A Roux of Revenge (35 page)

Lucky was having a difficult time letting go of her anger. Part of her yearned to believe Elias, and part of her was still hurt and furious.

“You’re telling me that what Paula said to me that day wasn’t true?”

“She . . .” Elias hesitated. “Because she . . .” He sat heavily in the kitchen chair across the table from her. “I might as well
tell you the whole story. I realized she was being overly friendly, overly familiar.” He looked at Lucky quickly. “I did
not
encourage it. In fact, I did my best to discourage it. I just wanted someone to take the load off my shoulders. She told me she had no issue with the fact that I would be her boss essentially, in spite of our prior relationship. That’s what she said. What was happening,
I finally realized, was her actions didn’t match her words.”

“And the rumors around town—that you and she were seeing each other, that we had broken up?” Lucky was struggling to understand the motives of a woman who would behave in such a way.

“Obviously started by Paula. Who else? Certainly not me. And I realize now, it was deliberately done to drive a wedge between us.”

Lucky thought
Elias himself had certainly contributed to the situation by not being more present, but she didn’t voice her opinion. “Why would she say one thing and do another?”

“She needed to involve me in a relationship. I understand why now. I think she thought I would go for it. She didn’t plan on there being someone else in my life. She thought she could . . . seduce me, I guess, and that would give
her added leverage.”

“Leverage for what?” Lucky was mystified.

“She was let go from her last position . . . in Bennington—there were two malpractice claims by patients against the hospital’s insurer. And that wasn’t all. I got the whole history from my insurance agent. Before the malpractice claims in Bennington, she had been working in Boston. She left Boston because of a wrongful-death
action.” Elias sighed. “It was my own stupid fault. I agreed to hire her without running it past my insurance carrier because I knew her, knew her work, how good a doctor she is. But she lied to me—a huge lie of omission.”

“You said the claims were against the hospital in Bennington?”

Elias nodded. “Yes. Usually the hospital carries the insurance and, in fact, often advises doctors not
to carry their own, so they’re not personally vulnerable to a claim.”

“If she’s such a good doctor, why the malpractice accusations?”

Elias shrugged. “I don’t know. I really don’t know the details of each case. But I did start to notice that she had a rather cavalier attitude—dismissive—toward a few of my patients. I asked her about it, but she refused to discuss it. None of the Clinic’s
patients have complained to me—at least not yet, but . . . I don’t know what to say. Emotional problems? A disconnect? Maybe she shouldn’t be treating patients at all.”

“And the wrongful death in Boston?”

“That can happen to any doctor, even when they’ve done everything possible to save a patient. Families are sometimes angry. They want to lash out at the person they blame for a loved
one’s death. But in that case she misdiagnosed acute appendicitis and a young woman died.”

“How could she miss that?”

“Appendicitis is strange. It can present in many different forms, and this young girl had no elevated white count, no fever, none of the classic signs. Frankly it could have happened to anyone. Paula’s mistake was that she didn’t keep looking for an explanation of the pain.”

“That’s terrible!” Lucky said. “How did you find all this out if she didn’t tell you?”

“From my insurer. I blame myself for not running her through the system before I agreed to hire her. She knew I’d find out eventually, and what I think is, she hoped to involve me in a relationship again, and once involved, maybe she figured I’d be willing to overlook it, to pay the premium on the malpractice
insurance, assuming they’d cover her. Even if I were so inclined to keep her on, the Clinic doesn’t have that kind of budget. A large hospital couldn’t pay that kind of exorbitant sum. I never realized . . . how manipulative a woman she is. Her plan was to rekindle our old relationship and put me in a position where I couldn’t renege on our agreement.”

“Does that mean she can’t work anywhere?”

“She’ll find work. I think she just took the easy way out by coming to Snowflake until the case in Boston is settled one way or the other. When I confronted her about not telling me, we had a very ugly scene. Then yesterday one of my patients told me they were sorry you and I had broken up. I was stunned. I had no idea she had managed to create all those lies and distractions and innuendoes.
I had no idea she was doing her best to cause trouble between us. I was so stupid. I still can’t believe she was so calculating. She’s not the woman I thought she was.” Elias rubbed his forehead. “She’s gone now. She’s left Snowflake. Can you forgive me, Lucky? I should have stayed in better touch with you this week. I should have come to see you as soon as I realized things were getting weird.
And I should have been with you that night in the cornfield. I heard all about it from several people. They just looked at me as if I were lower than dirt—abandoning you when you were in trouble.”

Lucky stared into her half-full mug. “Elias . . . I’m not really sure how I feel right now. I thought you had turned your back on me. It was obvious what she was doing the day I walked into your
office.”

“I was embarrassed that day. I know what it looked like, but I thought you’d . . . I don’t know . . . have trust in me. I’m so sorry. I wouldn’t hurt you for the world. I was very clear with her. That I am involved with you. That I have feelings for you.”

“I just can’t sort all this out right now.”

Elias’s face had grown pale. “Lucky . . .”

“I’m sorry. Please. I just can’t
talk about this right now. What’s happened this week has been very hurtful, even if it wasn’t really your fault. But it’s made me think, about myself, about my life, about what I’m doing, about . . . I know that whoever I’m with has to be someone I can trust totally. Trust and respect are the most important things to me.”

Elias’s face was grim. “You
can
trust me, Lucky. I’ve never lied to
you. I’ve never led you on. I thought that you loved me. That we could have a real future together.”

What was holding her back? He had poured out his heart, and yet she still held on to the hurt? Why was it so hard to forgive him for the insults that had taken place? Was he the right man for her? Regardless of how attracted to him she still was, she needed time to think. She remained silent
at the table.

