“This must be scary for you,” the deputy DA said.

“A little. I’m more confused than frightened,” Ashley answered.

“You think you and Ms. Van Meter are going to get along?”

“I don’t know, but it’s worth a try.”

“Sort of like a second chance.”

“Sort of.”

“That’s how I feel about getting Maxfield back. Unfinished business. I lost a lot of sleep after he flew the coop.”

Dr. Linscott and Ann Rostow stopped at the nurse’s station nearest Casey’s door.

“I would like everyone except Mr. Coleman, Mr. Van Meter, and Miss Spencer to wait here.”

The doctor opened the door to Casey’s room. She was sitting up in bed watching television. A nurse was sitting by the bed reading a magazine.

“Good morning, Ms. Van Meter,” Dr. Linscott said.

Casey looked reluctant to turn away from the set and only gave Dr. Linscott a quick look before going back to her program. She did not look at anyone else.

“I’ve brought some visitors with me. Do you recognize anyone?”

Casey did not respond.

“She’s been watching nonstop since it was connected,” the nurse told Dr. Linscott. Linscott flicked his fingers toward the nurse and she turned off the set with her remote. Casey looked upset.

“There will be plenty of time for TV,” the doctor said. “We won’t be staying long.”

Casey stared at the invaders. Her brow furrowed. Then she focused on her brother and her eyes widened slowly.

“Miles?”

Miles walked over to the bed. There were tears in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to hug his sister but he restrained himself.

“It’s me, Casey. It’s so good to have you back.”

Casey fell back against her pillow. She seemed stunned.

“You look so different,” she said.

“I’m five years older. You’ve been asleep a long time.”

“Honey,” Randy Coleman said, taking a step toward the bed.

Casey looked puzzled for a moment. Then she looked agitated. Dr. Linscott put a restraining hand on Coleman’s arm. Coleman tensed but he stopped.

“This is Randy Coleman, Casey. Your husband,” the doctor said.

Casey’s hands opened and closed on her blanket. She pulled back toward the headboard.

“Why don’t you step out, Mr. Coleman,” the doctor said.

Coleman started to protest.

“Please,” Linscott said firmly. Casey’s husband scowled but left.

“I’ll go, too,” Ashley said.

Casey turned toward her and stared. “Who are you?”

“A friend of Mr. Van Meter,” Ashley answered.

Casey put a hand to her forehead. “No, there’s something…”

She looked lost and sounded frightened. Her breathing became shallow. Dr. Linscott looked worried.

“Perhaps this is too much, too soon,” he said. “I think everyone should leave.”

“Good-bye, Casey,” Miles said. “I’ll come back as soon as the doctor says it’s okay.”

Ashley and Miles joined Randy Coleman in the hall outside the door to Casey’s room. A few minutes later, Dr. Linscott came out.

“What happened?” Delilah asked.

“I may have acted hastily in letting her have visitors,” Dr. Linscott replied.

“She’s okay, isn’t she?” the DA asked, concerned about losing her witness.

“Oh, yes. Just a little overwhelmed by her situation.”

“When do you think I’ll have another chance to talk to Casey?” Miles asked.

“It will depend on her rate of recovery and her mental state. It’s a good sign that she recognized you, though.”

They discussed Casey’s condition a little longer. When the doctor and Ann Rostow excused themselves, Delilah turned to Ashley.

“I’m going back to my office to start working on my case, but I’ll be in touch soon. You okay about going through this again?”

“I wish I didn’t have to, but I want Maxfield punished. I want him in prison.”

“Good,” Delilah said, flashing a big smile. “That makes two of us.”

“Is he talking?” Jerry asked Delilah. “Has he admitted killing Terri Spencer?”

“Mr. Maxfield asked for a lawyer as soon as he was arrested and hasn’t said a word since. He may be evil, but he’s not dumb.” Delilah took Ashley’s hand in hers and patted it. “Not that it matters. I have you as a witness. Ms. Van Meter will just be icing on the cake.”

They reached the reception area and the homicide detectives escorted Delilah out of the building.

“I’ve got to get back to work,” Miles said to Monte Jefferson. “You coming?”

“I’ll be right with you. I’ve got to talk to Jerry Philips for a second.”

“Meet you at the car. So long, Ashley.”

Miles left, and Jefferson turned to Jerry Philips. “Now that Ms. Van Meter is out of her coma, do you still need the files on Miss Spencer’s adoption?”

“I’d better keep the motion alive. If she has a relapse, we’ll be back in court.”

Jefferson frowned.

“Is there a problem?” Jerry asked.

“Maybe. We keep our closed files at Elite Storage’s warehouse. They have a record of the file but they can’t find it. It may be misfiled.”

“I don’t want to drop the motion but you don’t have to keep looking. If Ms. Van Meter stays awake, I’ll dismiss the motion. The case will probably be dismissed anyway as soon as Dr. Linscott gives Ms. Van Meter a clean bill of health.”

While Monte Jefferson was talking to Jerry, Ashley noticed Randy Coleman talking to his attorney in a corner of the room. He looked angry. The lawyer shrugged and held up his hands. Coleman swore and started to leave. Ashley intercepted him before he reached the door.

“Mr. Coleman, please.”

Coleman whirled around and glared at her. “What do you want?”

“I didn’t get a chance to thank you yesterday for saving my life.”

Coleman relaxed and forced a smile. “Glad I was there for you.”

“Me, too. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you. You were very brave.”

Coleman shrugged. “I didn’t really think about it. I saw you were in trouble and I just acted.”

“I’m glad you did.”

Coleman stepped back and examined Ashley. She felt uncomfortable.

“I don’t see it,” he said with a shake of his head.

“See what?”

“The resemblance. And you sure ain’t alike personality-wise. You seem nice. Casey is a bitch on wheels.”

Ashley flushed. Even if she didn’t know her well, she didn’t like to hear someone run down her mother.

“She was always nice to me,” she said, feeling the need to defend Casey.

“Oh, she can be nice. She was real nice to me, at first. Then she got bored and she wasn’t so nice.”

“What do you mean?”

“You sure you want to know?”

“Yes,” she answered, but she wasn’t really certain that she wanted to know about her mother’s dark side. Miles had been frank about his sister. Would her husband make her sound even worse?

“I don’t know what being in that coma did do to her. Maybe you’ll be lucky and she’ll change. But the Casey I knew was a self-centered, vicious bitch.”

Coleman rolled up his sleeve. Ashley saw a series of faint, circular scars.

“Cigarette burns,” he said, answering her unspoken question. “Know how I got them? We had an argument one night. I can’t even remember what it was about. We’d been drinking and we probably both said some shit to each other. I passed out. When I came to I was naked and handcuffed to the bed.” He pointed at the scars. “These aren’t the only ones. I got them all over my body. They hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. Your mom said she did it to teach me manners. Know what she did after she got tired of hearing me scream?”

Ashley shook her head.

Coleman flashed a humorless smile. “She left the house with me still cuffed to the bed. At first, I was sure she’d come back and we’d make up. We’d fought before and that’s the way it always ended up. But she left me to die.”

Ashley’s eyes widened. Coleman could see that she didn’t believe him.

“I was chained up on that bed for a day and a half. No food, no water, lying in my own piss. The only reason I’m here is because a friend of mine dropped by to tell me my boss was mad that I missed work. He heard me screaming and got in through a window. Otherwise I’d be dead.”