She stopped her thoughts in their tracks. That was it! She just needed to move something and push the button with it. Maya spied through the window again and saw a metal chart in one of the holders on the wall. It would do. She concentrated her mind on the metal item and willed it to lift from its pocket on the wall. She watched with bated breath as the item moved and hung suspended in the air as if held by invisible strings.

Maya didn’t dare breathe so she wouldn’t lose her concentration. A few seconds later, she managed to set the chart in motion, moving it toward the button. With her last ounce of will, she slammed the metal against the button, before it fell to the ground with a loud clang.

As she looked at the chart on the floor, realization hit her: she could have easily just willed the button to depress without using the metal item. Clearly, she still had lots to learn about her new skill.

The double doors opened, and she slipped through.

Relieved, she ran down the hall to the small room where the on-call physician rested during the night. Barbara should be there unless she’d been called to a hospital bed.

Maya pressed the door handle down and eased the door open, trying not to startle her friend. Soft light from a desk lamp greeted her. The on-call room was sparsely furnished: a desk and chair, a small cabinet, a sink, and a single bed. She let out a relieved breath when she saw Barbara in a peaceful slumber. Maya shut the door behind her, and Barbara stirred.

A moment later, she shot up from her prone position and swung her legs out of bed, her eyes still closed. When she opened them and spotted Maya standing only a few feet away from her, Barbara jolted upright. “Shit, Maya!”

“Sorry—” But Maya didn’t get any further.

“Everybody’s looking for you. Where the hell have you been? The chief is pissed and so are the other attendings—they all had to pick up the slack for you.”

Maya put her hand on Barbara’s arm. “I can’t explain right now. I need your help.”

Barbara gave her a startled look. “Do you need money? What’s going on?”

A strobe light blinked on the wall, and an instant later a voice came over the loudspeaker. “Code Blue, Code Blue, Room 748 Long, all team members, Code Blue, Code Blue.”

Barbara grabbed Maya’s hand and squeezed it. “That’s me. I have to go. Wait here. I’ll be back shortly. We’ll talk when I’m back.”

“No, I’m coming with you.”

“Just wait. It won’t take long.”

“No, it’s not safe. I’m coming with you.”

Barbara gave her a curious look “Not safe?”

“Please, let me come with you.”

Her friend grabbed a white coat from the hook. “Here, at least put that on, so you won’t look out of place. And then you’d better talk fast.”

Maya slipped into the coat and was right behind Barbara when she opened the door. A second later, she shut it again.

“Shit, the Chief’s right out there. If he sees you, he’ll stop you.”

Maya cursed. “Damn it!” This was just her bad luck.

“I’ll be right back.”

“No, wait!” But before Maya could stop her, she dashed out of the room. Her steps echoed in the corridor. Maya’s skin prickled uncomfortably. She didn’t want Barbara wandering the corridors on her own. Opening the door a tiny slit, she peered outside. The Chief was still standing there. There was no way she would get past him without him seeing her.

Maya shut the door in frustration.

She could only hope that Barbara knew about her stalker. Then this nightmare would be over soon. Once Maya knew his name and what he looked like, they could find him. She could tell Thomas, and he’d make sure the rogue was taken out. She didn’t want to think of talking to Gabriel. Not right now.

Once the rogue was captured, she would be safe again and so would Barbara. Then she would tell her friend the truth, and together they’d bury Paulette. Somehow she would get her life back together, as much as she could with the guilt she carried on her shoulders. The guilt of knowing she was responsible for Paulette’s violent death.

Twenty-two

Gabriel turned a corner in the hospital and almost collided with Ricky. “Thank God! You got here really fast,” Gabriel said. Next to him, Yvette skidded to a halt as well.

“You were lucky; I was in the neighborhood.”

“Have you seen Thomas?”

“No. Is he supposed to be here?” Ricky asked.

Yvette nodded. “He should have arrived before all of us. He was coming straight from Twin Peaks.”