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"Welcoht it would take another ten years But here you are"

And for a moment Ruth looked exactly like Clara’s portrait E, reviewing, replaying every insult Every unkind word, bringing theifts

Oh, no no no, thought Clara Still the dead one lay ain pelted a bird with a chunk of inedible bread

Clara got up to leave

"Hope takes its place a at her, the sun just catching her rheumy eyes

"That’s what the New York Times said," said Ruth "And the London Tiain Don’t forget, Clara," she whispered

Ruth turned away again and sat rahts and her heavy, stone bread Glancing, occasionally, into the empty sky

EIGHT

Gabri put a lelass of iced tea in front of the Chief Inspector A wedge of le in the warm afternoon

"Do you want to make a reservation at the B and B?" Gabri asked "There’s plenty of room, if you’d like"

"We’ll discuss it Merci, patron," said Beauvoir with a s friends with suspects, but he couldn’t seeot up his nose, to be sure But they also got under his skin

Gabri left and the men drank in silence for a one directly to the bathroom He’d splashed cool water on his face and wished he could take a pill But he’d promised himself to wait until bedtime for the next one, to help him sleep

By the time he returned to the table the Chief was there

"Any luck?" he asked Gah claim not to know her well"

"Do you believe them?"