Marc is waiting for me.' There were hasty good-byes, and Ketiaall had gotten into her car and driven off. Driving back to New York, she had decided to take a winding country road over to 1684.1 She was traveling at almost fifty miles per hour as she rounded a sharp curve and spotted a car parked on the right side of the road. Kendall automatically swerved to the left. At that moment, a woman carrying a handful of freshly picked flowers started to cross the narrow road. Kendall tried frantically to avoid her, but it was too late. Everything seemed to happen in a blur. She heard a sickening thud as she hit the woman with her left front fender. Kendall brought the car to a screeching stop, her whole body trembling violently. She ran back to where the woman was lying in the road, covered with blood. Kendall stood there, frozen.
Finally she bent down and turned the woman over, and looked into her sightless eyes. ', my God!' Kendall whispered. - She felt the bile rising in her throat. She looked up, desperate, not knowing what to do.
She swung around in a panic. There were no cars in sight. She's dead, Kendall 22j, thought. I can't help her. This was not my fault, but they'll accuse me of reckless dnink driving. My blood will show alcohol.
hi go to prison!' She took one last look at the body of the woman, then hurried back to her car. The left front fender was dented, and there were blood spots on it. I've got to put the car away in a garage, Kendall thought. The police will be searching for it. She got into the car and drove off. For the rest of the drive into New York, she kept looking into the rearview mirror, expecting to see flashing red lights and to hear the sound of a siren. She drove into the garage on Ninety-sixth Street where she kept her car. Sam, the owner of the garage, was talking [email protected] Red, his mechanic. Kendall got out of the car.
"Evenin', Mrs. Renaud,' Sam said. ' ... Good evening.' She [email protected] to keep her teeth from chattering. ' it away for the night?" ... yes, please.' Red was looking at the fender. ' got a bad dent here, Mrs. Renaud. Looks like there's blood on it.' The two men were looking at her. Kendall took a deep breath. '. I ... I hit a deer on the highway."'re lucky it didn't do more damage,' Sam said. ' friend of mine hit a deer and it ruined his car.' He grinned. ''t do much for the deer either.' 222 , you'll just put it away,' Kendall, said tightly. '.' Kendall walked over to the garage door, then looked back. The two men were staring at the fender. When Kendall got home and told Marc about the terrible thing that had happened, he took her in his arms and said,'Oh, my God! Darling, how could ... T Kendall was sobbing.
"I ... I could(In't help it. She started across the road right in front of me. She ... she had been picking flowers and '! I'm sure it wasn't your fault. It was an accident. We've got to report this to the police." - 11 know. You're right. I . @.. I should have stayed there and waited for them to come. I just ... panicked, Marc. Now ifs a hit-and-run. But there wasn't anything I could do for her. She was dead. You should have seen her face. It was awful.' He held her for a long time, until she quieted down. When Kendall spoke, she said tentatively, ' ... do we have to go to the policet He frowned. ' do you men?' She was fighting hysteria. ', it's over, isn't it? Nothing can bring her back. What good would it do for them to punish me? I didn't mean to do it. Why couldn't we just pretend it never happenedt ', if they ever traced -' - ' can they? There was no one around.." about your car? Was it damagedt 223 ''s a dent. I told the garage attendant I hit a deer.' She was fighting for control. ', no one saw the accident. Do you know what would happen to me if they arrested me and sent me to prison? I'd lose my business, everything I've built up all these years, and for what? For something that's already done! It's over!' She began to sob again. He held her close. '! We'll see. We'll see.' The morning papers gave the story a big play. What gave it added drama was the fact that the dead woman had been on her way to Manhattan to be married. The New York Times covered it as a straight news story, but the Daily News and Newsday played it up as a heart-tugging drama: Kendall bought a copy of each newspaper, and she became more and more horrified at what she had done. Her mind was filled with all the terrible ifs. if I hadn't gone to Connecticut-for my-friends birthday ... If I had stayed home that day ... If I hadn't had anything to drink.
. If the woman had picked the flowers a few seconds earlier or a few seconds later ... rm responsible for murdering another human being!
Kendall thought of the terrible grief she had caused the woman's family, and her franck's family, and she felt sick to her stomach again.
According to the newspapers, the police were asking 224 for information from anyone who might have a clue about the hit-and-run. They have no way offinding me, Kendall thought. All I have to do is act as if nothing happened.' When Kendall went to the garage to pick up her car the next morning, Red was there. 11 wiped the blood off the car,' he-.said. ' you want me to fix the dentt . Of course! She should have thought of it sooner. ', please.' Red was looking at her strangely. Or was it her imagination? ' and I talked about it last night,' he said. It's funny, you know. A deer should have done a lot more damage. 9 1 .
Kendall's heart began to beat wildly. Her mouth was Isuddenly so dry she could hardly speak..'It was ... a small deer.' Red nodded laconically.'Must have been real small.' Kendall could feel his eyes on her as she drove out of the garage. When Kendall walked into her office her secretary, Nadine, took one look at her and said, ' happened to yout Kendall froze. ' ... what do you meant ' look shaky. Let me get you some coffee.".' 225 Kendall walked over to the mirror.
Her face looked pale and drawn. They're going to know just by looking at me! Nadine came into the office with a cup of hot coffee. '. This will make you feel better.' She looked at Kendall curiously. ' everything all right?" ... I had a little accident yesterday," Kendall said. '? Was anyone hurt?' In her mind, she could see the face of the dead woman. '. I ... I hit a deer." about your car?"