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Her eyes fluttered again. “I can’t remember much. I was going to help him, then something hit me. It hurt. I never hurt like that. I don’t know after that, I don’t know.” Tears began to leak. “I can’t remember anything after that, except Mom talking to me, or Dad or my brother. Uncle Pete? Was Uncle Pete here, and Aunt Dora?”
“Yes, honey. Everyone’s been here.”
“I was just floating somewhere while they talked to me, then I woke up here.”
“Before he hurt you, you looked at him.” Eve felt Marley’s fingers twitch in hers. “I bet you hesitated a little, got an impression of him. You figured he was okay, just some guy in trouble. You’re too smart to go up to someone who looked dangerous.”
“He had that big cast, and he looked so upset and frustrated. He was cute. Curly dark hair. Curly hair and a ball cap. I think. I can’t . . . He looked over at me and smiled.”
“Can you see him now. In your head? Can you see him, Marley?”
“Yes . . . I think. It’s not clear.”
“I’m going to show you some pictures. I want you to look at them and tell me if one of them is the man with the cast. Just see his face in your head, and look at the pictures.”
“I’ll try.” She wet her lips. “I’m so thirsty.”
“Here you are, sweetheart.” All but crooning, Sela brought a cup and straw to
her daughter’s lips. “Take your time. Remember you’re safe now.”
“Hard to stay awake. Hard to think.”
“She’s had enough, Lieutenant.”
At Laurence’s voice, Marley stirred again, struggled to look toward him. “I heard you, when I was floating I heard you. You told me not to give up. That . . . you wouldn’t give up if I didn’t.”
“That’s right.” It was the compassion in his voice, on his face that had Eve stifling her impatience.
“And you didn’t give up,” Laurence said. “You’ve made me look real good around here.”
“Give me one more minute,” Eve pleaded with him. “Just one more minute, Marley, and we’ll be all done.”
“You’re the police?” Marlene turned her head on the pillow and looked impossibly young, impossibly frail. “I’m sorry. I’m getting mixed up.”
“I’m the police.” Eve drew out photos of her suspects. “When you look at these pictures, remember he can’t touch you now. You got away, you didn’t give up, and he can’t touch you.”
She showed them to Marlene one at a time, watching her eyes for that shock of recognition. She saw it, and the fear that rode with it.
“Him. Oh God, him! Mom. Mommy.”
“Lieutenant Dallas, that’s enough.”
She elbowed the doctor back. “Marley. Are you sure?”
“Yes, yes, yes.” She turned her face into her mother’s breast. “That’s his face. Those are his eyes. He smiled at me.”
“It’s all right. He’s gone.”
“I want you out. Now.”
“I’m going.”
“Wait.” Marlene groped for Eve’s hand again, and turned her bruised and exhausted face away from her mother. “He was going to kill me, wasn’t he?”
“He didn’t. You beat him. And you stopped him.” She leaned over the bed, spoke very deliberately as Marlene’s eyes fluttered closed again. “You’re the one who stopped him, Marley. You remember that. Don’t ever forget that.”
She stepped back while the doctor checked the vitals, the monitors. Then she turned and left the room.
