I had to figure out who was after Benji Grace. Because kissing him had quickly become something I very much wanted to try.
I let Benji sleep after moving him so he was stretched out on the couch while I paced and tried to figure out where the best place to start investigating was. An hour later, mind running, I got a call from Sian, checking in, and I told her Benji had a fever, but it was down, only a low-grade one now.
“He can’t go to the Eaton house today, so you need to call and reschedule. We’re also not doing dinner out.”
“No, of course not. I’ll get the Eaton appointment moved, and I can bring you guys some dinner after I––”
“Don’t worry about it, all right? I can feed us.”
“Wow. A man who can take care of himself? I might pass out from shock.”
“Hilarious,” I replied snidely. “Now tell me, is the Urgent Care in town any good, or do I need to drive him to Gearhart or Seaside?”
“Our Urgent Care is fine, but don’t take him there. I’ll send my dad over.”
“Your dad?”
“Yeah. I’ll send him over there to look at Benji.”
“Your father’s a doctor?” I was honestly surprised.
“Uh-huh. He’s one of three here in town. He’s semiretired, but he’ll make a house call for Benji, even though he hates him.”
“He’s not a witch doctor, is he?”
“You’re a riot. Did you know this?”
“And how could anyone hate Benji?”
“Awww,” she cooed, “you like him.”
“Sure, he’s a really nice guy. Anyone can see that.”
“Well, my dad thinks if Benji left, I would marry Chris, run my store, and be happy with that life.”
“But you will marry Chris, and the rest of it you’re changing anyway.”
“Yes, I know, but all that just happened, and I haven’t been over to give him and Mom the life-altering news yet.”
“Maybe tell him before he shows up.”
She grunted and hung up on me.
I was surprised when, twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the back door. I was even more stunned that the sky was dark and overcast, but the rain had stopped.
The man standing on the step staring at me nodded. “First time in Rune?”
“Yessir, it is.”
“I can tell from your expression and the way you’re peering heavenward with more than a bit of distrust on your face.”
I chuckled because I was sure I had, and then I smiled at the man who had graced his daughter with her serious emerald eyes and familiar scowl. His short white hair, bushy eyebrows, and ruddy complexion made me think more fisherman than doctor. I liked all his layers, though. I was thinking I could use a heavy knit scarf myself. It wasn’t so much the cold, I was used to cold, but the damp was new.
“It’s always like this,” he assured me, and I stepped to the side so he could walk by me into the kitchen. “Pouring one minute, clear the next. Never sunny, per se, a bit gloomy most of the time now because of winter.”
“So you’re saying it’s nicer here in the summer?” I teased him.
He chuckled. “It’s never Waikiki, you understand, and the ground never dries out completely, but it’s not the bog it is at the moment.”
“Got it.”
He removed his duck boots, stepping easily out of the unlaced shoes, sighed heavily, and began toward the living room. Stopping suddenly, he rounded on me and offered his hand.
“I’m sorry, I’m forgetting my manners, but I was about to start painting when my daughter called and said her boss was dying and I needed to get over here.”
I grasped the offered hand. “Shaw James.”
He nodded. “Dr. Edward Coburn. Call me Ed.”
“I’ll try,” I assured him, releasing his hand. “And please call me Shaw.”
“Respect for your elders,” he said, patting my arm. “I like it. Someone raised you right.”
“Yessir.”
“Okay,” he groaned, turning to head toward Benji.
Benji sat up, smiled blearily, and the nice doctor growled.
“It’s not my fault she wanted to work with me,” Benji stated defensively. This disagreement was not new.
“She had a fair head on her shoulders before you showed up,” Dr. Coburn grumbled, pulling a gun thermometer, the kind I’d been looking for earlier, from his bag. “And then you sent her spiraling over into the ridiculous. Made her a laughingstock.”
“Isn’t she a respected member of the community, considering that she owns one of the businesses on the main street of the town?” I chimed in.
“It’s an apothecary,” he snapped at me.
“Yessir, but there’s nothing wrong with holistic medicine, as you know.”
His grunt told me he didn’t disagree, but he wasn’t completely on board either.
“Tinctures and salves, candles and herbs, crystals and essential oils, all those things have been around for thousands of years, so you can’t shake your finger at it and dismiss it or call it witchcraft or whatever else.”