Her eyes met mine. She looked on the verge of telling me something—something that could change the course of Jeremiah’s future. I felt it deep inside that there was more to Sissy than she let on. If she would just open up.
I took her hand. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”
A sob shook her body. She shook her head. “It’s not that easy.”
“Why not?”
“Because I—they would—.” She closed her eyes. “I’d like to see my brother now.”
They?
“Sissy, is someone trying to hurt you?”
“No.” She pinched her lips. “No.” She stood tall. “Please, let me see Jeremiah.”
The sincerity in her voice was something I’d never heard. I wanted to press her more. I felt like I’d gotten so close to some hidden secret that could change everything. Maybe letting her see Jeremiah would be the best way for me to find out.
I nodded to his door. “You want me to go first?”
She exhaled. “Yeah.”
I opened the door. Smells of rubbing alcohol stung my nostrils. I’d never liked that smell. It reminded me of needles. Sissy grabbed my hand as we passed through the entryway and into the room.
My heart caught in my throat.
Jeremiah lay on the bed. Tubes ran out of his nose, his mouth. Beeping noises came from the machines attached to him. How had he gotten this bad? Why hadn’t Dr. Hill called me? Seeing him like this was harder than I’d thought it would be. It must’ve been worse for Sissy.
Her hand clenched mine, strong for someone so frail. Kull stayed by the door.
Sissy approached the bed, and I followed.
“Hey, Jer,” she said in a tiny voice. She rested her hand on his blanket. His eyelids fluttered, still dreaming. “It’s Sissy. I know it’s been a while since I seen you.”
Beeping sounds and an occasional sniffle filled the silence. I grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and handed it to her.
She took it without looking at me, her gaze fixed on her brother.
“Is he gonna die?” she asked me matter-of-factly.
How could I answer her? The only person she had in the world was near death, and I was nowhere close to finding a cure. What could I say?
“He’s strong,” I said. “He’s got a strong spirit, a strong soul. If anyone can beat this, he can.”
“I don’t want him to die.”
I rested my hand on her shoulder. “I know.”
“Isn’t there anything you can do for him?”
“I’m doing all I can. But I can’t do it without your help. If there’s anything you know, you have to tell me.”
She stared at her brother, and her face, usually a mask of defiance, was filled with anguish.
“Let me help him. Tell me what you know.”
She inhaled a deep breath. “If I tell you, will you promise not to tell no one?”
“I promise.”
“Mrs. Dickinson,” she said. “You should speak to her. She knows more than you think.”
“Where is she?”
She crossed her arms to keep her hands from trembling. Her pale face turned ash-white. She looked ready to heave.
“Sissy, you’re safe here. No one can hurt you. Where is Mrs. Dickinson?”
“At the foster home,” she whispered.
“Why did she go there?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“I… they would—”
Kull took a step forward. I don’t think he meant to intimidate her, but she took one glance at him and then bolted. One second, she stood by the bed, and the next, she was dashing toward the hallway. Kull stood by the door. When she rushed past him, he crossed his arms.
“Catch her,” I shouted.
She made it out the door. He didn’t move.
I rushed to the door. “What’s wrong with you? Catch her!”
“Let her run.”
“What?”
I hurried out the doorway.
Let her run? Really?
Sissy flew past the nurse’s station. She knocked over a food cart in the process. Applesauce splattered the floor.
“Whoa!” one of the nurses called.
“Sorry,” I yelled as I ran past.
The elevators loomed ahead. I heard a ding, and then Sissy disappeared inside. I could make it. The doors were closing, but I could make it.
The doors slid shut. I jabbed the button. It glowed bright orange, but the doors remained closed. I cursed under my breath.
“Trouble?”
I turned and saw the nurse staring at me. She wore green scrubs and had a round face that looked used to smiling. “Don’t worry about it. This kind of stuff happens more than you’d think. I’ll call security. They’ll catch her.”
“Thanks.”
Security? Did I really want them involved? I punched the button again, harder this time, hoping that would make the elevator gods cooperate.
Kull tromped toward us. The nurse stared at him. Her eyes turned dreamy, though she took a cautious step back. “It looks as if you’ve brought your own security.”
Fat lot of good it did me. He didn’t even catch her when he had the chance.
“Security will call when they’ve got her,” the nurse reassured me.
“No offense, but she might be harder to catch than they think. She’s pretty good at hiding when she needs to.”
The nurse gave me a condescending smile. “We’re used to this sort of thing, sweetheart.”
I ground my teeth. Did she really call me sweetheart? And why on earth wouldn’t these doors open?
“I’ll take the stairs,” I said and headed for the stairwell. Kull stayed behind. Good riddance. Couldn’t even catch a miniature fourteen-year-old girl.
Sissy had evaded both her foster mom and the police. She could probably hide out in a hospital forever and never be found. And Kull had just let her go? What was wrong with the guy?
Wandering the halls made me realize what a maze this place was. My heart pounded as I raced from one floor to the next. The halls and stairs became a blur. I couldn’t see straight anymore. A couple people stopped and asked if I needed help. I gave them Sissy’s description.
I’d made it to the fifth floor when an announcement came over the loudspeaker, detailing that
