Loe raamatut: «Lightning Strikes»

Chapter One

What a horrible night for a wedding. But then, as far as Noah Howell was concerned, there were no good nights for such an event.

He cut his blue eyes toward a window and watched as the rain slapped against the pane, followed by bolts of lightning and mean cracks of thunder. What the hell was going on? Like most cities, Grand Springs had its share of springtime rains, but this was a bit much.

Weather of such a magnitude bred only one thing: trouble. In fact, during storms, people tended to go a little crazy. He ought to know. As a surgeon, he’d spent countless hours patching maimed bodies from accidents of all kinds. Why the hell didn’t folks use common sense and stay home under these conditions?

Noah smiled but with no humor. Who was he to criticize? Hell, he wasn’t home. He was at Squaw Creek Lodge, nestled high in the mountains, ready to walk his sister, Randi, down the aisle. What blew his mind even more was that the ballroom, which had been turned into a makeshift chapel, was filled with people.

Frowning, Noah focused his attention on the guests, who were smiling and chattering with one another as though Mother Nature wasn’t raising hell. He hoped everyone who planned to attend was already there because the weather was worsening. Besides, the zero hour was only minutes away.

Though the lodge was famous for its rustic atmosphere, the wedding area had been spectacularly transformed by the flowers and candles arranged in a simple but classy style.

But no wonder, considering that his mother, Melissa, had great expectations for Randi, who was marrying “up,” as Melissa was fond of bragging. Hal Stuart, the groom, was a city councilman and his mother was the mayor.

No big deal, Noah thought, as far as he was concerned, anyway. City official or not, Hal put his pants on one leg at a time like any other man. Noah smiled, again with no warmth. Too bad his mother didn’t see Hal as an ordinary man. Hell, when he came around, she thought the waters should part.

Noah winced inwardly as another clap of thunder seemed to shake the entire building. If the intensity of the storm continued, the lodge would lose its power. He had best not even think like that—fearing he might jinx the place and the evening.

He frowned at his cell phone. Why hadn’t Vanderbilt Memorial called him? After all, he was the surgeon on call. But he was glad, he quickly assured himself without enthusiasm, only then to berate himself for his sour attitude. Just because weddings weren’t his thing—having been there, done that—didn’t mean he wanted to throw a kink in his sister’s big night.

Thinking of Randi deepened the frown on Noah’s face. He peered at his watch. Hell, where was she? In five minutes they would parade down that carpeted walkway, making a spectacle of themselves. But again, his mother would be basking in her glory.

Maybe his sister had decided not to go through with the ceremony, he thought, first as a joke. Suddenly he paused to give the notion serious consideration.

Just last week, he had been summoned to Melissa’s house to take care of an insignificant problem that certainly could have waited. But he’d gone, anyway, feeling responsible, that feeling having burgeoned since his father’s death a year ago.

Randi happened to have been there, as well. While their mother was on the phone talking to a friend, he had bluntly commented on the pinched look on his sister’s face.

“You sick or something?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, you know what I mean. More than sick, you look like a whipped pup.”

Her body stiffened. “That’s not nice to say.”

“Whoever said I was nice?” Noah quipped with a careless shrug.

“Me.”

“Thanks,” he said, “but you’re prejudiced.”

“Probably, but you’ve been here for us.” She paused. “When Dad passed away—” Her voice cracked as she seemed to struggle for control. Seconds later, she continued, “You took charge.”

He had, though it hadn’t been easy. His mother thought she was better than others, despite the fact that his folks hadn’t had much monetarily. Noah never figured out where she’d gotten that idea. His daddy had been a common laborer, and had barely earned enough to scrape by. Melissa, on the other hand, had no skills at all and had never worked.

What Noah had accomplished had been through gut-hard work and scholarships. He was damn proud of having made it on his own. And he didn’t mind helping his mother, but she could test his patience. How many times had he told her to climb down off her social ladder? He might as well have been talking to a wall.

