Page 6 of The White Picket Fence

“I am,” he said. “Hard to believe, I know.”

“Ithought he’d be in prison,” Dottie said dryly.

Charlotte laughed, surprising herself. It had been so long since she’d laughed at anything. “Dottie.”

Tino smiled, but it was subdued. “We were working on a description of her attacker, and we’re time-constrained. She needs her pain meds.”

Charlotte bit back a flinch, his words feeling like a reproach. “I’m sorry, Dottie. I’ll be quiet.”

Dottie patted her hand. “Nonsense. I’m okay. I can do this.” She drew a shallow breath that rattled alarmingly. “Let’s go on, Tino.”

Charlotte frowned at the rattling sound. All Dottie needed was to get a respiratory infection on top of everything else. Carefully she squeezed her aunt’s hand. “I’m going to talk to the nurse, okay? I’ll be back soon.”

“I’m fine, Charlie.”

“I don’t like the way you’re breathing. I’ll be back.” She pressed a kiss to Dottie’s weathered cheek. “Excuse me, Tino.”

She didn’t need to hear her aunt describe her attacker again. She’d already heard it several times, as Dottie had been forced to tell her story over and over.

And every time Charlotte had heard it, she’d been secretly, overwhelmingly terrified that the description could behis.

Itcouldhave been him, the little voice in her head insisted. He’d been average height and he’d had big hands. Cruel hands.

Hands that had left her with scars on the inside and outside.

No. It couldnotbe him.He’d been in prison for a year and would be for seven more.

She grabbed the cane that rested up against the wall behind Dottie’s bed, ignoring Tino’s widening eyes as she used it to stand. She didn’t always need the cane, but when she was tired she did.

She was so damn tired.

She hoped that she’d managed to keep her expression bland. She wasn’t ashamed of the cane, but she didn’t want him to see how much it hurt to simply stand.

She still had a little pride, it seemed.

He said nothing, but she could feel his eyes on her as she made her way to the door and out into the hall. But he didn’t ask Dottie about her, merely continuing his interview.

“Let’s go back to his face,” he said to Dottie. “His nose, what was the shape?”

Charlotte heard her aunt telling Tino that the man had a large nose. Dottie remembered his nostrils flaring as he’d hit her. The man had smiled, and it had made him look insane.

It isn’thim. He’s in prison.

Charlotte had not brought this trouble to her aunt’s door.I’d never forgive myself.

She found the nurse at the station. “Hi. I’m so sorry to bother you, but my aunt’s breathing is labored, and she sounds like she’s got an infection or something in her lungs.”

“Her nurse heard the same thing,” the nurse said kindly. “Her doctor’s put her on an antibiotic, and we’ve called in a respiratory therapist who can hopefully help.” The woman tilted her head, studying Charlotte’s face. “Do you not remember me?”

Charlotte blinked hard. She’d been sleeping by Dottie’s bedside for two days. Everything was fuzzy.

She hadn’t recognized the nurse, but now she looked harder, dropping her gaze to the woman’s nametag. Marian.Oh my God.

This day was becoming one big blast from the past. “Mrs. Gargano?”

Mrs. Gargano smiled. “Yes.”

Charlotte’s cheeks heated. “I’m sorry. I should have recognized you right away.” She’d spent a large part of her youth in the Gargano household. Tino and Cliff Gargano had been best friends and Tino had been unhappy at home, so the Gargano house was where they’d all hung out.

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