“Jesus!” Matt said, sighed, and refilled his glass with more Famous Grouse.
“The positive part,” Dr. Law went on, “is that the barbiturates act to reverse all that. They reduce the brain tissue’s metabolic rate and the flow of cerebral blood, causing the brain’s blood vessels to narrow, which decreases the swelling.”
“But even if all that works,” Dr. Amy Payne added, “there’s still a long recovery period. Becca’s not out of the woods by a long shot.”
Matt looked at Amanda. She nodded her agreement with Amy. “Hypothetically, of course.”
She checked her wristwatch, then pushed back her chair.
“I hate to be rude and run,” she said, “but I’m going to have to be rude and run right after I visit the little girls’ room.”
She stood, and Matt popped to his feet to help with her chair.
She smiled her thanks, then added, “Tomorrow is going to come too quickly. And I don’t usually get out like this. It’s been delightful.”
Jason Washington checked his watch.
“I concur,” he said. “No rest for the weary. Matthew, what about the tab?”
“It’s taken care of,” Jim Byrth said. “The great state of Texas appreciates those who help her Texas Rangers.”
Washington grinned. “And yet another reason to like the legendary lawmen of the West.”
As Matt watched Amanda walk toward the ladies’ room, he felt an elbow in his right side.
He turned to see Byrth handing him a napkin.
“What’s this for?” Matt said.
“Traditionally, for wiping food from one’s lips. You, however, might want to try your chin. You’re drooling.”
“That bad, huh?”
Byrth shook his head. But he was grinning.
“More like disgusting,” Amy Payne put in.
As they were leaving, Sergeant Matt Payne intercepted Dr. Amanda Law.
“I, uh, I wanted to say thank you for this,” Payne said, waving the tongue depressor.
She grinned, but her eyes showed she didn’t believe one damn word of that.
“And,” he said, “I wanted to ask if maybe we could do this again, but without all those annoying people at our table and the depressing talk.”
Matt saw her face turn sad. Then she made a weak attempt at a smile. He saw that there now was pain in her eyes.
“Matt, that’s very sweet of you to offer-”
“Please don’t let there be a ‘but’…”
She made a thin-lipped smile.
He thought her pain was practically touchable.
“But,” she said, “can I think about it? I’m a slave to my work, as you may have noticed. I haven’t seen anyone in, well, quite some time. And I’m not sure there’s time for… for any relationship.”
There’s something more to the “but” than work.