Read Never Let Go for Free Online

from the next room to find Alan bleeding and dying, the patient sobbing in a chair with the gun pointed at himself.
    Holding herhusband in her arms, feeling the life ebb out of him, Mallory had instinctively talked Alan’s killer out of committing suicide. The story had made national headlines, painting her alternately as some sort of saint or as a fool. She knew perfectly well she was no saint. She’d hated what happened to Alan and the man responsible, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to watch an anguished man die before her eyes. It wouldn’t have saved Alan. Perhaps she’d done it simply because even in a crisis her training helped her to understand, if not forgive, him.
    For months afterward, she had fought to maintain her own tenuous hold on sanity, questioning her profession, even the meaning of life itself. Finally, when she found she had nothing left inside to give to the troubled children who came to her, she had turned her practice over to a colleague. After the healing was done, she had chosen to leave Arizona, to relocate in San Francisco where no memories of Alan lurked in every whisper of the hot, dry breeze, in every brilliant setting of the desert sun.
    In the end the experience, rather than destroying her, had made her even stronger. It had reaffirmed her conviction and Alan’s that every moment of life was precious, not to be wasted on half-truths or self-pity or doubt. She would treasure her memories always, but she would not live with them as a constant companion. She had loved incredibly well before. She would again.
    And when shedid, she certainly would not fall in love with an uptight, contradictory man like Justin Whitmore, she reassured herself as she headed back to visit Davey one last time before going home. She’d find someone as open and caring as Alan, not a man who drove her to thoughts of mayhem.
    The thought of how Justin would react to her trying to shake some sense into his stubborn head made her smile. She was still smiling when she walked into Davey’s room and found Justin standing by the boy’s bed, his arms resting on the high railing, his head bent in dejection as he tried to coax Davey to talk. His voice was low and tender.
    “You know, pal, the sooner you get better, the sooner you and I can go to a ball game together. The season’s about to start and I’m a big fan of the Giants. I might even be able to get tickets for opening day. Maybe when you’re better you could play on a Little League team.” There was a long hesitation before he added tentatively, “I’ve been thinking about signing up to coach one. We could do it together. How would you feel about that?”
    There was a restless stirring on the bed, and Mallory held her breath as she watched from the doorway. Davey rolled toward Justin and opened huge blue eyes that stared solemnly up at the man above him. Mallory saw the exultant lift of Justin’s shoulders and felt her eyes grow misty.
    He reached out a gentle hand to brush the blond hair from Davey’s forehead. The boy flinched, but kept his gaze fixed trustingly on the doctor. She could see Justin’s normally steady fingers shake as they touched the pale skin. Under Justin’s soothing touch, Davey relaxed at last.
    “So,” Justinsaid again, “what do you think? Want to go to that game?”
    Davey nodded almost imperceptibly.
    “That’s my boy,” Justin said, his voice soft and encouraging, but shaking slightly with justifiable excitement.
    Davey’s eyes closed and he drifted back to sleep, Justin still standing by his side. A deep, shuddering sigh rippled through the tall man as he watched the boy.
    Mallory tiptoed into the room then and instinctively put her hand on top of Justin’s. Startled, he looked down at her, and she realized for the first time that his eyes were bright with unshed tears. He tried to blink the tears away, glowering at her, and then he started from the room. Mallory caught him at the door and pushed it shut,