Solitude Creek (Kathryn Dance 4)

He'd considered this. "A lot of exits."

She'd suggested that he might hit a closed-off interior area. "Surgical suite?"

"There wouldn't be enough people for a stampede. Good security. And--"

"Cafeteria? Waiting room." Then: "Elevator."

O'Neil'd said, "That's it."

And they'd started jogging along the quarter-mile path that led to the hospital.

Now, in the third-floor lobby by the elevator, a nurse wandered up the hall. "You're Special Agent Dance?"

"That's right."

"You wanted to know. You asked earlier? The baby's fine. A girl. Mother has a broken arm--somebody stepped on it--but she'll be okay. She asked for your name. I think she wants to thank you. Can I give it to her?"

Dance handed her a card. Wondering if the newborn was about to get a different given name than Mom and Dad had originally planned.

"And the orderly?"

"Heimlich didn't work--not with cloth stuck in the windpipe. Looks like he swallowed it himself. Attempted suicide probably. But we did a tracheotomy. He'll be okay. He's pretty shaken up. Claustrophobia's his big fear."

A doctor, a tall African American, approached. He examined her cheek. "Not too bad." He offered her an antiseptic pad. She thanked him, tore it open and pressed the cloth against her skin, wincing at the brief pain. "I'll bandage it up, you want."

"I'll see. Maybe I'll come by the ER later. Thanks."

O'Neil's phone rang. He took the call. After disconnecting he said, "Downstairs. Crime Scene's released the basement. There isn't much. But I'm going to take a look. You want to come?"

Just then her phone hummed. She glanced at it. "You go on. I'll be a minute." She answered. "Mags."

"Mom."

"Everything all right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine. I finished the book report. It's five pages."

"Good. We'll go over it when I'm home."

"Mom."

Of course she'd known there was another agenda. No child calls about book reports. No hurry. Give her time.

"What, hons?"

"Mom, I was thinking?"

"Yes, wonderful child?"

"I think I'll sing at the show, you know. At school. I think I want to."

Dance gave it a moment. "Do you really want to?"

"Uh-huh."

"Why'd you change your mind?"

"I don't know. I just did."