In Hot Water. Mary Baxter Lynn

bet, Holt thought. Obviously, Ted wasn’t going to play along.

      “By the way, thanks for seeing me,” Holt said. “Maybe we’ll actually get through this with as little bloodletting as possible.”

      “Maybe so,” Ted drawled, leaning back in his chair.

      Holt stood.

      Ted’s eyes drilled him. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

      “No,” Holt admitted with unvarnished honesty.

      “At least you got the guts to tell the truth.” Ted’s scrutiny deepened. “All that bad blood between you and the doc is certainly no secret.”

      “Didn’t think it was.” Holt purposely spoke in a rendition of his own drawl.

      “I have to tell you, though, he’s going down for killing that fellow.”

      “We’ll see,” Holt said in a nonchalant tone.

      Ted pushed his gangly body to its full height, which made him tower over Holt who was over six feet himself.

      “I’d like to think this won’t get ugly.” Ted rubbed his slightly grubby-looking chin. “But if it’s a street fight you want, the D.A. is sure capable of giving it to you.”

      “Has he—or maybe he’s a she—ever won a case against a doctor?”

      Ted seemed taken aback, then his expression hardened. “I don’t rightly know.”

      “Sure you do.” Holt spoke with confidence. “And the answer is no.”

      Ted didn’t so much as stumble in his reply. “There’s always a first time. When you read the arrest report, you’ll see why I’m so confident.”

      “I know what it says. I just wanted a copy for my files.” Holt smiled. “By the way, how’s Beth and the boys?” He couldn’t believe he’d failed to ask that already.

      Ted’s grin was genuine. “Great. Maybe you’d consider coming to dinner one evening.”

      “Maybe I will.” He paused. “I’ll be back in touch.”

      A smirk curled Ted’s lips. “I’m sure you will.”

      “So how did it go with Satterwhite?”

      “Easier than taking candy from a baby.”

      Holt smiled at Marianne whose fair complexion accentuated the freckles across her nose Holt often teased her about while she rebutted that they were angel kisses.

      “Huh,” she said in a huff, “I wouldn’t trust that redneck as far as I could throw him.”

      “Well, you should know. If my memory serves me correctly, you two were once sweet on each other.”

      Marianne’s pert nosed wrinkled in distaste. “Only for a week.”

      Holt chuckled. “Whatever.”

      “I’m serious. You shouldn’t trust him.”

      “Hey, do I look like I just fell off a watermelon truck?”

      Marianne flushed. “Of course not. I didn’t mean to imply you had.”

      “At ease. I was just ribbing you. And I have been out to pasture for a while.”

      “That doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten how to kick butt.”

      “We’ll soon see, won’t we?”

      Arriving at his office after leaving police headquarters, Holt found that Marianne had everything in order. She’d even pulled the folders from pending cases that had been updated and placed them on his desk, along with law books pertaining to cases on doctors.

      “What’s first on the agenda? Or do you know yet?”

      “Read the actual police report, then go from there.”

      “Oh, before I forget, a reporter from the paper stopped by and wanted to talk to you.”

      “I hope you told him to take a hike.”

      She grinned. “Not in those exact words, but he got the message.”

      “I hope so. Talk about losing my cool. That would do it.”

      “That’s why I’m not stepping out of this office. Just in case he tries to sneak back in.”

      “Thanks.”

      “By the way, it’s good to have you back.”

      He smiled, but it was short-lived. “Don’t get too used to it. As soon as I can, I’m sailing back off into the wild blue yonder.”

      Her thin mouth curved downward. “I’ll enjoy you while I can.”

      Holt turned to the police report, but instead of seeing the printed words, Maci’s face flashed across the screen of his eyes.

      Blinking, he muttered a curse just as the door opened and Marianne stepped inside. “You’ll never believe who just dropped in.”

      Maci. His heart raced at the thought. “I don’t want to guess either,” he said tersely.

      “Mrs. Grant Dodson.”

      For a moment, the name didn’t register. He must’ve looked blank because Marianne gave him one of her looks. “Dr. Ramsey’s friend who died on the table. She’s his wife.”

      “Sarah’s in the office?”

      “That’s what I just said.”

      He stood. “Send her in.”

      “Are you sure?”

      “Hell no, but what choice do I have?”

      “I can tell her you’re not here.”

      “I think it’s a bit late for that. Besides, I have to face her sooner or later.”

      “Done,” Marianne said before sweeping out of the room.

      Holt didn’t bother to sit back down. Seconds later Sarah Dodson, a formidable opponent under even the best of circumstances, walked across the threshold, her mouth stretched pencil-thin.

      “I’m proud of you young man for having the balls to see me.”

      In spite of himself, he smiled. “Hello, Sarah.”

      Nine

      “You look like you’ve been rode hard and put up wet.”

      “Thanks, friend,” Maci replied drolly. “That’s not exactly what I needed to hear.”

      “Ah, even on your worst days, you’re still gorgeous. And I’m pea-green with envy.”

      “Stop it,” Maci admonished with a grin. “You’ve got a lot going for you, too.”

      Bobbi rolled her big blue eyes. “Sure, all one hundred and fifty pounds of flab.”

      “Once the baby arrives, that excess weight will come off.” Maci gave Bobbi a brief hug. “You’ll see. Trust me, I know from experience.”

      “You’re being kind, and I love you for it. But we both know better. I’m a short tub of lard, and I don’t see that changing at this stage in my life, baby or no baby.”

      “Speaking of baby,” Maci asked, “have you heard anything?”

      “Not a word, but then you should know that. After me, you’ll be the first to hear the good news.” Bobbi paused and gestured with her hand toward the plush sofa in the great room. “Hey, come on in and sit down. I didn’t mean to keep you in a holding pattern at the door.”

      Maci