�C�mon, Diane, it�s over here,� Danny said, grabbing Diane by the elbow and indicating the room where the ICU staff said Claire had been moved earlier that morning. She was sorry to have met him in the elevator, and her face showed it. Diane shook him off and scowled at him for manhandling her, and for his impatience. Danny scowled for a moment, and then decided to be understanding of her situation. �I know, Andy told me all about the last time you stood vigil in a hospital; it was for Bobby. I know how you must be feeling, so I�ll forgive the attitude.�

�What the hell do you know about anything?� Diane stood still and shouted at Danny, her indignation exploding all over him. He looked stunned.

�Hey, all I�m trying to say is...�

�Danny, you stay here. I�ll go in by myself. I don�t want you or your presumptuous attitude anywhere near me right now,� she growled.

Danny watched her approach Claire�s door, then stop to take a deep breath and collect herself before entering with a more cheerful demeanor. Catching her breath on the repulsive sanitized odor of the hospital air, she tried again, then she walked around the door. Instead of entering, she stopped in her tracks, and her smile froze solid. Danny ran over to join her as quickly as he could.

�Where is she?� Diane asked the nurse�s aid who was prepping the room for its next occupant.

�She�s been released to a family member, I think.�

�Which family member?�

The nurse�s aid shrugged, mumbled something about the admissions desk, and went about her business.

�Where would he have taken her?� Danny asked Diane as he drove back to the station.

�I don�t know,� she said, staring out the window, as if one of the cars they were passing would contain Claire and her cousin Harry if she just paid close enough attention. They drove on in silence through the cold, rainy afternoon. Passing a park, Diane felt the trees looked like black skeletons, their bare branches dripping with rain in a horror-filled cemetery. The image was enhanced when she saw spooky steam rising from the warm grates that created a window to the underground world below New York City. She looked over at Danny, who was scowling in anger at her from his side of the car. The silence was painful.

Diane was relieved when her cell phone rang.