Page 53 (1/2)

I felt dizzy There was a long pause

"Miss? Codi?"

"Rita, I’ his ot a disease thatto do his job, but he got mixed up about as the appropriate way to talk to you"

"I heard that That he had that disease where you go cuckoo and turn back into a baby"

"Well, that’s not quite the way I’d put it, but it’s true Occasionally rumors are true"

"Is it true you’re really a doctor?"

I looked out my eastat the wall of red rock that rose steeply behind the house "No," I said "That isn’t true Did he tell you that?"

"No" She paused "Well, yeah He said soo, that you were inBut not this last time I heard it from somebody else, that you’re a doctor and Doc Ho to take over"

"Take over?"

"Take over being the doctor for Grace They said you already saved that baby down at Dona Althea’s restaurant"

"Oh, Jesus Christ"