“Leave it up to a woman to cut you down to size. She’s right, we don’t know anything about women. I don’t think the man has been born who knows how to handle women,” Boomer said morosely.

Within minutes, Jill was back in the waiting room. “There was no answer, so I left a detailed message. I’ll call again later. Andy and I both left in such a hurry we forgot our cell phones.”

“I can leave mine with you when we leave,” Pete offered. Jill nodded.

Boomer looked around the small room and wondered how many people on average sat in the room on a daily basis. How many cried tears of sadness and how many cried tears of joy? The furniture was hard and uncomfortable, the tables more utilitarian than decorative. The pictures on the walls were Kmart specials. The chairs should be deep and comfortable, the tables full of fresh magazines and newspapers. New toys would help, too. People waiting to hear life-and-death news needed to be comfortable. A coffeepot or soda machine would definitely be an asset.

He sensed rather than saw a form approaching. He looked up. It had to be Arnie Chambers, because he zeroed in on Andy with a vengeance. Boomer braced himself for what he knew was coming.

“I told you to get the hell out of here, Andy. I meant it then, and I mean it now. If it weren’t for you, Amy wouldn’t be here fighting for her life. She wet-nursed you your whole life, sometimes to the exclusion of her own family. Meaning me and the girls. I never said anything because she loved you. You were her twin. She said that made your relationship special. Then you fucking turn on her for no reason other than your on-again, off-again marriage. All she did was try to help you. When she called you, you hung up on her. She would cry all night long. She couldn’t eat, and she couldn’t sleep. She said she failed you. You were more important to her than me and the kids. This is your fault!”

Boomer was on his feet in an instant. “Let’s hold it right there, Mr. Chambers. There’s no need for you to attack Andy like that. Amy’s his sister, and he has every right to be here.”

“Who the hell are you?” Chambers blustered.

Boomer took a step closer to Andy. “I’m Andy’s friend. I’m also the police chief in Indigo Valley.”

“Is that supposed to scare me? It doesn’t. If my wife dies, it’s his fault,” Arnie said, jabbing a finger at Andy. “He’ll have to live with his guilt for the rest of his life the way I’ll have to live without a wife, and my children will have to learn to live without their mother.”

“First of all, Mr. Chambers, Amy has not expired. I think you’re a little ahead of yourself here. No, Mr. Chambers, it will not be Andy’s fault if Amy dies. It’s Amy’s fault that she’s here. Amy made the decision to take a scalding-hot shower. That’s a premeditated action. You can’t hold her brother responsible for something she decided to do on her own. I read the police report, and I read her chart here at the hospital. Furthermore, we all had breakfast with Amy yesterday, and when she left she said she was going home to clean her bathrooms. She was herself at that time. If something transpired on the way home or when she arrived home to make her do such a thing, none of us is aware of it. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you necessarily know every little secret about each other.”