Read Online The Runes of the Earth: The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - Book One by Stephen R. Donaldson - Free Book Online Page A

around the hospital—
    â€œSure.” The request was routine between them. Sandy often stayed with Jeremiah when Linden was needed at night. “I don’t have any other plans.”
    Occasionally Sandy went out with Sam Diadem’s son; but she always gave Linden plenty of warning when she would not be available.
    Mustering gratitude to counteract her apprehension, Linden thanked Sandy again and put down the phone.
    Thomas Covenant had watched over his ex-wife with all of his considerable strength and intransigence, but he had not been able to prevent her abduction. If Roger had designs on Covenant’s ring, Linden hardly trusted herself to stop him. Sandy would pose no obstacle at all. And Jeremiah might be hurt in the struggle.
    Grimly determined now to organize every possible resource, she put in a call to Sheriff Lytton.

    U nfortunately Barton Lytton was “unavailable.” Linden was promised that he would call her back. With that she had to be content.
    For the rest of the morning, she struggled to concentrate. She wrote up her rounds; returned phone calls; read or reread a sheaf of advisory faxes on how to treat some of her patients; signed requisitions for medications and supplies. Studiously she did not look out at her car.
    When the pressure to do something, anything, about her gravid fears became too severe to be pushed aside, she went to check on Joan. But she found no relief there.
    Over lunch, she pumped Maxine shamelessly for gossip, hoping that some rumor of Roger’s actions or intentions had plucked a thread in Maxine’s vast web of friends. Uncharacteristically, however, Maxine knew less than she did herself. In a town as small as this one, it was difficult for anyone to visit a lawyer—or wander onto a long-abandoned property—without being noticed; remarked upon. Yet somehow Roger Covenant had escaped comment.
    Afterward Linden tackled more of her procedural duties. But she cancelled her sessions with her patients, as well as her remaining appointments. The thought that Sheriff Lytton might ignore her vexed her too much for such responsibilities.
    To her surprise and relief, however, he did call her back. As soon as she picked up the handset, he said, “Dr. Avery?” He spoke in a good-ol’-boy drawl, perhaps for her benefit. “You wanted to talk to me?”
    â€œThanks for returning my call, Sheriff.” Now that she had her chance, Linden felt flustered, unsure of herself. He was decidedly not a “fan” of hers. Somehow she would have to persuade him to take her seriously.
    â€œWe have a situation here that worries me,” she began unsteadily. “I hope you’ll be willing to help me with it.” Taking a deep breath, she said, “I believe you’ve spoken to Roger Covenant?”
    â€œSure have,” he replied without hesitation. “He came to see me yesterday. Pleasantyoung man. Son of that writer, the leper who lived on Haven Farm.” He stressed the word leper trenchantly.
    â€œHe came to see you?” Her voice broke. She had assumed that Roger had phoned Lytton. Had he known that she would call the sheriff? That he would need to forestall her?
    â€œSure. He’s new in town,” Lytton explained, “but he’s going to be here from now on. He says he’ll be living on Haven Farm. Seems he inherited the place. It’s been abandoned so long, he didn’t want me to think he’s some vagrant squatting where he doesn’t belong.
    â€œLike I say, he’s a pleasant guy.”
    Pleasant, Linden thought. And plausible when it suited him, that was obvious. No doubt to Lytton his explanation sounded perfectly reasonable.
    Her sense of peril mounted, carried by the hard labor of her heart.
    But she did not quail. Medicine had trained her for emergencies. And she was Linden Avery the Chosen, who had stood with Thomas Covenant against the Land’s doom. Men like Sheriff