Cry for the Strangers by John Saul Read Free Book Online

Randall.”
    “Who?” Robby asked blankly.
    Rebecca’s response was more positive. “Dr. Randall? Why didn’t you tell me? Where was he? Is he still in town?”
    “One at a time,” Glen protested. “He and his wife are on vacation and they happened to be at the café when I went in for lunch. They’re staying at the inn, and I told them to stop by tonight or tomorrow.”
    “Company …” Rebecca breathed, then glanced quickly around the tiny room, wondering what the Randalls would think of it. Robby was still gazing at his father.
    “Who’s Dr. Randall?” he asked again.
    Behind him Missy’s voice piped up. “Oh, Robby, he was your doctor. Don’t you remember?”
    “No.”
    “You never remember anything ,” Missy taunted him.
    “You’ll remember him in the morning,” Glen said, putting a quick end to the budding argument. “I think it’s time you two were in bed.”
    “It’s too early,” Robby objected automatically.
    “You don’t know what time it is,” Rebecca said.
    “Well, whatever time it is, it’s too early,” Robby insisted. “We always stay up later than this.”
    “Not tonight, you don’t,” Glen said. “Come on, both of you.”
    He picked his daughter up and took his son by the hand. A moment later they were all in the tiny bedroom the two children shared. Glen helped them into their pajamas, then tucked them into the bunk beds, Robby on top and Missy below. He had started to kiss them good-night when Missy spoke.
    “Daddy, can we have a light on in here?”
    “A light? Since when do you need a light?”
    “Just for tonight,” Missy begged. “I don’t like the storm.”
    “It’s only wind and thunder and lightning, darling. It won’t hurt you.”
    “Then what about Snooker?” Robby put in. “Can’t he sleep with us tonight?”
    Snooker, the small black-and-white spaniel, stood in the doorway, his tail wagging hopefully, his soulful brown eyes pleading. Glen almost gave in, then changed his mind.
    “No,” he said firmly. “He can’t. You know very well that dogs belong outside, not inside.”
    “But he’ll get all wet,” Missy argued.
    “He’ll survive. He sleeps under the house anyway.”
    Before the children could argue any more, Glen kissed them both and picked up the lantern. “See you both in the morning,” he said, then pulled the door closed behind him.
    He put a protesting Snooker outside, then sat down next to Rebecca, slipping an arm around her.
    “Don’t let it get to you,” he said softly. “By tomorrow old Blake will have forgotten all about his damned dishes.”
    “Hmm? Oh, I wasn’t worried about that. It’s Robby.”
    “Robby?”
    “How could he have forgotten Dr. Randall?”
    “Children do that.”
    “But, my God, Glen, he spent two or three hours a week with Randall for almost three years.”
    “Then he’s blocked it.” Glen shrugged. “What’s so mysterious about that?”
    “I didn’t say it was mysterious,” Rebecca said. “It just seems … odd, I guess.”
    They fell silent then and sat quietly in front of the fire, listening to the wind and the pounding of the surf.
    “I do love it here,” Rebecca said after a while. “Even when I think I can’t make it through another day, all I have to do is listen to that surf and I know everything’s going to be all right.” She snuggled closer. “It is, isn’t it?”
    “Of course it is,” Glen said. “It just takes a little time.”
    A few moments later, as Glen and Rebecca were about to go to bed, a small voice summoned them to the bedroom. Missy sat bolt upright in the lower bunk while Robby peered dolefully down at her from the upper.
    “I told her not to call you,” Robby said importantly.
    “I heard something outside,” Missy declared, ignoring her brother.
    “What did you hear, darling?” Rebecca asked gently.
    “I’m not sure, but it was something.”
    “Sort of a rustling sound?”
    The little girl’s head bobbed eagerly.
    “It was probably