Chapter 26 A Change Of Address

• Adela bolted awake, fingers clenched so tightly around the bedsheets that the IV line in her hand pulled painfully against her skin. A small smear of red began to seep beneath the clear bandage, the sting jolting her out of the lingering remnants of her unsettling dream. Her forehead was damp with cold sweat, and her breath came in ragged bursts as she tried to reorient herself.
• As her vision cleared, she noticed the dim light of the hospital room and heard the hum of the air-conditioning. Only then did she become aware that someone was there with her. Turning her head, she saw Layson Norman, eyes shut, leaning back on the small couch tucked against the wall. But the moment she stirred, he immediately opened his eyes, as though he had not really been sleeping at all.
• Without a word, Layson rose from the couch and approached her bedside. His eyes flicked to her sweat-drenched hair, then to the IV in her hand, where fresh blood had begun to seep. A slight crease formed between his brows as he reached out and gently dabbed her forehead with a tissue, careful not to startle her.