She didn’t need all that many stitches, but she did need an antibiotic to protect her against infection. She was offered pain medication but declined, certain regular old Tylenol would take care of any discomfort. Nevertheless, the surgeon wrote a script just in case she changed her mind.
Samuel motioned to Michael to step outside the cubicle to have a word. Isabel could see them through the opening in the curtains. Both men looked somber. Samuel was doing most of the talking, and every now and then Michael would nod. From their expressions, she knew the topic was grim.
Isabel wasn’t about to wear the bloody T-shirt again and asked the nurse to throw it away. She put on her nylon jacket and zipped it closed. While Dr. Alberts wrote notes in her chart, she watched Samuel shake Michael’s hand and leave.
“All right, you’re as good as new,” the doctor said. “The stitches should be removed in eight days.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” she replied, sitting up and swinging her feet over the side of the examination table.
Speaking to Michael, the surgeon said, “Isabel will have a scar, but it will be so thin no one will notice it. We can’t let anything damage this lovely young lady. You know—with her golden blond hair and her brilliant blue eyes, she looks like a Greek goddess, doesn’t she?”
Dr. Alberts walked out of the cubicle after his comment, so he didn’t see Isabel roll her eyes.
Michael did and grinned. “Let’s go, goddess.”
“Not funny, Michael.”
He thought it was and had a good laugh. Ignoring him, she scooted off the table and headed for the doors, stopping to thank the nurse on her way out.
“What was that about with Detective Samuel?” she asked as Michael opened the car door for her.
“We’ll stop at a pharmacy to get the antibiotic filled and buy some Tylenol.”
“So you’re not going to tell me?”
He shook his head.
“You’re rude.”
The insult obviously didn’t bother him. “Yes, I am,” he agreed, closing the door.
His smile could be lethal, and she had to remind herself that he was not only rude, he could also be irritating. Regardless, she was thankful he stayed with her. She wondered how he would react if she told him he had it in him to occasionally be nice. He’d probably argue with her.
“Did you rent this?” she asked, glancing around at the interior of the BMW. “It’s awfully elegant.”
“Elegant, huh?”
She shrugged.
He explained. “It’s my brother’s car.”
“Which brother? You have a bunch of them.”
He laughed. “There aren’t that many, and you’ve met them all.”
She counted off their names. “Let’s see. Theo is the oldest, then Nick, Alec, Dylan, you, and Zachary.”
“And two sisters,” he reminded. “Jordan, your sister’s best friend, and Sidney. Nick picked me up at the airport, and I dropped him off at his house. He’ll drive out to Nathan’s Bay tomorrow with his wife. I’ll keep his car while I’m here.”
“And how long will that be?”
“I don’t know yet. What about you?”
They stopped at a red light, and he glanced over at her, waiting for an answer.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do.” She noticed his duffel bag was in the backseat and asked,
“You were on your way to Nathan’s Bay when Dylan called you?”
“That’s right. I wasn’t out of the city yet, so I turned back.”
There was a CVS a couple of miles away, and it didn’t take any time at all to get the script filled and purchase Tylenol. The rest of the ride to the hotel was silent. When they arrived, Michael let the valet take his car while he went inside with Isabel. She looked straight ahead as she walked through the lobby. At this point, she was used to people staring, appalled by all the blood she was wearing on her clothes.
Michael followed her with the expectation of collecting her bags for the trip to Nathan’s Bay, and she didn’t correct him. She waited until they were in her room to tell him she was staying at the hotel.
While he outlined all the reasons he was going to have to insist she go with him, she picked up her bag, carried it into the bathroom, then stripped out of her clothes and got into the shower. It was heavenly. She was certain the guests could hear her sigh all the way down in the lobby. The hot water streamed down her face, and she willed it to wash away this horrible day as the muscles in her shoulders and legs began gradually to unknot. She couldn’t get her hands to stop shaking, though.