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removed the sketch from the pad and
slid it under the bed. Later she’d take it to an art store and have it framed.
After taking her pad and portfolio to the other bedroom, which she’d set up as a
studio, she showered and dressed for work.
    Since she would never see Casey again, she was glad she had a
memento of him. That little boy must have really gotten to her, showing up in
her art as he had.
    But as she drove to the clinic a half hour later, she realized
she needed to get her mind on other things. Tomorrow being Saturday, she would
get up early and drive to the cabin.
    Remembering the talk with her parents, she made a mental note
to phone her brother, John, and ask him to bring Nedra and the kids for an
overnighter. If they couldn’t come, she’d call her sister, Linda. Maybe she and
Brent would bring their children. Surely one of her siblings would be able to
join her. But if no one could make it, Melissa decided, she’d stay till dark
before leaving for home, and return on Sunday morning.
    It angered her that strangers trespassed with no conscience and
made themselves comfortable in a cabin that didn’t belong to them. She’d felt
violated. And then there was the fact that she’d seen no sign of a break-in.
That disturbed her a lot. Someone had a key, or a way to get in, and could walk
in on her at any time. She supposed the first thing she could do when she got up
there was hunt for John’s old baseball bat and keep it with her so she wouldn’t
feel completely helpless.
    Kamas was only thirty miles east of Sandy. They had to drive
another two miles on dirt roads to reach their property. The log cabin, built in
1935, was at a higher elevation and somewhat isolated from other cabins in the
forest. She could see it made a perfect target for lowlifes—her father’s term
for people who made themselves at home on someone else’s land.
    If she found more signs of trespassers using their cabin, she’d
tell her parents she was calling the police, and she’d meet them there herself.
Something had to be done. The cabin had always been her retreat. It was
important.
    As soon as she reached the clinic, she made phone calls to her
siblings. No one was free this weekend, though John told her he’d get back to
her if anything changed. She thanked him, but didn’t count on it. So she
wouldn’t be able to go up to the cabin. Melissa was deflated by that prospect,
but knew there was nothing else to do but accept it and immerse herself in
work.
    Fridays usually turned out to be the busiest day of the week.
That was a good thing. She’d barely said goodbye to her first patient when the
receptionist told her she had a call on line four. Maybe it was John. She picked
up and almost said his name, but caught herself in time. “Melissa Dalton.”
    “Ms. Dalton?” Her pulse picked up speed when she recognized
that baritone voice. “This is Travis Stillman.”
    “Good morning. How’s Casey doing?”
    “He’s the reason I’m calling.” Uh-oh . “Would you happen to be free after work today?”
    What?
    “Casey wants you to go to the movie with us.”
    “I take it he’s weaned himself from the crutches.”
    “He has, all because of you. He wants to thank you for the
birthday treats. I told him you were a very busy lady, but he asked me to try
and arrange it. Hopefully it won’t interfere with your plans for the
evening.”
    “No, it’s a perfect time for me.”
    “You’re through at four-thirty?”
    “Yes. I’ll meet you at the theater if you’ll tell me which
one.”
    “In the Bell Canyon Plaza. It’s the latest Spider-Man . There’s a showing at four forty-five.”
    “I’ll be there.”
    “We’ll meet you outside the box office to give you your
ticket.”
    “Sounds good. Tell Casey thanks for sharing his gift. I’ll see
you both later.”
    “Until then.”
    She hung up, but when she thought about the invitation, her
excitement quickly subsided. This had been Casey’s doing, not his father’s.