Dr. Spight’s brow rose, creating deep furrows. Nurse Oleson returned, making him remember Alice had been behind him the entire time and he’d missed seeing her depart.
“Anne, can you go upstairs and change the linens in room two, please?” Dr. Spight tilted his head slightly toward the stairs.
Kent didn’t bother to turn to see her response. He heard her slow, quiet footfalls disappear up the stairwell.
“There, now we have a minute to discuss this predicament. Alice’s ideas are sound, but naïve. She has the right desire, but it needs someone to focus it. Someone who knows the science. That’s you.” Dr. Spight relieved him of the pressure on his arm.
Kent looked up to justify his stance just as Dr. Spight opened his mouth to continue. He should’ve known better than to let the doctor get a full head of steam. He’d be there for a while now.
“The first step to healing what ails a body, the same as an animal, is to identify the real issue. I think you’ve made a blatant misdiagnosis in the case of Alice Johlman.”
Kent held in the harsh laugh he felt building in his chest. Dr. Spight did not know how badly he’ddiagnosedAlice. Kent had assumed she would forget about him and move on. The only one who would feel the heartache of loss would be himself, and that would be fine. He would take it. He always did.
“If you truly want to get to the bottom of this issue. I feel you should work with Alice. At the very least, you should listen to her ideas.”
The water had been his idea, but perhaps she was looking at it in a different way. She had been of the mind that someone, not something, was to blame. What could be wrong with the water that had been sabotaged by someone? Did she think there was a poison present?
“May I?” He gestured toward the little hall in the back of the clinic where the doctor kept his most expensive tools.
“Of course.” Dr. Spight gestured his welcome and stood to the side to allow him past.
Kent took a purely visual examination of the slide without the use of the microscope. It looked almost clean, with only the presence of an air bubble in one corner to show him there was, indeed, water on the slide. A closer look revealed tiny specks.
He placed it under the lens and locked it in place, adjusting the eyepiece until he could clearly see what those specks were. Some of them merely sat there, little pieces of detritus fiber, probably plant matter. They looked quite simple, and nothing out of the ordinary.
A few things moved, squirming about across the glass like little legless insects. But he immediately recognized all of them as organisms that should be there. “I’m afraid I must be missing what you think is so important. I see nothing out of place here. If Alice is on to something, as you think, you’ll have to explain it to me.” Clearly, he’d missed whatever the doctor had seen.
“It isn’t what’s on the slide, though I’m glad you’ve found that, just as I did, it appears all is well. It’s that she had new ideas. Ones you’d hadn’t had or, at the very least, didn’t follow through on. What could be the harm in other insight into a problem?”
What harm, indeed? The harm that he would have to see her. He would have to apologize for his brutish words. He’d have to eventually admit he was nothing without her, and could do nothing for her, making him completely worthless.
And what woman wanted a worthless man? None. And especially not beautiful, smart, witty, and oh so honest Alice Johlman.
“She had mentioned to me she was going to investigate the stream further. Away from her house and the Oleson ranch, to see what might be happening before the water reaches her home.”
He knew the doctor was telling him the information so he could go and help her. At the very least, to make sure she didn’t harm herself or get into any trouble. At least he was good at that.
“I’ll head that way and see if I can talk to her. I’m still not convinced that it’s the water. If I was, I’d have brought a sample in myself. But there was no odor, no cloudiness, no stagnation. At least in the case of our cattle, our animals haven’t been allowed near it.”
“But that water also feeds your wells. Just because your animals are far away, doesn’t mean the water isn’t reaching them. You could be right. Perhaps you’ve done all there is to do in regard to the water.”
Finally, the doctor was listening to reason. He could retrieve Alice and send her back home, where she should stay. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about her riding alone all over the countryside.
“But what if you’re not?” Dr. Spight raised his brows and defeated Kent’s ever silent argument.
He took a deep breath. “I’ll go. Unless you have anything else for me.” The doctor had avoided that question except for saying how much he didn’t want the work.
“Nothing. For once, my animal work has slowed down. I think, now that the rain has ceased for a while, the animals are healthier.”
Except for a few. The few he needed to help right away. He stuffed his hat back atop his head and directed his feet to his horse. Alice had a good lead on him, and he wasn’t sure exactly where she might be headed. Hopefully, she was wise enough to stay away from the one part of the river owned by people who wouldn’t hesitate to shoot her on sight.
Business secrets could make for dangerous business.
Chapter13
For at least the tenth time that day, Alice regretted the side saddle. If convention was meant to keep her in her place, then for the present, she’d flout it. As she rode along the river, there wasn’t even a proper place she could dismount without her split skirt getting tugged up her legs. At least there wasn’t anyone around to see her.
She wanted to investigate the river further, but there was little she could discover up on her horse. One river looked much like any other from that distance. What good could she do from the safety of her mount? She shaded her eyes and hunted for a downed tree or anything that might safely assist her to the ground.