Prayers for the Dead Read Online Free PDF Page B

All of the parties seemed relaxed — no frozen smiles, no stiff postures. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.
    The kids broke down into two groups: Dad’s side with black, curly hair and blue eyes, and Mom’s side with light brown hair and green eyes. Michael and another brother looked like Dad, Maggie, the other men, and a sister favored Mom.
    Decker took a closer look at the photo. One brother wore a clerical collar. St. Thomas’s was a Catholic church. Perhaps brother Bram was actually Father Bram. No wonder he had been so composed over the phone. The clergy was used to dealing with crises.
    A good-looking man in a pale, scholarly way. A face with regular features, and accented cheekbones. Sharp, sea-colored eyes behind the rimless glasses. Oak-brown hair and long. It fell past his shoulders.
    Decker continued to examine the picture, then did a double take. Another brother standing next to Dad. Bram’s face but without the academic pallor and glasses. Fleshier in the cheeks with shorter, styled hair.
    Michael came down the stairway. “She’s sleeping, but it’s restless.”
    “Do you have a family doctor you want to call, Michael?”
    “No, not really. Dad has always handled our medical care. We’re generally a very healthy bunch, including Mom. Maggie’s with her. She’ll be okay.”
    Decker pointed to the picture. “You have twin brothers?”
    Michael’s eyes went to the photograph. “Actually, triplets. Luke and Bram…” He pointed to the faces. “These two are identical twins obviously. They look even more alike now that Luke has taken off a few pounds.”
    “Bram’s a priest.”
    “Yeah. But we’re not Catholic. Only he is.”
    “Who is the other triplet?”
    “Paul.” Michael’s coloring had returned. “He looks more like me than his own twins. That’s genetics. Toss of the dice. This one is my older sister, Eva. She was born after the triplets. She’s kind of… well, my mother’s favorite after Bram. I think Mom was really happy to get a girl after three boys.”
    “I can imagine. How old are your sibs?”
    “Triplets are thirty-five, Eva’s thirty.”
    “And you’re…”
    “I’m twenty-five. Maggie’s twenty.”
    “Your mom had children every five years.”
    “I guess she did.”
    “When was the picture taken?”
    “For my dad’s sixtieth birthday… about two years ago. Seems like a hundred years ago.”
    Michael rubbed his eyes.
    “I feel like such a jerk. I’m a med student. Second year. I’ve been to Africa on missionary work. I’ve taken care of very sick people. I shouldn’t be falling apart like this. I should be doing better. Dad wouldn’t approve.”
    “You’re doing great under the circumstances, Michael.”
    “I don’t think so…”
    Decker patted his back.
    Dad wouldn’t approve
.
    Said a lot about the kid. Twenty-five, a med student, and still concerned about what Dad might think. Must be hard to be a son of a legend. Hard to forge that own identity. Said something for Michael that he chose to go into his father’s field knowing that people would always be making comparisons.
    Michael said, “It’s just that it’s such a shock. What happened?
How’d
it happen?”
    “He was found dead in his car.”
    “Where?” Michael bit his nails as he walked back and forth. “In the hospital parking lot? I’ve told Dad those places aren’t safe. I’ve told him a hundred times that he should carry Mace or pepper spray. Something. Anything.”
    “It happened in a back alley of Tracadero’s restaurant.”
    Michael stopped walking. “What? Where?”
    “In back of Tracadero’s,” Decker repeated. “Any idea what he was doing there?”
    “None whatsoever.”
    “Does your father eat at Tracadero’s?”
    “Maybe for a special occasion. Like one of our birthdays. Dad does like good food.” Michael bit his lower lip. “Mostly, he ate at the hospital. He practically lived at the hospital.”
    “Not home a lot.”
    “Almost never except