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On one of his return trips to the pod, seven days later, Murdock called Declan, Irene, Annie, and Emily together for a private conversation.
“How’s Phylicia?” he asked as the other four trickled in toward the fire.
“She’ll recover most of the function in her hips,” Irene stated. “It’ll be some time before I’d say she has recovered it all.”
“Heather, Kimberly, and Phylicia have been secretive since you laid down the law,” Declan said as Emily came over.
“They may be planning something,” Emily reported. “In fact, I think it likely. None has given us any grief, though. I think it was a combination of you setting them straight and me not taking their crap.”
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s close to the end of summer,” Murdock informed them. “The weather is going to keep getti
