“Yes.”
“Xanax generally calms a person down. Your heart is beating very quickly.”
“Is it?” She swallowed hard. “Well, I’ve been under a lot of stress recently.”
I pulled the stethoscope away. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable giving you any drugs when your heart is racing like that.”
She scowled. “But I want them.”
“Yes. I gather that. The problem is if I give you something and it mixes with something else that you’ve taken, you could die. I could be thrown in jail for prescribing you drugs irresponsibly.”
“But you have to give me something. My mind is just spinning and spinning. I’m under so much pressure.” She pressed a pale hand to her forehead. “I need a way to cope with what’s happening.”
I frowned. “Whatishappening?”
“So many awful, horrible things,” she whispered.
When the front door suddenly opened and then slammed shut, I jumped.
“Angela?” Michael Raiden’s voice boomed angrily from the entryway. “Why aren’t you answering my calls? What the hell have you done now? Thanks to you, Sheriff Callum has all sorts of ideas in his head.”
The raw aggression in his voice was unsettling. Even Angela looked alarmed at his tone. She stood and faced the entrance to the sitting room. Michael Raiden strode into the room, face red. When he saw me, his anger seemed to intensify.
“What areyoudoing here?” he growled. “That was your car outside? Why would a doctor drive such a heap?”
I chose to ignore his insult about my car because his eyes glittered with so much malice as he advanced into the room. “Your wife called me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Oh, really?”
“Yes.” His energy was so off-putting, I instinctively put the couch between me and him.
He turned his angry gaze to Angela. “Why would you callhim?”
Angela lifted her chin. “Why shouldn’t I call anyone I choose? You don’t control me.”
He widened his eyes. “Ohreally?”
“Yes, really,” she snapped.
Michael rumbled, “First you talk to the sheriff about our personal business. Now you’re talking to his faggot boyfriend?”
I scowled at his inflammatory language. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he rasped, his cold gaze settling on me.
I had no idea why he was so wound up, but his anger was like an electrical current buzzing through the room. It made me twice as nervous that he seemed fixated on me.
“Michael, c… calm down. I just went to Sheriff Callum because I was worried about Liam. At the time I didn’t know…” She swallowed hard. “And the reason I called Dr. Thornton is because I have a horrible headache.” Angela’s voice trembled and she seemed more conciliatory suddenly. “You’re blowing everything out of proportion.”
She’s afraid of him.
That realization was startling. Angela had initially been dismissive of her husband, but now she seemed more afraid than anything else. Was this what Janelle had been referring to? A shift in the dynamic between her parents?
Despite her suggestion that he calm down, Michael did no such thing. He moved further into the room, striding toward me. “Haven’t I done enough to get rid of the loose ends, Anglea? You’re no help at all, dear wife. You just keep making things worse.”
“Michael, stop being such a reactionary.” Angela scowled.
“Easy for you to say. You make the messes and I have to keep cleaning them up.” He circled the couch, his movements stealthy. He seemed to think that if he moved slowly enough, I’d just stand still.
