Free The First Stone by Don Aker Page B

day. The man had one arm around the woman’s waist, supporting her as she spoke through tears.
    â€œThat ruling was a slap in the face!” she sobbed. “My daughter is lying in a hospital bed with injuries to more than half her body, and that animal.” shepointed at Reef, “was sentenced to be a volunteer! For Christ’s sake, can anyone call that fair?”
    A number of spectators watching from the sidewalk shook their heads and muttered, and Reef could hear grumbled comments like “Lousy punk!” and “Goddamn psychopath!” One individual who obviously had come prepared held up a sign that said “I’M OFFENDED BY YOUNG OFFENDERS!” Reef pulled one hand out of his jacket to flash them all the finger, but Elliott gripped him by the shoulder and hurried him down the steps past the cameras, the crowd, the hysterical woman.

Chapter 8
    The elevator eased to a stop and Matt McKillup announced, “Sixth floor, Hotel Rehab. Any guests for the sixth floor?” The ambulance attendant grinned broadly at Leeza as the doors slid open, but she didn’t respond.
    Carly Reynolds, the nurse who had met them at the ground-floor entrance, moved back to allow Leeza’s stepfather to press the button on the elevator panel to keep the doors apart. Her mother stepped out first, making room for Matt and Carly to wheel the stretcher out into the hallway. It was obvious they were taking care to ease it gently over the gap between the elevator and the tile floor. Despite her recent morphine injection, Leeza was in considerable pain, and she appreciated their efforts to keep her from feeling any more discomfort than necessary.
    Keeping his finger on the open button, Jack said, “Sorry, but I’ve got to get back to work.” He appeared to be speaking to Leeza, but it was her mother who turned to face him.
    â€œRight now?” Diane asked.
    He nodded. “I’ve missed a lot of time. Things are piling up. You understand.”
    Gritting her teeth, Leeza found it hard to concentrate on what he was saying. But she didn’t really need to hear the words. She could read the look on her stepfather’s face, see him groping for whatever excuse would permit him to leave. Nor did she blame him. Now.
    He reached out of the elevator and gently squeezed Leeza’s free hand. “I’ll see you soon, honey.” Then, to his wife, “I’ll take a taxi so you can keep the car.” He released the button and the doors slid shut.
    Leeza watched her mother stare at the elevator for a moment, trying to rearrange the expression on her face into something other than disapproval. Leeza wanted to tell her it was okay.
    Of course, it hadn’t been okay at first. She’d learned that Jack had been to the hospital only a handful of times while she was in the coma, and he hadn’t stayed long after she’d regained consciousness. In the short time he was there, she’d noticed how he avoided her eyes when he spoke to her, his gaze fixed on some point above her head. Not that Leeza commented on this. She was only concerned about one thing now: the next morphine injection that made the pain less immediate, more bearable.
    She’d watched her stepfather that morning as they’d wheeled her stretcher down the hospital corridor toward the elevators and the waiting ambulance in preparation for the ride to the Halifax Rehabilitation Center. Watched him glance furtively through open doorways at patients in rooms along the hall. If someone’s eyes happened to meet his, he looked away quickly, his face drawn, his lips a straight line. It was then that she realized how hard this had been for him. First Ellen. And now her.
    No, she didn’t blame her stepfather. How could she? The night before, she had tried to look at the pile of cards and notes she’d received, but the pain had made the task unbearable and she’d given up after reading only a few.