walls gave a spectacular view of Springton Falls. After all the stark lighting and antiseptic tile floors, Grace found the peaceful glimpse of nature soothing.
The nurse squeezed onto the elevator with them and pushed the B button for the Basement. Perfect, but they would have to find a way to ditch him before they snuck out the back door of the morgue.
That shouldn’t be a problem.
Behind Grace, Ainsley sucked in a breath, hard. With so many riders plus the gurney on the elevator, she was pinned against the glass wall of the elevator. Outside, the clouds parted slightly, revealing a sliver of the full moon.
Crap.
Ainsley moaned a little and curled her body away from the glass.
“Are you okay?” the nurse asked.
“Lady troubles,” Grace interjected quickly.
“Oh, er...” the nurse replied.
Thank goodness those two words could shut down any man, even a medical professional. They only needed to make it down ten floors. Ainsley could do this.
A ding announced that the elevator would be making another stop on the 8th floor. Ainsley drew in a slow breath that Grace was sure was meant to be calming. It actually sounded kind of like air being let out of a tire.
Some of that meditation Julian was always pushing would have been a great idea right then.
The doors slid open and a doctor with a neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard entered. He leaned across the gurney and pressed 3.
“Some night,” he said by way of greeting. “Just delivered an eleven-pounder.”
Grace nodded with eyebrows slightly raised to indicate her respect for the gargantuan baby he had brought into the world, then returned her gaze to the view from the elevator. Ainsley breathed slowly, while Julian kneaded her pinky between his thumb and forefinger just below the level of the gurney, so no one could see it but Grace.
A sudden flame of jealousy licked at Grace. She pushed it aside in frustration. Ainsley loved Erik. And Grace did not love Julian.
Just then, the clouds parted to reveal half of the harvest moon. It was so large it seemed to pulse, its radiance bleeding out to color the sky.
Ainsley’s legs buckled and Julian caught her deftly in his arms. She made a sound that was half cry, half growl.
“Good god,” the doctor said.
“Lady troubles,” the nurse replied.
“Cafeteria food,” Julian said at the same time.
“We think it’s a little of each,” Grace laughed awkwardly.
“Yeah, that would do it,” the doctor said, shaking his head. “Poor kid.”
The ding of the elevator told them they were on the third floor.
“Feel better,” the doctor said as he stepped off.
Just as the doors were sliding shut again, a hand shot between them.
“Hold it for me!” a deep voice said.
Grace took a deep breath and tried not to panic. She knew who it was by the voice. She had worked with him many times.
The doors opened and Dr. Adam Wilson, the lead coroner, stepped on.
“Adam, hey!” She greeted him in her best impression of a relaxed voice as the doors slid closed once more.
A quick glance told her that Ainsley was barely holding it together. Julian had released his hold on her. She was staring blankly into the interior wall of the elevator and trembling lightly. She would be no help to Grace in getting out of this mess.
“I see you have something for me,” Adam joked. His tanned cheeks dimpled and he took a sip from his styrofoam coffee cup.
Grace glanced down at the gurney.
No. No, no, no, no, no.
Near the bottom end of the gurney, a furry gray tail peeked out.
“How are you?” Grace chirped, trying to keep his attention on herself and off the gurney. “Are you getting any time off for the holidays this year?”
Adam looked pleased to be asked such a personal question. Grace usually kept things very professional with him. He was known to be a bit of a ladies’ man and she didn’t want him getting the wrong impression.
Oh well.
“I’ve got a bit of time off here and there. What are your plans?” he
The nurse squeezed onto the elevator with them and pushed the B button for the Basement. Perfect, but they would have to find a way to ditch him before they snuck out the back door of the morgue.
That shouldn’t be a problem.
Behind Grace, Ainsley sucked in a breath, hard. With so many riders plus the gurney on the elevator, she was pinned against the glass wall of the elevator. Outside, the clouds parted slightly, revealing a sliver of the full moon.
Crap.
Ainsley moaned a little and curled her body away from the glass.
“Are you okay?” the nurse asked.
“Lady troubles,” Grace interjected quickly.
“Oh, er...” the nurse replied.
Thank goodness those two words could shut down any man, even a medical professional. They only needed to make it down ten floors. Ainsley could do this.
A ding announced that the elevator would be making another stop on the 8th floor. Ainsley drew in a slow breath that Grace was sure was meant to be calming. It actually sounded kind of like air being let out of a tire.
Some of that meditation Julian was always pushing would have been a great idea right then.
The doors slid open and a doctor with a neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard entered. He leaned across the gurney and pressed 3.
“Some night,” he said by way of greeting. “Just delivered an eleven-pounder.”
Grace nodded with eyebrows slightly raised to indicate her respect for the gargantuan baby he had brought into the world, then returned her gaze to the view from the elevator. Ainsley breathed slowly, while Julian kneaded her pinky between his thumb and forefinger just below the level of the gurney, so no one could see it but Grace.
A sudden flame of jealousy licked at Grace. She pushed it aside in frustration. Ainsley loved Erik. And Grace did not love Julian.
Just then, the clouds parted to reveal half of the harvest moon. It was so large it seemed to pulse, its radiance bleeding out to color the sky.
Ainsley’s legs buckled and Julian caught her deftly in his arms. She made a sound that was half cry, half growl.
“Good god,” the doctor said.
“Lady troubles,” the nurse replied.
“Cafeteria food,” Julian said at the same time.
“We think it’s a little of each,” Grace laughed awkwardly.
“Yeah, that would do it,” the doctor said, shaking his head. “Poor kid.”
The ding of the elevator told them they were on the third floor.
“Feel better,” the doctor said as he stepped off.
Just as the doors were sliding shut again, a hand shot between them.
“Hold it for me!” a deep voice said.
Grace took a deep breath and tried not to panic. She knew who it was by the voice. She had worked with him many times.
The doors opened and Dr. Adam Wilson, the lead coroner, stepped on.
“Adam, hey!” She greeted him in her best impression of a relaxed voice as the doors slid closed once more.
A quick glance told her that Ainsley was barely holding it together. Julian had released his hold on her. She was staring blankly into the interior wall of the elevator and trembling lightly. She would be no help to Grace in getting out of this mess.
“I see you have something for me,” Adam joked. His tanned cheeks dimpled and he took a sip from his styrofoam coffee cup.
Grace glanced down at the gurney.
No. No, no, no, no, no.
Near the bottom end of the gurney, a furry gray tail peeked out.
“How are you?” Grace chirped, trying to keep his attention on herself and off the gurney. “Are you getting any time off for the holidays this year?”
Adam looked pleased to be asked such a personal question. Grace usually kept things very professional with him. He was known to be a bit of a ladies’ man and she didn’t want him getting the wrong impression.
Oh well.
“I’ve got a bit of time off here and there. What are your plans?” he
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