Kelly‘s eyes went wide in horror。 His body sprang upwards； fighting the restraints。 Then he collapsed； his skin pasty white。 All in the room turned away but for the nurse； whose eyes were locked on her patient。
‘Look； doc； I …‘ Douglas tried to say。
‘Get the hell out of my hospital！‘ Rosen fairly screamed。 ‘You can kill somebody with that kind of shock！ Why didn‘t you tell me …‘
‘He has to identify …‘
‘I could have done that！‘
O‘Toole heard the noise as the two grown men scuffled like children in a playground； but John Kelly was her concern； the antibiotic medication still in her hand。 She tried to remove the photograph from Kelly‘s view； but her own eyes were first drawn to the image and then repulsed by it as Kelly‘s hand seized the print and held it a scant twelve inches from his own wide…open eyes。 It was his expression now that occupied her consciousness。 Sandy recoiled briefly at what she saw there； but then Kelly‘s face posed itself and he spoke。
‘It‘s okay； Sam。 He has his job to do； too。‘ Kelly looked down at the photo one last time。 Then he closed his eyes and held it up for the nurse to take。
And things settled down for everyone except Nurse O‘Toole。 She watched Kelly swallow the oversized pill and left the room for the calm of the corridor。
Sandra O‘Toole walked back to the nurses‘ station； remembering what she alone had seen。 Kelly‘s face turning so pale that her first reaction to it was that he must be in shock； then the tumult behind her as she reached for her patient … but then what？ It wasn‘t like the first time at all。 Kelly‘s face had transformed itself。 Only an instant； like opening a door into some other place； and she‘d seen something she had never imagined。 Something very old and feral and ugly。 The eyes not wide； but focused on something she could not see。 The pallor of his face not that of shock； but of rage。 His hands balled briefly into fists of quivering stone。 And then his face had changed again。 There had been prehension to replace the blind； killing rage； and what she‘d seen next was the most dangerous sight she had ever beheld； though she knew not why。 Then the door closed。 Kelly‘s eyes shut； and when he opened them； his face was unnaturally serene。 The plete sequence had not taken four seconds； she realized； all of it while Rosen and Douglas had been scuffling against the wall。 He‘d passed from horror to rage to understanding … then to concealment； but what had e in between prehension and disguise was the most frightening thing of all。
What had she seen in the face of this man？ It took her a moment to answer the question。 Death was what she‘d seen。 Controlled。 Planned。 Disciplined。
But it was still Death； living in the mind of a man。
‘I don‘t like doing this sort of thing； Mr Kelly；‘ Douglas said back in the room as he adjusted his coat。 The detective and the surgeon traded a look of mutual embarrassment。
‘John； are you all right？‘ Rosen looked him over and took his pulse quickly； surprised to find it nearly normal。
‘Yeah。‘ Kelly nodded。 He looked at the detective。 "；That‘s her。 That‘s Pam。‘
‘I‘m sorry。 I really am；‘ Douglas said with genuine sincerity； ‘but there‘s no easy way to do this。 There never is。 Whatever happened； it‘s over now； and now it‘s our job to try and identify the people who did it。 We need your help to do that。‘
‘Okay；‘ Kelly said neutrally。 ‘Where‘s Frank？ How e he‘s not here？‘
‘Не can‘t have a hand in this；‘ Sergeant Douglas answered； with a look to the surgeon。 ‘He knows you。 Personal involvement in a criminal case isn‘t terribly professional。‘ It wasn‘t entirely true … in fact； was hardly true at all … but it served the purpose。 ‘Did you see the people who …‘
Kelly shook his head； looking down at the bed； and he spoke just above a whisper。 ‘No。 I was looking the wrong way。 She said something； but I didn‘t get around。 Pam saw them； I turned right； then started turning left。 I never made it。‘
‘What were you doing at the time？‘
‘Observing。 Look； you talked to Lieutenant Allen； right？‘
‘That‘s correct。‘ Douglas nodded。
‘Pam witnessed a murder。 I was bringing her in to talk to Frank about it。‘
‘Go on。‘
‘She was linked up with people who deal drugs。 She saw them kill somebody； a girl。 I told her she had to do something about it。 I was curious about what it was like；‘ Kelly said in a flat monotone； still bathing in his guilt while his mind replayed the image。
‘Names？‘
‘None that I remember；‘ Kelly answered。
‘e on；‘ Douglas said； leaning forward。 ‘She must have told you something！‘
‘I didn‘t ask much。 I figured that was your job … Frank‘s job； I mean。 We were supposed to meet with Frank that night。 All I know is it‘s a bunch of people who deal drugs and who use women for something。‘
‘That‘s all you know？‘
Kelly looked him straight in the eyes。 ‘Yes。 Not very helpful； is it？‘
Douglas waited a few seconds before going on。 What might have been an important break in an important case was not going to happen； and so it was his turn to lie again； beginning with some truth to make it easier。 ‘There‘s a pair of robbers working the west side of town。 Two black males； medium size； and that‘s all we have for a description。 Their МО is a sawed…off shotgun。 They specialize in taking down people ing in for a drug buy； and they particularly like the gentry customers。 Probably most of their robberies don‘t even get reported。 We have them linked to two killings。 This might be number three。‘
‘That‘s all？‘ Rosen asked。
‘Robbery and murder are major crimes； doctor。‘
‘But that‘s just an accident！‘
‘That‘s one way of looking at it；‘ Douglas agreed； turning back to his witness。 ‘Mr Kelly； you must have seen something。 What the hell were you doing around there？ Was Miss Madden trying to buy something …‘
‘No！‘
‘Look； it‘s over。 She‘s dead。 You can tell me。 I have to know。‘
‘Like I said； she was linked up with this bunch； and I … dumb as it sounds； I don‘t know shit about drugs。‘ I‘ll be finding out； though。
Alone in his bed； alone with his mind； Kelly‘s eyes calmly surveyed the ceiling； scanning the white surface like a movie screen。
First； the police are wrong； Kelly told himself。 He didn‘t know how he knew； but he did； and that was enough。 It wasn‘t robbers； it was them； the people Pam were afraid of。
What had happened fit what Pam had told him。 It was something they had done before。 He had allowed himself to be spotted … twice。 His guilt was still quite real； but that was history now and he couldn‘t change it。 Whatever he had done wrong； it was done。 Whoever had done this to Pam； they were still out there； and if they‘d done this twice already； they would do it again。 But that was not really what occupied his mind behind the blank staring mask。
Okay； he thought。 Okay。 They‘ve never met anyone like me before。
I need to get back into shape； Chief Bosun‘s Mate John Terrence Kelly told himself。
The injuries were severe； but he‘d survive them。 He knew every step of the process。 Recovery would be painful； but he‘d do what they told him； he‘d push the envelope a little bit； enough to make them proud of their patient。 The