Part 61 (1/2)
”I'm... I'm not feeling at all well. Please let me hold--”
No sooner had she said it than the front door opened and two nurses appeared, their hair backlit from the glow of the reception area. She recognized one as Ellen O'Hara.
”Here, dear, let us help you,” she said as she strode toward them. She was dressed in white and her eyes were flooded with concern. Ally looked through the doorway to see a waiting wheelchair.
”That's fast,” Stone said. ”Looks like they were ready for you.”
My G.o.d, she thought, did they already know what kind of shape I'd be in? What else do they know? Surely Van de Vliet has heard by now that I'm aware of Kristen.
Then she saw him standing behind the nurses.
”Alexa, we need to get you downstairs as soon as possible.” He was coming forward to help her settle into the wheelchair. He appeared to take no notice of Stone Aimes.
”I'm just feeling a little dizzy.”
He smiled rea.s.suringly. ”There's always a small percentage chance that there may be side effects from the initial inoculation.”
Huh?
”What 'initial inoculation'?” She bolted upright in the wheelchair. ”I was just supposed to be giving blood.”
”I thought Debra explained,” he said, appearing confused. ”There's always an initial ... antibiotic dosage, just as a prophylactic.” He shook his head in self-blame. ”I should have insisted you stay here, but after that ... incident this morning I was so disoriented I let you talk me out of it. You may be having a reaction to the antibiotic, but it can't be all that serious. I didn't see anything about side effects in your file. We just have to get you horizontal for a while.
Everything's going to be all right. In fact, this might be a positive development. With you here now, we can begin fine-tuning your procedure immediately.”
”Dr. Van de Vliet, this is my cousin Stone. He drove me here and I'd--”
”I'd really like to stay,” Stone said reaching to shake Van de Vliet's hand. ”It would mean a lot to both of us. To the whole family.”
”Family?” Van de Vliet declared. Ally noticed that he was
examining Stone with narrowed eyes and seemed to be debating something with himself. ”Well, we'll see.” Then he turned back to her. ”The first thing is to make sure your... situation is stabilized. I actually think a good night's rest might do the trick. But I need to run a quick blood test downstairs.”
She felt her dizziness coming and going, but she was determined to stay awake and in control of what was being done to her.
”By the way, I was wondering how is Katherine Starr doing?”
His eyes grew somber. ”She's a very lucky woman, considering. We've given her some coagulants and st.i.tched her up.”
”Are you going to press charges?”
He looked at her strangely. ”Do you think we should?”
”I guess it's none of my business.” Of course you won't, she told herself. The Kristen matter will not stand the ordinary light of day, let alone a police investigation.
”Maybe it's time to let her daughter come and see her.”
”I looked at that letter,” he said with a matter-of-fact tone. ”I suspect it's a hoax. And a very cruel one at that.”
”I don't think so. I talked to her today. The woman formerly known as Kristen. On the phone.” She stared at him. ”I really think it's time I learned more about what happened to her here at the inst.i.tute. All I could really find out was that she thinks she's experienced some pretty dramatic memory loss.”
He looked as though this information was new to him. He also looked startled. ”You spoke to her? What ... did she say? Is she all right?”