guess so.”
    “I might see you there,” was all he said.
    Now what did that mean? As she stripped off her scrubs, Erica reflected uneasily that the doctor was aware of her birthday. While Owen wasn’t the type who lavished his staff with gifts, he could surprise you when you least expected it.
    Or wanted it.
    Deciding to avoid him by grabbing a sandwich from a vending machine, she strolled to the second-floor break room. There, she found the machine empty of everything except gooey bear claws and salty peanuts, the same stuff she’d been snacking on earlier.
    Her stomach rebelled. Erica supposed she’d better listen to the warning.
    She took the stairs down a flight. On the main floor, she caught a whiff of Friday’s special, poached fish, and speeded her pace toward the cafeteria.
    A glance showed more tables occupied than usual for this hour, probably because the cool temperatures kept people from spreading out onto the patio. Erica took a tray and approached the hot-food serving line, only to find it closed.
    “Sorry,” said the cashier from her central register. “All we’ve got left are sandwiches.”
    Glumly, Erica turned to the depleted array of foods and picked a small fruit plate and a glass of milk. In Boston, she would have joined friends, but she hadn’t formed any close ties since arriving in Safe Harbor. With new acquaintances, conversations tended to turn to personal matters such as marital status, which was still a sore subject. At her old hospital, she hadn’t had to explain anything, because everyone had watched the melodrama unfold in real time.
    She’d met Donald Panzer while volunteering at the substance abuse clinic where he worked. A former addict, he’d earned a master’s degree in social work and now counseled others. Energetic and personable, he’d showered Erica with attention when she felt vulnerable, appealed to her nurturing side when she caught him in lies, and cheated on her repeatedly. By the time she faced the fact that her two-year marriage was a sham, he’d taken up with a wealthy business owner named Ginnifer Moran and set his sights on marrying her. Even though he’d readily agreed to divorce, he’d spread ugly rumors about Erica, as if trying to justify himself. She’d been glad to reclaim her maiden name of Benford and put that whole mess behind her.
    Now, she looked around for an empty table, until she noticed someone waving at her. It was Ned Norwalk, the blond, surfer-type nurse who assisted Owen in his office and with whom Erica sometimes had to coordinate scheduling. Sitting beside him was one of the hospital volunteers, an older woman with graying, light brown hair framing a strong face.
    “I’m surprised to see you here during office hours,” Erica told Ned as she set down her tray. “Don’t you have patients?” Although Owen didn’t schedule regular appointments on Friday afternoons, he used the time for follow-ups and urgent referrals.
    “It’s slower than usual.” That still didn’t account for Ned choosing to buy coffee in the cafeteria when he kept a pot brewing in the office.
    “No wonder it’s slow. Southern Californians hunker down when the temperature drops below seventy,” said his companion with a cheerful lilt. “My name’s Renée Green, by the way.”
    “Glad to meet you. I’m Erica.”
    “Oh, I know who you are.” She smiled. “Bailey talks about you a lot.”
    “How do you know Bailey?” Dr. T’s wife had gone on maternity leave from her nursing job months ago.
    “We met through a community counseling center,” Renée said. “If it weren’t for her, I’d never have thought of volunteering here, and I love it. This hospital feels like my second home.”
    That makes two of us, Erica reflected as she finished a bite of cantaloupe. “You don’t work?” She waved a hand apologetically. “I don’t mean to sound dismissive. I just wondered…”
    “Why I’m free in the