Authors: Joy Fielding

Don't Cry Now (33 page)

Rod was waiting for her in Captain Mahoney's office. He jumped immediately to his feet when he saw her, the chair in which he'd been sitting tumbling backward to the floor. “Bonnie, are you all right?”

Bonnie closed the door behind her. “I'm fine.”

He took a step toward her, stopped when he saw her body tense. “Amanda?”

“She's frightened, confused. But I think she'll be okay. I'm going to take her to see Dr. Greenspoon next week.”

“Doctor Greenspoon?”

“We're old friends,” Bonnie replied, not bothering to elaborate. “You look exhausted.”

“It's been a hell of a day,” he said, and tried to smile.

“They've taken Lauren to the hospital for observation,” Bonnie told him. “You should probably get over there as soon as possible.”

Rod looked stricken. “God, Bonnie, I don't know if I can do that. I don't think I can face her.”

“You have to,” Bonnie said forcefully. “She's your daughter and she needs you.”

Rod said nothing for several seconds. “Will you come with me?” he asked finally.

Bonnie stared into her husband's deep brown eyes, looking for some trace of the man she once thought she knew. But all she saw was the face of a stranger, a handsome man whose gray hair made him seem curiously younger than he was, even now, in spite of everything that had happened. “No,” she said simply.

He looked toward the floor. “So what happens now?” he asked.

“I'd appreciate it if you could have your things moved out of the house by the end of next week,” she told him.

He nodded acceptance. “If that's what you want.”

“I have to check into Boston Memorial for a day or two,” she continued. “I've arranged for Amanda to stay with my father. Nick is going to drive her over there in a few minutes. I'll join them as soon as Doctor Kline gives me the okay.”

“Bonnieâ¦.”

“Sam is going to stay with Josh Freeman overnight. You can talk to him in the morning, decide together what you think he should do.”

“Christ, Bonnie, you know I can't look after himâ¦.”

“I've already told him that Amanda and I would like him to stay on with us,” Bonnie said.

“I think that would probably be best,” Rod quickly agreed.

Bonnie smiled sadly. “Yes, I thought you might.” She turned to go.

“Bonnieâ¦.”

She stopped, waited, held her breath.

“Can I give you a lift to the hospital?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Bonnie saw Josh waiting by the station door.
I sensed you could use a friend
, he once told her.
I know I could
. “No, thank you,” she told Rod. “I'm getting a ride with a friend.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank Jane Lonergan for her help and support in driving me through Boston and suburbs during the worst snow storm in decades. Her heart, as well as her home, is always open. Special thanks as well to George Kampoures for introducing me to the world of reptiles and giving me much needed information and insight. Once again, thanks to Dr. Terence Bates for his medical expertise.

About the Author

Joy Fielding
is the author of the
New York Times
best-sellers
Whispers and Lies
,
Grand Avenue, The First Time, See Jane Run
, and other acclaimed novels. She divides her time between Toronto and Palm Beach, Florida.

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Praise
for
DON'T CRY NOW

“FIELDING PROVIDES AN INTRICATELY PLOTTED THRILLER, WITH THE POSSIBLE KILLER CHANGING FROM PAGE TO PAGEâ¦. A DEFINITE MUST FOR FIELDING FANS AND A NEW FIND FOR FANS OF MARY HIGGINS CLARK.”

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“A PAGE-TURNERâ¦[FIELDING] MAINTAINS THE SUSPENSE UNTIL THE LAST SURPRISING MOMENT.”

Maclean's

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New York Times
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Joy Fielding

“MARY HIGGINS CLARK MAY BE THE CHAMPION OF WOMEN-IN-PERIL SUSPENSE NOVELS, BUT JOY FIELDING IS GIVING HER A RUN FOR HER MONEY.”

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“THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES.”

San Diego Union-Tribune

“[FIELDING] RISES TO TERRIFYING NEW HEIGHTS.”

Ottawa Citizen

“I LIKE CLARK TOO, BUT FIELDING IS BETTER.”

Knoxville News-Sentinel

Books by Joy Fielding

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Copyright

DON'T CRY NOW
. Copyright Â© 1995 by Joy Fielding, Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

Adobe Digital Edition June 2009 ISBN 978-0-06-195211-1

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