Free The Inner Struggle: Beginnings Series Book 7 by Jacqueline Druga

Frank.”
    “What hand was covering Ellen’s mouth?” Frank asked again.
    “The right.”
    “You said she kicked and fought.” Frank pulled out a sketch and tossed it down. “A right hand with scratches, Dean. Look, Robbie wrote John’s name on this and in Robbie’s notes he had written that John had three long scratches across his right hand.”
    “Shit.”
    “Exactly.” Placing his hands on his hips, Frank took a thinking break.
    “As scary as it seems, you look in thought.”
    “I am. I’m thinking about how to do this right. I have to do this right.”
    “Unfortunately, you have only a few scratches on John’s hand, and my dream of course. You can’t back up a dream.”
    “But I can if it’s a memory,” Frank snapped. “The only thing is we have to find out for sure if it is.”
    “What? A dream or a memory? How do you suppose you do that?” Dean asked.
    “I don’t know but I’ll figure out a way.” With a closed mouth, Frank bobbled his head slowly. He reached for his bottle and stopped. Clenching his hand, he pulled it back from the moonshine and laid it on the sketch. As far as Frank was concerned, he knew for certain two people were aware who grabbed Ellen that night, Dean and John. He had two ways to confirm his suspicion. One was to get John to admit it. The other was to get Dean’s memory to the forefront. Unfortunately for Frank, both possibilities would be nearly impossible to accomplish.
     
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    Horrified, Henry charged into Ellen’s clinic room. He stood in the doorway and his arms dropped to the side. “I’m sorry, El.” He walked slowly into her room.
    “There has to be a mistake. There has to be.” Ellen dragged out her words as she sat on her bed.
    “No, El. I’m sorry. Melissa confirmed it. They . . . “Henry’s eyes closed as he sat on the bed. “They gave you Jenny Matoose blood.”
    “But how can that be? You and I have the same type blood. Why didn’t they give me your blood?”
    “I asked Melissa that. She said because we have rare blood they needed to have it around.”
    “But how can they give me Jenny’s blood? I didn’t think they could.”
    Henry, looking so down, lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “She said they crossed their fingers and hoped it worked and it did.”
    “What am I gonna do, Henry? You don’t think I’ll start acting like her do you?”
    “I don’t know.” Henry sounded so worried. “I saw this movie once where they gave this guy another guys hand and the recipient received all the bad things about this guy.”
    “Her blood is running through my veins. I didn’t think it was possible for me to even get her blood. But if Dean said, I guess he’s the one who would know.”
    “Well he should have known better than to give you her blood. He knows how you feel about her.”
    “So true Henry. If they were going to cross their fingers at least they could have crossed it with someone else’s.”
    “Good thing they didn’t give you Os-Oscar’s blood. Then you might stutter.”
    Ellen let out a long breath. “Imagine if they gave me both, Then I’d have red hair, freckles and st-stutter,” She smiled. “How was work tonight, Henry? Did you catch up so you can be off tomorrow?”
    “No,” Henry said, “I’m not taking off until you get out of the clinic. Then I can be home to take care of you unless you don’t want me to.”
    “Of course I do, Henry.” She laid her hand on his. “Don’t be silly. Who else would I want to take care of me, Henry? You’re not tired of me now that I’m not pregnant are you? You really liked me when I was pregnant.”
    “El, I really like you no matter what.”
    Ellen smiled pleasingly to Henry. “Are you staying for a while?”
    “Sure I can visit.”
    “You know, we really need to sit down and try to figure out where in the Time Ripple, I got pregnant with you.”
    “I don’t think we can.”
    “Sure, we can.”
    “It’s a little late now, don’t you think?”