She nodded. Not satisfied, Vince looked her over. Her hands and forearms were raked with cuts and gouges. She had bled through the paper gown in several places on her chest, most notably in her right shoulder.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered. “Where’s the doctor? Have you been seen yet?”

“We just got here.”

“So where’s the fucking doctor?”

“Don’t yell at me!” Anne snapped.

Vince put his hands on her shoulders. He didn’t know who was shaking worse, Anne or him. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m not yelling at you.”

“Yes, you are!” she accused in a harsh whisper. “And keep your voice down. You’ll wake Haley.”

For the first time Vince saw the little girl curled up on the exam table, nearly swallowed whole by a big gray blanket.

“She’s sedated,” Anne said, turning to brush Haley’s hair with the fingertips of her bloody hands. “She saw what happened. She wouldn’t stop screaming, and I had blood all over me. It was horrible!”

“Hush, hush, hush, sweetheart.” He tried to calm himself as much as he tried to calm Anne. He was breathing too fast, and he felt light-headed. “I’m sorry, honey. God, you scared the living shit out of me. When the deputy came and said—”

He stopped himself and pressed his lips against hers and stroked his hand down the back of her head—it came away red and sticky with blood. “Oh my God.” He stepped out into the hall and shouted, “Where’s the goddamn doctor?”

The big redheaded nurse from earlier planted herself in front of him with a ferocious scowl. “Sir, you have to calm down or you’re going to get thrown out of here.”

“Yeah? And who’s gonna do that, Sunshine? You?” Vince demanded, poking a finger at her. “Ten of you couldn’t get me outta here! That’s my wife in that room, and I want her seen by a damn doctor!”

“Vince! Stop it!”

Anne had come to the door, battered and torn, wearing her most fierce expression.

“Stop it and get in here right now!”

“I like her,” the nurse declared. “She’s too good for you. Behave yourself and listen to her. The doctor will be here in a few minutes. He’s dealing with a head injury down the hall.”

“I’m sorry, honey,” he said, following her back into the room. “You should lie down. Please lie down.”

“I don’t want to lie down,” she said, her big brown eyes filling with tears. “I want you to hold me!”

“Oh, sweetheart.”

Vince took her into his arms as if she were made of spun glass and held her while she cried. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst.

“Tell me what happened.”