| Copyright © 2004, Beverley
Bateman Reviews For JUST LIKE YOU by Beverley Bateman I loved the suspense in Just Love Me
by Laura Marie Henion. The story comes alive with each chapter. You
will feel as if you are in Hawaii, but the sadistic killings will chill
you to the bone as it did this reviewer. The suspense is great, but
there is also the action of trying to get the killer before he kills
again paired with Keono’s desire to protect Christen at every
turn. There are characters that are memorable, begging for a story of
their own. Readers who enjoy suspense and action will love this suspense
available from Whiskey Creek Press. Great job to Laura Marie Henion
for an action-packed, rollercoaster story that will make you want more
once you reach the end. Ms.
Henion entwines a well-crafted plot that has the reader engaged not
only with the characters but the whole law enforcement and their duties.
She instills on the edge of the seat entertainment that keeps the reader
spellbound until the dramatic conclusion. I loved the way she blended
in the romance with Christen and Keono, which sends little embers through
the pages. The ending leaves you with a feel good feeling. This is a
terrific page-turner that this reader enjoyed immensely! Sample Chapter For JUST LIKE
YOU by Beverley Bateman
What the hell have I gotten myself into? Evie Dalton pulled the soft green cotton uniform top over her head. She’d arrived in Preston last night, excited about her new job as a nurse at Ophidian, looking forward to meeting new people, learning new things. But soon after she’d reached Ophidian Hospital, the initial excitement had been replaced by concern. She hadn’t expected such complete isolation. She’d never even heard of Preston, California before Dr. Marsden had told her about it. It wasn’t on most maps. Now, not only did she know where it was, but also she was living and working in the bloody wilderness, several miles farther on. God, she was an idiot. She was already questioning her decision to come here and the stupid reasoning behind it. Elevator music played quietly in the background. She’d tried to find the switch to turn if off last night but there didn’t seem to be one; she could find different stations but no off switch. She’d have to ask someone how to turn the bloody thing off. It was going to drive her crazy. She checked her blonde hair in the mirror, pushing it back in an attempt to make the unruly curls look neater. She had an overwhelming desire to race home right now, so she could be with her mother and father and brothers and Jiggs. The family terrier would be racing around her, wanting Evie to pet her. She hadn’t been back for almost two years but suddenly that’s where she wanted to be, home, where she would be safe and loved. Everything inside her was screaming, mistake! She’d never really made a mistake before, not a big one. This felt like a big one. But then she’d never made a decision based purely on money before. She’d been raised in a small mid-west town where money hadn’t been an important part of her life. Grabbing her white cardigan off the chair, she paused to stare out the only window in the tiny suite, which she would be calling home for the next six months. In front of her stood the sparkling white building where she would be working. The architecture reminded her of something from the thirties or early forties that she’d seen on an episode of Poirot one time. The building was squarish with kind of rounded corners and it was a brilliant white. The building was smaller than most hospitals where Evie had worked in the past. Considering it was in the middle of nowhere and isolated from any sign of civilization, she assumed it was probably adequate. She could see a one-story wing up front and a two-story wing out the back that angled about forty-five degrees off from the front wing. Last night when she had arrived, the hospital had looked like a white monolith. Today, as she stared out the window, it just looked cold, sterile and remote. But something caused a shiver to twist down her spine. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself. She hadn’t even been here for twenty-four hours and her main thought was to run. There was a feeling that something wasn’t right, maybe even evil. She shook her head as she turned from the window. On the positive side, maybe she’d learn something from the experience. She had never felt loneliness before but after only a few hours here she felt she was beginning to experience it. New experiences were good. At least that was what she kept telling herself. She’d make it work. Pulling on the cardigan, she did a quick check of her room, locked the door and headed downstairs. “Good morning.” An attractive young woman in her late twenties fell into step beside Evie. “You must be new. I’m Donna.” With shoulder length dark hair, she was slightly taller than Evie’s five-foot-four frame. Evie glanced sideways at the woman, taking in the fact she walked with a slight limp, her shoulders rounded and hunched forward. She noticed that Donna’s left shoe was built up about an inch and a half. She didn’t notice her eyes because Donna didn’t make eye contact. Donna held the door open and Evie passed