When he’d realized his thoughts had wandered, he said, “I wasn’t making fun, sis. I was serious. Is there something going on I should know about? If not with your intended, then with Mother?” He lowered his voice so Melissa wouldn’t hear him, although she was laughing out loud.

Randi sighed, her fingers tunneling through her wild black curls. “While Mother’s definitely driving me up a wall, I’m afraid my problem’s more serious.”

“So you need big brother’s ear, huh?”

“It’s something I should work out for myself.”

Noah’s dark brows came together. “Which means it has something to do with Hal.”

She flushed. “Is it that obvious?”

“Only to me.” Noah paused. “Are you sure you’re not just getting the proverbial last-minute jitters?”

“I don’t know,” she said, her eyes darting to her mother, who was still laughing into her cell phone.

“Look, if you don’t know, then who does?”

Randi pursed her lips. “Things are not always black or white. Besides, if I upset the applecart, Mother would have a conniption fit.”

“So?”

“So, she’d make my life unbearable.” When he would’ve interrupted, she shook her head. “I know. But then, you don’t let her push your buttons.”

“And it’s time you stopped letting her push yours. Stand up for yourself.”

“Like I said, it’s not just Mother.”

“Hell, if you don’t want to marry Hal, then by God, call off the wedding.”

Randi blew out her breath. “It’s not that easy.” Pausing, she tilted her head. “You should know that.”

“Yeah,” he said, “but I don’t claim to be a role model.”

Randi had leaned over then and kissed him on the cheek at the same time she gave him a wan but grateful smile. “Thanks for listening, but it’s too late to back out now. I’m too big a chicken.”

“Nah, you’re just too good for your own good.”

She was, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that. Randi would do what she had to. He couldn’t make decisions for her. Besides, he had more on his own plate than he could digest. And like she’d pointed out, he wasn’t someone who could give advice. Hadn’t he messed up his own life?

Returning to the present, Noah looked up and watched his future brother-in-law walk out of one of the rooms off the adjacent hall.

Hal Stuart was tall with dishwater blond hair and brown eyes. He was handsome and personable, without being charismatic, something Noah thought would’ve been a prerequisite for a public official. But again, what did he know? Nothing, except he didn’t like Hal, which was too bad, since he would soon be a bona fide member of the family.

“Can you believe this weather?” Hal asked.

“Nope.”

“Water’s everywhere. We’ll be damn lucky if we don’t wash away.”

“That’s why we need to get this show on the road.” Noah didn’t bother to hide the impatience in his voice.

“I’m ready.” Hal’s eyes circled the area. “Where’s Randi? And my mother?”

“Beats the hell out of me.”

Hal’s lips thinned. “I’ll be back shortly.”

“Where—” Noah swallowed the remainder of his sentence as Hal disappeared down the hall. “Swell,” he muttered.

“That’s a bad sign, you know.”

At the sound of the whiskey voice, Noah swung around and watched as Pitser Bowman, a banker and president of the hospital board, strode toward him, looking like a drowned rat. Despite his rain gear, his large frame was wet.

Noah was surprised to see him in spite of Hal having friends in high places. Apparently, Pitser was one of those friends.

Noah’s lips twisted. “Are you referring to my talking to myself?”

“It happens in the best of families,” Pitser replied, the spare tire around his waist shaking with his laughter.

“You’re a brave soul to be out in this weather.”

“Crazy’s more like it.” Pitser glanced at his watch. “Since I was running late, I figured I’d sneak in unnoticed.”

“Everyone’s late,” Noah said tightly. “In fact, I’m beginning to—” He broke off, batting the air with his hand, unable to curb his frustration, yet not wanting to bad-mouth his sister for her tardiness.

“Of course, you’re frothing at the mouth to get back to the hospital.”

“Actually, I can’t believe I haven’t been paged.”

“Just give it time.”

Noah nodded. “Glad you came.”

“By the way, the committee’s narrowed the choice of chief of surgery to two.” Pitser leveled his gaze on him.

Noah’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh?”

