?I figured,? she said, nodding. They smiled at each other, and
then suddenly they both turned their heads at the sound of hurried
footsteps coming toward the nurse?s office.
Jerry stood up and faced the door, putting himself in front of
Helen. A tall, impossibly fit man in his early forties burst into the
room. Helen jumped off the cot and stood on the other side of it,
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glancing around instinctively for another exit. There wasn?t one.
Helen had the feeling that she was going to die.
In the corner of the tiny office, one of the sobbing sisters appeared.
She was hunkered down on her knees, her face covered by
her filthy hair, moaning names and saying ?blood for blood? as she
hit her forehead repeatedly against the wall.
Helen put her hands over her ears. She pulled her eyes away from
the horror in the corner and mustered enough courage to look back
at the large man. A spark of recognition passed between them. She
had never seen him before, but somehow she knew that she should
be very afraid of him. At first his angular face was set with determination,
but it quickly morphed into shock and then confusion. His
eyes zeroed in on Jerry,
and a nearly comical look of disbelief derailed
what might have been a terrible fight.
?Are you . . . are you the father of the young lady that attacked my
son?? he asked in a halting voice.
Jerry nodded curtly. ?My daughter, Helen,? he said, gesturing
back to her. ?I?m Jerry Hamilton.?
?Castor Delos,? the big man replied. ?My wife, Noel, won?t be able
to make it. And Helen?s mother??
Jerry shook his head. ?It?s just Lennie and me,? he said with
finality.