One Grave Too Many

scans, to the surprise of the X-ray technician, who was the same one she had before. He admonished her to be more careful. When she came out, Linc was waiting for her.
    “Can I go home now?” she asked.
    “No, you may not. You’re going to stay here at least for tonight.”
    “I’m feeling much better, and I’ve got a lot to do.”
    “Did you think that by asking for me I’d stick on a Band-Aid and send you home?”
    “No. Not at all, I . . .”
    “Good. I’ve reserved you a room across from Frank. That way, Henry and I can keep an eye on the two of you. That’ll be much easier on the two of us.”
    “I didn’t realize you’re so tough when I asked for you.”
    “You’re pretty tough yourself.”

    Diane’s first visitor was Frank, wearing a dark green-and-navy plaid robe and smelling of cologne. He came in under his own power, looking pale but better than he had in several days. Diane was so relieved to see him up, she almost cried.
    He leaned over and kissed her mouth gently.
    “Smells good. Is that for me?” she asked.
    “Yeah. It’s hard in a place like this, but I’m trying to make a good impression.”
    “You’ve already made a good impression.”
    “I’m so sorry I got you into this.”
    It pained Diane to see the worried look in his eyes.
    “I’m not. This is no one’s fault but whoever’s doing this. We must be really close for them to take these kinds of chances.”
    “What exactly did happen? Linc only knew you’d been attacked.” He pulled up a chair by her bed and sat down, making a pained face as he settled on the chair.
    “I hate being in bed,” she said. “It makes me feel weak.” She found the controls for the bed and put herself into a sitting position.
    “I know what you mean. I’m ready to go home.”
    He took her hand as Diane told him her story, from the time she was dragged into the van at the hospital to Hector Torres’ surprise at finding a woman walking out of the pond. When she finished, Frank sat openmouthed.
    “Diane. Damn. Diane, I had no idea. I thought it was something like the other evening—not that that was a piece of cake, but damn. You spent the night in the water? You must have been terrified.”
    “It kept my heart rate up.”
    Frank shook his head in amazement.
    “I didn’t want them to kill me.”
    He caressed the top of her hand with his thumb. “So the attack was about the bones.”
    “Yes, definitely. Their entire focus was on getting them.”
    “Have you talked to the police yet?”
    Diane rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, Frank, but I’m so tired of hearing that they can’t do anything.”
    “You need to tell them about this. This is assault and kidnaping.”
    “I think the hospital called. Someone will wander in in a few hours, or days, and take my statement and that will be it.”
    “No, it won’t. I’ll see to it. Have you called your family?”
    “No.”
    “You want me to call them?”
    “No. My family isn’t like yours. We aren’t speaking at the moment.”
    “I’m sorry, but they might be a comfort if they know you’re injured and in the hospital.”
    “I don’t think so. My father would say something like, ‘Well, what do you expect,’ and my mother’s a lot like Crystal McFarland.”
    “I didn’t think there could be two of them.”
    “Mother’s more refined, but the sentiment’s the same. When I told them I was adopting Ariel, Mother’s comment was ‘Is that wise?’ My sister, Susan, suggested that perhaps it was for the best when I told them she’d died. She couldn’t quite understand that I loved Ariel. To Susan, she was like a stray cat I found by the side of the road that was going to be nothing but problems. So no, my family isn’t a comfort. They certainly wouldn’t go to the lengths your brothers go to for you.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Me too. I think the concept of family is a good one.”
    Frank managed a laugh, though she could see it hurt him. “Actually, my brothers—they’re great guys, but they aren’t usually this attentive.”
    Diane didn’t say anything. He’d probably send them home if he knew she’d asked them to stay and keep a lookout. On the other hand, she doubted they could be run off very easily. She envied Frank for his family.
    “How are you? I mean really, how are you?” she said.
    “I’m lucky. It could have been much worse, but both bullets managed to miss important nerves and organs—if you don’t count my lung. The repair work the