mouthing, "It's okay. Trust me."
He pantomimed "No Say.
Arguing silently with hand motions and exaggerated facial expressions, she finally convinced him that nothing untoward would happen if she opened the door. He gave her a hard, threatening look, then lowered the crutch.
Kendall depressed the bars It came unlatched with a metallic click, without setting off an alarm. Leaning forward, she pushed the door open.
She paused to listen, but the only sound that greeted her was that of hard rainfall splashing into puddles in the sparse grass of the yard and on the cement walkway from the door to the street.
Kendall held the door open while he hobbled through. She didn't let go of the closing door until she heard the click indicating that it was once again securely latched.
Only then did she speak, but in a whisper. "You're going to get soaked."
"I won't melt."
"Why don't you wait here and"
"Not on your life."
"Do you really think I'd bolt and leave you behind?"
He shot her a retiring look. "Save it, okay? Let's go."
"All right then, this way."
"I know. The navy blue Cougar parked at the laundromat."
He struck off down the sidewalk, seeming impervious to the rain. Kendall held Kevin tightly against her and, making certain the receiving blanket covered his face, followed the man on crutches.
He was shaking from chills, pain, and weakness by the time they reached the Cougar. Kendall hurriedly unlocked the passenger door for him before running around to the driver's side. On a second trip to Wal-Mart she'd purchased an infant seat for the car. She secured Kevin in it now and replaced the damp flannel blanket with a dry one. The baby's mouth made a few sucking motions, but he didn't awaken. It was still a couple of hours before his next feeding. She had timed her getaway with his nursing schedule in mind.
She slid behind the steering wheel and fastened her seat belt, then inserted the key into the ignition. The car started instantly.
"You made a good buy. I saw you from the window of my hospital room," he explained when she looked at him inquisitively. "Who was the old codger in overalls? Friend of yours?"
"A stranger. I answered his classified ad."
"I thought it must be something like that. How'd you know the alarm wouldn't go off when you opened that exit door?"
"The maintenance man left through that door this morning.
[ tested it again later in the day. No alarm. I gambled on it not being on a timer or something."
"But you had a logical explanation in mind if an alarm had gone off, didn't you? Aren't you the lady who's always prepared for the worst to happen?"
"You don't have to get nasty."
"Why not? Why should I be polite to a woman who claims to be my wife but was skipping out on me."
"I wasn't leaving without you. I was on my way to your room when"
"Look," he interrupted, his voice sounding as dry and abrasive as sandpaper. "You were sneaking out in the middle of the night and had no intention of taking me with you. You know it. I know it." He paused. "My head hurts too much to argue about it, so just . . ."
He ran short of breath. His upper body sagged with the effort of making such a long speech. With a feeble hand gesture, he motioned that she should get under way.
"Are you cold?" she asked.
"No."
"You're sopping wet."
"But I'm not cold."
"Fine."
Stephensville didn't have much of a downtown commercial district, although there were a few businesses and one bank on the four corners of the main crossroads. All the buildings were dark except for the sheriff's office. To avoid driving past it, she turned a block before she needed to.
"Do you know where you're going?" he asked.
"Why don't you try to get some sleep?"
"Because I don't trust you. If I doze off, you might push me out at the next wide spot in the road."
"If I'd wanted you dead, I wouldn't have pulled you from the wreckage. I
He pantomimed "No Say.
Arguing silently with hand motions and exaggerated facial expressions, she finally convinced him that nothing untoward would happen if she opened the door. He gave her a hard, threatening look, then lowered the crutch.
Kendall depressed the bars It came unlatched with a metallic click, without setting off an alarm. Leaning forward, she pushed the door open.
She paused to listen, but the only sound that greeted her was that of hard rainfall splashing into puddles in the sparse grass of the yard and on the cement walkway from the door to the street.
Kendall held the door open while he hobbled through. She didn't let go of the closing door until she heard the click indicating that it was once again securely latched.
Only then did she speak, but in a whisper. "You're going to get soaked."
"I won't melt."
"Why don't you wait here and"
"Not on your life."
"Do you really think I'd bolt and leave you behind?"
He shot her a retiring look. "Save it, okay? Let's go."
"All right then, this way."
"I know. The navy blue Cougar parked at the laundromat."
He struck off down the sidewalk, seeming impervious to the rain. Kendall held Kevin tightly against her and, making certain the receiving blanket covered his face, followed the man on crutches.
He was shaking from chills, pain, and weakness by the time they reached the Cougar. Kendall hurriedly unlocked the passenger door for him before running around to the driver's side. On a second trip to Wal-Mart she'd purchased an infant seat for the car. She secured Kevin in it now and replaced the damp flannel blanket with a dry one. The baby's mouth made a few sucking motions, but he didn't awaken. It was still a couple of hours before his next feeding. She had timed her getaway with his nursing schedule in mind.
She slid behind the steering wheel and fastened her seat belt, then inserted the key into the ignition. The car started instantly.
"You made a good buy. I saw you from the window of my hospital room," he explained when she looked at him inquisitively. "Who was the old codger in overalls? Friend of yours?"
"A stranger. I answered his classified ad."
"I thought it must be something like that. How'd you know the alarm wouldn't go off when you opened that exit door?"
"The maintenance man left through that door this morning.
[ tested it again later in the day. No alarm. I gambled on it not being on a timer or something."
"But you had a logical explanation in mind if an alarm had gone off, didn't you? Aren't you the lady who's always prepared for the worst to happen?"
"You don't have to get nasty."
"Why not? Why should I be polite to a woman who claims to be my wife but was skipping out on me."
"I wasn't leaving without you. I was on my way to your room when"
"Look," he interrupted, his voice sounding as dry and abrasive as sandpaper. "You were sneaking out in the middle of the night and had no intention of taking me with you. You know it. I know it." He paused. "My head hurts too much to argue about it, so just . . ."
He ran short of breath. His upper body sagged with the effort of making such a long speech. With a feeble hand gesture, he motioned that she should get under way.
"Are you cold?" she asked.
"No."
"You're sopping wet."
"But I'm not cold."
"Fine."
Stephensville didn't have much of a downtown commercial district, although there were a few businesses and one bank on the four corners of the main crossroads. All the buildings were dark except for the sheriff's office. To avoid driving past it, she turned a block before she needed to.
"Do you know where you're going?" he asked.
"Why don't you try to get some sleep?"
"Because I don't trust you. If I doze off, you might push me out at the next wide spot in the road."
"If I'd wanted you dead, I wouldn't have pulled you from the wreckage. I
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