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Callu Hailey that Beth and Rilla obviously knew and loved was not the Hailey he had seen He remembered the New Year’s Eve party She’d been serious—solemn even And she’d most certainly been alone The picture her sisters painted just didn’t fit in with the first impressions he had already formed

What had happened to her?

His s were interrupted by a cry of distress from Tom He looked up to find his son wild-eyed in front of hi down his cheeks

‘My orchie, Daddy I’ve lost orchie’

Calluut clench at the distress in his son’s voice He pulled him down onto his lap and cuddled him close ‘It’s OK, Tommy, it was just here—it can’t be too far away’

Hailey saw the look in To akin to panic She’d wondered about the connection to the rather austere object Was it some kind of colanced at Rilla and Beth, who looked equally bewildered

She’d been aware of a hard object pressing into her good foot for a while and suddenly it clicked as to what it was Tom’s torch Heit on her injury earlier

She bent at the waist to retrieve it ‘Ahh! Look what I’ve found!’ Hailey exclaimed

‘Orchie! Orchie!’ To it close

‘Toently ‘It’s not polite to snatch Say thank you to Hailey’

‘Oh, thank you, Hailey Thank you!’ To his arms around her neck

The torch was squashed into her chest and Hailey wondered if there would be a bruise there in the ratitude, overrode any disco to her and Hailey held hiht

‘OK, Toot orchie, now go back and watch the telly’