in front of her, out into the crisp morning air. “Brisk,” Donna replied. “I enjoy the short walk across to the hospital. Because we’re so close to the mountains, the morning air is fresh and crisp. It wakes you up and makes you appreciate being alive.” “I just wasn’t expecting it to be quite this cold.” Evie wrapped her arms tightly around herself to try to stay warm. “It warms up by the afternoon. You’ll find it quite nice then. You won’t even need a sweater when you walk back to residence. In a few weeks you’ll find it gets very hot during the day. Where are you from?” “Los Angeles, where May is warm, even in the mornings. How about you? Where are you from?” “Las Vegas. I guess that’s why I’m used to the cool mornings. The desert gets very cold at night.” Evie walked quickly toward the side door of the hospital. “Right now I just want to get inside.” “You’ll get used to it. You might even like it. It’s safe here. Where are you going to be working?” Evie yanked the door open. Donna nodded to Evie and held the door. “You first.” Evie didn’t argue. She slipped quickly through the door. The air inside clothed her with its warmth. “Thanks. I’m in the operating room assisting Dr. Marsden. I’m not sure what else.” “He’s good. I’ve assisted him a couple of times. He’s also very good looking.” Evie grinned. “Yeah, he’s not too hard on the eyes.” “I imagine you’re supposed to report to Nurse Byrne first. She’ll give you the usual welcome speech and the tour.” “Yes, as a matter of fact, that is who I was told to see when I arrived.” Evie hesitated as she looked around. They were standing in a hospital corridor, pretty much like the one she’d just left in Los Angeles. “Her office is to your left, at the end of the hall. It says Hospital Administrator on the door. You can’t miss it.” “Thanks. Where do you work?” Donna hesitated for just a second. Her eyes scoured Evie’s face, as though she were looking for some hidden meaning to the question. “Ask no questions.” “Pardon?” “I kind of float. I go wherever I’m needed. Have a good day. We’ll probably see you later.” She crossed the hall, turning to her left. “Thanks,” Evie replied, but Donna had already disappeared around a corner. Despite her limp, she moved very quickly. Music played quietly in the background. It was typical elevator music, the kind Evie hated. She edged slowly down the hall, nodding to an older woman in pink pants and a matching floral top. The woman carried a breakfast tray into one of the rooms. A cleaning lady was washing half of the corridor floor, her bucket resting up against the wall. Both women regarded Evie cautiously. They certainly aren’t overly friendly here, except for Donna, Evie thought. She seems okay. She paused in front of the door, rapping gently below the sign that said Hospital Administrator. There was no answer so she rapped a little louder. “Come in.” It was not an invitation, but an order, cutting through the air—like that of an army drill sergeant. Evie pushed the door open and found herself in a large office. A quick glance took in the over-stuffed, dark green leather chairs tucked in one corner and a wooden straight-backed chair just to the left of a large, dark oak desk on the far side of the room. There was a transition counter on the side closest to the door with another small desk and an office chair behind it. No plants or warm colors. The room was quiet. There was no music. A tall woman with iron gray hair pulled back into a severe bun marched in from a back room. She was several inches taller than Evie. Her age was indeterminable. “You must be Eve Dalton?” “Yes.” Evie inched backwards as the woman stopped in front of her. She wasn’t going to suggest to this woman that she preferred to be called Evie. The woman wore a white starched uniform covered with a heavily starched white apron. She also wore a starched nurses cap perched on top of her bun. Her pale, insipid blue eyes glared down at Evie. “I’m Grethe Byrne, the hospital administrator. You can address me as Nurse Byrne. I also assist Dr. Rebawlski in surgery. Is your room adequate?” “Why, yes. It’s