Her cheeks hurt. So did the back of her head. She couldn’t believe how fast the attack had come on. She let out a shaky breath and glanced around the room. The girl lay on a mattress by the back wall, asleep. Even in slumber she was curled into a tight ball, as if the whole world could hurt her. Damn it. “How long will she sleep?”
“Not more than a few hours. I think she was looking for a weapon when I came in. If she’d found one, she could have really hurt you.”
Julia rolled her eyes. No doubt he was one of those people whose lives had never been touched by violence of any kind. “It’s hardly the first time I’ve been attacked by a patient. I doubt it’ll be the last. Part of the job description. Next time don’t sedate her without asking me, okay?”
“Sure.”
She frowned. The movement hurt. “The question is: what did I say?”
“What do you mean?”
“You saw her. She was fine. I thought maybe she was even understanding a few words. Then: bam! I must have said just the wrong thing. I’ll listen to the tapes tonight. Maybe that will give me a clue.” She looked back at the girl. “Poor baby.”
“We should get you cleaned up. Those scratches on your cheek are pretty deep, and God knows what kind of bacteria is under her fingernails.”
Julia could hardly disagree.
As they walked down the hallway, she realized how much her head hurt. So much that she felt queasy and unsteady. “I’ve never seen anyone move so fast. She was like a cat.”
“Daisy Grimm swears she flew into the maple tree on Sealth Park.”
“Daisy still carrying Fred’s ashes around with her?”
“She is.”
“Fred died when I was in seventh grade. Need I say more?”
Max guided her into an empty examining room. “Sit.”
“Let me guess: you have dogs.”
He smiled. “Just sit down. I need to look at your injuries.”
She was too weak to argue, so she sat on the end of the table; paper rustled beneath her butt. Other than their breathing, it was the only sound in the room.
His touch was surprisingly gentle on her face. She’d expected him to be clumsier, a little uncertain. This was nurse’s work, after all.
She winced when he dabbed the antiseptic on her wounds.
“Sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” He was too close. She shut her eyes.
That was when she felt his breath on her cheek, a little stream of it that smelled of Red Hot gum.
She opened her eyes. He was right there, looking at her, blowing cool breath on her cuts. Her heart skipped a beat. “Thanks,” she said, jerking backward, trying to smile. Oh, for God’s sake, Julia. She’d always been uncomfortable around good-looking men.
“Sorry.” He didn’t seem sorry at all. “I just wanted to help.”
“Thanks. I’m fine.”
He closed up the supplies and stowed everything back in the overhead cabinets. When he turned back to face her, he kept a certain distance between them. “You should take the rest of the day off. Have Ellie watch you. Concussions—”
“I know the risks, Max, and the symptoms. I’m sure I don’t have a concussion, but I’ll be careful.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to lie down for a while.”
She saw the way he smiled when he said lie down, and it hardly surprised her. No doubt he was the type of man who could find a sexual innuendo in every conversation. “That little girl is counting on me, Max. I need to go to the police station and then to the library, but I’ll take it easy.”
“Why do I think you don’t know how to take it easy?”
She frowned. That did surprise her. She wouldn’t have pegged him as the kind of man who really understood women. Loved them, yes. Used them, certainly. But understood them, no. Philip had never been very intuitive. “Am I that transparent?”
“As glass. How are you getting to the station?”
“I’ll call Ellie. She’ll—”
“I could give you a ride.”
She slid off the table. This time when she stood, she felt a little steadier. She was about to say That’s not necessary when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.
“Wow.” She moved closer. Four angry, seeping claw marks slashed across her left cheek. Already the skin was swelling, and it looked like she was going to wake up tomorrow morning with a black eye. “She really got me.”
He handed her a tube of antibiotic ointment. “Keep—”
“I know. Thanks.” She took it from him and slipped it in her pocket.
“Come on. I’ll take you to the station.”
Instead of arguing, she fell into step beside him.
But not too close.
SIX
“Are you sure this is how it’s done?” Peanut asked for at least the tenth time in as many minutes.
“Do I look like Diane Sawyer?” Ellie responded sharply. Whenever she got nervous, she got snippy, and this was her first press conference. She needed to do everything right or she’d come off looking like an idiot. And if there was one thing Ellie hated, it was looking and feeling stupid. That was why she’d left college; it was better to quit than to fail.
“Ellie? Are you having a meltdown?”
“I’m fine.”