“He requested leave; he’s never taken leave before, so he was due. I thought nothing of it. Is something wrong?”“You didn’t ask where he was...going?” Vondi asked, ignoring Joric’s confusion.“It didn’t cross my mind,” Joric admitted, his confusion growing. “We own his life as a soldier, but his personal time is his own. I never even asked, simply told him to be back by the third week of Mephae. What’s this about?”Radu didn’t respond, merely turned to his sister. Vondi tilted her head at him and. ”Grandpa just nods his head for the nurse to see. She is intelligent enough to know that it is his only means of communicating at the moment. She tells me, “I will make a note and inform the doctors involved.”I give her a half-smile and say, “Thank you. Is there a place where I can make some long-distance calls? Somebody needs to phone her children. If it is possible, I would like to read her chart before I start phoning. There is no point in phoning if I don’t know anything.”“The chart uses. There was also no one there to observe who may have been on board the plane. The car went directly to the Cerconi home, a larger than average home in a fine residential neighborhood.Before exiting the car, Mr. Cerconi addressed Jeremy for only the second time this night. "When you go inside, my maid will show you to your room. You are to speak to no one this evening, nor to anyone in the morning until you meet me in my study at 0900. Is that clear?" Jeremy nodded that he understood.Still. When I finally went down to the lounge Dad was once again snoozing, as expected - following last night's night outing and sexual activity, and Mom was reading. She was tilted back and had her legs crossed and closely together and this confirmed to me that it was all over and I might as well get on with my crossword. After some time I looked up from the page to find Mom looking at me and when she saw she had my attention she looked down at her crossed legs and then cocked her eyebrow.