Winner The Crystal Awards 2016, Best Multimedia Story (3d Place).
A spinster doctor rents her spare room to a brain-damaged patient who doesn't know he is a former undercover agent targeted for execution by a powerful criminal.
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Here are the concluding paragraphs of Chapter 16, "Festival," from last week's installment of DUBY'S DOCTOR.
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At the wheel of Averell's limousine, Trish glanced in the rearview mirror at Rico, Mitchell, and Carinne – who was dripping rainwater from every hair and pore. Carinne was wild-eyed and trembling. Rico gripped his pistol in one hand and the arm of a groggy Mitchell in the other.
"She don't look so good," Trish said, just before Carinne leaned forward and retched all over Rico and the upholstery.
Rico shoved the girl away from him, snarling and wiping at his soiled clothes. Mitchell fought her way out of a stupor and leaned to try and help Carinne.
Rico glanced out the rear window and shouted, "Step on it! He's coming!"
"Who's coming?" Trish called back.
Mitchell looked behind them. "Johnny! Stop!" she shouted, as if he could hear.
"It's Dubreau!" Carinne sobbed.
"The dead guy?" Trish cried.
Rico roared, "Shut up and drive!"
The main street of Coconut Grove is closed to automobiles during the Arts Festival, and crowds pack the pavement from curb to curb for more than a mile. The limousine was not supposed to be on the street, and its progress was reduced to a crawl by the artists, booths, customers, bicyclists, in-line skaters, skateboarders, and even dogs that thronged the festival grounds.
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Jean was gaining on the car. He ran full tilt, pounding the pavement, splashing through rainwater, wiping water from his eyes. He was obsessed with catching that limousine, but Mitchell's knee was not holding up. With every slam of his left foot on the pavement, the pain in his leg jumped three levels in intensity. Blood from his wounded shoulder washed down his shirt and pants.
The limo was nearly within his reach when it cleared the Arts Festival congestion, turned onto an empty street, and sped off through the storm, hopelessly fast.
"Carinne!" he yelled. "Carinne!"
He ran with everything in him, but the knee collapsed,sending him rolling like a runaway barrel through gravel, mud, and puddles. Hestill didn't know that someone more important to him than Carinne was in thedeparting limo.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Now, enjoy Chapter 17 of DUBY'S DOCTOR.
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