“But … will you come there?” she asked Del. “If I have to go, will you come there and talk to me?”
“I can do that.”
“I’m not sure. I just don’t know what … What should I do?”
Before he could answer, Eve caught the sound of raised voices outside the door. She stepped back, opened it to see the on-duty uniform blocking a furious woman in a long red coat with a huge bag slung over her shoulder.
“You are not going to stop me from seeing my sister. Nobody is going to—”
“Officer. She’s clear.”
Tish shoved past the uniform, shouldered by Eve, then stopped dead, dropped the bag on the floor with a thump.
“Daphne.”
Daphne pushed to her feet, froze. “Tish.”
“Daph.” Tish flew across the room, threw her arms around the pale, rigid Daphne. “Oh, Daph, Daph, Daph.”
“How did you— Why are you—”
“Why?” Tish pulled back an inch. “Don’t be an idiot. Daph,” she said more gently, cupping her sister’s face in her hands. “It’s going to be all right now.” When Daphne just shook her head, Tish gripped tighter. “Yes, it is. I swear, it is. Mom and Dad will be here tomorrow. They couldn’t get a flight out any sooner because of the blizzard, but—”
“No!” Daphne struggled free and looked, to Eve’s eyes, absolutely terrified. “They’re not supposed to come. You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Why the hell not?”
“He said. You need to go. You need to go now. He’ll be so angry. He’ll be furious if he knows you’re here.”
“He’s dead,” Tish said flatly, laying her hands on Daphne’s face again when Daphne flinched. “He’s dead, Daphne, so that’s done. It’s done, and you’re not pushing me away. You’re not pushing us away again. Daphne, we’re your family.”
Tears swirled into Daphne’s eyes, spilled over. And broke with sobs as she clung to Tish.
“It’s all going to be okay,” Tish murmured. “I promise. I’m here now. I’m here.”
“Let’s give them a minute,” Nobel suggested, gesturing to the door.
When Eve stepped out with him, he let out a long sigh. “That’s a very good thing. Those are the first tears she’s shed that weren’t from fear or pain. You contacted the sister?”
“Yeah.”
“I couldn’t. Patient says don’t, I can’t. I’m damn glad you could. She’ll start healing on the inside now. It’ll take time, but it’ll begin.”
“She’s looking to you to tell her what to do.”
“I know it, and I’m not going to. I think she’s had enough of being told what to do, what to wear, what to say.” He shrugged. “She talks to me. She’s careful, and more than that, she’s pretty thoroughly brainwashed. But, hey, I’m a professional.”
“So am I, and she’s remembered more. She lied just now.”
“Maybe. If she did, it’s out of fear. She continues to have nightmares, flashbacks, even some mild hallucinations where she says the devils were in the room.”
“Plural?”
“Sometimes. After the episodes, she’s ashamed, apologetic. She’s very fragile yet, Lieutenant. Her emotions are a thin piece of glass already cracked. Too much pressure, they’ll shatter. Putting them back together will take a lot longer.”
“I don’t believe I’m putting undue pressure on her.”
“You’re not, and believe me I figured I’d have to put on the stern-doctor face with you. But you’re good with her, so she’s responding. If she lied, it’s because she’s not ready. I may be projecting, but I don’t think lies are her fallback or go-to.”
He glanced toward the door. “Having her family here is going to help her mend and, frankly, it takes a load off my mind. I could’ve stretched her stay here another day, maybe two using the Strazza’s widow pressure, but she’s ready to be an outpatient, physically.”
“I need to go in there. I have to get back to work, and I need to know where she’s going to be when she leaves here.”
“Yeah. I want to see if she’ll agree to me arranging for a cot in here for the sister. I’m hoping she’ll stay with her tonight.”
Eve went in to see the two women curled together on the bed, with Tish, still in coat and boots, stroking Daphne’s hair and soothing her.
She lifted a finger of that stroking hand to hold Eve back.
“I’m going to make some arrangements, and let Mom and Dad know I’m here.”
“Don’t go.”
“I’m not. We’re going to have a pajama party tonight. Remember how we’d do that? I’m just going to take care of a couple of things, just outside the room, then I’m putting on my party pj’s and we’re getting some ice cream to go with a vid marathon. Pizza first, right? Pizza, then the ice cream, then the bellyache. Don’t start without me.”
“I’m sorry, Tish. I’m so sorry.”
“Shut up.”
Tish eased out of bed, walked toward the door. She gestured with a jerk of her head, strode outside.
“I’m so pissed off I may not be coherent, but—” Tears sprang to her eyes, so she pressed the heels of her hands against them. “No, no, no, not going there. Couldn’t get a flight because of the damn blizzard, then finally got a standby when the transpo centers opened. I should’ve been here.”