“You need to get me out of here.” She focused on him. Her eyes were bright, but she looked tired, her skin translucent. He’d seen her bad before—at the beginning with Todd. The IVs had made her puffy, but he was so grateful to see that she was demanding things. “Ben? Did you hear me?”

“I’m just so happy to see you’re okay—”

“You don’t understand,” she cut in, studying her hospital gown. “We have to get out of here. I’m not safe here.”

“Let me get Audrey,” said Ben, holding up a finger.

“My mother is here?”

“Lara, you’ve been in and out of consciousness for days. Of course she’s here.” For a moment, he wondered if something terrible had, indeed, addled her brain. There were flashes of rehabilitation centers and fears of a stroke, but to his amazement she was pulling at her covers with the dexterity of someone who was at least physically able.

“Ben? Is something wrong with you?”

“No.” He was surprised at her clarity and focus.

“Did you hear me?” She looked around the room. “I’m assuming, given the explosion of French signs saying SALLE D’ATTENTE, that we are still in France? I’m not safe. Tell my mother we need to go home now.”

He sat down on the chair next to her. “Can you just wait until the doctor sees you before you flee? You’ve been through quite an ordeal.”

She snorted and looked at the wall, like she was contemplating something.

The door pushed open. “I heard noise in here,” said Audrey, peeking her head in.

“Mother,” said Lara. “Oh, thank God.”

Audrey put her hands to her face and began to cry. “You’re really okay.”

“Of course I’m okay.” Lara looked at both of them. “We have to get home,” she repeated. “Now.”

“We’ll go soon,” said Audrey, who perched herself on Lara’s bed and smoothed her daughter’s hair. “You need to rest.”

“I’m in danger,” said Lara.

“No,” said Audrey. “You’re not.”

“But you don’t understand,” said Lara.

“I understand everything,” said Audrey. “You’re safe now.”

Ben had a million questions to ask Lara, yet he couldn’t bring himself to form a single one of them.

“You need to rest,” said Audrey. “I’m here now. Nothing will happen to you.”

“But—” Lara began.

Audrey reached out and stroked her daughter’s hair. To Ben’s amazement, Lara’s eyes began to close and she appeared to be fighting the urge to sleep, but Audrey kept stroking her hair. “Just rest.”

Before she fell off to sleep, Lara murmured, “He sent me a ticket.”

“I know,” said Audrey.

Chapter 29