“What did Jeff whisper to you?” Boomer asked, his voice sounding ragged.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember, just the way I can’t remember falling. I don’t remember you being there that day. Were you, Boomer?”

“Yes, I was there. I was trying to secure the zip line. I was up and behind you.”

“Why did they all lie? You lied, too,” Cady said, squirming closer to the door, as far away from Boomer as she could get. Suddenly she longed for Atlas. “You know what, I don’t think I want to go to the hospital after all. Drop me off at the corner there by the hardware store. I’ll call Anthony to come and get me.

“You all lied to me. Even you, Boomer. And to think I was considering going to bed with you. Not in this lifetime, you…you…cop!” A second later, Cady had the door open and was on the ground running even before Boomer came to a full stop.

“Son of a bitch,” Boomer seethed as he listened to cars behind him honk their horns. He bent over, reached down for his portable siren, and plopped it on the roof of his car. That would shut them up. The horns stopped as one.

He zipped through town, his siren blasting until he reached the hospital. He parked and stormed his way into the lobby, to the information desk. He whirled around when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Pete Danson. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“C’mon into the coffee shop,” Pete said. “Andy and his wife are in there having coffee. Right now, we don’t even know where they’ve taken Amy. Her husband is with her, so that’s a plus. A couple of your men are back in the Emergency Unit.”

Boomer followed blindly, aware that he was being introduced to Andy’s wife. They shook hands, and a fourth cup of coffee was ordered. He sat down and looked from Pete to Andy. “Cady remembered on our way here. She got out of the car by the hardware store and started running. She remembers most of it now. She called all of us liars. I wish you could have seen the look on her face.”

“Maybe I should talk to her,” Jill said, getting up. “We hit it off that day when we first met. I think she might be able to use a friend about now. Which way did she go?”

“Up to the corner, toward the bakery and Andy’s office. I think you’re right about her needing a friend, but she’s probably halfway home by now.” Three pairs of eyes watched as Jill sprinted out of the hospital and down the curving driveway that led to the main section of town.

“I wonder why she didn’t take the car,” Boomer said.

Andy and Pete stared at him, then shrugged.

“So, she knows,” Pete said.

“Yeah,” Boomer said. He eyed a rack of paperback novels off to the side. He remembered another hospital gift and coffee shop like this one. His parents had brought him to the hospital when his grandfather had become ill. They’d loaded him up with licorice, popcorn, and soda pop, and told him to sit and not move until they were ready to leave. It was an everyday occurrence for a long time. Then one day his mother said they didn’t have to go anymore. He’d stayed with the neighbors for a few days after that.