Read Online The Body in the Birches by Katherine Hall Page - Free Book Online Page A

magazines, seating with a view to durability not comfort, the sights and sounds of patients coming—and going. But it was real and he shouldn’t be alone there.
    â€œWould you like me to call your brothers for you?”
    â€œOkay.”
    There was a little relief in his voice. And then big relief after Faith spotted Tom and then quickly told Dick, “I can see the dinghy! They’re on the way in. Are you using Marian’s cell? Never mind, just stay on the line.”
    â€œI will.”
    She sped down the stairs and over the rocks to the dock. Tom, Ben, and Chris Knight, a sailing buddy of Tom’s, were within shouting distance. Faith hated to upset Ben, who definitely wasn’t used to this sort of crisis, but there was no choice.
    â€œTom, come as quickly as you can! Your mother’s in the hospital and your father is on the phone!”
    It seemed only seconds before he was talking to his father, Faith and Ben listening at his side.
    He hung up and the first thing he did was hug them both close to him.
    â€œShe’s going to be all right. We’re lucky to live in an area with the best medical care you can get, and the doctors have told Dad there’s no immediate danger. They don’t have a diagnosis yet, but she definitely had some kind of heart attack. A major one. Come upstairs, both of you, while I change and pack. Chris told me he could give me a ride to the airport and I’m going to take him up on it. Come to think of it, Ben, go tell him I’ll be ready in a few minutes and stow the gear in the boathouse.” He gave his son another quick squeeze, then started up the stairs with Faith close behind.
    â€œTom!” she said. “I’ll pack for both of us. I want to come with you. Your mother could want me there, too, and in any case, I can help take care of Dick.”
    â€œOf course she’ll want you. Eventually. But now you need to stay here with the kids. Explain that they won’t be able to see her. I don’t even know whether Dad and I can. Will you call both my uncles and tell them what’s happened? Once I know what Dad wants, I’ll call my sibs. You know Betsey for one will be on the next plane back, and that might upset Mom more than anything.”
    â€œOh, sweetheart, it’s so hard to believe.”
    Marian Fairchild was the picture of health with the stamina of a sixteen-year-old. Faith had never even known her to have a cold.
    Tom sat down on the bed and pulled her into his arms, his head bent. She knew he was praying. As she had been since she’d answered the phone.
    â€œYou change,” she said. “I’ll pack your things. And I’ll get someone to bring our car to Logan so you won’t waste time going home.”
    One of the things she had grown to appreciate about living in a small town like Aleford was the network of people who would help in times of trouble. There wouldn’t be a problem finding someone to drive the Fairchilds’ car followed by someone driving another out to the airport. It would easily save several hours.
    Less than twenty minutes had passed from the time of the call until Tom kissed her good-bye, told her he would phone when he got there, and drove off in the Knights’ Prius with Chris at the wheel. There was a network on Sanpere, too. Faith sat down on the top step of the porch and waited for Ben to come back from the boathouse.
    Bad news. Bad news on a sunny, cloudless, perfect Maine day.
    â€œNow that Autumn and Rory have arrived, I’d like to get everyone together after lunch. Pass the word if you will.” Paul McAllister paused and smiled at the late risers, who were still lingering over coffee in the kitchen. “I’ve always wanted to stand in front of a roomful of people and say, ‘You may have wondered why I have gathered you all here together’—like Hercule Poirot—but you all know why. So let’s get it out of the way and