“Veterinary medicine?” BJ’s voice sounded strained, yet controlled as she spoke the words.
Hobie finally propelled herself into action. Actually, it was a lot more like backpedaling and groveling. “Okay, see, that’s what—”
“You’re a vet?”
The women in the office could hear the restrained voice beginning to shred at the edges.
“Technically, yes. But not just a vet. I—”
“Adoctor for animals?” BJ’s voice rose in volume and pitch. It was apparent the control was showing minute ruptures.
“Well, I wouldn’t—”
“A vet!” BJ shouted as any semblance of self-control ripped wide open and disappeared completely.
Hobie had been trying to get a word in edgewise, but BJ wouldn’t give her a chance to explain. Most people were impressed once she told them that she’d gone to medical school, then years later, studied veterinary medicine. Somehow Hobie didn’t picture BJ being impressed at all.
“Would you quit saying that like it’s some sort of crime?” Hobie finally shouted back.
“Crime? You people wouldn’t know a crime if it came up and bit you on the ass! A fucking vet just set my leg! That’s got to be breaking at least a dozen laws!”
“Let me explain—”
“You can explain to my lawyer!” BJ raved. Her leg slipped off the sandbags that held it in place and she groaned in pain.
Hobie rushed forward to assist. “Here, let me—” “Don’t touch me! Don’t you dare touch me!”
It was about this time that Mack, the local sheriff, walked into the room. “What the hell is going on back here?” He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with light brown hair that was speckled with silver and blue eyes. His physique strained against the tailored uniform he wore. He sported a large, well-trimmed mustache. For all his good looks, he was perhaps the last to know. His gentle smile and never-ending supply of wisdom suited him well for a job in law enforcement. His patience and sense of humor, however, made him the perfect sheriff for Ana Lia Island.
“Officer, arrest them.” BJ pointed to Hobie and her assistants.
“All of them?” Mack asked in confusion.
“Every last one of them. They’re all in on it, but especially her!” BJ looked menacingly at Hobie.
“Her, eh?” Mack’s mustache covered up most of his amused smile. “Hobie Lynn?” He looked down at the much shorter woman.
“Mack,” Hobie said dejectedly. Her day had started out so well. She wondered how it had gone so wrong so fast. She didn’t know whether to worry over her soon-to-skyrocket insurance rates, cry over the fact that BJ had found her thoroughly forgettable, or scream at the woman’s infuriating superior attitude.
“Well, are you going to arrest her?”
“What would you have me arrest her for, Ms. Warren?” “What for?” BJ shouted. “Look, Gomer, she performed a medical procedure without my consent, and to top it off, she’s not even a doctor! What the hell do I have to do—draw you a map?”
Mack took a deep breath. He had already spoken with Evelyn, and he knew all about Baylor’s infamous temper and outspoken attitude. Evelyn called her granddaughter “high strung.” Mack thought the old woman was being kind. He remembered BJ as a spoiled, self-centered young girl.
“First off, Ms. Warren, you were not treated without consent. I personally talked with your grandmother. Evelyn signed a consent form and Hobie even got a verbal consent from a...” He flipped open a small black notebook. “…a Juliana Ross.”
“How did you find Jules?”
“Her card was in your wallet.” Hobie stepped up to the gurney and held out the irate woman’s billfold.
“You went through my wallet?” BJ asked coldly.
Hobie realized that this probably wasn’t the best time to mention that fact. “I, um...I guess...”
Mack stepped over and placed a hand on Hobie’s arms. He gently pushed her back a step to stand with the others. “Don’t help any more, okay?”
“She’s not a real doctor!” BJ blurted out.
“On the contrary, Ms. Warren. Hobie is a licensed physician in the state of Florida.” Mack’s low gravelly voice had a way of making everything he said sound as though he was talking someone off a ledge.
“But she…I saw…” BJ pointed to the University of Florida diploma hanging on the wall.
“That’s right. She’s also a doctor of veterinary medicine. She doesn’t regularly treat patients, except for her animal practice. In an emergency, though, she steps up and gives us a hand. Doc Elston, the regular town physician, is on vacation. It was on his recommendation that Hobie set your leg. He said something about healing time and pain. So you probably should be thankin’ these people and not screamin’ at them.”
Everyone had been lulled into silence by Mack’s soothing voice. Hobie had known him all her life and she couldn’t ever remember him stringing that many words together at one time.
BJ, on the other hand, looked as though the top of her head was going to explode. Hobie could hear the words “thar she blows” in the back of her mind.
“You—” BJ raised a finger to the sheriff and met his frank gaze. “She—” BJ pointed to Hobie. “They—” BJ didn’t know where to begin with her accusations.
Hobie retrieved her wire-frame glasses from her scrub shirt pocket and put them on. As soon as she looked up, the sun, which was shining through a west-facing window, reflected off the lenses and into BJ’s eyes.
BJ remembered that she’d seen the same image right before the truck had hit her at the intersection. Hobie’s eyes met BJ’s and BJ froze.
“Y-you! It was you. I remember you now!”
Hobie realized that the game was up. BJ had finally remembered that she was the woman from the hotel room. “Yes, it was me,” she admitted in defeat.
“Arrest her!” BJ cried out again.
“I don’t think they can arrest people for that,” Hobie said in a soft, confused voice.
“Do your job, arrest her.”
“What for this time?” Mack looked as confused as everyone else.
“She’s the one who ran me over!”
Hobie didn’t know whether she should be relieved or frightened. BJ appeared so full of righteous anger that she looked like she was having a breakdown.
“Yes, Ms. Warren, she did hit you with her truck, but there’s not anything I can arrest her for.”
“Nothing? What kind of town is this? A fine. She should at least pay a fine.”
“What kind of fine?” Mack chuckled and Hobie glared at him for egging BJ on. BJ was so intent on Hobie’s punishment that she hadn’t noticed Mack was patronizing her.
“Hundreds...thousands of dollars!” Everyone in the room could see that BJ was losing it.
“Now wait just a minute here…” Hobie stepped forward to defend herself. Her understanding and compassion for her patient had come to an abrupt halt.
“Let’s take a look at this, Ms. Warren. First, you want me to arrest the woman who, on her own time, fixed your leg up so it would heal properly. The woman who is paying for all your medical bills. You want me to fine her?”
BJ looked around the room and knew she was getting out of hand. She could see herself as if she were standing in a corner of watching the whole scenario. She could see herself acting like a complete ass but was powerless to stop her actions. How could so many bad things happen to one person in so short a time?
“Surely, the police force knows how to write out a ticket here in Mayberry.” BJ sneered. In her defense, her ankle was really beginning to hurt and she just wanted to go home and sleep. “You do give tickets here, don’t you?”
Hobie winced at the biting remarks and wondered how she could have possibly been attracted to this arrogant woman. She found it almost impossible to believe this was Evelyn’s granddaughter. She watched Mack to see how he would handle this attack on his reputation. As always, he was unflappable.
“Well now, Ms. Warren, that’s the first sensible thing you’ve said today. I think a ticket is definitely in order. Since I didn’t witness the incident, I’m going to go on the evidence I have.” Mack reached around to the small of his back and pulled a short thick binder from where he kept it tucked into his duty belt. He walked over to Hobie, flipped open the book, and extracted a ticket that he had written earlier.