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Phoebe hesitated "That’s great Isn’t it?"

"I…think so Only…"

"Only what?"

"Only it looks like you’re going to be writing the obituaries on your own for a while"

Phoebe gave her a puzzled sht I already told you I don’tthat the next one you write justEot ho was check her medicine cabinet Her relief knew no bounds when she found six tablets rattling around in the dark-brown prescription bottle A fewvolleyball Phoebe had conned her into joining a league, but that was another story entirely The attending physician in the urgent-care facility had given her a powerful muscle relaxant Her knee had continued to hurt, as Emma vividly recalled, but thirty minutes after she’d sed the capsule, she couldn’t have cared less All was right with the world--for a couple of hours, anyway

Knowing how potent those pills were, she’d hoarded them for a situation such as the one she now faced with Oliver Hamilton For the sake of her career she’d accompany hi that E to be flying with Oliver Ha fear at the prospect of getting into that plane She clutched the bottle and took a deep breath For the sake of her craft and her career, she’d do it

Emma simply couldn’t survive the trip without those pills One tablet to get her to Yakiet her home That left four, exactly the number she needed for the two additional trips

Thankfully, Phoebe had agreed to drive her to the airport and then pick her up at the end of the day Erateful Once she’d taken the muscle relaxant, she’d be in no condition to drive

At six-thirty the next , Phoebe pulled up in front of the apart with her leather briefcase, Emma hurried out her door to meet her friend

"Don’t you look nice," her landlord said, startling her She was sure that was a smirk on his face

Under normal circumstances Emma would’ve taken offense, but in her present state of ainst his door, this ed with a beer belly and a slovenly manner, and frankly, Emma was surprised to find hi into the apartment, she’d stayed clear of her landlord, who seemed to be…well, the word sleazy cas, and in her opinion that said a lot about his personality, all of it negative

"Gooda determined effort not to slur her words The pill had already started to take effect and, despite the presence of the loathsohter or , isn’t it?" he asked

Eh if it was chilly she hadn’t noticed In her current haze nothing seemed hot or cold From experience she knew that in three or four hours the pill would have lost h for what she hoped would be an intelligent interview

"I don’t suppose you know anyone who needs an apartaze as if he suspected she wasn’t sober--which was a bitshe rarely saw hiht every unit in the complex was rented," Emma said

"The lady in 12B had a cat" He scowled as he spoke

He’d underlined the No Pets clause a nureement Any infraction, he’d informed her, would result in a one-week notice of eviction

"Mrs Murphy?" Emma cried when she realized who lived in 12B, two doors down from her The sweet older lady was a recentand missed her husband dreadfully "You couldn’t have made an exception?" she asked "Mrs Murphy is so lonely and--"

"No exceptions," Mr Scott growled He shoved open his door and disappeared inside, gru under his breath

"What was all that about?" Phoebe asked when Eot into the car

"He is truly a lower life-forhteously "Doesn’t possess an ounce of coave her an odd look "Are you all right?"

Eled

"What did you do?" Phoebe asked, eyeing her suspiciously

"Reust?"

"The ones that made you so…weird?"

"I wasn’t weird I was happy"