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‘When the ephedra was found on Sophie you said, "Sophie, you promised,"’ said Beauvoir ‘What did youto remember what she could possibly have meant ‘Yes, I did Madeleine had found a bottle of ephedra pills in Sophie’s bathrooo It was just after one of the athletes had died and it was all over the news Probably what gave Sophie the idea of using diet pills’

It was like dragging a reat effort

‘She sent away for them from some internet company Madeleine found the bottle and took it away’

‘How did Sophie react?’

‘Like any nineteen-year-old She was angry Mostly angry she said about her privacy being violated, but I think she was mostly embarrassed’

‘Did it affect their relationship?’ Gamache asked

‘Sophie loved Madeleine She could never kill her,’ said Hazel She had one hter was no killer

‘We won’t talk to Sophie just yet,’ said Gamache He reached out and lifted Hazel’s head so that she was looking him in the eyes ‘Do you understand?’

Hazel looked into his deep brown eyes and willed him never to look away But, of course, he did And she was alone again

They called Clara to collect Hazel, to keep her company for the day Clara showed up and led Hazel back to the Morrows’ house where she listened to her then asked if Hazel would like to lie down Hazel had never felt so tired and gratefully she put her head on the sofa Clara raised her legs, got a blanket, tucked her in and watched until she was certain the suddenly old woer actually than herself, was asleep

Then Clara walked slowly back to her studio and started painting again More slowly now, the lines fir, butto life on the canvas

‘Sophie Smyth is well liked at Queens Even volunteers at the help center She works part tiular student’

Yvette Nichol had returned She sat at the conference table sipping the Double Double coffee she’d bought for herself

‘Grades?’ asked Beauvoir