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She heard the rocking chairsoftly now She stifled the screa chair andmore She drew a deep breath and walked quickly to the far side of the living roo pressure on it, so it move She walked around to the front of the chair

The air was as still and dead as the oldto the floor, his head bowed to his chest His fingernails scraped gently against the hardwood floor The sound was like a gun blast She stifled a screaainst her mouth Then she took several fast breaths She stared in fascination at the drops of blood that dripped slowly, inexorably, off the end of his er She turned on her heel and ran back into the hallway

She yelled, her voice hoarse with terror and the urge to vomit, "James! Doc Spiver is here! James!"

"One wonders--if you weren’t here, Ms Brandon, would there have been two deaths?"

Sally sat on the edge of Aently back and forth, just like old Doc Spiver had in that rocking chair Ja on the ar in the shadows for his prey to pass by Nohere, David Mountebank wondered, had that thought come from? James Quinlan was a professional, he knew that for sure now, knew it from the way Quinlan had handled the scene at Doc Spiver’s house more professionally than David would have, the way he had kept cal that had been extensive, had been received by someone who already had all the necessary skills--and that easy, calm temperament

Quinlan orried about Sally Brandon, David could see that, but there was so more that was hidden, and David hated that, hated the not knowing

"Don’t you agree, Ms Brandon?" he asked again, pressing now, gently, because he didn’t want her to collapse She was too pale, too drawn, but he had to find out what the devil was going on here

She said finally, with great siave him a slow smile "Actually, you and Sally arrived at nearly the same time That’s rather an odd coincidence, isn’t it?"

He was too close, Jaht, but he knew David Mountebank couldn’t possibly know anything All he could do was guess

"Yes," he said "It’s also one that I would have willingly forgone Amabel should be back soon Sally, would you like soainst the hardwood floor It scared me silly"

"It would scare me silly, too," David said "So, both of you were there just because Hunker Dawson fell off his chair and hurt his shoulder"

"Yes," Jahbors Nothing more except what a couple of the oldabout it didn’t o, that it was ti that they kneas dead and wanted you and Sally to be the ones to find him?"

"I have no idea It doesn’t "

"Do you think he killed hile of the shot, at how the gun fell, at how his body cruo either way Your medical exaood, but he isn’t that good He didn’t have the greatest training I’ll let hio at it, and if it turns out equivocal, then I’ll call Portland"

Sally looked up then "You really think he could have killed himself, James?"

He nodded He wanted to say more, but he knew he couldn’t, even if the sheriff weren’t here He had to rein in all the words that wanted to speak themselves to her It was too ed "Perhaps he had a terreat pain"

"Orand couldn’t stand it He killed himself to protect someone"

"Where did that come from, Ms Brandon?"

"I don’t know, Sheriff It’s all just hideous A ever happened here, at least nothingstuck in that old elm tree in his back yard What will happen to the cat?"