Eunice produced a forced smile. “I think Dr. Landry will be out to talk to you pretty quick. Angie?” She scanned the crowd and then smiled. “Len is just about done with Tony. He said to tell you to come on back.”

Tony looked so pleased to see her that Angie was a little guilty about the scolding she had given him on the way over from the park. There was a bandage on his forehead now, but otherwise she couldn’t see any real damage.

He said, “Angie. Tell this guy to let me go home. It’s hardly even a concussion.”

The exam room was smelled of disinfectant and rubbing alcohol and sweat. That was mostly from the doctor himself, as Len Holmes hadn’t taken the time to do much beyond wash his hands and face and pull a white coat right over his baseball clothes. On the other side of the exam table was a nurse wearing scrubs the color of canned peaches and hair dyed to match, and beside her was Win Walker.

Angie stayed with her back pressed against the door.

“Tony, I’m not taking you home until the doctor says so, so forget it.”

“Angie—” Win began, and she whirled around to face him.

“What? What do you want?”

“Win is here in his official capacity,” said Len Holmes. The nurse was looking back and forth between Win and Angie with an eager expression.

Win nodded. “I’m just waiting to take Mr. Russo’s statement. He may decide to press charges.”

“Tony will not press charges,” Angie said firmly. “Isn’t that right, Tony? You’re not going to press charges over a little misunderstanding.”

Tony was scowling at the nurse, who had snatched the package of cigarettes out of his hand as soon as he fished it out of his pocket. He turned his scowl in Angie’s direction.

“I won’t press charges,” he said.

“You’re sure?” Win asked. “You’ve got every right—”

“No charges,” Tony said. “I just want to go home.”

Len Holmes said, “I’m going to hold you for a couple hours to be sure you’re stable. Or as stable as you ever get.”

“You see?” Tony said to Angie. “You see? They’ve all got the wrong idea about me.”

“Of course they do,” Angie said. “And later you can clear it all up. Once your head is on straight again.”

When Angie made her way back to the waiting room she found it was almost empty. Harriet sat alone in the row of chairs nearest the desk.

“I sent them all home,” she said. “Time to feed the boys anyway, and they were driving me crazy.”

“You don’t mind sitting here alone?”

“I called Caroline to come sit with me, but she wasn’t answering, so I left some messages. I’m sure she’ll show up. See, here’s John’s car now.”