The Girl in the Face of the Clock Read Online Free Page A

asked.
    â€œYes, basically,” said Dr. Contino. “With a few variations.”
    â€œNo, Perry, don’t. No, Perry, no,” said Aaron Sailor.
    â€œWho’s Perry?” asked Jane. “The aide who dropped him?”
    Dr. Contino’s big pink hand rose to his throat.
    â€œHeaven forfend!” he exclaimed. “Reema is one of the most conscientious young women it has ever been my privilege to know. She feels absolutely terrible about this whole thing. Accidents happen, as I’m sure that you of all people can understand.”
    Jane gazed at the cast that covered practically the entire arm of the inert body on the bed.
    â€œI thought you said it was just a little bone in his wrist.”
    â€œIndeed, it was,” said Contino rapidly, beads of sweat breaking out on his expansive lip. “Totally insignificant as fractures go. As you see, we are taking every possible precaution so that it heals properly.”
    Contino made a dry little laugh. His smile whispered, “There’s nothing to worry about,” but his eyes screamed, “Please, God, don’t sue us.”
    â€œNo, Perry, no.”
    â€œWhy does he keep saying that?” asked Jane, fighting down a wave of nausea. “There’s no one here named Perry?”
    â€œNo one,” said Dr. Contino. “I assumed that Perry was a friend of your father’s, perhaps someone who was with him just before his accident. Sometimes a last conversation is frozen in the mind and the patient keeps repeating it like an old broken record. Was this Perry driving the car when it happened? Perhaps your father was trying to alert him to some danger ahead of them in the road.”
    â€œIt wasn’t a car accident,” said Jane. “My father fell down the stairs.”
    Dr. Contino whipped out a white handkerchief and serviced his damp brow.
    â€œWell, I’m new here, as I said, and there isn’t much about the case in the files. Perhaps this man Perry and your father were arguing about something. ‘No, Perry, no,’ your father could have been saying just as he lost his footing.”
    â€œMy father was alone.”
    â€œAre you certain?” asked Contino.
    Jane didn’t answer, just stared at him.
    â€œYes, the mind is a mysterious organ, mysterious indeed,” said Contino, grabbing a straight-backed chair from the bedside of a tiny old lady, who may or may not have been breathing, and placing it next to Aaron Sailor. “I’m sure you and your dad will want some time alone.”
    â€œNo, that’s not …” said Jane weakly.
    â€œYes, of course,” said Contino, hustling toward the door. “You take as long as you like. I understand completely.”
    In an instant he was gone.
    Jane wanted with all her heart to run after him, to escape from this warehouse of the living dead. It would look uncaring, she knew, but so what? She wasn’t a bad person, she told herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see her father. Her father just wasn’t here.
    â€œNo, Perry. Perry, no. No, don’t do it.”
    Jane stood by the bed for a moment, then sat on the chair that Dr. Contino had brought over.
    â€œHi, Daddy,” she said unconvincingly.
    â€œNo, Perry, don’t do it. No, Perry, no.”
    â€œWho’s Perry?”
    â€œDon’t do it, Perry,” said the body that had been Aaron Sailor’s, this time a little louder. “Please don’t. No, Perry, no.”
    Jane looked around the ward, half expecting someone’s ancient bubbe to shout, “Pipe down over there, some of us are trying to catch some z’s.” The other residents of the ward were silent, however.
    â€œSo how do you like the accommodations?” she asked. There was no answer from the still figure on the bed.
    Jane reached over and took his limp hand. She began drawing tiny circles, trying to focus on his smooth cool skin and calm her