Wicked Forest (DeBeers 2)

nodded.

"Okay, tell me about Linden," he commanded

as we headed out. "What did he do now?"

I described Linden and what I had discovered

he had done to his paintings. Thatcher listened

intently, his face grim. We got into his car. He sat

there for a moment in silence and didn't start the car. "Thatcher?"

"I don't like the sound of it. Willow. Art has

been his whole life. For him to turn his back on that

has to be something very serious. I'm not the

psychiatrist here, but to me it sounds like another

attempted suicide. He's simply destroying himself in

another way. Not only are you possibly endangering

your mother and yourself, but you're certainly risking

Linden's health and welfare by not committing him. "I don't like to lecture anyone," he said. "I hate

when anyone lectures me, but it seems to me this is

just the wrong time for Grace and you to be taking on

all the added responsibility of running Jaya del Mar.

Let my parents extend their lease for another year and

get that off your head for now."

I thought for a moment. Maybe he was right;

maybe I was pushing everyone too hard and this was

all my fault. Maybe my mother didn't even want to go

back into the main house.

"You don't even have to live on the grounds, if

you don't want to," Thatcher continued as he started

the engine and pulled away from the beach house. "I

can help you find a place more suited to your needs

and finances. It could do Grace a lot of good to have a

fresh view of things, don't you think?"