When a Heart Stops Read Online Free PDF Page A

hadn’t meant to forget him. Normally, she set her phone alarm to remindher when she had an appointment. “I can meet you now. You have someplace in mind?”
    â€œThe Java Stop?”
    â€œThat’s around the corner from here. I can walk over there in just a few minutes.” The hospital morgue was in the basement of Palmetto Hospital in downtown Columbia.
    She hung up. Slipping off her lab coat, she made a mental note to call Rick Shelton on her way to meet Dominic. She really wanted to know what was in that package. She grabbed her purse, then opened a desk drawer and pulled out an envelope that held a special gift for the girls’ home she volunteered for. She smiled as she thought of the surprise and joy the check would bring to those who needed it.
    â€œWant me to mail that for you?” Paul asked.
    â€œNo, that’s okay. I need stamps anyway. But thanks.” She would stop at the post office on her way back from lunch. “See you later, Dorie,” she called. She waved to Paul, who was gathering his stuff to leave.
    He waved back. “Bye.”
    Slipping her phone from her pocket, she dialed Rick’s direct number as she walked down the hall.
    Voice mail picked up and Serena left a message for Rick to call her.
    Pushing through the heavy glass doors, she exited the hospital and made her way to the sidewalk, busy with the lunchtime crowd. People passed her, walking shoulder to shoulder, jostling, nudging. “Excuse me’s” and “sorry’s” abounded. She moved toward the outer edge of the crowd and stuffed the envelope into her purse.
    Horns honked, cars roared past. The smell of exhaust burned her nose.
    The café was just ahead.
    A tug on her purse, then a hard hit to her right shoulder made her cry out as she stumbled on the edge of the curb, twisting her right ankle.
    Her purse slid from her shoulder and she felt herself falling, falling.
    As though in slow motion.
    Right into the path of an oncoming city bus.
    Brakes screamed, voices cried out.
    Serena felt panic choke her as she did the only thing she could think to do.
    Keep moving.
    Scrambling on all fours, the asphalt scraped her palms, tore at her knees through the fabric of her pants.
    Wind rushed past her as the bus missed her by a mere inch.
    Horns blared, tires squealed. And Serena came to a trembling halt in front of another car that managed to stop centimeters from her.
    â€œAre you all right?”
    â€œMa’am?”
    â€œCan you stand?”
    The voices echoed in her ears. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, couldn’t stop shaking.
    In the back of her mind, she registered the symptoms.
    Shock.
    A hand slid under her arm and gently helped her to her feet. She winced at the stinging pain lancing through her hands and knees and right ankle, but miraculously enough, she decided she was otherwise unhurt.
    Grateful for the helping hand, she limped her way back to the sidewalk.
    Her rescuer turned concerned eyes on her. “I think someone tried to steal your purse but dropped it when you didn’t let go right away. Are you all right?”
    â€œI think so. Thanks.” She took the purse from him and winced at the sting in her hands.
    He left and people continued on their way.
    Serena stood still, leaning against the building until the worstof the trembling ceased. People once again hurried past, anxious to get to wherever they needed to be.
    â€œSerena?”
    Her head snapped up to see Dominic pushing his way through the crowd, heading toward her, the frown on his face communicating his concern.
    Reaching her, he stopped and looked down. At her hands. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding them palms up. Gently, he grasped her wrists for a closer look. “What happened? I saw all the commotion out here and thought I’d find out what was going on.”
    Offering a slight shrug and a shaky grimace that she hoped passed for a smile, Serena