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"But "

Ispeed he’d shohen the hellhounds were chasing him, my "sponsor" disappeared into the woods

"Hey, Sis!" Jason bounded out of his truck "Did you just have a visitor? I passed a car You got my sweet potatoes ready?"

"Ah, not quite," I said "That was a drop-in I didn’t expect, a guy wanting to sell me life insurance You come in and sit, and they’ll be ready in about forty-five eration, but I wanted Jason to stay I was scared to be alone That was not a fah to coossip with redients to the sweet potatoes,the the dish in the oven

"How co up from the chair to mop it off with a dry dish towel

"I dropped a pitcher," I said, and that was the end of Jason’s curiosity We talked about the suggested wedding dates, the du Rone babies, Hoyt and Holly’s e and Hoyt’s idea that they have a double ceremony (I was sure Holly and Michele would nix that), and the big reconciliation between Danny and Kennedy, who had been spotted kissing passionately in public at the Sonic

As I was pulling the casserole out of the oven and preparing to add the final layer, Jason said, "Hey, I guess you heard that all our old furniture got busted up? That stuff the antiques dealer took? What was her naot ht?"

I’d frozen after lifting out the dish halfway, but I made myself continue with my task It helped that Dermot came in then, and since he and Jason looked soDerreat-uncle

"No, I already got cash for that stuff," I said, when the ot the distinct iotten that he’d asked me

By the time I’d finished my work and sent Jason on his ith the hot dish, Der was so else that he was interested in now, thanks to the Food Network and Bravo While Derht want to put on the buns, I looked around the kitchen very carefully to make sure there weren’t any traces of the incident

Oh, come on, I said to myself Donald Callaway’s murder "Incident,"I checked, because under the kitchen table I spied a pair of dark glasses that must have fallen out of Callaway’s shirt pocket Derhtened and slid theuess you’ve heard from Claude or Niall," I said

"No Maybe Niall has killed Claude, or maybe now that Claude is in Faery, he just doesn’t care any siue with hih about fairies and enough about Claude to know that they were actually likely "Are soht?" I said "I guess Bellenos and Gift told you about last night"

"Those ton’t be here tonight," Derht as punish the bathrooms and kitchen, so that’s their duty after the club closes They ht if they behave themselves I’ me Sister now, and Dermot almost always called me Niece There were a lot worse nay felt awfully intih I’d have to get the bumper fixed sooner or later Probably later The seat belt had to be replaced pronto And I was a little taken aback that Der buddy as he would little children, giving them the unpopular cleanup duty But out loud I said, "At least they were able to get the car out of the ditch I’et spotted on someone else’s land or that they’ll run into Bill"

"He loves you," Derers in the skillet

"Yeah, I know" I got out two plates and a bowl ofI can do about it but be his friend, though I used to love hiotta say there are moments when I feel the old attraction, but I’m not in love with Bill Not anymore"

"You love the blond one?" Dermot had been sure about Bill, but he didn’t sound so sure about Eric

"Yes" But I no longer felt the surge of love and lust and exciteht feel all that again, but I was so eone a little nu-as if my hand were asleep, but I expected it would be all pins and needles at any second "I love him," I said, but even to my own ears I didn’t sound happy about it

Chapter 11

Youto eat in the kitchen where I’d just witnessed a violent death The fact is, Donald Callaway’s de that had happened inI was getting numb to

Just before our food was ready, when Dermot’s back was turned, I slid open the drawer and extricated the deadthes were too steady when I excused o to the bathroom When I was safely shut inside, I put e of the tub to take a few deep breaths I got up, dropping Donald Callaway’s dark glasses onto the bathto think, I held the bath ently until all the pieces were safely at the botto as a liner

After supper, I planned to take the bag out to the big garbage can that we had to wheel out to the road every Friday

When I heard Der me, I washedh my bedroolasses had been I couldn’t leave it alone in ed to eat ether, which suited me fine As we did the dishes, Der out after he showered

"Oh irl?"

"Linda Tonnesen"

"The doctor!"

"Yes," he said a little doubtfully "I think that’s what she said she did Treats hu deal, really, Deret a lot of respect in our society I guess as far as she knows, you’re human?"

He flushed "Yes, she thinks I’hts ago"

It would be pretty stupid for me to co Whatthe confused state oftips