quite comfortable.” Evie’s nose twitched at the faint scent of something she couldn’t quite place, something she hadn’t smelled for a long time. “Good. And you have everything you need?” “I…I think so. Except…” Evie hesitated. “What?” “Well I noticed there wasn’t a phone in my room or anywhere in the residence.” Old Spice, that is the scent. My god, Nurse Byrne is wearing Old Spice. “That’s right. Phones lines are difficult to get installed out here. Besides they can be a distraction to your work. You’ll have to depend on letter writing.” “I see.” She didn’t but Evie felt this might not be the time to discuss it. She’d ask Donna about it the next time she saw her. As the scent of Old Spice hit her again she had an irresistible urge to giggle, which she struggled valiantly to control, causing her to cough. She looked down and covered her mouth. Nurse Byrne stood glaring down at her. “Dr. Marsden said you were an excellent operating room nurse. He spoke very highly of you. I assume you won’t disappoint us. You will be assisting him when he performs surgery. Since he only works here a few days a week, you will assist some of the other doctors as needed. We also expect you to work in the recovery room.” “Of course.” “Good.” Nurse Byrne flipped through the folder she was holding. “You signed a six month contract, I see.” “Yes. I thought I’d like to try it first and see how I liked it here before I committed to a longer contract.” Evie suddenly wondered if Nurse Byrne shaved her legs. Anybody who used Old Spice might go au naturelle. Evie gave herself a mental kick to pay attention and not let her mind wander. That could get her in a lot of trouble here.
“No, no one here. My family are all back in Iowa.” “Do you visit them often?” “No. Actually I haven’t been back for a couple of years. I’m hoping to go home for a visit when my contract here is finished.” “Good, very good. And what do you know about our facility?” “Not much, just what was in the brochure and what Dr. Marsden told me. It’s a private hospital for the rich and the famous. It’s a place where people who can afford it, have complete privacy for any operation. You specialize in plastic surgery, making people look young again, helping them maintain their youth or improve their body.” A replica of a smile flitted across Nurse Byrne’s face. “Yes, we do our best to meet the needs of those who can pay for what they want. And we expect complete loyalty from our staff. You are not to talk about anything that goes on here. Will that be a problem?” “No. I mean I’ve never discussed patients before. It’s not professional.” “Good, but here we don’t even want you to discuss the type of surgery people are having. Everything is completely confidential. Records and patients are by numbers, not names. Do you understand?” Evie nodded. Not being able to even talk about the surgeries seemed a little odd, but for the salary they were paying her she wasn’t going to quibble. “Good, good. Now I need you to sign this oath of confidentiality. Just sign here.” Nurse Byrne placed the folder on the desk and pointed to a dotted line. She picked up a pen and handed it to Evie. Evie skimmed over the document. It seemed pretty straightforward. She scrawled her name on the line Nurse Byrne had indicated. Nurse Byrne produced another piece of paper, dropping it on top of the document Evie had just signed. “And you’ll need to sign here and here as well.” She indicated two more lines with her finger. Evie began reading the form. “It’s just a standard document.” “This is for starting up a new account at the Preston City Bank.” Evie stifled another urge to giggle as she thought of Preston having a city bank. It wasn’t hard to stop because suddenly she realized what she was reading in the document. She looked up at Nurse Byrne. “I already have a bank account in my bank in Los Angeles. I’d prefer to deposit my checks to that account.” “We do direct deposit. You don’t get a check.” “Then I’d like to have it deposited directly to my account in Los Angeles.” “That’s not an option. All our employees deal with the Preston City Bank. It makes it easier for our finance person. It also helps the economy of Preston. If we didn’t all use their bank, the bank would have to shut down, leaving the townspeople without any local banking establishment.” A sigh escaped Evie’s lips. It made sense to help the community. She just didn’t like the idea of having to change banks. How do I even know this one is solvent? I’ve heard of banks going bankrupt. “Once you leave of course, you can have your account transferred anywhere you wish. For now it’s not an option. The money goes into the