Chapter 15: The Doctor's Questions

Heidi drove ninety on the interstate, and we came through the doors of Maple Court at five past nine.

Emmett was already in the lobby with his coat open.

"Day room," he said. "They went in four minutes ago."

The day room had a long window and a dozen residents in armchairs, drinking Sunday coffee.

June sat at a small table in her lemon cardigan.

Across from her sat a lawyer in a grey suit and an old man with a leather bag.

The care home director stood by the wall, wringing her hands.

"Mrs. Hallam," the old man was saying, loudly. "Can you tell me today's date?"

"Sunday," June said.

"The full date, please."

She gave him the month, the day and the year.

"And who is the president?"

She told him that, and what she thought of him.

Somebody in an armchair laughed.

"Count backward from a hundred by sevens," the lawyer said.

June looked at him for a while.

"Ninety-three," she said. "Eighty-six. Seventy-nine. You're not very nice, are you?"

The old man wrote something on his clipboard.

I started forward, and Emmett's hand closed on my elbow.

"Wait," he said, very low. "Watch her."

June folded her hands on the table.

"Doctor," she said. "May I see your paper?"

"This is only my notes, Mrs. Hallam."

"I'd like to see them."

He didn't hand it over.

Heidi walked across the room, took the clipboard out of his hand, and turned it around.

"Hey," the lawyer said.