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we going out to eat again?”
    He left his chair and climbed into her lap. “You know where we could go, Grammy?”
    “Why no, I can’t guess, Will.”
    “To Biggie’s !” Then he spotted his father. “Daddy!” He scrambled from Martha and ran to his father who scooped him up and swung him in the air.
    “Hi ya, son!” Martin hugged his small son warmly and kissed his cheeks. “What’s all this about going out to eat?”
    Will exuded excitement. “Grammy’s takin’ me to Biggie’s for ’nother bittie meal!” the boy exclaimed and chattered happily for several minutes.
    Tears filled Jeannie’s eyes as she looked at Martha. “Thanks Mom, you’ll never know how much.” She leaned into her husband’s big body for the strength afforded there. Martin enclosed her in his arms for a few moments.
    At the door, Martin hugged Martha in a warm bear hug. “Bless you, Martha. We need all the help we can get.” The pain in his eyes hurt her and that terrible inner anger over her helplessness against people like Callahan rose in her again.
    “Whatever helps. Who would have thought it’d be Biggie’s Burgers?” Martha replied and chuckled as she headed for her car. The sky had darkened into night, and she didn’t have a hospital shift for today.
    “Thank heavens, maybe I can get some rest,” she mused aloud as she drove. “I have to find a shrink, maybe tomorrow. I wonder what he’ll think about my problem. What if he finds me a certifiable nut case?”
    She felt more relaxed after visiting at her daughter’. Any spark of normalcy in Will produced hope for his recovery and confidence in his counselor’s efforts. Martha watched television before showering and going to bed. There were no further details about the Callahan case or any movies worthy of watching to take her mind away from the harsh realities of her present life.
    Feeling restless, she took a mild sedative, actually a Dramamine, and fell into bed. Again, she had wild dreams, but felt nothing chasing her, though evil feelings lurked in the shadows of her mind and waited there to punish her.
     

CHAPTER 9
     
     
    Martha woke with a jolt. Checking the clock, she realized she’d slept very late. “Ye Gods, it’s almost ten. I don’t believe I’ve slept so late. I have to be at work again at three.” She realized something else, too. “I feel tired, like I’ve run a million miles.”
    Her phone rang. It was Jeannie. Listening with half an ear as Jeannie went on about Callahan, Martha’s mind swirled with feelings of unreality. Her thoughts centered on the new case she’d heard about, another attempt on children, and two more little girls haunted by nightmares.
    “Yes, thank God,” Martha managed to answer. “He won’t be molesting kids again.” Laughing softly, she continued. “I heard the gory details at work last night, and I applaud whoever did it.”
    “I know, but God, Mom, when will it end?”
    “It never ends, Jeannie. There’s another devil on the loose.” She broke off and shook her head. “Hon, I have to work today, so I’ll see you tomorrow. Give my love to Will and we’ll go to Biggie’s again if he wants.”
    Martha hung up. Her mind made up, steeling herself to contain her apprehension, she called Dr. Michael Carton’s office, a psychiatrist she’d heard good things about. She seldom worked psych, and consequently met few psychiatrists in the course of her hospital work. She was thankful she didn’t know Dr. Carton personally.
    His nurse asked why she was calling and Martha answered, “I don’t exactly know what to tell you, but I have memory or time lapses.” She went on to explain. “I have lost periods of time. I don’t remember where I was or what happened at all. I’m frightened about it and I need to see someone.”
    “Do you have insurance?”
    “Yes, I have coverage. I’m a nurse at the hospital.”
    “Oh, well, since you’re a nurse, I’ll try to squeeze you in. Let me think. I guess Dr.