Jeb seemed to think everything was settled, though. “Night, Wanda. Night, Doc,” he said as he started back down the hall.

Jamie hesitated, looking at me with a worried expression. “Doc’s okay,” he promised in a whisper.

“C’mon, boy, it’s late!”

Jamie hurried off after Jeb.

I watched the doctor when they were gone, waiting for some change. Doc’s relaxed expression didn’t waver, though, and he didn’t touch the gun. He stretched his long frame out on the mat, his calves and feet hanging off the end. Lying down, he looked much smaller, he was so rail thin.

“Good night,” he murmured drowsily.

Of course I didn’t answer. I watched him in the dull moonlight, timing the rise and fall of his chest by the sound of the pulse thudding in my ears. His breathing slowed and got deeper, and then he began to quietly snore.

It could have been an act, but even if it was, there wasn’t much I could do about it. Silently, I crept deeper into the room, till I felt the edge of the mattress against my back. I’d promised myself that I would not disturb this place, but it probably wouldn’t hurt anything if I just curled up on the foot of the bed. The floor was rough and so hard.

The sound of the doctor’s soft snoring was comforting; even if it was put on to calm me, at least I knew exactly where he was in the darkness.

Live or die, I figured I might as well go ahead and sleep. I was dog tired, as Melanie would say. I let my eyes close. The mattress was softer than anything I’d touched since coming here. I relaxed, sinking in…

There was a low shuffling sound—it was inside the room with me. My eyes popped open, and I could see a shadow between the moonlit ceiling and me. Outside, the doctor’s snores continued uninterrupted.

CHAPTER 23: Confessed

CHAPTER 23

Confessed

The shadow was huge and misshapen. It loomed over me, top-heavy, swinging closer to my face.

I think I meant to scream, but the sound got trapped in my throat, and all that came out was a breathless squeak.

“Shh, it’s just me,” Jamie whispered. Something bulky and roundish rolled from his shoulders and plopped softly to the floor. When it was gone I could see his true, lithe shadow against the moonlight.

I caught a few gasps of air, my hand clutching at my throat.

“Sorry,” he whispered, sitting down on the edge of the mattress. “I guess that was pretty stupid. I was trying not to wake Doc—I didn’t even think how I would scare you. You okay?” He patted my ankle, which was the part of me closest to him.

“Sure,” I huffed, still breathless.

“Sorry,” he muttered again.

“What are you doing here, Jamie? Shouldn’t you be asleep?”