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As he watched the door opened and a figure appeared on the top step It was hard to tell with the distance and the winter clothing, but he thought he recognized her as one of the library volunteers An older wolanced in their direction and hesitated

"The coroner’s just arrived but it doesn’t look as though the victi Hours perhaps, but not days"

"He hasn’t begun s officer "Those make me want to puke"

Ga as soon as it hit the air But he said nothing This officer wasn’t his to train in the etiquette of the recently dead, in the respect necessary when in their presence In the empathy necessary to see the victim as a person, and the murderer as a person It wasn’t with cynicism and sarcasht He was caught by seeing and thinking and feeling Crude comments didn’t make the path clearer or the interpretation of evidence easier Indeed, they obscured the truth, with fear

But this wasn’t the Chief Inspector’s trainee, nor was it his case

Shifting his eyes fro man he noticed the elderly woman had disappeared Since she hadn’t had tione back inside

It was an odd thing to do To get all dressed for the cold, then not to actually leave

But, he reain, this wasn’t his case, wasn’t his business

"Would you like to colois asked

Ga myself this wasn’t my case, Inspector Thank you for your courtesy, but I’lance at the officer beside hi range

"I wasn’t asking just to be kind My English isn’t very good It’s OK, but you should hear the head librarian speak French At least, I think she’s speaking French She clearly thinks she is But I can’t understand a word In the entire interview she spoke French and I spoke English It was like so out of a cartoon She rinned and nodded and I think I ht have asked whether she’s descended from the lower orders"

"Why did you ask that?"