That’s bizarre. I’ve never heard of such a thing. Let’s go talk to Rita.”
He followed her down a hallway to the nurses’ station where a brunette in a green smock stood making notes in a file. She appeared to be about forty with a trim body and dark hair in a ponytail. As they got closer, she gave them a sidelong glance and said, “What’s up, Mitz?”
“Rita, this is Luke Wakefield. He said his wife was in here this morning and is a friend of yours?”
“That’s right,” she said, looking at Luke.
“He’s got a few questions. Can you help him?”
“Sure,” she said. She closed the file and looked at Luke. “Your wife is a fantastic photographer. Everyone loved her presentation and I can’t wait to get her book. I ordered one for me and one for my mom.”
“Thanks, I know she enjoyed coming up here to talk,” Luke said, shifting his weight. “Did you see her this morning?”
“I did, but just for a few minutes,” Rita said, pulling another file. “Is she feeling better?”
“I don’t know. I left her here at the clinic about ten-thirty to run some errands and when I came back they said she was gone. I’ve been looking for her since noon and can’t find her. Did she say anything about going anywhere else?”
“No, she didn’t say anything. We barely had a chance to talk.” Rita leaned against the wall and studied Luke’s face. “When I saw her it was all routine. I got her information and found out what was going on. She told me about getting sick and falling down the side of the cliff, which sounded really scary. I’m glad she didn’t get hurt any worse than she did. Anyway, we took an X-ray and gave it to Dr. Duncan. The clinic was busy, I doubt if I talked to her for more than five minutes. Maybe Dr. Duncan can tell you something. Let me see if he has time to talk to you.”
Luke followed her down to the end of the hallway where she stopped at a brown paneled door and knocked softly. When there was no answer, she pushed it open and they walked into a spacious office. In the middle of the room was a massive mahogany desk. Across from it were two arm chairs.
“Have a seat and I’ll go get him.” Luke sat down and she walked out, closing the door behind her.
Behind the desk numerous plaques and diplomas decorated the wall. Below them on a credenza were a number of framed photos. In one, a tall, gray haired hunter knelt beside a fallen elk. In another, the same man knelt beside a dead bear.
About ten minutes later, the hunter in the photos walked in, wearing a white lab coat with R. C. Duncan, M.D. monogrammed above the chest pocket.
“Rita told me you can’t seem to find your wife,” the man said as he walked over and perched on the corner of his desk.
“Yes, sir and I don’t know exactly what to do. I thought maybe you might give me some help, or at least an idea where to start looking for her.”
“I’m sure there’s a logical explanation. I’ve never heard of anyone disappearing around here before. I’m sure everything will be okay.” Under normal circumstances, the doctor’s voice and demeanor would have been comforting.
The doctor laced his fingers in front of him as he recounted his visit with Bonnie. “Rita gave me the X-ray of her thumb. It wasn’t broken, but it is sprained pretty badly. That’s a common injury when people fall forward like that. So, I put a splint on it and told her to wear it as long as she feels she needs it. Then she said she’d been sick, vomiting. But it didn’t sound too bad to me. I think she’ll be over it by tomorrow, but I gave her some antibiotics to take. The drug companies send us lots of free samples, so I gave her some of those. I told her to drink lots of liquids. And just in case she’s not better by tomorrow, I wrote her a prescription for something a little stronger. And for her thumb, I told her to just take some Tylenol or Advil.”
“How long were you with her?”
“Oh, about five
He followed her down a hallway to the nurses’ station where a brunette in a green smock stood making notes in a file. She appeared to be about forty with a trim body and dark hair in a ponytail. As they got closer, she gave them a sidelong glance and said, “What’s up, Mitz?”
“Rita, this is Luke Wakefield. He said his wife was in here this morning and is a friend of yours?”
“That’s right,” she said, looking at Luke.
“He’s got a few questions. Can you help him?”
“Sure,” she said. She closed the file and looked at Luke. “Your wife is a fantastic photographer. Everyone loved her presentation and I can’t wait to get her book. I ordered one for me and one for my mom.”
“Thanks, I know she enjoyed coming up here to talk,” Luke said, shifting his weight. “Did you see her this morning?”
“I did, but just for a few minutes,” Rita said, pulling another file. “Is she feeling better?”
“I don’t know. I left her here at the clinic about ten-thirty to run some errands and when I came back they said she was gone. I’ve been looking for her since noon and can’t find her. Did she say anything about going anywhere else?”
“No, she didn’t say anything. We barely had a chance to talk.” Rita leaned against the wall and studied Luke’s face. “When I saw her it was all routine. I got her information and found out what was going on. She told me about getting sick and falling down the side of the cliff, which sounded really scary. I’m glad she didn’t get hurt any worse than she did. Anyway, we took an X-ray and gave it to Dr. Duncan. The clinic was busy, I doubt if I talked to her for more than five minutes. Maybe Dr. Duncan can tell you something. Let me see if he has time to talk to you.”
Luke followed her down to the end of the hallway where she stopped at a brown paneled door and knocked softly. When there was no answer, she pushed it open and they walked into a spacious office. In the middle of the room was a massive mahogany desk. Across from it were two arm chairs.
“Have a seat and I’ll go get him.” Luke sat down and she walked out, closing the door behind her.
Behind the desk numerous plaques and diplomas decorated the wall. Below them on a credenza were a number of framed photos. In one, a tall, gray haired hunter knelt beside a fallen elk. In another, the same man knelt beside a dead bear.
About ten minutes later, the hunter in the photos walked in, wearing a white lab coat with R. C. Duncan, M.D. monogrammed above the chest pocket.
“Rita told me you can’t seem to find your wife,” the man said as he walked over and perched on the corner of his desk.
“Yes, sir and I don’t know exactly what to do. I thought maybe you might give me some help, or at least an idea where to start looking for her.”
“I’m sure there’s a logical explanation. I’ve never heard of anyone disappearing around here before. I’m sure everything will be okay.” Under normal circumstances, the doctor’s voice and demeanor would have been comforting.
The doctor laced his fingers in front of him as he recounted his visit with Bonnie. “Rita gave me the X-ray of her thumb. It wasn’t broken, but it is sprained pretty badly. That’s a common injury when people fall forward like that. So, I put a splint on it and told her to wear it as long as she feels she needs it. Then she said she’d been sick, vomiting. But it didn’t sound too bad to me. I think she’ll be over it by tomorrow, but I gave her some antibiotics to take. The drug companies send us lots of free samples, so I gave her some of those. I told her to drink lots of liquids. And just in case she’s not better by tomorrow, I wrote her a prescription for something a little stronger. And for her thumb, I told her to just take some Tylenol or Advil.”
“How long were you with her?”
“Oh, about five
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