hear it.'
Czernek took a deep breath. The sprint had been more than he had anticipated. 'Either the Chandlers agree that Valerie is the legal mother and they grant us permanent, uncontested custody, or we refuse to provide the transplant. If you really want to play hardball, I called my office from the car, and they're preparing an application for a restraining order until the suit is settled. Take your pick.' He smiled triumphantly at Valerie and reached out to draw her near.
Shock and agony raced through her. His words slashed at her with a blade that carved into her soul. Squirming to break free of his embrace, she stared at him in horror.
'No!' she cried. Pain and revulsion contorted her face. 'That's my baby in there! She's not a hostage. I can't threaten her life that way.'
'Val, I only-'
She slapped his arm away with stinging force, then turned to Dr. Fletcher.
'I paid you to kill her once and you saved her. I won't en-danger her again.' Ron took another deep breath, this time to calm his own rage. 'Then let me get-'
'No!' She turned her back on Ron to grasp Fletcher's arms. 'When I went to you for an abortion, I signed my child's life away. You and Karen saved her. I should have given you noth-ing but thanks, and instead I tried to ruin your lives. I'm sorry.' She turned to Karen and David.
'There is no lawsuit. Renata is your daughter.'
'You can't do that!'
All eyes turned toward Czernek. He was not the source of the outburst, though. He was staring in silent bafflement at Johnson.
Black eyes flashing with anger, his hair disheveled, Terry looked like a madman.
'You can't give up the lawsuit,' he cried, desperation sear-ing a violent edge into his voice. Fletcher and the Chandlers exchanged puzzled glances. Dr. DuQuette spoke firmly. 'We've got to get her prepped.'
Johnson followed Valerie and Fletcher down the hallway, the others behind him.
'If you drop this suit,' he said, 'there'll be no judicial deci-sion. No precedent to use in subsequent cases. We've got the chance to set that precedent. Both sides agree on what the outcome of this suit should be. Can we hope that a future land-mark case would be settled as easily?'
'Just a minute,' Czernek said loudly. 'Do you expect-'
'You mean you want them to proceed with the lawsuit?' Fletcher asked. 'What if we lose?'
'We can't.' Johnson nodded at Valerie. She stopped in the doorway to the dressing room, staring back at him. 'Not if the plaintiff is on our side.'
Ron reached out to turn Valerie toward him. Her cold eyes were no longer fathomable to him. He released her.
'I guess you won't be needing counsel for the rest of this.' He turned to leave, then stopped. Over his shoulder, he said, 'I'll wait to drive you home.'
'Don't bother.' Her voice held no emotion, just the flat state-ment of a fact.
XX
Evelyn watched through the observation window. Dr. DuQuette hovered over Valerie while an intent young resi-dent transferred syringes back and forth. A small team of four nurses and technologists kept their attention on the bank of monitors.
She was lucky even to be watching. Dr. Lawrence had only grudgingly allowed Fletcher into the ICU
as a personal cour-tesy to DuQuette. Lon mentioned to her, sotto voce, that he outranked Lawrence 'at the lodge.' It apparently had some utility at the hospital, too.
So she sat watching DuQuette aspirate the marrow from Valerie while the resident gently shoved the viscous fluid into Renata's IV tubing. Fletcher's hands unconsciously moved now and then, as if her motions could assist in the operation. She saw nothing wrong in their coordinated movements, but she felt she had the right and obligation to be in there doing it herself.
