They all gathered over a somber breakfast the next morning . Karen asked Jarvis to bring her a cordless phone, and she dialed the hospital . Everyone watched her silently as she waited for the doctor to come on the line .

"Hello ---- Yes . . . Oh, thank goodness !" Turning to the rest of them, she whispered, "There's been no change ." Then, she turned her attention back to the phone . "Oh . . . . I see . . . but it is possible he'll recover fully, isn't it ? Isn't it ?" Her face fell as she listened . She turned to the others and in a halting, croaking voice she said, "The doctor says if he lives, he'll probably have severe brain damage ."

An audible gasp rippled through the room at the awful news . But Karen's attention was suddenly riveted back to the phone . "What ? I don't understand . Yes, but ---- no ! You can't be serious !" Her face drained of color as she stared at Nila and slowly hung up the phone .

"What is it ?" Jack asked, springing up and going over to her .

"It wasn't a heart attack after all," Karen told them, her eyes wide and blinking rapidly . "It was an overdose of Father's medicine . It slowed his metabolism down so much that his brain was starved for oxygen, and he went into a coma. The doctor says he's calling in the police ."

"You," Philip shouted, pointing at Nila, who had shrunk back in her chair, thunderstruck . "You poisoned him !"

He...