couldn’t reach him. He’s too busy doing his own thing. Leave him be.”
“I’m going to see if I can find Hal, okay? Then we’ll go from there.”
“You’re a dear,” Melissa said, fighting back unwanted tears. “Thanks for standing by me.”
“No problem. Randi’s my dearest friend, and I’m awfully concerned. This is just not like her.”
“No, it isn’t. I didn’t raise her to be so thoughtless.” Melissa sniffed, then reached into her purse for a handkerchief.
Patsy squeezed her left hand before turning and walking away. Melissa wished she had the nerve to circulate, to visit with her friends. But she was far too fragile emotionally to endure their pity and their questions, questions to which she had no answers.
Damn you, Randi! Where on earth are you?
And Noah. She wasn’t through with him, not by a long shot. He wouldn’t get away with his treatment of her. She’d make him pay for leaving her alone.
Melissa glanced at her watch. It seemed as if hours had passed when in reality it had only been two. Still, there were no signs of anything changing.
She curled her long, expertly manicured nails into her palms and squeezed, grateful for the pain. At least it proved she wasn’t totally numb.
But how much longer was this nightmare going to last? She didn’t know if she could continue to endure the strain.
Why, Randi, why?
* * *
“Come on, Olivia!”
“We’re losing her, Doctor,” Amanda Jennings said, watching from afar as Noah Howell zapped the mayor with yet another round of electric current.
“I know that, dammit!” Noah’s face was drenched in sweat.
“Wipe his brow, Liz,” Amanda said to the nurse.
Liz Roberts did as she was told, then Noah swung himself away from the stretcher.
“Is she going to make it?” Dr. Sloane asked, her gaze jockeying back and forth between Noah and Amanda.
“Let us pray,” Amanda said, her eyes on Olivia. “This is a severe heart attack.”
It was in that moment that she saw the mayor’s lips trying to move. Noah was aware of it, too, she realized, because he bent over Olivia at the same time she did.
In fact, Noah was so close now, Amanda could smell the erotic mixture of sweat and cologne. Mentally, she berated herself for noticing.
He’s your past, not your future.
“She’s moving her lips,” Noah said urgently. “She’s trying to say something.”
Amanda pushed her hair back and leaned even closer. “What is it, Olivia?”
Seconds passed and there was no response. Amanda’s hopes that the mayor would actually speak were dashed. Then Olivia opened her lips again along with her eyes.
Amanda heard Noah’s breathing quicken. “Olivia, what is it? Please, tell us.”
Olivia’s mouth opened and closed while she gasped for breath. “Coal,” she finally whispered.
“What—” Further words dried up in Amanda’s throat as Olivia’s eyes rolled back and her head slumped to the side.
All other eyes darted once again to the monitor. A straight line stared back at them.
“She’s gone,” Noah said in a tight, emotionless voice. He then looked at the clock and added, “Time of death, 9:31 p.m.”
Silence filled the room as the team stepped back and pulled off their masks and gloves.
“Did she say what I think she said?” Liz Roberts asked, the first to speak.
“‘Coal’ is what I understood,” Amanda said, fighting the angry, helpless feeling that always followed the loss of a patient.
“Same here,” Noah added.
Amanda felt his eyes on her, but she refused to acknowledge him. She just wanted to be alone to come to grips with this latest turn of events.
“Do you think she was talking about the strip-mining fight she was involved in?” Dr. Sloane asked.
“Beats me,” Noah said.
Amanda rubbed the back of her neck. “That’s certainly possible. It was no secret how she despised what was happening to our surrounding beauty and how she fought both the unions and the mining companies. She gave them hell.”
And hooray for her, Amanda thought. She, too, despised what strip-mining had done to the area. The smell and presence of sulphuric acid polluted the mountain streams. Land that was once rich and full was now brown, barren and ugly.
Yet she found it hard to believe that strip-mining would be on Olivia’s mind as she lay dying. Amanda spoke that thought out loud, but no one had an answer.
“Cause of death?” Amanda asked into the building silence, forcing herself to look at Noah.
“Heart attack.”
“I’ll notify her family.” Amanda walked to the huge swinging doors and was about to push them open when she felt Noah’s presence.
“Want me to do that?”
“No. But thanks, anyway.”
“Amanda—”
“Not now, Noah.” Not ever, she wanted to add, but didn’t. How was she going to do her job now that he was back?
“I want to help.”
She stopped and turned around. “You’ve already done all you can.”
“But—”
“I’m going to my office,” she said, cutting him off.
He would’ve argued if she’d given him the chance, but she hadn’t. She headed down the hall and didn’t stop until she reached her domain.
Once seated, her eyes went to her phone. For a second it seemed to taunt her. God, she hated to make this call, but that was part of her job.
Doctors couldn’t save everyone, no matter how hard they tried.
Chapter Ten
Annie Moore curled into a fetal position on the couch. She didn’t want to listen to her boyfriend holler at her, but what choice did she have? None.
“Please,” she said, peering up at him out of green eyes that at one time would’ve been considered beautiful, but not
