“Because I know too much. We all do. They’re killing us,” Brianne whispered. “They’re going to kill us all!” She shook her hands, a violent convulsing that rocked her whole body and dug the plastic into her tender skin. “Get them off! I need to get out of here before they kill me!”

The woman’s stark terror sent waves of unease through Sarah. Obviously, she was mentally ill, but just as obviously, she clearly believed someone was out to kill her and she needed comfort or something to calm her down.

“It’s a conspiracy.” Brianne grabbed her head with her hands and began to rock.

“What’s going on in here?”

Brianne screamed. Sarah stumbled backward. Hands settled on her shoulders, steadying her. She spun, pain snagged her side, and she pressed it as she came face-to-face with Dr. Kilgore. Her doctor and obviously Brianne’s as well. His brown eyes flicked from her to Brianne. “Sarah? Brianne?”

“I heard her crying,” Sarah said. “No one was helping her.”

Dr. Kilgore dropped his hands. “It’s okay, I’m here. I’ll help her. Go on back to your room.”

“No!” Brianne cried and once again set up a violent struggle to get loose.

Blood seeped from under the restraints, and Sarah started forward, only to have Dr. Kilgore’s hand clamp on her bicep and pull her to a jarring halt. “You can’t, Sarah. She’s dangerous. Go back to your room.”

“Where’s Max?” Brianne cried. “Max! Help me, please!”

Footsteps hurried in the hallway.

“Dangerous?” Sarah asked. “More like hurt, frustrated, and confused, but not dangerous.”

The doctor’s eyes hardened. “You don’t know the situation here. Go back to your room. I’ll be in shortly to check on you.”

That was the third time he’d made that statement. This time it sounded like an order. What would he do if she refused? She was tempted to press the issue, but the pain in her side had intensified to the point that nausea churned.

A nurse rushed into the room, holding a syringe.

“No! No more drugs! Please, make them stop! They’re trying to say I’m crazy and I’m not. I’m not. What have you people done to me?” The last two words were drowned in sobs.

Sarah’s heart thudded, and if she could have ripped the drugs from the nurse’s hand, she would have, but the doctor was ushering her out of the room and into the hallway. She lasered him with a frown that had intimidated many, including her two brothers. “What’s wrong with her?”

“I’m not allowed to discuss that with you. Any more than I’d discuss your issues with her.”

Okay, that was a fair answer. Sarah sighed. “Right. Sorry. I just feel so bad for her.”