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She sat on one of the red chairs； waiting for the doctor who had treated the injured girl。 When he came； his stark white lab coat contrasted so boldly with the flashy decor that he appeared to radiate a saintlike aura。
Carol rose to meet him； and he asked if she was Mrs。 Tracy； and he said his name was Sam Hannaport。 He was tall； very husky； square…faced； florid； in his early fifties。 He looked as if he would be loud and gruff； perhaps even obnoxious； but in fact he was soft…spoken and seemed genuinely concerned about how the accident had affected Carol both physically and emotionally。 It took her a couple of minutes to assure him that she was all right on both counts； and then they sat down on facing red chairs。
Hannaport raised his bushy eyebrows and said；
〃You look as if you could use a hot bath and a big glassful of warm brandy。〃
〃I was soaked to the skin；〃 she said； 〃but I'm pretty well dried out now。 What about the girl？〃
〃Cuts； contusions； abrasions；〃 he said。
〃Internal bleeding？〃
〃Nothing showed up on the tests。〃
〃Fractures？〃
〃Not a broken bone in her body。 She came through it amazingly well。 You couldn't have been driving very fast when you hit her。〃
〃I wasn't。 But considering the way she slipped up onto the hood and then rolled off into the gutter； I thought maybe。 。 。〃 Carol shuddered； unwilling to put words to what she had thought。
〃Well； the kid's in good condition now。 She regained consciousness in the ambulance； and she was alert by the time I saw her。〃
〃Thank God。〃
〃There's no indication that she's even mildly con…cussed。 I don't foresee any lasting effects。〃
Relieved； Carol sagged back in the red chair。 〃I'd like to see her； talk to her。〃
〃She's resting now；〃 Dr。 Hannaport said。 〃I don't want her disturbed at the moment。 But if you'd like to e back this evening； during visiting hours； she'll be able to see you then。〃
〃I'll do that。 I'll definitely do that。〃 She blinked。
〃Good heavens； I haven't even asked you what her name is。〃
His bushy eyebrows rose again。 〃Well； we've got a small problem about that。〃
〃Problem？〃 Carol tensed up again。 〃What do you mean？ Can't she remember her name？〃
〃She hasn't remembered it yet； but…〃
〃Oh； God。〃
〃…she will。〃
〃You said no concussion…〃
〃I swear to you； it isn't serious；〃 Hannaport said。 He took her left hand in his big hard hands and held it as if it might crack and crumble at any moment。
〃Please don't excite yourself about this。 The girl is going to be fine。 Her inability to remember her name isn't a symptom of severe concussion or any serious brain injury； not in her case； anyway。 She isn't confused or disoriented。 Her field of vision is normal； and she has excellent depth perception。 We tested her thought processes with some math problems…addition； subtraction； multiplication…and she got them all correct。 She can spell any word you throw at her； she's a damn good speller； that one。 So she's not severely concussed。 She's simply suffering from mild amnesia。 It's selective amnesia； you understand； just a loss of personal memories； not a loss of skills and education and whole blocks of social concepts。 She hasn't forgotten how to read and write； thank God； she's only forgotten who she is； where she came from； and how she got to this place。 Which sounds more serious than it really is。 Of course； she's disconcerted and apprehensive。 But selective amnesia is the easiest kind to recover from。〃
〃I know；〃 Carol said。 〃But somehow that doesn't make me feel a whole hell of a lot better。〃
Hannaport squeezed her hand firmly and gently。
〃This kind of amnesia is only very； very rarely permanent or even long…lasting。 She'll most likely remember who she is before dinnertime。〃
〃If she doesn't？〃
〃Then the police will find out who she is； and the minute she hears her name； the mists will clear。〃
〃She wasn't carrying any ID。〃
〃I know；〃 he said。 〃I've talked to the police。〃
〃So what happens if they can't find out who she is？〃
〃They will。〃 He patted her hand one last time； then let go。
〃I don't see how you can be so sure。〃
〃Her parents will file a missing…persons report。 They'll have a photograph of her。 When the police see the photograph； they'll make a connection。 It'll be as simple as that。〃
She frowned。 〃What if her parents don't report her missing？〃
〃Why wouldn't they？〃
〃Well； what if she's a runaway from out of state？ Even if her folks did file a missing…persons report back in her hometown； the police here wouldn't necessarily be aware of it。〃
〃The last time I looked； runaway kids favored New York City； California； Florida…just about any place besides Harrisburg； Pennsylvania。〃
〃There's always an exception to any rule。〃
Hannaport laughed softly and shook his head。 〃If pessimism were a petitive sport； you'd win the world series。〃
She blinked in surprise； then smiled。 〃I'm sorry。 I guess I am being excessively gloomy。〃
Glancing at his watch； getting up from his chair； he said； 〃Yes； I think you are。 Especially considering how well the girl came through it all。 It could have been a lot worse。〃
Carol got to her feet； too。 In a rush； the words falling over one another； she said； 〃I guess maybe the reason it bothers me so much is because I deal with disturbed children every day； and it's my job to help them get well again； and that's all I ever wanted to do since I was in high school…work with sick kids； be a healer…but now I'm responsible for all the pain this poor girl is going through。〃
〃You mustn't feel that way。 You didn't intend to harm her。〃
Carol nodded。 〃I know I'm not being entirely rational about the situation； but I can't help feeling the way I feel。〃
〃I have some patients to see；〃 Hannaport said； glancing at his watch again。 〃But let me leave you with one thought that might help you handle this。〃
〃I'd like to hear it。〃
〃The girl suffered only minor physical injuries。 I won't say they were negligible injuries； but they were damned close to it。 So you've got nothing to feel guilty about on that score。 As for her amnesia。。 。 well； maybe the accident had nothing to do with it。〃
〃Nothing to do with it？ But I assumed that when she hit her head on the car or on the pavement…〃
〃I'm sure you know a blow on the head isn't the only cause of amnesia；〃 Dr。 Hannaport said。 〃It's not even the most mon factor in such cases。 Stress； emotional shock…they can result in loss of memory。 In fact we don't yet understand the human mind well enough to say for sure exactly what causes most cases of amnesia。 As far as this girl is concerned； everything points to the conclusion that she was in her current state even before she stepped in front of your car。〃
He emphasized each argument in favor of his theory by raising fingers on his right hand。 〃One： She wasn't carrying any ID； Two： She was wandering around in the pouring rain without a coat or an umbrella； as if she was in a daze。 Three： From what I understand； the witnesses say she was acting very strange before you ever came on the scene。〃 He waggled his three raised fingers。 〃Three very good reasons why you shouldn't be so eager to blame yourself for the kid's condition。〃
〃Maybe you're right； but I s