course you yourself are still a threat to him.â
âYes.â
The door opened, and Dan put his head in. âWant some breakfast?â
âNo, thanks.â
He smiled at Dr. Cullen and closed the door.
She stood up. âIâd do anything in the world to help.â
âThank you. For one thing, you can let me dispense with the bedpan.â
âOkay. If youâll be careful and let a nurse help you up.â
âAnd donât jab me with any more of that sleep stuff.â
âPromise.â She squeezed my hand. âYouâll probably doze off once more. Iâve stopped all calls till noon. Youâll be fine by then.â
âAnd if you really want to help, you can let me go home today.â
She smiled and walked to the door. âI donât believe Iâve told you that my father was a New York City police officer.â
âReally?â
âBelieve me, youâre a lot safer here than you would be at home.â
I said ungraciously, âIs that the police officerâs daughter speaking or the doctor in cahoots with my family?â
Now she laughed. âSome of both.â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Dr. Cullen was right; I woke up refreshed and hungry. Lunch trays rattled in the hall. I hobbled to the bathroomâthe heck with the nurseâhobbled back to bed, and was pouring myself the last of Saddâs tank car when Dan came in with steaming soup and a salad.
âWonderful,â I said, tackling the soup. âDan, we need a conference.â
âYes. Henry and Kit are both coming in.â
He went out, and I settled back to answer a series of five phone calls in quick succession.
Henryâs was the first. âYou sound better, Mom. I hope I didnât upset you further by emphasizing Salâs danger.â
âOf course not, dear. If I hadnât been so punchy, Iâd have realized it sooner. Itâs frustratingâbut no police yet.â
âMeanwhile you can work on Do It Yourself. Youâve done it before.â
âBut Iâm stuck here till Christmas Eve! Dr. Cullen wonât let me out! Do I detect your fine handââ
âLookâlie back and play Nero Wolfe. Weâll all play Archie. We might even bring you orchids. See you later.â
Second call. âMrs. Gamadge, this is Kit. Are you okay? Can you handle some brainstorming this afternoon?â
âI sure can. And speaking of handling thingsâthanks for last night.â
âHen and Danny hit it off great. Be seeing you.â
Third call. âClara, Iâm mad and jealous.â
âWhy, Tina?â
âBecause Henry is taking today and tomorrow off, and he and Kit and Dan will be huddling with you, and Iâm stuck in the office. Erâone more thing. Sal just called me.â
My mouth went a little dry. âAt the office?â
âYes. She said sheâd tried the hospital and you werenât allowed calls this morning and she had an awful feeling she knew why. Youâd heard about that woman who was murdered, and she was a friend of both of yours, and you were probably devastated.â
âWhat did you say?â
âI said yes, you certainly were devastated, and it would be best if she not try to call you right away.â
âBless you, Tina.â
The fourth caller was Sadd. âHave you pulled yourself together?â
âI was never apart,â I said indignantly.
âI almost was. After I delivered Hen to Kitâs mother, I walked back toward the chapel, and I wish I hadnât. They were carting your poor friend out.â
âOh, God, Sadd, why did you go near the place?â
âI didnât go near itâI wasnât allowed to. Actually, all I wanted to do was duck in that little library. I saw a book there yesterday I wanted to borrow.â
Death and disaster strike, and Sadd wants to borrow a book.
He went on, âIâm on my way