The Healing Place
Leigh Bale
A Father Desperate To Save His DaughterDr. Emma Shields had to help him. Mark Williams had come to the gifted physician to heal his sick little girl. But Emma had suffered her own loss… Driven by the death of her son, Emma was determined to make Mark's daughter well.The devoted single father had come to her in his time of need and she couldn't let him down. Nor could she forget what they'd once shared…Now they faced new challenges. Together could they create a new place of faith, hope and love?
The Healing Place
Leigh Bale
Published by Steeple Hill Books
To Steve, Daniel and Marie, for standing
firmly against the maelstrom.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Acknowledgments
Also, my undying gratitude to Dan and
Marjorie Baird, Steve Burnett, Bill and
Clara Howard, Gary Jackson, Ren Johnson,
Wayne Johnson, George Keele, Koret Family
House, Michael Lehners, Make-A-Wish,
Alan Mentzer, Sue Ross, Justice Thomas Steffen,
Peter Umphress, Dennis Widdis, and Doctors
Mitchell Berger, Jay Chamberlain, Kathy Eckert,
Michael Edwards, John Shields, Joseph Walker
and their staffs. Thanks for being there.
Chapter One
Reno, Nevada
She couldn’t face going home tonight. Dr. Emma Shields scribbled notes on the last patient’s case file before she set it on top of the stack to be sorted by her office staff. She peered at the brass clock on the wall and blinked. Was it really that late? No wonder she was bleary-eyed. She sighed and returned her attention to her work. Anything to delay going to her lonely apartment.
A short knock sounded on the open door.
“Come in,” she called without looking up.
“You plan on staying here all night?”
Emma lifted her head. As she removed her reading glasses and dangled them from her fingers, she sat back in her comfy executive chair.
Too comfy. She stifled a yawn.