بخش 02 - فصل 19

19

Holly drives them back to Lower Marlborough Street. He tells her about his conversation with Dereece Neville on the way.

“In a movie, they’d fall in love,” Holly says when he finishes. She sounds wistful.

“Life is not a movie, Hol . . . Holly.” He stops himself from saying Hollyberry at the last second. This is not a day for levity.

“I know,” she says. “That’s why I go to them.”

“I don’t suppose you know if Zappit consoles came in yellow, do you?”

As is often the case, Holly has the facts at her fingertips. “They came in ten different colors, and yes, yellow was one of them.”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking? That there’s a connection between what happened to Barbara and what happened to those women on Hilltop Court?”

“I don’t know what I’m thinking. I wish we could sit down with Jerome the way we did when Pete Saubers got into trouble. Just sit down and talk it all out.”

“If Jerome gets here tonight, and if Barbara’s really okay, maybe we can do that tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow’s your second day,” she says as she pulls to the curb outside the parking lot they use. “The second of three.”

“Holly—”

“No!” she says fiercely. “Don’t even start! You promised!” She shoves the gearshift into park and turns to face him. “You believe Hartsfield has been faking, isn’t that right?”

“Yeah. Maybe not from the first time he opened his eyes and asked for his dear old mommy, but I think he’s come a long way back since then. Maybe all the way. He’s faking the semi-­catatonic thing to keep from going to trial. Although you’d think Babineau would know. They must have tests, brain scans and things—”

“Never mind that. If he can think, and if he were to find out that you delayed treatment and died because of him, how do you think he’d feel?”

Hodges makes no answer, so Holly answers for him.

“He’d be happy happy happy! He’d be fracking delighted!”

“Okay,” Hodges says. “I hear you. The rest of today and two more. But forget about my situation for a minute. If he can somehow reach out beyond that hospital room . . . that’s scary.”

“I know. And nobody would believe us. That’s scary, too. But nothing scares me as much as the thought of you dying.”

He wants to hug her for that, but she’s currently wearing one of her many hug-repelling expressions, so he looks at his watch instead. “I have an appointment, and I don’t want to keep the lady waiting.”

“I’m going to the hospital. Even if they won’t let me see Barbara, Tanya will be there, and she’d probably like to see a friendly face.”

“Good idea. But before you go, I’d like you to take a shot at tracking down the Sunrise Solutions bankruptcy trustee.”

“His name is Todd Schneider. He’s part of a law firm six names long. Their offices are in New York. I found him while you were talking to Mr. Neville.”

“You did that on your iPad?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a genius, Holly.”

“No, it’s just computer research. You were the smart one, to think of it in the first place. I’ll call him, if you want.” Her face shows how much she dreads the prospect.

“You don’t have to do that. Just call his office and see if you can make an appointment for me to talk to him. As early tomorrow as possible.”

She smiles. “All right.” Then her smile fades. She points to his midsection. “Does it hurt?”

“Only a little.” For now that’s true. “The heart attack was worse.” That is true, too, but may not be for long. “If you get in to see Barbara, say hi for me.”

“I will.”

Holly watches him cross to his car, noting the way his left hand goes to his side after he turns up his collar. Seeing that makes her want to cry. Or maybe howl with outrage. Life can be very unfair. She’s known that ever since high school, when she was the butt of everyone’s joke, but it still surprises her. It shouldn’t, but it does.