He Held Her Son the Night I Lost Ours novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Sylvia

I called the hospital from the garden steps with Rafe's coat around my shoulders.

It was late afternoon in New York, and the patient records line was a recording.

I listened to every option.

Then I left a message, in the calm voice I use with contractors.

"This is Willa Prescott, date of birth the fourth of March. I was in your emergency department last Monday night. I'm requesting a list of every call your staff placed about me, with the times, and who answered."

I hung up.

Rafe was standing at the top of the steps. He had followed me out without a sound.

"Tara knew things she shouldn't," I said. "I don't know how. I won't say more until I do."

"Then you won't say more." He sat down two steps above me and left it there.

Nobody had ever done that for me.

I was so surprised that I let it be quiet.

At nine the next morning, someone leaned on my doorbell.

I opened the door and found Sylvia Haliburton in a navy coat, with her pearls and her handbag and a closed, tired face.

"Don't slam it," she said. "I flew nine hours at my age."

I didn't slam it.

I stepped back and let her in, because I wanted to see what she would do in my small, warm, badly furnished kitchen.

She looked at the kettle.

She looked at the single mug on the draining board.

She took out a long cream envelope and put it on the table between us.

"There is a check in there," she said. "It's for a hundred thousand dollars. Consider it for your pain."

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