What did their parents think about them? Aunt Renee said that if any of her kids got into drugs, she’d be heartbroken. She’d wonder what she did wrong. But Doriann couldn’t understand why anybody else would be to blame for Clancy’s choice to do drugs. He made the decision. Same as Deb.

But they probably had some very sad parents somewhere in the world.

The way Doriann saw it, she could never do drugs because she had parents and aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins who would all be heartbroken. She wouldn’t be Doriann any longer. She’d be somebody with rotten teeth and bad breath and, as Aunt Renee always said, a dirty soul. Sure, Jesus could clean her up again, and make a good person out of her, but she’d still be a different person, and she didn’t want to be a different person.

Doriann closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Somebody needed to call 911 and stop the killing-and only she knew where the killers were.

She crept around the side of the barn, came to the barn door-or what used to be the door. Now it was just a few pieces of wood cobbled together with barbed wire and nails.

She didn’t want to make any noise so she crept on around to the other side.

She looked at a hole in the side of the barn. It looked as if some of the slats of wood had been kicked out by a horse or a mule or bull. She studied the tractor door, where the wood gaped in several places, and the side door, which hung on one hinge. She could slip through that opening without making noise.

This wasn’t as easy as it had seemed when she was safely in the woods out of sight of the killers. She leaned forward and tried to peer through another crack.

Aunt Renee said that when a drug addict crashed, they could sleep for days, but still, Deb was the only one asleep for sure.

Doriann couldn’t see anything. Maybe she didn’t have the right angle. She stood on her toes and pressed her nose against the rough wood.

All she saw was something white. It darkened, then whitened again.

She caught a scream before it could leave her mouth. She was staring at an eye.

Jama returned the receiver to the phone and braced herself. She called Ruth’s office instead of walking back to break the news. Might as well practice the new system.

“Hi, Ruth. Sorry to interrupt your interview, but I just received word from River Dance Winery that we can expect at least three more patients, two with smoke inhalation, one with a possible broken arm. Zelda’s gone. Want me to call Tyrell now?”

“Yes, call him. Let me know if I’m going to have to cancel interviews this afternoon. Keep taking calls if you can, try to get that appointment book filled. We need a ballpark figure of how many patients to expect next week, so we’ll know how to staff this place.”

“Got it. I’m getting another call.”

Ruth disconnected without replying.

The call was from the mayor of River Dance.

“Jama Sue, what’s going on down there?” Eric Thompson had the deepest, smoothest bass voice, which he used to good effect when running for office or presiding over a town meeting. “Yesterday, Ruth said she wouldn’t have the clinic ready for a full load of patients until next week. I just heard down at Mildred’s café that you’ve already treated some patients.”

“It seems we’ve been forced into operation a little sooner than expected. I just hope nothing serious comes in, because we certainly aren’t set up for it.”

She thought of Monty. Of the fire. Serious had already broadsided them.

“How many slots have you filled in the appointment book for Monday?” Eric asked.

“Most of them, and we’re working on Tuesday. What did you do, advertise in every paper along the Missouri?”

“You have a problem with that? We’ve got to get this clinic up and running and bringing in revenue ASAP. We’ve got almost every cent in the till invested in this place, and we’re up to our necks in debt.”

“I thought there was enough to build the clinic without going into debt.”

“That was until we took you on. And I might have underestimated the cost of X-ray machines and lab equipment. I’ve been to the schools to promise end-of-term physicals at a discount, I’ve offered weekly blood pressure checks for anyone over sixty, I’ve-”

“Are you worried we’ll fail?”

“With you here, hometown girl, coming back to treat the sick, I think we’ll make a go of it.”

“No pressure to perform, though, right?” she said dryly.

“The day you signed that contract, I could see your mind working. You’d rather be anywhere but here.”

Jama didn’t argue.

“I heard you hit the ground running today, and did a great job,” he said. “That’ll draw some business this way.”

Jama smiled to herself. This clinic had been Eric’s idea. He had a right to be proud. Because of his hard work and vision, River Dance had a small industrial park at the east edge of town, and other growth was taking place on Main Street. The town may not always be so dependent on the vineyards.

“Have you considered staying past the two-year period?” Eric asked.

“Nope.”

“Not at all? You know Tyrell’s planning to stay.”

“And you’re telling me this because…?”

“Word gets around. You know that. He’s crazy about you, Jama. I can see it in his eyes when he talks about you.”

Jama sighed. She’d seen it, too. Time for a subject change.

“Eric, has Ruth ever done administrative work before?”

“Nothing like this.”

“What has she done?”

“She hasn’t told you?”

“There hasn’t been a lot of time to chat. What’s up with her?”

There was a pause. “What has she said?”

“All she mentioned was that the last place she worked had poor equipment.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“Care to let me in on the secret?”

“She was a missionary,” Eric said.

“You’re kidding.” And no one had said anything about it?

“Sounds to me as if she doesn’t want to talk about it yet.” Eric’s voice was soft. “Don’t ask her, okay?”

“Okay, but where was she a missionary, and why is she here now, and-”

“Tanzania. Her reason for being here is her business unless she decides to tell you. I met Ruth and Jack a few years ago when I was with my guard unit on a peacekeeping mission near their medical clinic in Tanzania. I was taken there for treatment after an injury. She’s on leave from her mission for the immediate future. That’s all I can tell you. Let it drop for now, okay? That poor woman’s been through enough.”

When Eric disconnected, Jama sat staring at the phone for a moment, then shook her head. How many more surprises could she expect before the end of the day?

She called the Mercer Ranch, and was once again amazed by the warm comfort she felt at the sound of Tyrell’s voice.

“Hi,” she said. “Did you mean it when you said you’d be willing to help us here at the clinic for a while?”

“Of course. Daniel just arrived. He can direct the men to prepare for tonight’s freeze. Our cousin, Mae, is driving the tractor, and she’s an expert. I can consult with him by phone if he needs any help.”

“How soon can you be here?”

“Will five minutes work?”

Jama smiled. “I’ll see you then.”

Doriann heard Clancy’s laughter as she stumbled over her own feet, crashing through the woods, noisy and obvious. He’d tricked her, made her think they were both asleep when he was wide-awake. Had he known she was out there all this time?

The sound of his footsteps grew louder, the sound of her breathing harder. It wouldn’t help to scream, because there was nobody to hear except Deb.

Doriann stumbled through a creek, in water up to her knees, scrambled around a small cliff, then plunged beneath some cedar trees.

Grandpa always said the only good cedar tree was a dead cedar tree. That wasn’t true. This was the only place to hide…if Clancy hadn’t already seen her. Twigs and branches popped behind her. Too close!