Page 59 of Fight or Flight
She sighed. “That’s reassuring. I’m glad Ilene convinced me to call him.”
“Here’s Doc’s clinic.” Tyler pointed to a large brick building.
Katherine was surprised at the size of the place. She had thought Doc Baker had a little mom-and-pop operation, especially when he came to her house in that old beat-up truck.
Tyler parked the Bronco in the back of the parking lot. “Stay here with the dogs—don’t let them out, or Doc will know something is up. I’ll tell him I brought in Pickles because he was acting funny, and now he won’t let me touch him for whatever reason. Then I’ll have him come out and examine him. He’ll know the surprise when he sees you. I’ll be right back.”
Katherine checked the time on her cell. Almost four. She was an hour late returning Karrie’s call. In her excitement, she’d forgotten to bring the burner phone. Her personal cell was off-limits in this situation. She realized she hadn’t been on her Friendlink page today. Using her cell, she logged on and saw that only two girls were active. Blondebookbabe and HotandCool.Before they could start chattering, she clicked out. No Karrie. Most likely she was waiting for Darby to call. And she would call, but later.
Anxious to see Doc’s reaction, Katherine spoke to Sam and Sophie, who waited patiently in the back. “Good dogs,” she said to them. For never having traveled with her, they were being well-mannered in Tyler’s vehicle. She thought about hiding so Doc wouldn’t see her as he came closer to the SUV, but decided that was too juvenile. Besides, the dogs would give her away as soon as they spotted Doc Baker.
Sure enough, before Katherine even saw Doc, the dogs started whining, so she knew he was close by. Katherine stepped out of the SUV, a huge smile on her face. Doc wore his usual jeans and dress shirt, though he also wore a white doctor’s jacket she’d never seen him in before.
“What in the world are you doing in my parking lot? I suppose Tyler performed his magic on you? I’m sure glad to see you, and those two, out of the house,” Doc exclaimed.
Katherine nodded, tears streaming down her face.
Tyler let the dogs out of the car, and they took off.
“Sam, Sophie!” Katherine called.
“They’re going to find the other dogs. I think they want to play,” Doc said. “The few times they’ve been here with me, they frolic around with the other dogs that are out of their kennels. I board a few dogs for friends. I don’t lock them up, before you ask.” He smiled at her. “You know if I knew your dad, I’d tell him how proud of you he should be. All in one day! Tyler told me what you did. Heck,I’mproud of you, kiddo.” Doc gave her a hug. “I’m honored you chose to come see me first. Come inside, and I’ll show you around.” Doc placed an arm across her shoulders. “How does it feel to be out of your safe space?”
“Like thirty-seven Christmases rolled into one,” she said, as they walked to the front of the clinic. Tyler caught up with them just in time to hear her say it.
“Why thirty-seven? Why not a hundred and thirty-seven?” Tyler teased, as Doc opened the back door using a code and keypad.
“You both know that I’m thirty-seven, so that’s why I used my age. I never had too many Christmas celebrations as a child, or when I was in college—”
“K, you don’t have to explain,” Doc interrupted.
“I need to. My family is from generations of big money. But they had no instinct to share their money in a charitable way. I have all their money and the refineries now, and I plan to do something with it once I figure out who needs it most. They died tragically—fittingly for my father, as he was a bastard. Mom wasn’t all warm and fuzzy, either, but she didn’t deserve to die so horribly. They were on safari in South Africa when their guide got too close to a group of lions, and they attacked. Everyone perished except one woman, but I heard she was maimed so horribly that she frightened people. Being here with you guys, not locked away in my house, not being ignored by my parents, not being bullied at school, is better than all of the Christmases I’ve experienced.” She waited for either to react, to tell her to have some wine with her cheese, but they didn’t.
“Good grief, who treats their child like that?” Doc asked.
“I just wanted to get that off my chest before going inside. A clean slate. Forget about it, and I will, too,” Katherine said.
Doc nodded and pulled the heavy door aside. “Welcome to my world.”
Tyler followed them inside, but hadn’t spoken since hearing Katherine’s story.
“I’ll show you where I operate on my patients first,” Doc offered.
Katherine followed Doc until they reached a large room occupied with long tables with lights above them.
“We use this space for minor surgeries, mostly spaying and neutering,” Doc Baker explained. “I have two techs, but they’re gone for the day. Steph and Bethany are staying here tonight, since it’s Friday. Both love animals, maybe more than I do. I stay with them, so it’s basically a family get-together.”
“This way,” he said, and directed them to a room across the hall. “I have six exam rooms, all basically like this one.” He stepped out of the room, since there was barely enough room for the three of them. “And this is my family area.”
“Nice,” Katherine said. “A mini apartment.”
“I spend much of my time here, so when I had the place built, I figured I’d need some place to rest my old bones. Sit down while I get us a cola.”
Katherine thought that Doc’s home-away-from-home suited him. It contained a small round dining table, maybe made from hard rock maple, with four matching chairs with red-and-white-checkered cushions. In the center of the table sat a red napkin holder and matching salt-and-pepper shakers. Across from the table was a mini kitchen, including a small stovetop with an oven and a microwave. An old Mr. Coffee maker was on the countertop. Katherine figured that might be the reason Doc liked her coffee so much. In the living area were two dark brown leather sofas, each with an end table and lamp on opposite ends. A large table in the center between them was covered with magazines.
“So, tell me how this came about,” Doc said, as he handed Katherine and Tyler sodas and glasses of ice.
“Frank, let’s not put off the inevitable, okay? Katherine needs to hear this,” Tyler said.
