The Perfect Sinner by Penny Jordan

Author:Penny Jordan
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-02-20T02:54:58+00:00

10

If you'd like to come this way, please.'

Despite the hospital's air-conditioning, Jon could feel the sweat dampening his skin as he followed the crisply uniformed nurse. Her neat, femininely curved body reminded him of Maddy.

The calm, confident way his daughter-in-law had taken control at home had surprised Jon at first. He was more used to seeing her take a back seat, be more hesitant and unsure of herself, but he had to admit that her new air of self-confidence suited her.

He could feel his heart starting to thump in heavy doom-laden strokes as the nurse stood to one side so that he could precede her into the office of the doctor in charge of the intensive care unit.

Grave-faced, the doctor stood up and offered Jon his hand.

'My son, Max...' Jon began as soon as the introductions had been completed. 'Is he... ?'

'He is, I'm afraid, very seriously injured' the doctor told Jon quietly.

'But he is alive' Jon pressed, his voice a harsh whisper.

'He is alive, yes' the doctor agreed. 'But I have to warn you...he lost a massive amount of blood. His injuries were extremely severe.'

'Can I... Can I see him?' Jon asked him numbly, trying to swallow against the huge, painful lump that was blocking his throat.

'He won't know or recognize you' the doctor told him quietly. 'He is very heavily sedated. Perhaps in another hour...'

Jon looked away. He knew what the doctor was trying to tell him. Max was dying. The lump hardened, tears that felt like jagged pieces of glass hurt his eyes.

'If you would like to see your nephew...' the doctor suggested.

Jon blinked guiltily.

'Yes. Yes, of course' he agreed huskily.

Jack was in a side room at the end of a ward, his face lighting up with relief and then visibly shadowing over with guilt and fear as Jon walked in.

'Max? How is he? Have you seen him?' he demanded as soon as he saw Jon.

He was heavily bandaged, his face anxious and drawn as he told Jon, 'I wanted to see him, but they wouldn't let me. It's all my fault. I...'

Seeing his grief and his guilt helped Jon to sublimate his own. 'Jack, it isn't your fault at all,' he reassured him gently. 'You were both

victims of a senselessly violent attack and

'But if I hadn't tried to walk back to the hotel along the beach, it would never have happened.' Tears filled his eyes, and immediately Jon shook his head, touching him gently on the shoulder, unable to hug him properly because of his injuries.

'I wish I'd never come out here. Max didn't want me around and I...'

Jack closed his eyes.

His longing for Jon's reassuring presence had been increasing daily and he recognized that David, the father whom it had been so vi-tally important for him to track down, had been nowhere in his thoughts. Indeed, a stranger in the street would be as much comfort to him as his father, and if David had, by some miracle, walked into his room right now, it would have meant nothing to him.

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