“Then maybe Carmela had good reason to run away. What mother would leave her daughter sick and alone in a hospital?” She stood up. “Let's go and ask if we can see her.”
“She won't know who we are.”
“That doesn't matter. I'll tell her we're from social services or something. I've thought about her, worried about her, ever since Trask told me he'd chosen his victim. I can't walk away without seeing her up close and personal.”
He rose to his feet. “Then by all means let's go visit the kid.”
I don't want to talk to you.” Carmela was gazing warily at Kerry. “And I'm not answering any questions.”
“No questions.” Kerry smiled. “We just dropped in to see if there was anything we could do.”
“You can get me out of this hospital. I can't afford it.”
“You don't have to worry. Your bill is being paid by the owner of the warehouse. He's just hoping you won't sue him.”
She frowned doubtfully. “Really?”
“I promise you won't get a bill,” Silver said. “Just concentrate on getting well.”
She was silent a moment. “Is he really worried I'll sue him? Do you suppose you could get a settlement from him?”
Kerry felt a twinge of disappointment. “Possibly. What did you have in mind?”
“Not much. Just enough to set me up in an apartment and keep us going until I get a job.”
“Us?”
“I want my sister, Rosa, with me.” Her hands clenched on the sheet. “I promised her.”
“And how old is Rosa?”
“Twelve.”
“Then she's a minor just as you are,” Kerry said. “The courts aren't going to let her leave your mother. They'll probably insist on you returning.”
“No!” She drew a deep breath. “I'm not going back.”
“Why not?”
“I don't have to tell you anything. I just don't want to.”
“That's not an acceptable reason.”
“She won't want me back. I was in the way.” She moistened her lips. “Rosa's in the way too. She's better off with me.”
“Why is she in the way?”
“She just is.” She gazed at Kerry defiantly. “Now, you find out if you can get that money out of that warehouse owner. But don't tell my mother.”
“Because she'd take it?” Silver asked.
“I didn't say that,” Carmela said. “Don't you try to get my mother in trouble. None of this is her fault.”
“Then whose fault is it?” Kerry asked.
“The boyfriend,” Silver said suddenly. “What's his name? Don . . . Harvey?”
Carmela eyes widened. “How the hell do you know about Don?”
Kerry glanced at Silver.
He shrugged. “The police had to go to the apartment to inform your mother about what happened to you. Harvey lives with your mother. Right?”
She hesitated. “Yes.”
“And that's the reason you left home.”
“It's not her fault. She needs someone and she can't help—She's lonely. We're not enough for her.”
“You don't like him?”
She glared at him. “I don't want to answer any questions about Mom and Don.”
“Your mother's not here. She's had plenty of time to make the trip after she was told you were injured.”
“She's got a job. They probably wouldn't let her off work.”
Kerry was beginning to actively dislike Carmela's mother. “I'm sure you're right.”
“I don't want to talk anymore.” Carmela closed her eyes. “If you want to help, you just see if you can get me that money.”
“We do want to help,” Kerry said gently. “You rest and do what the staff tells you and we'll see what we can do.” She gestured to Silver as she started for the door. “Maybe there's a way out for Rosa.”
“You don't have to find a way out. I found it. I'll take care of my sister. If you can't get her out, I will.” Carmela's eyes opened as the door started to close behind them. “Now, you find me money to support her.”
“What happened with her mother?” Kerry asked Silver as they walked down the hall. “I assume you didn't find out about her boyfriend from George or Ledbruk?”
He shook his head. “It's all she can think about right now. She's worried about her sister.”
“Let me guess. Her mother's boyfriend raped Carmela?”
He nodded. “And her mother wouldn't believe her when she told her. She didn't want her relationship jeopardized by an uncomfortable truth. Carmela took off two days later, but she's afraid for her younger sister.”
Kerry felt sick. “She's only twelve.”
“And Carmela is fifteen. Not much difference.”
Kerry shook her head. “But refusing to face facts and rejecting a daughter who's been hurt are two different things. I can't believe she didn't come when the authorities told her that Carmela was here.”
“Believe it. She made her choice. In her eyes, Carmela was trying to destroy her relationship with Harvey. She's probably built up an entire scenario for herself why she was better off without Carmela. I'd bet in her mind Carmela is a liar and a threat and deserves to be cast out.”
“Some mother.”
He smiled. “Some women aren't as maternal as you are, Kerry.”
“Then some women should be tarred and feathered. It's common decency to do the—” She stopped. There was no use giving in to anger. “You know, children are so vulnerable. And they hate believing their parents are scum. I'll bet Carmela will fight to protect her mother to the last breath.”
“No bet. She's very loyal.”
“We're getting Rosa out of that house.”
“Yes.”
“And we're finding a place for Carmela where she'll be safe.”
“Yes.”
She grimaced. “You were going to do it anyway, weren't you?”
“Was I?”
“Yes, you feel a certain . . . closeness with her. For all your claims of keeping detached, you weren't able to do it with her. I wonder how often you manage it.”
“Ah, you've found me out. Busted.”
“You're joking, but I'm not.” She met his gaze directly. “I found out tonight that this thing between us isn't one-sided. It couldn't stay that way when you're so attuned to me that I can't take a breath without you knowing how deep. I doubt if you'll ever let me take that peek you promised, but it may not be necessary.”
His smile faded. “No?”
“No. I'm beginning to read you.” She pressed the elevator button. “But this isn't the time to explore the situation. We have Carmela and her sister to worry about, and I'm not even sure Trask won't try to kill her again when he finds out that she's still alive.”
“I'm not either. I've called and asked Ledbruk to put a guard in front of her room. He said he was on his way.” He stepped aside to let her go first as the elevator doors opened. “Is that good enough?”
“Do you mean is Trask anywhere around?” She shook her head. “Nowhere near. I don't know how far out this psychic radar goes, but he's not in the hospital.”
“You're very sure.” His brows lifted. “Do I detect confidence at last?”
“It's about time.” She leaned wearily back against the wall of the elevator as it started down. “Trask practically drowned me in his filth tonight. I either had to survive and deal with it or go bananas. Hell, yes, I'm confident. I may not be able to jump into anyone else's mind like you do, but I'm getting to be an expert on Trask.”
“That's good. That's all that's important.” He pressed her shoulder. “Now forget about him for a while—if he'll let you.”
“He'll let me. Until he finds out Carmela's alive. He won't like losing status in my eyes by not completing what he promised. Carmela was the challenge and he failed.”
“Then on the whole, the night's not been a total wash.”
She shook her head. “No, because I found out something else while I was wading in that muck he calls a mind.”
“What?”
“The name of the legman he uses to set up his kills is Dickens.”
Dickens,” George repeated. “What a fine literary name for a piece of crap. It hardly seems fair, does it?”
“I'm not concerned about fairness,” Kerry said as she took the leash off Sam. “Certainly not in the abstract. All I want you to do is find out what you can about him. You haven't done very well with this Helen.”