Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul Read Free Book Online

than either you or I. Making a new friend often takes a child’s mind off the pain.”
    A look passed between the two doctors, a look that June almost missed. It was as if Carson had asked her husband a question, and Cal had answered. Yet, there was something more, a silent communion between them that worried June. And then Michelle appeared in the foyer, and suddenly everything was settled.
    “Want to go on a housecall?” she heard Carson asking her daughter.
    “Really?” Michelle glanced at her mother, then turned to her father, her eyes glistening.
    “It seems Dr. Carson thinks you might be therapeutic to one of our patients.”
    “Who?” Michelle asked eagerly.
    “Sally Carstairs. She’s about your age, and her arm hurts. Dr. Carson wants to use you for a painkiller.”
    Michelle looked to her mother for permission, but June hesitated for a moment.
    “She isn’t sick?”
    “Sally?” Carson said. “Good Lord, no. Just hurt her arm. But if you want Michelle to stay here—”
    “No—take her, by all means. It’s time she met a girl her age. In the last two weeks, the only person she’s seen is Jeff Benson.”
    “Who’s a very nice boy,” Cal pointed out.
    “I didn’t say he wasn’t. But a girl needs girl friends, too.”
    Michelle started toward the stairs. “I’ll be right back.” She disappeared up the stairs, and a moment later reappeared with her green bookbag tucked under her arm.
    “What’s that?” Josiah Carson asked.
    “A doll,” Michelle explained. “I found it upstairs—in my closet. I thought maybe Sally might like to see it.”
    “Here?” Carson asked. “You found it here?”
    “Uh-huh. It’s really old.” Suddenly Michelle’s face clouded, and she looked up at Carson worriedly. “I guess it must belong to your family, huh?”
    “Well, I don’t know,” Carson replied. “Why don’t you let me see it?”
    Michelle opened the bookbag and took out the doll.She offered it to Carson, who glanced at it, but didn’t take it.
    “Interesting,” he said. “I suppose it must have belonged to someone in the family, but I’ve never seen it before.”
    “If you want it, you can have it,” Michelle said, disappointment plain on her face.
    “Now what on earth would I do with it?” Carson replied. “You keep it, and enjoy it. And keep it at home.”
    June looked at the old doctor sharply. “Keep it at home?” she repeated.
    She was sure Carson hesitated, but when he spoke his voice was ingenuous. “It’s a beautiful doll, and obviously an antique. I don’t think Michelle would want anything to happen to it, would she?”
    “She’d be brokenhearted,” Cal agreed. “Take it back up to your room, honey, and then we’ll get going. Josiah, shall we follow you?”
    “Fine. I’ll wait in my car.” He said good-bye to June, then left the Pendletons alone together.
    Cal gave June a quick hug. “Now don’t do anything you shouldn’t. I don’t want to be up all night with you in labor.”
    “Don’t worry. I’ll do the dishes, then curl up with a good book.” Cal started out the door as Michelle came downstairs once more. “Be careful,” she suddenly added, and Cal turned back.
    “Be careful? What could happen?”
    “I don’t know,” June replied. “Nothing, I suppose. But be careful, anyway, all right?”
    She waited at the open door until they were gone, then slowly started clearing the table. By the time she had finished, she knew what was bothering her.
    It was Josiah Carson.
    June Pendleton just didn’t like him, but she still wasn’t sure why.
    Josiah Carson drove quickly, so familiar with the streets of Paradise Point that he had no need to concentrate on the road. Instead, he wondered what was going to happen when Cal Pendleton had to examine Sally Carstairs. Cal, he knew, had been avoiding children ever since that day in Boston last spring. But tonight Josiah would find out just how damaged Cal Pendleton was. Would he panic? Would the memories of