Misplaced (51 page)

“He had the e
y
es of death.
Los ojos de un muerto
.”

V
ictori
a
foun
d
th
e
mangle
d
fac
e
an
d
th
e
bewilderment
i
n
he
r
voic
e
unbearable
.
“Thi
s
wil
l
w
ait
.
Let’
s
ge
t
yo
u
t
o
the
hospital.”

“He’
s
comin
g
back,
”
Graci
e
w
arne
d
a
s
sh
e
too
k
V
ictoria’s
hands and squeezed them tight.

“Le
t
him,
”
sh
e
replied
,
an
d
kisse
d
Graci
e
abo
v
e
he
r
good
e
y
e. Someone handed her fresh to
w
els, and the room began to empty. “I should ha
v
e been here. I’m so sorry.”

Gracie’
s
sobbin
g
slo
w
e
d
t
o
a
sniffle
.
“D
o
yo
u
thin
k
i
t
will
lea
v
e a scar?”

The dejection on
V
ictoria’s face ans
w
ered for her.

“
Y
ou
’
d
bette
r
tak
e
m
e
t
o
th
e
hospita
l
then
,
befor
e
I
faint.
Bette
r
y
et
,
ge
t
a
coupl
e
o
f
gorgeou
s
EM
T
s
t
o
com
e
fo
r
me.”
Graci
e
sprea
d
he
r
finger
s
an
d
fanne
d
hersel
f
lik
e
a
Castilian
courtesan,
and
faint
smile
lines
appeared
around
her
good
e
y
e.
V
ictoria
hustled
Gracie
into
Bea’s
car
and
dro
v
e
to
the
hospital.

Th
e
nurse
s
refuse
d
t
o
le
t
her
g
o
an
y
farthe
r
tha
n
the
w
aitin
g
room
,
wher
e
sh
e
sa
t
a
t
th
e
en
d
o
f
a
ro
w
o
f
empt
y
chair
s with only the television for company. Victoria let the confusion in
he
r
hea
d
loos
e
an
d
trie
d
t
o
rearrang
e
i
t
i
n a
w
a
y
tha
t
made
sense.

Sh
e
diale
d
Bea’
s
cel
l
phon
e
an
d
lef
t a
message
.
“There’
s
bee
n
som
e
troubl
e
a
t
th
e
office
.
Kee
p
Khar
a
wit
h
you
,
an
d
don’t
go home without calling me first.”

As she ended the call, a man about her age
w
alked to
w
ard
her
.
Th
e
blu
e
s
w
eate
r
an
d
ta
n
woo
l
trouser
s
unde
r
hi
s
white
coat complimented an earnest, lightly pockmarked face.

“I’m Dr. Rodriguez. Gracie’s doing
w
ell.”

V
ictoria’s lo
w
er lip began to tremble. “Thank god.”

“Tha
t
mus
t
ha
v
e
bee
n
som
e
fall
.
W
e
don’
t
typicall
y
se
e
thos
e
kind
s
o
f
injurie
s
happenin
g
a
t
offices
.
How’
s
he
r
situatio
n
at
home?”

“She’s a widow, doctor.”

“I’
m
require
d
t
o
ask
.
Thi
s
typ
e
o
f
woun
d
i
s
typica
l
of
domestic
abuse.
If
that
w
ere
the
case,
the
police
would
ha
v
e
to
be brought in.”

“I’m afraid I can’t gi
v
e you any details. I
w
asn’t there.”
H
e
shoo
k
hi
s
head
.
“Sh
e
assure
d
m
e
tha
t
sh
e
tripped
.
I
recommen
d
tha
t
sh
e
w
ea
r
mor
e
conser
v
ati
v
e
shoes
.
I
t
would
certainl
y
hel
p
wit
h
stability
,
especiall
y
fo
r
a
woma
n
o
f
he
r
size.”

“I
’
ll
be
sure
to
suggest
it,
but
Gracie’s
not
the
best
at
taking
advice. Can I see her now?”

“Y
es
,
w
e
’
r
e
jus
t
movin
g
he
r
int
o
a
room.
”
W
it
h
eac
h
step
along
the
mottled
linoleum
floor,
V
ictoria’s
guilt
grew.
P
ausing
outsid
e
th
e
room
,
sh
e
trie
d
t
o
pu
t
o
n
a
cheerfu
l
face
.
“Hey,
”
she
greeted Gracie as she stepped through the door.

“Hey
yourself.”
Gracie
patted
the
stretcher
and
inched
o
v
er
to make room.

V
ictoria
dropped
her
bag
on
a
chair,
put
the
railing
down,
and took Gracie’s hand.
“I feel so bad—”

“Ho
w
coul
d
yo
u
ha
v
e
possibl
y
known?
”
Graci
e
interrupted.
“Besides
,
I’
m
goin
g
t
o
com
e
ou
t
o
f
thi
s
lookin
g
bette
r
than
e
v
er.”

“What did the doctor say about the scar?”

“I’m going to need some time off.
For the surgery.”

“A
s
lon
g
a
s
yo
u
w
ant.
”
V
ictori
a
fel
t
a
lum
p
ris
e
i
n
he
r
throat.
“What kind of surgery?”