Semiautomatic Marriage

“What about lunch?” he asked as if he hadn’t been planning on coaxing her to have it with him.

“I’m used to skipping it.”

“Doctor, doctor,” he teased. “For shame.”

She laughed then, a full, wonderful laugh that wrinkled her nose, brought a shine to her crystalline blue eyes. She was utterly beautiful. Vibrant. And desirable. He was stunned by the sudden realization that Carolyn Leigh was about to touch some guarded depth of emotion that he thought he’d put away forever. He couldn’t afford such feelings. First of all, she was on the threshold of a lifestyle of money and prestige, and getting involved with her would go nowhere. Second, any personal feelings would wreak havoc with the impersonal marriage of convenience that was vital to the success of his mission. It would be pure idiocy to allow himself to be attracted to her on any level.

Carolyn directed him to the clinic, which was housed in an old building that had once been a small neighborhood school. The place was still run-down and in need of remodeling, but the first floor had been refurbished to handle the various demands of a free clinic.

A valiant sun had lost its battle to the overcast sky and a soft rain began to fall as he let her out of the car.

“Thanks a bunch,” Carolyn said quickly as she prepared to make a dash for the front door.

“Carolyn, will you think about what I’ve said?”

“I’ll…I’ll be in touch.”

From the look on his face, Carolyn knew he was expecting more than this vague promise, but at the moment it was all she had to give. If he’d pushed her for an answer to his proposition, it would have been an immediate and definite No!

“I could give you a ride home,” he suggested.

“Thanks, but I’ll catch a ride with someone from the clinic when it closes.”

As she hurried away, she could feel his intense gaze on her back. Why in the world hadn’t she told him straight out that playing house with him was out of the question? She sympathized with his personal loss, admired his dedication to his job, but she wasn’t cut out for a game of deception. Just pretending to be his wife, and opening herself up to all kinds of undefined emotions, was more than she could handle.

“Well, now. Who’s the hunk that made you late?” Rosie DiPaloa teased as Carolyn hurried into the reception area. Obviously the dark-haired young woman had been looking out the window as Adam drove up in front of the building. “Don’t tell me our brand-new doctor is spreading her wings already. What gives?”

“Sorry to disappoint you, Rosie. Nothing gives. I’m late because of a business meeting. And my car won’t start—again. Would you have your brother pull it into his garage?”

“Sure,” Rosie said, and wrote down the address Carolyn gave her. “That car’s spending more time in Tony’s garage than it is on the streets. Why don’t you let Tony look for a nice clean, used car for you? Trade up to something that’ll keep running for a while? You ought to be able to afford it now.”

For a second Carolyn thought Rosie was referring to her inheritance. Then she realized her friend meant that Carolyn would be going into practice somewhere soon. How would Rosie respond if she knew that very soon Carolyn would be able to buy the latest, most expensive car on the road? Or if Carolyn told her she’d be moving out of her small apartment to live in a mansion? A sickening feeling accompanied Carolyn’s sudden realization that she would probably lose Rosie’s friendship and that of her bulging Italian family once her inheritance became known. Her lack of money and indebtedness had been something she had in common with them. They had opened their hearts to her because she was one of them, but her grandfather’s will would change all that.

“What’s the matter?” Rosie asked with her usual bluntness. “Are you sure you don’t have something to tell me?”

“Not now,” Carolyn answered firmly. There would be time later to sort all of it out. At the moment she was a doctor with patients waiting. She grabbed her white coat, slung her stethoscope around her neck and said, “Give me five minutes and then start sending them in.”

WHEN ADAM PULLED INTO Bancroft’s parking lot, he saw that Carolyn’s car was gone.

“A tow truck took it away,” the lawyer’s receptionist told him. “I think the sign said DiPaloa Brothers Garage. Is there a problem?”

“No, I was just curious.”

Mr. Bancroft poked his head out of his office. “I thought I heard your voice, Adam. Come in. I saw you drive away with Dr. Leigh. Bring me up-to-date.”

“There’s not much to update,” he confessed as he dropped into one of the leather office chairs. “I spent a couple of hours with her. She listened, asked a few questions and said she’d be in touch.”

“Do you think she’ll come around once the shock of all this wears off a little?”

