She looked up. “Not sure there’s anything you can do for this, Dr. Vaughn.”
“DOA,” I quipped, cringing. “That’s not the phone my number’s in, is it?”
“Nah. This is my work phone. Brand new, too. I’ve only had this thing a few days.”
I walked closer, drawn like a moth. “Three days? And you’re out here raw doggin’ it with no case?”
She thumbed the power button. No response. “I’ve been busy.”
“Rough day?”
“Long day. Long week.” She slumped against her car, a late model Lexus. “At least now I have an ironclad excuse to ignore Dr. Rice for the next day or so.”
Her gaze locked on mine. “I would have thought you’d escaped for the day already.”
“Could say the same about you. Your work ethic suggests ain’t nobody at home waiting for you.”
“Bold, coming from a man who’s also just leaving work.”
We laughed, then fell into silence for a beat. Somewhere, a car alarm yipped, then fell quiet.
“I saw you today,” I told her.
“Saw me where?” she asked, dropping the dead phone into her bag.
“In the ICU. With the woman who was asking about her father and didn’t want to leave. You were good with her.”
Harper’s expression shifted, a ripple of compassion beneath the surface. “Well, it’s the job.”
“Yeah, but a lot of people do that job differently than you do.”
She laughed, pushing off her car. “A lot of people in my job are trying not to get the hospital sued.”
“True,” I said, conceding with a nod. “But most people in your job have a few standard phrases they keep in their pocket, then offer a pat on the shoulder and walk off. You seem to really care about the family, about the patient. Even that doc you yelled at today. Stephens?—”
“I did not yell at him,” she interrupted. “I said he needed to stop trying to be a hero. He makes my job harder when the family comes to my office saying Dr. Stephens said this thing and it didn’t happen.”
“I get that. But I’m just saying—I’m trying to compliment you. Damn.”
A bubble of laughter spilled from her. I really liked the sound.
“Thank you,” she said when she caught her breath. “I’m fired up. I need a drink.”
“Now you’re speaking my language,” I said before I could stop myself. “Where you planning to get one?”
“You know Rafferty’s? On Fifth? It’s more of a lounge that serves wings, beer, finger food. But there’s no loud music and they have huge TVs to air a game or…whatever.”
“Sounds like a nice spot. Would you welcome some company? Or…” Feeling embarrassed now, I tried to backtrack. “I mean, if you wanted to be alone, that’s cool. I don’t mean to horn in on your Me Time or whatever.”
She pulled out her key fob and pressed a button. Her car turned on, the lights illuminating.
“I’m headed to Rafferty’s to pick out a table. Do with that info whatever you like.”
She slid into her car then. Her tail lights flared and I stepped back so she could pull out. I watched her thread down the ramp, red lights vanishing into the shadows.
Then I raced to my car, pulled out, and headed toward Fifth Street.
Chapter Five
