Page 14 of Savage Peril

Chapter 4

After Gunner left, Lori paced her office and took a few minutes to compose herself. She had agreed to go out with him, even though he was different from any man she had dated. The business type was her usual pick, maybe because of her profession.

Lori understood the business world, social etiquette, and the underpinnings of the medical establishment. Her dates had fit into that lifestyle, particularly Matt, who was a key employee at her clinic. But Gunner wasn’t anything like that.

Why was Lori so attracted to Gunner? He lacked polished social skills. Yet the fact that he was rough around the edges held unique allure. He was a nice contrast to what Lori was used to. That was refreshing, and he had a type of honesty that she could get used to.

Gunner’s muscularity meant that he engaged in physical challenges, and probably lifted heavy weights. Genetics only went so far; he stayed in shape. But he didn’t have the lean physique acquired from morning jogs and fitness classes. His solid form was a result of preparing for combat.

There was a sexiness to that, which Lori was drawn to. Gunner was strong; he was a protector. His presence offered safety, and made Lori feel cared for. She might be making too much out of it, since all he had done was inquire about her happiness.

But Lori had a sense about Gunner and hoped she was right. It would be nice to have a man who could—and would—defend her. She hadn’t considered such a relationship. Matt had been suave, charming in social situations.

Matt had the qualifications of a prospective husband. Lori had learned that what a person looked like on paper didn’t make the man. Somehow, Gunner’s direct approach seemed more sincere than all of Matt’s smooth moves.

Yet Lori was used to taking care of herself. Even when her father had been alive, she had been fiercely independent. She didn’t need a man to take care of her, since she was strong on her own. It was flattering that Gunner was interested in her welfare, but she wasn’t certain how she felt about that.

Lori was a career woman who put business first. Her personal interests had been overshadowed by her professional life. It was possible that she hadn’t found the right man, one she wanted to be with enough to lead a more balanced life. But that wasn’t likely to happen. The way things were now, with her father gone, the demands on her would only increase.

Yet Lori wanted to be with Gunner. She enjoyed talking with him, even the little that they had conversed. She felt like she could trust him, and she could use more trust in her life. And she was attracted to him, making the chemistry between them impossible to ignore.

It was a date, that was all, a way to get to know each other better. Lori wasn’t sure the relationship would go beyond that. Maybe the excitement was just from the newness of it all, and of meeting a hunky guy on the rebound. But what could it hurt to have dinner with Gunner tomorrow night?

It was time to face Matt; he was waiting to speak to her. He must have gotten involved in work, or he would have sought her out. Lori wasn’t in the mood for a discussion with her ex. She decided to go home to relax, so that talk could wait for another time. Matt would be pissed, but she didn’t care. Lori grabbed her purse and left.

*****

The next morning, Lori stopped to pick up coffee on the way in and bought a latte for Sarah. They reviewed the patient schedule together and discussed a couple of the treatment plans. Matt was at a seminar, so wouldn’t be in the clinic until the afternoon.

Lori wasn’t quite ready to confront him with discrepancies that she had discovered, so it was good to have a reprieve from that duty. Since he was out of the office, that would give her a chance to put more details together without being under his watchful eye.

The early patient appointments went smoothly, then Lori took a lunch break. In her office, she nibbled on a turkey sandwich and sipped a bottle of sparkling water. Her father’s death hadn’t been far from her thoughts, so she took the opportunity to research a few questions.

During the days prior to her father’s death, his symptoms matched a host of illnesses. Respiratory failure was the cause of death, but Lori was puzzled about what led up to that. Allergic reactions could be delayed up to forty-eight hours, which made determining the trigger difficult.

It was too late for a battery of blood tests to narrow the likely sources. The possibility of poison nagged at Lori, yet she couldn’t imagine what her father had come into contact with. That would be a long list, since a substance can be inhaled or ingested.

Initially, a toxic condition severe enough to be deadly produced symptoms that were similar to a virus. A patient might complain of nausea, vomiting, aching muscles, even headache. Her father’s condition fit that diagnosis. But a virus would be attacked by the immune system, so recovery would be expected—not so with a deadly poison.

Lori tapped on her keyboard, looking up various toxic substances. It seemed endless. Without further clues, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. She pushed her sandwich aside and took a gulp of water. Leaning back, she thought of her father.

A toxic condition could have worsened rapidly. But her father had been a doctor; he would have been alert to the signs—unless the poison was secretly killing him. There were toxins that were nearly undetectable, and the symptoms were easily misdiagnosed.

Lori tried hard to recall every detail her father had shared. It was possible that he had complained of some obscure discomfort. Maybe that could offer better understanding of what led to his death. But she couldn’t come up with anything that she hadn’t already thought of.

Digging into possible scenarios was frustrating. The more Lori researched, the more overwhelming it was. She had no idea how to cull the best targets from the endless lists of toxins. There might have been subtle indications of poisoning in the last days of her father’s life, but Lori hadn’t been with him.

It broke her heart to think of her father alone and in distress. He might have brushed aside discomforts that cropped up. If poison took hold, he might have been physically incapable of getting help in time. Lori should have stayed closer.

For the crucial last days of her father’s life, Lori hadn’t gone to visit him. Since he didn’t want her to get sick, he had kept her away with assurances that he was treating the illness. She’d been confident that there had been no reason to doubt her father would recover and come back to the clinic—only there had been.

Lori just didn’t know what that reason was. Her heart filled with sadness, and she considered that grief was clouding her judgment. But she couldn’t accept that. Lori had a gut feeling that there was more to her father’s death than she knew, and she determined to discover what that was.

Sarah tapped on the door to let her know a patient had arrived. That afternoon, Adam was the on-duty doctor with Lori. He was a competent physician and would be great to talk to about her research. But that wasn’t a good idea.

Adam had cautioned Lori about clinging to notions of wrongdoing. He had advised her to move past this difficult period, to let it go. There was wisdom in that advice, and Adam was trying to save her from unnecessary torment.

Lori wished she could think like that. It would be so much simpler if the tragedy were clearly defined. Recovering from grief would be enough to deal with. If only that was the case, but doubt nagged at her. Lori couldn’t give up on her pursuit of the truth until she was satisfied.

---