Present Danger Elizabeth Goddard (most inspirational books .txt) 📖

took down found him. Your father’s death was actually a murder, as was your mom’s car accident.”

What? Jack found the chair next to the wall and eased into it. He rested his head in his hands. “How do you know this?”

“Before I took you in, I demanded answers from his superiors and was silenced with the truth. I could never speak a word of it, or else I could bring danger to myself and to you. The story for the news was that he had struggled with addiction and that he committed suicide. I know it’s not fair for a hero to go down with such a dark story, a lie. I see now how that affected you, but that was for our safety, Jack. Please don’t jeopardize your safety by digging up that past. I simply thought you should know that you are a hero like your father was a hero.”

The news stunned Jack. More than anything, he wanted to believe her words, but his aunt struggled with dementia and could be confused. He wasn’t sure he trusted her story. If he did any digging of his own, he could bring danger to Aunt Nadine’s door. He would give it some time and speak with her about it again, but right now Jack chose to believe this new truth about his father.

A fiftyish woman wearing a white coat and stethoscope entered. “I’m Dr. Presser.” She flashed a smile. “Just call me Carol.”

“Hi, Carol,” both Jack and Aunt Nadine said simultaneously.

“I spoke briefly with your primary doctor, who filled me in on the dementia you’ve been experiencing.”

“I don’t have dementia. He keeps telling me that. Just a few memory problems.”

Jack kept his face straight.

Carol hesitated as though considering her next words. “I think you could be experiencing a reaction to your anxiety medication. That, combined with the fact you have very low levels of vitamin B. Either or the combination of both can cause symptoms of dementia. We’re switching up your medication, and I’m prescribing vitamins. You could see significant improvement in your memory.”

Jack shared a stunned look with his aunt. Confusion lined her features, then her face relaxed. Acceptance.

Aunt Nadine nodded. “I hadn’t wanted to admit I had a problem. I was too scared. Admitting there was something wrong with me . . .” Her eyes teared up. “Well, now I don’t have to be scared. You’ve made my day, doctor, I mean, Carol.”

Carol nodded and smiled.

Aunt Nadine returned the smile, unshed tears shimmering in her eyes. “I’m feeling better already.”

Carol patted Aunt Nadine’s hand. “As you should. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients. We’ll keep you one more day, dear, to make sure you tolerate this new medication.”

Carol said her goodbyes and exited. Jack followed her out. “You mean to tell me that her medication has been causing her memory issues?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t discuss a patient’s private health information. HIPAA and all that.”

“She raised me, I’m family, and she’s signed the appropriate documents, so you could speak to me.”

Carol skimmed through the paperwork and appeared to make a decision.

“Well, I’m not telling you more than I said in the room. Yes, in some patients—especially older patients—we’ve seen a strong correlation between symptoms of dementia and this particular medication. It’s true of low vitamin B levels as well. We’ll do what we can and hope for a positive outcome.”

Jack swiped a hand down his face. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “This whole time . . . Doctor, I gave up my job to come be with her. I wanted to make sure she’s all right.”

Carol studied him. “You sound like a nice young gentleman who cares deeply about her. I hope you’ll consider sticking around, even if her memory improves.”

He nodded as he watched Dr. Carol Presser head down the hallway and enter a room four doors away.

Jack stood alone in the hallway, soaking in the news. Aunt Nadine was going to be all right. Part of him wanted to be angry at the medication for wreaking such havoc on their lives. Jack realized that even if he hadn’t been shot, even if he hadn’t failed Sarah, he would be back in Montana and, yes, probably working for the Grayback County Sheriff’s offices.

And he realized that if he weren’t Detective Tanner, then he wouldn’t have run into Terra again. Was Providence throwing them together? Were they meant to be? Was this their second chance? He didn’t know.

“A penny for your thoughts.” Terra spoke from behind.

He turned and tried to absorb her lovely smile and the look in her eyes that reflected her compassionate heart. Jack didn’t mind her gorgeous hair, striking eyes, and rosy cheeks either. But who was looking? He grinned to himself. He thought he might actually measure up this time, at least in his own mind, but would she feel the same way? Was he the man for her?

“How is everyone?” he asked.

“Gramps is getting released this morning. Dad is recovering. He’ll be here a couple more days. He could have died. I still can’t believe any of it. Part of me wants to be angry at him. I was so hurt that he left. I carried around with me the memory of that conversation I overheard—Gramps telling Dad not to leave. I rushed to him and begged him not to go. I understand now that he thought it was the only way to keep me safe. But as a kid, how could I have understood any of it? People, those I loved, left me. Dad chose to leave me. But I can’t waste time being hurt and angry now that I have him back.”

Jack had experienced a similar situation when he let Robert’s conversation he’d overheard get to him. Those words had changed his future, had torn him away from her when he made the decision to love Terra by leaving her. What he’d done was not too different from what her father had pulled—and both men had crushed her more with their actions