I helped her sit more comfortably, then pulled out my phone. Before I could call for an ambulance, the front door slammed upstairs.
« Dorothy? » Alex yelled.
His footsteps pounded through the house.
When he appeared at the bottom of the stairs, his face went white. A paper pharmacy bag slipped from his hand.
« What happened? »
« You left an 83-year-old woman alone in a house where she could fall, » I snapped.
He stared at Dorothy, then rushed toward us.
« I was gone for 20 minutes. »
« That was enough. »
« Greta, » Dorothy warned.
Alex knelt beside her. His hands trembled as he checked her ankle.
« I’m so sorry, » he said. « I should have told you not to come down here. »
« You did tell me, » Dorothy admitted. « Several times. »
