Let Me Call You Sweetheart

51 Thursday, November 2nd

On Thursday morning, Kate Carpenter arrived at the office at quarter of nine. There were no procedures scheduled, and the first patient wasn’t arriving until ten o’clock, so Dr. Smith had not come in yet.

The receptionist was at her desk, a worried look on her face. “Kate, Barbara Tompkins wants you to phone her, and she specifically asked that Dr. Smith not be told about her call. She says it’s very important.”

“She’s not having any problems because of the surgery?” Kate asked, alarmed. “It’s been over a year.”

“She didn’t say anything about that. I told her you’d be along very soon. She’s waiting at home to hear from you.”

Without stopping to take off her coat, Kate went into the closet-sized private office the accountant used, closed the door and dialed Tompkins’ number.

With increasing dismay she listened as Barbara related her absolute conviction that Dr. Smith was obsessively following her. “I don’t know what to do,” she said. “I’m so grateful to him. You know that, Mrs. Carpenter. But I’m beginning to be frightened.”

“He’s never approached you?”

“No.”

“Then let me think about it and talk to a few people. I beg you not to discuss this with anyone else. Dr. Smith has a wonderful reputation. It would be terrible to have it destroyed.”

“I’ll never be able to repay Dr. Smith for what he did for me,” Barbara Tompkins said quietly. “But please get back to me quickly.”