He met her gaze, then turned on his heel and followed her from the room. “Well?”
“I’ve gone over this before. She’s not deaf and she’s not in a coma, so you will not act as if she is.”
“She lies there like a dead person. She won’t speak or respond and you say she’s—”
“If you accept her the way she is, it will only encourage her. I won’t let you make my job harder by—”
“Won’t let me? Who the hell do you think you are?”
“Your daughter’s doctor. Who the hell do you think you are?” She paused and then her lips curved in a faint smile. “The President of the United States?”
His anger suddenly left him. “So I’m told, but evidently that doesn’t impress you.”
“It impresses me. You’ve been a good president. But that doesn’t mean you know more than I do about your daughter’s condition. If you want me to treat her, I have to be the boss.”
He stared thoughtfully at her. She was quite small and her short, curly blond hair and luminous complexion made her look much younger than her thirty-two years. But there was intelligence in those brown eyes and an incisive boldness in her manner that definitely was not childlike. “I’m not accustomed to taking a backseat, Dr. Riley.”
She smiled, the aggressiveness gone. “I know. It’s very difficult for you. But you’ve got to accept it.”
“How do I know you’re right? How do you know you’re right?”
“I don’t. We can study, guess, and second-guess, but the mind is still a mystery to us. But I’ve been through this many times before and I have a better chance than you of hitting on the answer.”
“You think she’s fully aware?”
She nodded. “More than aware. I’ve found in cases like this the senses become terribly acute. It’s as if rejecting the outside world and turning inward releases some power that’s usually inhibited.”
“The other doctors never mentioned anything like that.”
“I can only tell you what I’ve experienced.”
“With your sister?”
“With Mellie and others.” She rubbed her temple. “You knew I was a bit of a maverick when you hired me. I can only do my best based on what I’ve learned. If that’s not good enough, then fire me. But don’t try to take control. Conflict might send Cassie deeper and further away from us.”
He didn’t speak for a moment, then said gruffly, “ I . . . didn’t mean to go against your instructions in there. You have no idea how different she is now. I’ve never known a stronger child than my Cassie. She’s the last kid anyone would pick to go under like this. There was nothing fragile about her. She was always such a fighter. When I saw her all curled up like a— I felt so damn angry that I—”
“I know.” She added deliberately, “And you don’t really trust me.”
“I don’t trust anyone when it comes to Cassie. I’m her father and I should be the one to help her, not some—”
“Shrink?” She nodded. “I agree. But sometimes it doesn’t work like that. Sometimes they totally reject familiarity. So the shrink has to take over. Now, are we going to work together, or do you want to find someone else?”
“It sounds more like you’re opting for sole guardianship.”
“No. Just don’t put barriers in my way.”
“And do as you say.”
“Right.”
He thought about it. “Okay. We’ll see how you do as commander in chief.”
“And if I don’t measure up, you’ll fire me in a heartbeat?”
“Exactly. Now, if there’s nothing else, I’ll go sit with my daughter.”
“There’s something else. I need more information.”
“What kind?”
“About Vasaro.”
“We’ve told you what happened.”
“Before the attack, did your daughter like Vasaro?”
“She loved it. Who wouldn’t? Vasaro grows flowers for the perfume trade, and what kid doesn’t like farm life? Acres of lavender and lilies and far away from the strictures of D.C.”
“She’d spent time there before?”
Andreas nodded. “Often. Caitlin Vasaro is her godmother and they’re very close. She lets Cassie work in the fields and pick the flowers for the perfume.” His lips tightened. “It’s damnable Cassie will never be able to go back now.”
“Why?”
“If you could have seen her that night, you’d know why. She was covered with blood and gore. The trauma made her what she is now. If we get her back—when we get her back—there’s no way I’d ever let her go to Vasaro again.”