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Allenford squeezed Angel’s shoulder and headed for the door Sarandon followed hi doors like Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp striding into a saloon

The hts started flashing, cameras clicked

Allenford went to the podiuan to read his prepared statement

Behind the doors, Angel heard bits and pieces of Allenford’s statement

“… Angelo DeMarco was ad his third and most severe heart attack… Only a heart transplant could save his life… Mr DeMarco was placed on the UNOS—United Network for Organ Sharing—list as a potential recipient”

Soel couldn’t quite hear

“No,” Allenford answered, his voice more strident than usual “Mr DeMarco did not receive special privileges because of his fame or financial status He was put at the top of the transplant list because he was critically ill” Allenford folded up his prepared speech and shoved it in the pocket of his white lab coat “He waited for a heart like anyone else Longer than soery, which went very well Mr DeMarco remained in the hospital for an undisclosed a this new phase of his life Thank you”

Questions came fro in the air, el couldn’t hear the questions—they were just a droning buzz of static and confusion but he knew they didn’tfrenzy wouldn’t end until Angel stepped forward

Madelaine squeezed his hand “You don’t have to go out there, you know”

“It’s a little inti playing in er”

She laughed “You’re a sick el DeMarco”

Beyond the cloudy glass, he saw Allenford step to the left of the podiuel to appear if he wanted to

He turned to Madelaine “Come with me”

“Of course”

He felt a sudden urge to kiss her Instead, he s hi It surprised hiood it felt to have someone to lean on In all the times he’d been afraid in his life, he’d been alone He wondered now if he’d been afraid because he was alone “You’d better go first If they see us together, there will be hell to pay To for my underwear Some stripper in Deadill describe it”