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‘Bullshit What do you know about the natural world?’

There was silence then

After a long minute Armand Gamache turned to Myrna

‘This is a beautiful flower arrange in it for me’

‘There is,’ she said, relieved ‘But you have to dig for it’

Gaot up and delicately moved the branches aside There, in the forest, was a book He brought it out and sat back down

‘The Dictionary of Magical Places,’ he read from the cover

‘Latest edition’

‘They found ical places?’ asked Olivier

‘Guess so I sahat you were reading in the bistro yesterday and thought you ht be interested in this too,’ Myrna said to Ga?’ asked Clara

Ga with the books he’d been carrying he placed the up at them was a small hand outlined in red on the black leather cover No one moved to touch it

‘Where’d you find that?’ Jeanne asked She looked upset

‘The old Hadley house Do you know the book?’

Did she hesitate? he wondered She reached out and he handed it to her After exa it for a moment she put it down

‘It’s a Hamsa hand An ancient symbol to ward off the envious and the evil eye It’s also called the Hand of Miria slowly back in her chair ‘As in the Madonna?’

Jeanne nodded

‘It’s all bullshit,’ said Ruth, who’d wiped up the droplets of spilled Scotch with her finger and was sucking it