local bank. Sign here.” Byrne jabbed at the paper. Evie glanced at Byrne’s face and decided acquiescence was the better choice right now. She scribbled her signature in the two places and put the pen down. Nurse Byrne snatched the papers, inserting them in the folder and popping the folder into a desk drawer. Locking the drawer, she slipped the key into her pocket. “Good, now come along and I’ll give you a tour of our facility and then we’ll put you to work. Oh and you have an appointment this afternoon for a blood test.” “A blood test? Why?” “It’s just routine. All our employees have a pre-employment blood test. That way if you’re in an accident, heaven forbid, we don’t have to worry about cross matching you for blood type. We already have it on file.” Nurse Byrne smiled at Evie, a smile that stretched her thin lips even thinner but never reached her eyes. Evie stared at her for a second. She was beginning to feel like a lobster being held over the pot of boiling water. “I…don’t understand. I’ve never had to do that at any other hospital. Besides I already know my blood type.” She took another step back. “It’s policy. We prefer to do our own tests. If we have your blood type on file we can also use you if we need blood for someone else. At the same time we can screen it to make sure you don’t have anything like hepatitis or Aids that could cause a problem if we needed you to help out with, say, a blood donation.” “I see. I’m quite sure I don’t have anything like that.” “Is this going to be a problem for you?” The smile had left Nurse Byrne’s face as she glared at Evie. Evie found her mind racing. Why did they want her to do this? And what was she worried about? It was only a blood test for heavens sake and with the salary they were paying her why should she be upset if they had a few different policies? Then again, maybe she shouldn’t have been so eager to jump at this job. This was the first time she’d let money influence her decision and it was damn well going to be her last. “Well?” Nurse Byrne interrupted Evie’s train of thought. “Is it going to be a problem?” “No, of course not. I was just surprised. Where do I go?” “I’ll show you on the tour. Follow me.” Nurse Byrne smiled again. “We have a cafeteria and a gym for our staff to use.” “A gym? That’s great. I like to work out. I belonged to a gym in LA.” “Good. I think you’ll find ours is state of the art. We like to keep our staff healthy. Because reception is poor, we have taped music piped into both the hospital and the residence for the enjoyment of the staff. I’m sure you’ve noticed it already. You’ll find you have an option of five different tracks in your room.” Oh great, I’m going to have to listen to that bloody elevator music everywhere I go. “I’d also suggest you don’t go outside alone, particularly at night.”
“Wild animals. We’re close to the forest and the animals could come onto the grounds. You’ll hear them occasionally. It’s just a good idea to stay inside.” “I see.” Trailing along behind Nurse Byrne, Evie
felt she was following the wicked witch from Hansel and Gretel deep
into the woods. Unfortunately she didn’t have any breadcrumbs
to leave so she could find her way out. “It’s nice to have you here.” Evie Dalton was a good nurse, intelligent and efficient. He enjoyed working with her. Once the sterile gown was removed, she revealed an attractive figure, slim and rounded in all the right places, which he also hoped to enjoy if his plans worked out. “Thank you,” Evie replied. “Clamp.” Adam glanced up and saw her deep green eyes watching him carefully over her mask. The clamp was already in his hand as though she’d anticipated his next move. He smiled under his own mask, pleased she had accepted his suggestion to apply at Ophidian. Away from the gossip and rumors and the fact that there wasn’t much to do here, he could ask her out. It was more likely she’d respond to his advances and less likely that she’d rebuff him. He liked to stack the cards in his favor. Of course he’d make it perfectly clear up front that this was just casual, nothing serious. He had no room in his life for any kind of a relationship. “Thanks Evie. Good job.” Adam pulled his mask down. Then he moved across to help lift the woman onto the stretcher. “Keep a close check on her vitals and her circulation.” “Of course.” Evie replied, pulling off her surgical cap. She barely reached his shoulder. He fought the desire to reach out and touch her strawberry blonde hair. It had a natural curl that gave it a tousled appearance. It probably looked the same when she first got out of bed in the morning. He’d like to check that out for himself and maybe he’d