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"The doctor said he’d be okay here," Rob said froood," I said Then I rerandood that Manfred was in this hospital after all Shit More to worry about

So e got back to the cabin, we packed everything - just in case - and put it in the car - just in case We put out the fire We hung the cabin key froet to return it to Twyla - just in case Then we drove back into Doraville We’d taken the opportunity to freshen up, since we’d had so little ti because I’d been more active that day than I should, and I took a pain pill I felt almost ashamed to pop one, there were sofar worse than I; but the only pain I could ease was ?" Tolliver asked as we caht ahead would take us out of town Turning left would take us to the hospital

"I wish," I said "But I think we have to make sure Manfred and his mom are okay Don’t we?"

Tolliver looked stubborn "I bet Manfred’s h She’d have to be, with Xylda for a ave him a sideways look

"Yeah, okay," he said, and took the left turn

Chapter 12

MANFRED’S er version of her mother The resemblance was only physical, I discovered Rain was not the least bit psychic, and she hadn’t had any special rapport with Xylda Rain worked in a factory and had risen to e a single mom She was dismayed that Manfred had followed in Xylda’s footsteps and not hers But she loved her son, and she’d loved her mother, and she was pretty subdued at Manfred’s bedside "Subdued," for Rain, meant she only talked fifty words a second instead of a hundred

She had the family red hair, and she had the curves of her enerous In fact, Rain was a very attractive woman, and I was pretty sure she hadn’t seen her fortieth birthday yet

We were there when the first of the usual callers came in Barney Simpson was more solemn than I’d ever seen him, and I wondered if he was a friend of Tom Almand’s After Barney had asked his usual questions about his patient’s co in the hospital, he lingered I wondered if he was aduy

"I’m very sorry about your mother," Barney told Rain "She was a colorful lady, and I know you’ll miss her She made quite an impression on this little co reh Manfred was lying there pale and in pain, a twitch of a s that," Rain said, not to be outdone in courtesy "Thank you for taking such good care of her Manfred said you came by to see her Her health was so poor that both Manfred and I know she was due to go anyti" She cast a quelling look at Manfred, who had closed his eyes, absenting himself from the whole conversation

"Manfred thinks she should have an autopsy," Rain said "And she hadn’t been under a doctor’s care here in Doraville Though of course she had doctors in Tennessee, and she saw her cardiologist right before she left for Doraville What do you think?"

Dr Tho outside, folks," and shook a few droplets off his uly

"It’s good you came in here now," Barney said "Letabout" Barney repeated Rain’s question "What about it, Len?" he asked

"Depends on e hear fro "If her doctor there is of the opinion that her death was expectable, not a surprise, no questions to be answered about it, then I think it would be reasonable to assume we didn’t need an autopsy, and that’s what I’ll reco both his hands to show us "caution," "if that doctor isn’t satisfied - and he knew her best - we’ll have to check into it"

Dr Thomason had put it in such a matter-of-fact way that you felt quite sane and reasonable after listening, and you were sure this was the right course That manner of his h toto do with the boys’ deaths Now, as I watched hiravely at soain how easily Len Thoo with him anywhere Everyone trusts a doctor There were a hundred things he could have said to induce a young ht now I couldn’t think of any, but I was sure given time I would

Even Barney Sihthearted of individuals, perked up around Dr Thoht before; no, he’d peeked in and gone away He hadn’t even gone into the roo with son on the door Anyone would go with him, too He was so meek and mild, so pink and polite

Why was I even worried about further suspects? Tom Almand had been arrested The case was closed It was hard to believe one man could cause so much misery Even Al about the whole thing that felt - unsealed, uncompleted

I was sure that Tom had had an accomplice, a partner in crio away While Tolliver talked to Barney Simpson, and Rain discussed Manfred’s injury with Dr Thomason, I picked out the reasons I suspected this I had them all in my head when I looked up to meet Manfred’s eyes I felt Manfred connect with me Suddenly Manfred said, "Mom"

Startled, Rain turned to the bed "What, honey? You feeling okay?"

"I’ve been thinking," he said "I won’t argue with you about the autopsy if you’ll let Harper touch Grandmother and tell us what she sees"

Rain looked from Manfred to me, and I could tell fro to hide revulsion She not only hadn’t fully believed in her mother’s talent, she had loathed it "Oh, Manfred," she said, really upset, "that won’t be necessary And I’m sure Harper wouldn’t want to do that"

"I’ll kno she died," I said "And I’m sure cheaper and less invasive than an autopsy"

"Harper," she said, giving led with herself for atoward Dr Thomason "Would you mind very much, Doctor? If Harper - sees - my mother?"

"No, not at all," Dr Thoo realized that there’s more to this earth than we see in our practice If that would bring coreeable" He seemed sincere But then, a sociopath like the one who’d killed the boys would seeht? Otherwise, people would have spotted hi about the boy as taken to Asheville?" I asked

"Yes, I have" Tho, not at all But they don’t think his life is in danger They think he’ll recover Most of his silence is psychological, not physical That is, his tongue and voice box are in working order Lungs, too Well Miss Connelly, the body is at Sweet Rest Funeral Home on Main I’ll call the you"