When the Wind Blows by John Saul

Author:John Saul [Saul, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-76827-8
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2010-11-02T16:00:00+00:00

14

Bill Henry pried the trap lose from Edna Amber’s fingers, set it on the the kitchen table, then gently massaged the damaged hand. There were deep grooves where the jaw of the trap had bitten into her flesh, and the ends of her fingers were swollen and turning black. The skin, however, was not broken.

“At least we won’t have to give you a tetanus shot,” he said.

“Are they broken?” Edna asked. She flexed the fingers experimentally, and pain shot up her arm.

“I don’t think so I can take some X rays if you want, but I think they’re just badly bruised. You should be fine in a couple of days. How’d it happen?”

Edna’s face tightened in anger as she remembered.

“That child!” She spat the word out as if it tasted sour.

“She put a rattrap in the hen house and covered it with oats. Can you imagine? Oats!”

Bill frowned. “Why would she do that?”

“Why do children do anything?” Edna asked bitterly. “I don’t understand why Diana insists on keeping her here. She’s no more equipped to be a mother than—” Words failed her, and she glared at Bill. “—than I don’t know what!” she finished.

Bill bathed her injured hand with alcohol, then rubbed some ointment on it.

“What’s that for?” Edna asked, peering at her hand suspiciously.

“Nothing, really. It’s some zinc oxide, and it’s more to make you feel as though I’ve done something than for any good it will do you.”

“A placebo.”

“Exactly.”

Edna got up and went to the sink and proceeded to wash the salve off, then dried her fingers. “I don’t approve of such things, Dr. Henry,” she said. She returned to the table and sat down again. She studied Bill’s face for a moment, then looked away from him.

“I want you to help me.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

The old woman ignored his comment. “You have a—” She paused, as if groping for words, then went on. “—a certain amount of influence with Diana. I want you to convince her to send Christie away.”

Bill shook his head. “I can’t do that,” he said.

“Why not?”

Now he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “Lots of reasons. Mostly, I don’t see any reason for it. If you want to know the truth, I think Christie’s good for Diana. It’s time Diana had someone in her life other than you.”

“Don’t be impertinent, young man,” Edna snapped.

“I’m not.” Bill’s voice became more intense. “I’m telling you the truth, Miss Edna. You’ve had Diana to yourself for years. But you’re not going to live forever. Have you thought about what’s going to happen to Diana when you die?”

The old woman frowned at him. “What are you talking about? I have no intention of dying, not for a long time yet.”

“But it will happen. And what happens to Diana then? What’s her life going to be like? Have you thought about that?”

The old woman stood up and began pacing the floor, unconsciously massaging her injured hand. “Of course I have. And frankly, I don’t know what to do about it.

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