The next day, Declan was better, but was still bedridden and conscious only part of the time.
“What did Murdock tell you about your sister’s death?” Phylicia asked sweetly and quietly once everyone had left her alone with him.
“He said…she was killed…by a man called…Whittier,” Declan managed weakly.
“Was that James W. Whittier, III?” she asked sweetly, hypnotically, “if you know,” offhandedly.
“I think…that was…the name,” Declan said. “How…did you…know?”
“You told us when you were delirious. I would like you to listen and consider,” Phylicia said in her best hypnotic tone. “James W. Whittier, III was my distaff second cousin. I knew him quite well! Back home, he was a kindly man who was a Mayor of a smallish town. I know, for a fact, that he wouldn’t — couldn’t — hurt anyone or anythi