get the chance now she was here. His fingers twitched as he restrained them from winding through her soft curls. A faint pink blush slipped up her neck and colored her cheeks. “You’re staring,” she said. “Have I got something on my nose?” Her hand brushed the tip of her nose. “What? No. Sorry. I guess my mind was on something else.” He pulled his gaze away from her face, but not before noticing the fine sprinkling of freckles that dusted her nose and cheeks. She didn’t wear much make up. Her skin had a fresh, healthy look. She certainly didn’t need cosmetic surgery to improve on that face. And she blushed. He didn’t think women did that anymore. “I’ll get the orderly.” “Don’t bother. We can take her over,” Adam replied. Together they slid the woman onto the stretcher, then pushed her down to the recovery room where another nurse took charge of the patient. “Thanks, Debby. How’s it going?” Adam flashed one of his famous smiles at the older woman. She’d worked here for several years and lived in town with an unemployed husband. “Fine, thank you.” She returned the smile, much like an eager puppy. “That’s nice.” Adam turned back to Evie, leaving Debby with a disappointed look on her face. “How are you liking it here so far?” They headed back to the change rooms. “I’m not sure. I only arrived last night. From the little I’ve seen, the countryside is beautiful. I can’t believe how cold it is in the morning.” “You get used to the cool mornings but the rest of the day is great. There’s fresh air here, not smog like Los Angeles. You can actually breathe without worrying about polluting your lungs.” “I’m sure I’ll learn to appreciate that. Right now I already miss the people and the noise of the city.” “It’ll grow on you. How do you like Ophidian itself?” “Well…” Evie hesitated. “The hospital is great. The part that I’ve seen seems to have everything you’d need. I can’t believe some of the high-tech equipment. They’ve got machines here they didn’t even have in Los Angeles.” “With their clientele they can afford it.” “Yeah, I guess.” “But…” Adam waited. “But what?” “There was an implied but at the end of your sentence.” Adam paused in front of the change room doors. “The facility is well equipped—but?” “Oh. Well, it’s so isolated. We’re in the middle of nowhere. I mean Preston has a population of less than twelve hundred and most of them must work at the hospital. I know patients want privacy but I think this is overkill. I’m surprised they can even find this place.” “Wealthy people pay extremely well for just this kind of privacy.” “Maybe.” Evie shrugged. “There’s also a lot of secrecy around here. Parts of the hospital are off limits and I don’t understand why. All I was shown is this small wing up front. I know there’s another full, two-story wing back there.” “Don’t worry about the back part. You probably won’t be going there anyhow.” “Yeah, well usually when you get an orientation tour, you’re shown the whole hospital. Then if for some reason you’re sent on an errand you have some idea where you’re going.” Evie turned to face him. “You won’t be sent on any errands. I’m sure you’ve been shown everything you need to know.” Adam felt irritation creeping into his voice. She is too damn curious. He didn’t want to cause her any more concerns and he sure as hell didn’t want any more questions, so he put his arm up against the wall. Leaning in slightly, not quite touching her, he fixed her with what he considered his most engaging smile. “And what else is there? What’s in the two back wings that I don’t need to know about?” Damn, she is persistent. Adam continued smiling as he reached toward her, putting his finger gently under her chin and tipping it up slightly. He gazed deeply into her eyes. “There is a lab back there but you won’t be asked to go find it. It’s for research. And sometimes there are special patients who want complete privacy and they may be admitted to the other back wing. You’re a beautiful woman, Evie Dalton.” Evie hesitated as she stared up at him. She took a deep breath, focusing somewhere past his left ear. “Complete privacy, that’s what you call it. I call it isolation, not privacy. Believe me, no one is going to bother coming all the way out here to find out about someone’s butt lift. Nothing could be that important.” “Aw jeez, Evie, I can see how you’d think that, but believe me, it’s necessary. Now quit worrying about things like that and just work hard and you’ll be fine. I can think of a lot of other things I’d like to discuss with you now. I said you are very beautiful.” Adam put his hand on her cheek, gently stroking it. She seemed immune to his charm. He was running out