In Death 17 - Imitation in Death

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 thee 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 o.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.
     
     
"Got that son of a bitch," she said to Roarke and kept walking toward the elevator. "I need to go to Central, put this together. I still want you to check the travel dates. I want this ice cold and locked. I'll have my warrant within two hours if I have to strangle a judge to get it."
     
     
"Lieutenant! Lieutenant, wait." Sela rushed down the corridor. "You're going after him now."
     
     
"Yes, ma'am, I am."
     
     
"Did you mean what you said, that she'd stopped him?" "I did.
     
     
She pressed her fingers to her lids. "That's going to get her through. I know my girl, and that'll get her through this. They didn't think she'd ever wake up. I knew she would."
     
     
"You sure as hell did."
     
     
Sela laughed, then clamped a hand over her lips to hold back a sob. "Dr. Laurence, I know he was rude to you, but he's been very kind to us, and worked very hard for Marley."
     
     
"I was rude right back. We're, all just looking out for her."
     
     
"I just wanted to say that I've thought of Dr. Laurence as her guardian angel, and you as her avenging one. I won't ever forget you." She rose on her toes, gave Eve a quick peck on the cheek, then hurried away.
     
     
"Avenging angel." Embarrassed, Eve hunched her shoulders as she stepped into the elevator. "Jesus." Then she straightened, grinned fiercely. "I can tell you this, when I'm finished, Niles