“Damn, I don’t know what to think. We both know she could be in danger the minute she steps inside Horizon Pharmaceuticals. Carolyn is as sharp as they come, and it’s a given that she won’t be played for any kind of patsy. One way or another, she’ll educate herself about the business, and without realizing it, she may bring to light something that will force a killer into action.”

“Do you think that’s what happened to her grandfather?” asked the lawyer.

“I’m convinced of it.” Adam ran agitated fingers through his hair. “Someone is determined to use Horizon for the shipment of black-market drugs, and Carolyn could be an innocent victim of their treachery if she gets too close to the truth.”

“Well, you’ll have a better chance to protect her if you’re on the scene as her husband. Didn’t you explain that to her?”

“I didn’t want to scare her into agreeing to my plan, but I gave her enough background for her to realize that this isn’t just a parlor game someone is playing. I’m not sure she’s convinced that Horizon is involved. I wish I had more concrete evidence to support the theory that someone in the company is raking in big bucks by diverting these drugs overseas.” He sighed. “For some reason, I was hoping to appeal to a deeper commitment to see justice done.”

“That’s a lot to expect from a young woman whose been treated as disposable by almost everyone in her life. You have to admire her for her accomplishments.”

“I do. Very much.” He felt admiration and a great deal more, he silently admitted. Carolyn Leigh had touched him on more levels than he thought possible. An unbidden sweet heat curled deep within him when he looked at her, and it had been a long time since he’d wanted to touch a woman, to feel her skin beneath his fingertips and lips. He shifted uncomfortably in the leather chair as if Bancroft might be able to read his lustful thoughts.

“What are you going to do now?”

“I’m trying to make up my mind. It’s a delicate balance, trying to put pressure on her, or backing off and hoping that she’ll come around before it’s too late.” Adam’s jaw tightened. “One thing’s for sure. Come hell or high water, I hope I’m with her when she innocently steps into a situation that has all the earmarks of internal combustion.”

CAROLYN GLANCED AT the clock. Five-fifteen. The clinic closed at six, so she had time for one more patient. She signaled for Rosie to send someone into her examination room.

“Hello,” she said, smiling at the young Mexican couple with a baby who’d entered the examining room. The father spoke halting English.

“You make José well?” he asked anxiously. They were itinerant farm workers and their six-month-old baby had taken ill with a cough and fever. The mother looked no older than seventeen.

Carolyn quickly examined the infant and determined that his illness was due to strep throat, which could be controlled with antibiotics. The medication needed to be taken for two weeks. Since it was expensive, Carolyn checked their supply of sample medications. She plucked three small bottles from the shelf, an amount that would cover the two-week period.

As she held them in her hand, ready to give to the anxious parents, she glanced at the label. Horizon Pharmaceuticals.

Her hand tightened on the bottles. Since the rest of the samples had been safely given out, Carolyn rationalized that they must have contained genuine safe antibiotics.

But what if they weren’t safe? Adam’s compelling voice echoed in her ears. Her mouth went dry, and for a long moment she just stood there staring at the bottles in her hand. In her mind’s eye she saw herself handing over medication that was faulty—and could kill.

“Miss Doctor, something is matter?” asked the young man, worried by Carolyn’s sudden stillness.

“No, nothing,” she quickly assured him. She disposed of the bottles in her hand and handed him three that had come from a different supplier. She spoke slowly and carefully, making sure he understood when to give the medication to the baby.

“Bless you, bless you,” the mother kept saying as Carolyn walked them out to the waiting room with them.

Rosie quickly locked the door after them. “Whew, what a day. Dr. McPherson took off early and left me with a mound of paperwork.” She eyed Carolyn’s preoccupied look with suspicion. “You look miles away. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had a man on your mind.”

“How did you know?” Carolyn took a deep breath and gave Rosie a tentative smile. “I’m thinking about getting married.”

Chapter Three

Adam stood up as Carolyn and a dark-haired young woman came out of the clinic. He’d been sitting on one of the benches on the small porch outside the front door. According to a posted sign, the clinic closed at six. It was a few minutes past, and he was wondering what to do if she didn’t appear soon.

When she saw him, a startled expression crossed her face. He gave her a warm smile in the hope of defusing some of her expected indignation.

“I wanted to make sure you had a way home,” he said quickly. “Your car was gone from the parking lot, and I didn’t know whether it was running or not.”