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‘Like dead people?’ asked Gabri

‘Oh, that’s nothing,’ said Ruth, shoving Myrna aside as she squeezed onto the sofa, bony elbows out ‘I see them all the time’

‘You do?’ asked Myrna

‘I see therew silent Even Peter and Olivier drifted back

‘Here?’ asked Clara ‘In our house?’

‘Especially here,’ said Ruth

‘Now?’

‘Right there,’ said Ruth and she raised one certain finger and pointed At Gamache

There was an intake of breath and Gamache looked over at Beauvoir

‘Dead? He’s dead?’ whispered Clara

‘Dead? I thought you said dull Never mind,’ said Ruth

‘How can she be a poet?’ Peter asked Olivier and the talked away again to exasaw puzzle

‘So who did it? Do you know yet who killed Madeleine?’ asked Ruth ‘Or have you been too busy paying people off and drinking to actually do any work?’

Beauvoir opened hishietting close’

This was a surprise to Beauvoir, who tried not to show it

‘Did you all know she’d had cancer?’ Gamache asked Everyone looked at each other and nodded

‘But that was a while ago,’ said Myrna

Gamache waited for more then decided he had to ask his question clearly

‘Was she still in remission, as far as you know?’

They looked perplexed and again searched out each other, passing glances in the sort of telepathy good friends have