“You and Malcom Riley.” While Noah grappled for an appropriate response, Pitser grinned. “Better go get my seat.”

Noah closed his gaping mouth but stood transfixed for a moment, his sluggish mind catching up with his out-of-control pulse.

He’d never dreamed he’d be in the running for such a prestigious, responsible and cutthroat position, though that particular job was something he wanted very much. At this point, he would do just about anything to get it.

He couldn’t think about that right now. There would be time after this damn ceremony to mull over what Bowman had said and to plan his strategy. His competitor, Malcom Riley, was a rich, smooth bastard who would stop at nothing to get the position.

It oughta be one helluva good fight, Noah thought, then stared down the aisle at his mother, who stared back at him, a put-out expression on her face.

For once, he thought, Melissa had a right to be put out. Where was his sister and her groom? he wondered, noticing the subtle crook of his mother’s finger.

Seconds later, Noah eased into the chair reserved for the groom’s mother, Olivia, and looked into another pair of blue eyes, bright with anger.

Under less stressful circumstances, Melissa, at sixty-three, would be considered lovely with her tall, slender frame, silver hair and unlined skin. Now, however, that skin looked sallow and pinched.

“What’s going on?” she demanded in a whisper, through clenched teeth.

“Suppose you tell me. You were the last to see Randi.” Noah glanced at his watch. “What, ten minutes ago?”

“And she was ready. Patsy was putting the finishing touches on her hair.”

As Randi’s best friend, Patsy Fuller was going to serve as her only attendant. And now that Patsy had been mentioned, Noah wondered where Hal’s attendant was. Hell, for that matter, where was the entire wedding party?

“So, what do you want me to do?” Noah asked.

“Knock on the door, for God’s sake.” Though Melissa didn’t lift her head, she continued, “See for yourself how fidgety everyone is. Lord knows, the weather’s bad enough without making matters worse. Besides, I wanted everything to be perfect.”

“Mother—”

“Don’t ‘Mother’ me. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for your sister. I can’t believe she’d do anything to mess it up.”

“She won’t.” Noah wished he could be that sure. Maybe she was having serious second thoughts about marrying Hal, thoughts that were much more than premarital jitters. But like he’d told her, he could understand, and unlike their mother, he wouldn’t pass judgment.

“See that she doesn’t.”

“How ’bout Hal’s mother? She’s not here.”

“That’s her problem,” Melissa said in her haughtiest tone. “Just because she’s without manners doesn’t mean my daughter has to be.”

Noah curbed his temper. “God, Mother, you’re a piece of work.”

Before she could make a suitable comeback, Noah got up and made his way back up the aisle, conscious of the stares and the smiles thrown his way. He forced himself to be civil.

The makeshift foyer was still deserted. He mouthed an expletive.

That curse, however, was drowned out by another loud clap of thunder, while rain, mingled with hail, sounded like gunshots assaulting the building. Suddenly, the lights outside the candlelit hall went dark.

Another curse left his mouth just as Patsy rounded the corner. For a moment, she stood still, illuminated against the darkness by candlelight, while her eyes scanned the premises with the intensity of radar. Once they landed on him, she dashed toward him, grabbed him around the neck and jerked his head down to her mouth.

“Hey, what—”

“Just listen,” she said tersely.

Moments later, Noah lifted his head and sucked in a harsh breath. Finally, he responded in a low, dead tone, “Thanks, I’ll take care of it.”

Leaving Patsy chewing on her bottom lip and wringing her hands, Noah strode back down the aisle and stopped briefly to speak to his mother, who, with the palm of her hand, smothered a cry.

He then moved to the front of the chapel.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please, may I have your attention.”

While waiting for the chatter to cease, he cut his eyes to his mother, who looked like she’d been kicked in the teeth. She had been, and for once he actually felt sorry for her.

Then, realizing every eye in the room was on him, he cleared his throat and spoke in a clear, steady tone. “I’m sorry, but there’s not going to be a wedding. The bride’s disappeared!”