Creatures of the Storm Read Online Free Page A

it never rains
here.”
    He would have sworn he heard something almost
accusatory in her tone. “It doesn’t,” he said. “Usually. This whole
thing seems to be some bizarre mountain-shadow effect. That’s…”
    He could see the flatness in her eyes. She
didn’t care. It didn’t matter. The word died in his mouth.
    This isn’t what we should
be talking about, he told
himself . He knew
they should be talking about important things: Rose's recovery, Ken's dead brother, his problems with the
contract, or Lisa's own money troubles. But he couldn’t get any of
it out. He didn’t even know where to start.
    “Hey there,” a new voice said from the
doorway. They all turned towards it with palpable relief. Things
had suddenly become very complicated. “Hey….”
    He was far too young; in his late twenties,
blond and handsome in a weary, unconscious way, with a very short
haircut and an open, unguarded smile. He looked more like a frat
boy than an ER physician. He took Lisa’s free hand in his own.
    “I’m Geoff Chamberlain,” he said. “We’ve met
before, but you were unconscious at the time.”
    “How many women have you
swept off your feet with that line?” Lisa asked.
    The doctor grinned. “Maybe I do need some
fresh material,” he said. “Anyway, I don’t want you to worry. We
did every test we could think of, and you passed ‘em all. Looks
like you’ve got a mild concussion, a dandy little contusion right
above your hairline, and a badly strained right wrist.” He looked
up from his notes. “Let me guess, the Mommy Sweep?” He threw his
right arm out to the side and kept it there, as if holding back an
invisible attacker.
    “Guilty,” Lisa said,
smiling at him. Rose had to admit it: he was cute.
    “It defies all the laws of physics, you
know,” he said. “But I don’t blame you one bit.” He glanced at Rose
who was standing to one side, arms folded, looking him up and down
very skeptically. “I mean, look who you were trying to
protect.”
    Ken gave him a killing
look. “She’s sixteen ,” he said.
    Rose wanted to die.
    Dr. Chamberlain held up a hand as he went
back to his notes. “Just being understanding,” he said, grinning
again. “Part of the bedside manner.” He looked back at Lisa, a
little more seriously this time. “Head injuries can be tricky, Ms.
Mackie…”
    Rose could see her starting
to correct him, to say “Corman,” … but she let it go. And what is that all about? s he asked
herself.
    “… and since we’ve got the space, like we
usually do, I’d like to keep you here overnight for observation.
Insurance will cover it. I already checked.”
    Lisa frowned. “Really, Doctor, I’d like to
get out of here.”
    “I’m sure you would,” Dr. Chamberlain said
gently. “So would I. I’m off duty in about half an hour, and under
normal circumstances, I’d be happy to take you all out for a drin…”
he looked at the pretty sixteen-year-old again, then at her
glowering father. “…for dinner. At Denny’s. The one with the kids
menus.” Then, back to Lisa: “But seriously: let’s not mess with it.
You got a pretty mean bump, and there’s no reason not to get a good
night’s sleep right here. We’ll release you in the morning, and
then none of us have to worry.”
    Lisa looked at Ken and Rose. They both nodded
severely. “Okay,” she relented. “One night.”
    There was a knock at the door and they all
looked up to see an impressive-looking blond man in a crisp khaki
uniform. He was standinginside the doorframe with his peaked hat in
his hand. Bo Cameron was standing a respectful distance behind him
with the oddest expression on his face: he looked wary, almost
afraid.
    “Ma’am?” the crew cut blond cop said, his
voice a pleasant and carefully modulated bass. “I’m Sheriff Donald
Peck. I was wondering if I could speak to you for a moment?”
    “Only for a second, Sheriff, okay?” Dr.
Chamberlain said. “She needs the rest.”
    Peck shot the