Page 66 of Mountain Impact

Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Drake …”

His hands went around her. “The thought that I could have lost you … it tears me apart.”

“You didn’t lose me, Drake. You’re not going to lose me. But Amélie―”

“If you want me there, I’ll be there.”

Her eyebrows arched up in surprise. “You will?”

“Of course I will. I’m not letting you do this alone.”

Chapter 21

Isolde

Since Chamonix was too small to have its own psychiatric hospital, Amélie Omont had been convalescing at a center in Annecy, about one hour away.

Drake turned, following the bright green sign leading them to the centre hospitalier.

Isolde shifted in her seat.

“Are you okay, Isolde?” he asked. “You don’t have to do this.”

Isolde shook her head. Two weeks had gone by since they’d agreed to the meeting. She couldn’t lose her nerve now that the time had finally come. “I’m okay. I just …”

“You heard what her doctor said yesterday.” The previous day, she and Drake had had a call with the doctor to prepare for the meeting. “If you feel uncomfortable at any point, we’ll leave.”

“I know, I know. I’m not worried … or I am, but it’s not about me. I want the meeting to go well, is all. There’s a lot riding on it for Amélie.”

Drake parked the car in the visitor’s parking and together they walked towards the reception area. Although it was warm, she noticed he was wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt with the cuffs pulled down to his wrists.

Covering the scar.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“We’re here to see Dr. Rubens,” she said to the nurse behind the desk, hoping she had the name right.

The nurse nodded quickly. “The doctor is waiting for you. Please head down this corridor, room A5.”

Isolde knocked on the door and opened it―her mouth slammed open in surprise. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it certainly wasn’t to find Amélie Omont and an older man sitting calmly on two armchairs positioned next to an empty fireplace. She froze, staring at the comfortably appointed room, so different from the aseptic hallways behind.

Behind her, Drake cleared his throat, propelling her into action. Isolde took a step into the room.

The doctor stood up, holding a clipboard. “Ah, Dr. Durant. Lieutenant Jacobs. So glad you could make it. Amélie and I were waiting for you. Please sit,” he said, pointing to a sofa.

Amélie looked up at her with wide brown eyes. The woman had lost weight since the last time they’d met―and she’d been thin to begin with.

Isolde took a calm, steadying breath, calling on her professional training to relax.

“Amélie. How are you feeling?” Isolde asked.

Amélie stood up. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” she said, including both Isolde and Drake in her apology. “I don’t know what―” Her throat moved up and down as she swallowed compulsively. “No,” she corrected herself. “It doesn’t matter. I’m … grateful that I didn’t hurt you―or myself.”

Isolde exchanged a quick look with Drake. Amélie’s heartfelt apology had gotten to him as well.

Over the next half hour, Amélie’s doctor led the conversation skillfully from the past to the present, and even got Amélie thinking about the future. Isolde and Drake discovered Amélie had been taking drugs to make her sleep for a long time, and weeks before the incident had started taking other drugs to make her more alert during the day. Though nobody was trying to excuse her actions, it was possible that the interaction between those two sets of drugs had precipitated the psychotic behavior they’d witnessed.

By the time they left the hospital, Isolde felt like she’d run a marathon―she was glad she’d done it, but felt physically and emotionally drained. They got back in the car in silence.