Free Better in the Dark by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro Page B

she giggled.
    Harry scowled at her. “What was your name again, Doctor?”
    “Gloria Powell,” she said, straightening her name badge over one unrealistically firm breast. She pointed. “See? Powell.”
    “Thanks,” he said dryly. “I want to see the boy first and then the girl. Get Parkenson’s report for me, will you?”
    “Certainly, Dr. Smith.” All business, Gloria Powell led the way to the pediatric units.
     
    Brian lay on his side, restless. He had reached that stage of fatigue when normal sleep is impossible. As Harry stepped through the door, Brian succeeded in twitching his blanket off the bed. He gave a low whine and wriggled onto his side.
    “Hello, Brian,” Harry began, forcing himself to smile.
    “Go ’way.” He squinted up at Harry. “I don’t like you.”
    Harry bent to pick up the blanket, noticing that Gloria had leaned over him, obviously too near. He stepped back as he stood up, knocking her off balance. “Here, Brian. You’ll want this later on.” He held out the blanket.
    The boy took it, wadded it and held it.
    “Look,” Harry began again, “so long as I’m here, why not let me check you over?”
    “ ’Nother doctor already did.”
    “Yes, I know,” Harry said, becoming impatient. “But I am your doctor and I would like to examine you. It won’t take long, Brian.”
    “Where’s Stephie? They said I could see her.” The boy twisted in his sheet, then sat up. “She said we’d be okay, just us together. We’d be fine. What have you done with her?” His face turned red as he started to cry.
    Gloria Powell looked disgusted and started to tap on her chart board.
    Harry had to admit that the puckered, scarlet face buttoned with a runny nose was not very appealing. He also knew he was clumsy with children. Reluctantly he sat on the side of the bed and put his arm around the wailing Brian.
    “It’s okay, Brian. Really. Don’t worry about your sister. I saw her earlier and she was just as anxious about you as you are about her.” He remembered he had shown her how to use the phone screen and wondered why she hadn’t. “She probably thinks you’re sleeping now and doesn’t want to wake you up. And she’s right, you know. If you have some sleep you’ll feel much better. I can give you some hot chocolate that will help you sleep. You’ll feel better, and the sooner you feel better, the sooner you can go home...” He stopped. Abandoned children did not go home. “The sooner you can leave here,” he amended,
    “I want Stephie!” Brian yelled.
    “Doctor, really.” Gloria shook her head impatiently, her pretty mouth set in a disapproving line.
    “Why hasn’t this child been sedated?” Harry demanded, feeling the tension in Brian’s slender shoulder. “In this condition he could develop complications from simple lack of sleep.”
    Gloria was nicely confused, but the confusion did not reach to her eyes. Whatever she was sent to do, she was doing it. “I didn’t think we gave sedatives to children. I didn’t order any for him.”
    “Well, what’s stopping you from doing it now?” And what stopped Ian Parkenson from doing it when he had examined Brian? “Never mind. I’ll handle it when we leave.” He turned his attention back to the child, whose sobs had become short, jerky sighs. “Come on, Brian, a few more minutes and then you can sleep. When you wake up I’ll take you to Stephie, myself.” He glanced at Gloria and saw distress imposed on her lovely features.
    “What is it?” he asked her sharply,
    “Not here, Doctor,” she replied, and let herself out of the unit.
     
    Shortly afterward he joined her in the hall. “Will you explain about this? What is the matter with his sister?”
    “Come with me,” she said, quite professional once more.
    But Harry didn’t move. “Not until you tell me why.”
    She gave him a cool stare. “I am about to show you why, Doctor. If you’ll come with me.” Without a backward glance she led the way to