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"Bill the nursing home," I said "It’s their responsibility"

We sat for aI wondered if this hat it felt like to have family Geriatric crises, accompanied by homely discussions about what should be done with Granny We heard footsteps in the hall and the doctor ca the receptionist with Clyde and Dietz in tow, so it took uy’s face He was in his early thirties, with carrot-colored curly hair and a ruddy co an unstructured cotton shirt in a hospital green, V-neck, short sleeves, y shoes He had a stethoscope around his neck and a white plastic na that read, "Warren Stackhouse, MD" With his red hair and freckles, the surgical greens gave him a certain Technicolor vibrancy, like a cartoon character He smelled like adhesive tape and breatha manila folder, which contained only one sheet He placed that on the desk, lining up the edges

"Mrs Gersh? I’m Dr Stackhouse" He and Irene shook hands and then he leaned against the desk "I’m afraid we lost her"

"Oh, for God’s sake," Irene snapped "Can’t anybody keep track of her?"

Uh-oh, I thought, Irene wasn’t getting it "I don’t think he means it that way," I murmured

"Mrs Grey went into cardiac arrest," he said "I’ we could, but eren’t able to revive her"

Irene grew still, her face blank, her tone of voice nearly petulant "Are you saying she’s dead? But that’s impossible She couldn’t be You’ve made some mistake Clyde said her injuries were ht he talked to you"

I atching the doctor and I could see hiht in, she was already showing symptoms of cardiac arrhyth froile state of health…"

Irene let out a sigh, finally taking it in "Oh, the poor thing" Her eyes filled with sudden tears, which spilled down her cheeks Blotches of color had coan to tre in the rabbed her hand

Clyde appeared in the doorway Fro on The receptionist had probably inforly "Clyde… Mother’s gone" she said She reached for hi out of the chair and into his arainst him For the first ti to intrude on their intiainst the wall His posture was identical to ht of him Cowboy boots, his tweed coat The hospital down in Brawley All he needed was the toothbrush in his pocket, sticking up like a fountain pen His gaze moved casually to mine, moved to Irene, came back to mine and held The look in his eyes was quizzical, perplexed His expression shifted from self-assurance to uncertainty I felt an unexpected flash of heat I broke off eye contact, feeling flushed My gaze drifted back He was still looking at me, with a wistfulness I hadn’t seen before

We all waited uncomfortably for Irene’s tears to pass Finally, Dr Stackhouse moved toward the door and I followed The two of us withdrew, ency roo his hand on the back of my neck in a way that esture of possession and the physical connection was charged with a sudden current that made the air between us hum

Dr Stackhouse shook his head "God, I’hter? So to have to talk to the police officer"

I focused on the situation as if co up for air "I’m a friend of Mrs Gersh’s Kinsey Millhone," I said

He glanced atfor"

"So I’m told," I said "Do you have any idea what it was?"

"Well, I can tell you what she said, but I don’t think itit was sunificant?"

"Not to me," I said In hertale she’d told me down at the desert Eirls and Arthur Ja I heard"