Gingerbread Man

followed by another, clutched her chest, bent at the waist.
    Holly held her firmly and ordered, "Go out to the nurse's desk and have them get the doctor back up here. Now." Amanda was starting to hyperventilate again. Holly soothed her as best she could, while Vince gripped Selkirk's upper arm and propelled him bodily out of the room.
    The minute the door closed on them, Amanda stopped panting. She straightened her back and met Holly's eyes; hers were clear. It was so sudden a change that Holly blinked and shook herself. "Amanda? I don't understand, what—?"
    "It wasn't Reggie." She said it calmly, her voice deeper than Holly had ever heard it, soft and quiet, but perfectly firm.
    "I believe you."
    "I have to remember. I have to. It's the only way."
    "What
do
you remember? Maybe if we start with that...."
    Amanda glanced toward the door as footsteps approached. "Not now," she said quickly. "Just... tell me you'll help me. You will, won't you?"
    "Amanda, whoever put that mark on you murdered my baby sister. I'll do whatever you want."
    Amanda nodded. The door burst open, and she bent over again, sank onto the edge of the bed, resumed gasping for breath.
    Dr. Graycloud crowded into the room, flanked by Vince and Selkirk. He took hold of Amanda's shoulders, and eased her down onto the pillows. He held a paper bag to her mouth.
    Amanda looked past him, her eyes on Holly's, then rolling toward the men. Holly gave a nearly imperceptible nod, and turned to Vince. "You two get out of here, will you? You've upset her enough."
    Vince met her eyes. He looked puzzled and a little hurt before he controlled his expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"
    "You're doing your job," Holly said, and her tone was gentler with him. "But I know what she's going through. You know I do. Don't second-guess me on this. She needs some space. Please, can you take your FBI friend out of here? Just for a little while?"
    Vince nodded, holding her eyes with his. He saw something. She knew he did, it showed in that slight narrowing of his eyes and the way they dug and probed. He curled his hand around the nape of her neck, leaned in close. "Are you okay?" He asked it quietly, for her ears alone.
    She nodded firmly.
    "You sure?" He looked as if he doubted it.
    "I promise. I'm okay."
    Vince moved closer, kissed her on the mouth, lingering there. "We need to talk."
    "Later, Vince."
    Finally, he let her go. Then he turned. "Come on, Selkirk, we're outta here."
    "I need to question her," the agent protested.
    "She just told you, she doesn't remember anything. It'll do you no good, and maybe do her some harm if you push her too hard right now."
    "I'm going to sedate her anyway," Dr. Graycloud told them. "You can ask your questions in the morning." He straightened away from Amanda, who was breathing slowly now into the bag, and he turned to Selkirk. "I'm in charge here. This girl's been through enough tonight. Come back in the morning. That's final."
    Scowling fiercely and looking mean, Selkirk warned, "I can get the authority to question her now. If you force me to, I will."
    "Go get it then. By the time you come back she'll be out for the night. I promise you, you will not be questioning this girl before morning."
    Sighing, the agent glared at the doctor, then finally turned and stomped out of the room. Some of the tension left with him.
    "You should know that Reggie is past the crisis. Amanda," Dr. Graycloud said. His voice was gentle now. "He's stable. He'll be here for several days, but he's stable."
    She started to sit up, but he put his hands on her shoulders. "You can't see him before morning. He'll be unconscious until then. But he's going to be all right, child. I promise you that." He took the crushed paper bag from her hand, set it aside as he went on, giving her more gentle, encouraging news about her uncle's condition.
    Holly didn't catch all of it, because Vince was tugging her into the hall. He glanced around, she guessed for Selkirk, but he was gone. Then Vince stared hard at her, started to say something, stopped again, and finally just pulled her close, and held her against him. Her head on his chest Holly hesitantly lifted her arms, settled them around his waist.
    "You're so tense you feel like you might snap in two." He ran a palm across the small of her back. His touch was warm. Firm. "How are you holding up—and tell me the truth this time, Holly, I mean it."
    "Fine."
    Frowning, he stepped back slightly, looking down at her. "That's