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"My husband" she started, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks "His birthday’s this weekend I wantedI needed to get hiet him?" I asked as 20th Street came into view Thank God

The woman made a sound of pain "Twotwo tickets to the science museum" A brief pain-filled smile drifted across her face "He loves science"

I nodded "He’ll like that, then"

But my answer only made her squeeze her eyes shut and cry harder "Not if I k-killed our baby"

"No, don’t even think that way You didn’t kill anything Fucker," I o ten miles per hour I swerved around him

Three blocks left St John’s rose up froht red hospital cross on the side, a beacon of hope Al are you?"

"Sevseven and a half months Only thirty weeks"

I reached out and covered her tre hand on her stomach and squeezed briefly as I turned into the hospital’s parking lot "Your baby will be fine"

She looked atwith tears, and in thataround her calmed

"Will you call Quinn for me? Tell hiency roolass-fronted foyer Her co uncontrollably, she hugged herself tight "I want Quinn"

I left her briefly to hurry around the car to her side There was even er on that I scooped her into my arms and spun her toward the entry doors that slid open for us So an empty wheelchair our way

After I set the wo me take a step back while half a dozen ed her with questions, but she kept watching et Quinn? My husband"

I nodded "Of course"

That seemed to quiet her She turned her face aside to answer a nurse’s question, and they whisked her away, leaving lanced back at the silver Lexus, its engine still running in front of the opened hospital entrance Realizing I had no idea what the woman’s name had been, or how to contact her husband Quinn, I liftedred on ers froze halfway tomy skin A wave of nausea swept over me

Blood on my hands