15
Early in the second week after their hike, Paul heard the phone ring through to Sister O’Reilly. She always fielded his calls, so he kept scribbling in his notes. It had been a busy morning.
“Dr Webster,” Sister O’Reilly’s voice came through the intercom. “This one’s important.”
He pushed the glowing light for line one on the phone. “Dr Webster speaking.”
“Son of Miranda Webster?” the voice on the other end said.
His mouth went dry as dust and his heart thumped in his chest.
“I’m calling from Canberra Hospital ICU.”
“Yes.” Paul gripped the telephone receiver.
“Your mother had a heart attack sometime during the night. Her neighbour called for help when she didn’t see your mother as usual in the morning.”
His mother’s long-running feud with her neighbour might have saved her life