of ideas. She met his eyes and stopped talking. Then she smiled. “Thank you. I did hear you the first time. And I know you’re trying to change the subject. Okay, if you say so. I’ll trust you.” “Good,” Adam replied, but flinched inside. Trust wasn’t exactly what he wanted. It wasn’t something people usually associated with Adam Marsden. Just ask anyone. “That patient you just finished doing the facelift on, was that really Marie Mason, the television actress?” “Yes. She’s worried about losing roles to the younger women coming along.” “But she’s not even forty yet. I thought she looked great before the surgery.” “To the average woman she did look great. When your face is your income and you’re on television, you worry about every line. After thirty years, thirty-five tops, the camera isn’t always kind and the parts start going to the younger women. She’s willing to pay to keep looking thirty. That’s why our job is so important.” He grinned at her. “That’s why they pay the big ticket price to stay young.” “It’s not fair. You shouldn’t be judged by your physical appearance.” “Maybe, but name one movie star who’s ugly.” Evie sighed. “There aren’t any, but it doesn’t seem right. You should be judged on who you are and the person inside.” “In an ideal world it might work like that but not in the real world. You can’t be that naïve.” “There’s just so many other things that woman could do with her money.” “You may think so, she doesn’t. She’s afraid if she begins to age she won’t get the big parts anymore. Her career and public acclamation are very important to her and worth more than the money. Besides, if she doesn’t get those big parts, she won’t be making the money she does now.” Teasing, Adam ran his finger gently along Evie’s jaw line. “Another year or two and you might consider having this lifted, just a bit.” Evie jerked back. “In your dreams. There’s no way. I’m not that vain.” “I was just joking.” Adam laughed and dropped his arm. “You’re perfect the way you are. How about having dinner with me tonight?” “Are you still joking? You’re asking me out?” “No, I’m not joking about this. Yes, I’m asking you out. Why? You have a problem with it?” “No, I guess not. I’m just surprised. We’ve been working together for over a year and you’ve never given any indication that you want to go out with me before.” “I know. In the city it didn’t seem appropriate. Here there’s less chance that it could cause complications.” “Complications? Like what?” “Never mind. Just have dinner with me.” Adam smiled down at her. She would be perfect if she didn’t ask so many questions. Her naïveté, honesty and that damn inquisitiveness might be a problem at Ophidian. Maybe he shouldn’t have suggested she come here. He raked his hand through his hair, forcing himself to keep smiling. They wouldn’t let him send her back now. Besides, everyone had a price. Didn’t they? “Well?” Adam moved his hand to her shoulder and began gently massaging it. “Mmmm, that’s nice.” Evie closed her eyes, rotating her shoulders. “Okay, I’m thinking about it. Where? In the cafeteria?” “No. I was going to suggest the café in town.” “Really? Is the food any good there?” “Actually it’s not bad. How about it? I’ll pick you up about seven.” Adam dropped his hand and stepped back. “Sure. Why not? I wouldn’t mind getting away from this place for a while. There doesn’t seem like there’s much to do here. It would be nice to see the town and meet some of the people.” “Good. I’ll see you later.” Adam strode off humming. He wasn’t sure why he felt so pleased with himself, but he did. He’d keep a close eye on Evie. Everything would be fine. Checking his watch, he decided he had time to finish dictating his surgical notes, do rounds and check in on his post-op patients. By then it would be just about time to get ready for his evening with Evie. He passed Grethe Byrne and nodded. She was a person he didn’t want to cross. With her strong hooked nose, a jutting chin, thick bushy eyebrows, iron gray hair and a slight mustache over her upper lip, she looked more like a Russian athlete than a Florence Nightingale. He noticed her muscular arms were covered with dark hair and smiled slightly as he compared her to Evie. Now Grethe could definitely use some cosmetic surgery. Adam was paid extremely well for the work he did and part of that was for his silence. He knew it and he had no intentions of screwing that up. He could feel Byrne’s eyes on him as he continued down the hall. She trusted no one. He had seen her handle a scalpel once and he had no doubt that she could slit his throat without blinking an eyelid, if she thought he was a risk to their operation. |