When she didn’t speak, Elias sighed and rose from his chair. “I don’t blame you for being upset. I was blind. I was an idiot not to see what Paula was up to. But I’ve never lied to you, Lucky.”

She looked up at him.

“You know where I am if you change your mind.” The hurt was apparent on his face. He walked down the hall and closed the door quietly behind him.

Chapter 53

M
IRIAM REACHED OUT
to Janie’s hand and squeezed it tightly as they approached the encampment. Janie held a small suitcase in her other hand. Miriam’s anxiety was palpable. Lucky couldn’t
imagine how daunting this meeting must be for her, a woman who had torn herself away from everything she knew. Close to twenty years had passed since she had seen her family, her clan, spoken a language she had almost forgotten.

Lucky slipped her hand through Jack’s arm as they followed Miriam and Janie up the hillside. Miriam’s back was ramrod straight, as if she expected punishment for her
exodus. They entered the clearing. Eamon stood in the center, apart from everyone else. The entire clan—men, women and children—stood waiting for them. The vans were packed and ready, the area cleared, and the campfires extinguished. Eamon smiled broadly as they approached. Janie’s eyes held a barely suppressed excitement as she looked first at one person and then another.

One woman took a
step forward. Her hair was a deep auburn, like Janie’s. She wore a bulky sweater over a long brightly colored skirt. Hesitant at first, she rushed toward Miriam and grasped her hands. “Morag! Do you remember me?” she asked.

Miriam’s eyes filled with tears. “Aislinn. Yes, yes, of course I remember you.”

The woman reached out and enveloped Miriam in her broad arms. “
Fàilte dhachaigh, mo sheann charaid
. Welcome home, old friend.” She smiled and took Janie’s hand. “And you must be Janie. We’ve been hearing a lot about you for the past few days.” She smiled broadly. “Would you like to meet everyone?”

Janie nodded excitedly. “I doubt I’ll remember everyone’s names, but I’ll try.”

Eamon walked toward them. He spoke to Miriam. “Are you sure you won’t change your mind?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Perhaps another time. This has all been so overwhelming.”

“We’ll take good care of her. There’s no need to worry.”

“She has her cell phone if she needs me. I’ll see you in Halifax in a month. I just hope she’ll still want to come home with me then.”

“We won’t steal her away. Don’t worry.”

Miriam nodded. She looked about to cry once again. “She has a home.
And I want her to get an education. Don’t forget that, Eamon.”

“I won’t. I respect your wishes, Morag. Forgive me if I call you that. I’ve whispered your name so many times in the dark. I always hoped you’d heard me.”

Before Miriam could respond, Janie called out, running across the field. “Mom. Mom, they’re ready to go. Give me a big hug and don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Miriam
nodded and held Janie tightly. “I love you,” she whispered. Tears filled her eyes. “I love you . . . with all my heart and soul.”

Janie extricated herself from Miriam’s arms. “I’ll be fine, Mom.”

“
Gus an coinnich sinn a-rithist
. Till we meet again,” Eamon said, leaning down to kiss Miriam on the cheek. He looked into her eyes for a long moment then turned away to lead Janie to his van.

“And you better help me learn more Gaelic when I come home,” Janie called out as she ran to the van that would carry her to Cape Breton.

Lucky and Jack stood on either side of Miriam. Jack placed a protective arm around Miriam’s shoulders. Lucky knew it took every ounce of strength for Miriam to let Janie go, even if it was only for a brief time.

The engines revved, and each vehicle
pulled slowly out of the field, heading down the hill toward the highway. The three of them watched as the van Janie rode in passed by. Janie waved excitedly from the window. Miriam stood ramrod straight until everyone was gone.

She turned to Lucky. “The hardest lesson. They’re not really yours—you only rent them for a little while.”

Chapter 54

T
HE AFTERNOON SUN
filtered through the yellow café curtains. The Spoonful was ready for Halloween, thanks to Janie’s decorations and electric candles. It was too bad she couldn’t be here
to see the fun. Miriam had stopped by to help out in Janie’s absence. Jack had found an old fireplace cauldron and filled it with dry ice that wafted around the front room. Lucky had plugged in a CD with “Monster Mash” and another one of scary Halloween sounds—creaking doors, shrieks and cackling witches.

The evening before, after the travelers had gone, Lucky took Miriam back to Jack’s house
where he cooked steaks in his old cast-iron frying pan. Lucky had carried logs in and built a roaring fire and poured wine for herself and Miriam. Jack grabbed a beer from the refrigerator, and they ate their dinners in front of the hearth.

She and Jack had decided Miriam shouldn’t be alone on the first night of Janie’s trip. Lucky couldn’t bear the thought that Miriam would return to an empty
house, not after the anxiety she had suffered when Janie ran away and then was abducted. When the evening wound to a close, Lucky had driven Miriam home and then returned to her apartment.

This evening, because of the promotional bowl of free soup from three to five, the restaurant was full. Many of the customers had brought their children along, now finished with school for the day and done
up in costumes, some store-bought, some homemade. The adults were ready for trick-or-treating too, and several were in costumes themselves. Lucky looked around the restaurant and spotted Tommy Evans sitting by himself in a far corner, dressed in his everyday clothes, hidden behind Hank and Barry at their regular table. She grabbed a bowl of soup and placed it on a dish with a half sandwich and
carried it over to Tommy. She nudged Barry as she went by. “This young man needs a real seat and a place to eat,” she said, indicating Tommy. “May he join you?”