“I take it she's okay to be here tonight,” I said. “I don't want her stubbornness to keep her out of the hospital if she needs to be there. Money isn't a consideration.”

Kayla Coles nodded. “Alex, my opinion is that it's safe for her to be home right now. She said her sister will be coming from Maryland tomorrow. I think that's a wise precaution. Someone to help with the kids and the house.”

“I'll help with the kids,” I said. “And the house.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I believe we've already established that you work too hard.”

I sighed and shut my eyes for a couple of seconds. The news was finally hitting me, sinking in. Now I had to force myself to deal with it. Nana was in her early eighties, and she was sick.

Kayla reached out and lightly patted my arm. “She's getting up there, but she's strong, and she wants to be around for a long time. That's important. Alex, Nana believes that you and the children need her.”

I finally managed a thin smile. “Well, she's right about that.”

“Don't let her do too much right now.”

“Hard to keep her down.”

“Well, tie her if you have to,” Kayla Coles said, and then she laughed.

I didn't, couldn't right then. I knew a fair amount about heart disease from my days at Johns Hopkins. I would definitely keep a closer watch on Nana. “What about you, Dr. Coles? What about your work schedule? Nearly ten o'clock and you still have more house calls.”

She shrugged, and seemed a little embarrassed by the question. “I'm young, I'm strong, and I believe the people in these neighborhoods need decent, affordable health care. So that's what I'm providing trying to. Goodnight, Alex. Take good care of your grandmother.”

“Oh, I will. I promise.”

“The road to hell,” she said.

“Paved with good intentions.”

She nodded and walked off the porch. “Say goodnight to everybody for me.” Dr. Coles headed down Fifth Street to her final appointment of the day.

Alex Cross 8 - Four Blind Mice

Chapter Eighty-Eight

I did some more background work on the Three Blind Mice the next day, taped notes to my wall in the attic, but I couldn't get into it, couldn't concentrate worth a damn. Nana's lab tests came back in the afternoon, and as Kayla Coles had promised, she did call the house. The two of us had a talk on the phone after she spoke to Nana.

“I just wanted to thank you for your help,” I said as I got on the line. “I'm sorry if I was rude the other night.”

“What makes you think you were rude? You were a little frightened is all. I don't think ”rude“ is part of your makeup. Anyway, let me tell you about your grandmother. She is suffering from atrial fibrillation, but given the options, that's not such bad news.”

Tell me why I should be happy about it," I said.