Epilogue
A small but tasteful bouquet of yellow daisies perched on the nightstand next to the window, bathed in golden sunlight. It was the single, bright spot in the impersonal hospital room. A card peeked out from behind the flowers. "Secret admirer, huh?" Lee plucked the card from the daisies. No signature. "Lets see, it says--'Good Job.' Nice, but who sent it, do you know?"
"Nobody sent it. It was dropped off." Her smile was infuriating.
"It was Billy, right?"
"Not even close."
He tried his most charming smile. "Oh, come on--please? You can tell me."
"Nope. I promised."
Now she'd piqued his interest. Unwilling to let it go, he studied the handwriting, turning the card this way and that. It seemed very familiar. It couldn't be. Would wonders never cease?
"Francine?"
She nodded, as Lee replaced the card.
"Amanda, you did do a good job with this case." He cleared his throat and plunged on. "You escaped from a locked room, found the missing Phial, called for help . . ."
"Waited by the car . . ." she interrupted, humor coloring her voice.
Lee grinned back. "Yeah, well, that didn't work out, did it? Look, ah, why don't I pick you up when they release you this afternoon?" He stood but stopped short, staring at her hand in his. When had that happened?
"Amanda, you should get some rest." She didn't let go. He couldn't leave.
The immovable object. Again.
"Lee, can you stay a while? We could, well, you know, talk."
"About what?" he asked, but her answer was already burning in his heart. Sometimes words weren't necessary between friends. Amanda's grip tightened on his fingers, and her warm smile eased the tightness in his chest. He allowed her to pull him closer and sat on the edge of her bed.
"Tell me about Jacob."
The End
