2 The Dante Connection Read Online Free PDF Page A

right now, Colin. You had no right to make these decisions on my behalf. You didn’t make the right choice. You kept a lot of important information from me. I’ve changed my mind. I’m not ready to accept your apology.”
    “Jenny, don’t be mad at me.”
    Colin’s plea was interrupted by soft groans coming from Francine’s bed. We jumped up and walked across the Persian rug to her side. Even though my anger was replaced by concern for Francine, I was not going to forget about this topic.
    “Oh God, where am I?” Francine reached up and gingerly touched her face.
    “You’re in the hospital,” I said.
    Her good eye widened slightly. “How did I get here?”
    “Don’t you remember?” Colin asked and leaned towards her. Worry tightened his features.
    “You’re here too?” She looked surprised to see Colin standing next to me. It was difficult for me to ascertain what was going on in her head. I cursed the swelling on her face. Only one eye was open enough to see the pupil, but it was by no means enough to tell anything. It was also ghastly looking into an eye that was so bloodshot.
    “Maybe we should get the doctor.” Colin straightened and turned to the door.
    “No.” Francine’s outburst stopped him. “I’m just disoriented, Colin. Give me a moment to get myself together.”
    Colin caught my eye, lifted his eyebrows and nodded his chin towards Francine in some nonverbal message. I had no idea what he was trying to communicate. Francine tried to push herself higher against the pillows, but fell back with a groan. “This really hurts.”
    “The doctor said that he could give you more painkillers if you woke up and needed it,” I said, ignoring Colin’s pointed looks.
    “I don’t want anything that will make me feel dull.” Francine slowly inhaled and on the exhale pushed herself up to lean higher against the pillows. The pain must have been significant because her natural colour was replaced by a sickly gray pallor. She breathed slowly a few times with a clenched jaw. “God, this really, really hurts. What did the doctors say?”
    “That you are badly beaten up and badly bruised. Nothing is broken, but they say that it will be a few days before you should get out of bed and at least a week before you’ll move again with some level of comfort.”
    “Great,” she said with forced joy. “So I can go home now?”
    “You should stay here for at least another day,” Colin answered.
    As they started disagreeing about this, the ringing of my smartphone came from my handbag. I walked away from the growing argument and picked my bag off the floor. My phone was in its usual pocket inside the bag, ringing and vibrating. I took it out and frowned at the screen. Why did people not pay attention to what I said?
    The purpose of having a smartphone was for me to use the camera and recording functions, unobtrusively stealing moments from people in cafés in order to study their body language at a later time. It was not for people to phone me. Apparently this did not matter to the people who considered themselves part of my life.
    I swiped the screen to answer the call. “Wait.” I placed the phone against my chest and turned to Francine’s bed only to see her and Colin staring at me. “I’m going to take this call outside.”
    I left the room in search of a private corner. It was ten o’clock in the morning and the hospital was a hub of activity. After two minutes walking along the hall, I returned to Francine’s room. She was still arguing with Colin, but stopped mid-sentence.
    “There is no quiet place in this hospital,” I said with disgust, my smartphone still clutched against my chest.
    “Use the bathroom,” Colin said.
    Francine’s upscale private hospital room came complete with its own, fully equipped bathroom. Only when I closed the door behind me did I wonder if I should’ve thanked Colin for his idea. I shrugged it off and brought the phone to my ear.
    “Yes?” I spoke quietly,