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Once they all had their cups and were seated Chief Inspector Gamache took a sip and placed the delicate bone china cup on its saucer and leaned toward the elderly couple Madame Dyson reached out and took her husband’s hand

Would she still call him "Papa" after today, Beauvoir wondered Or was that the very last time? Would it be too painful? That must have been what Lillian called him

Would he still be a father, even if there were no more children?

"I have sohter, Lillian"

He looked thee It would forever be dated from this moment Before the news and after the neo completely different lives

"I’m afraid she’s dead"

He spoke in short, declarative sentences His voice cal it out And clearly There could be no doubt

"I don’t understand," said Madame Dyson, but her eyes said she understood fully She was terrified The h that crack It had taken her child, and was now sitting in her living roo to sit further forward Perhaps to stand up To confront this news, these words To beat the room, out of his home, away from his door To beat those words until they were lies

But he couldn’t

"There’stheir eyes "Lillian was murdered"

"Oh, God, no," said Lillian’sto her mouth Then it slipped to her chest Her breast And rested there, limp

Both of them stared at Gamache, and he looked at the you this news," he said, knowing hoeak it sounded but also knowing to not say it would be even worse

Madaone now They’d crossed over to that continent where grieving parents lived It looked the same as the rest of the world, but wasn’t Colors bled pale Music was just notes Books no longer transported or coain Food was nutrition, littlethe rest didn’t They kne lucky the rest of the world was

"How?" Madary he couldn’t speak But his face was contorted and his eyes blazed At Gamache

"Her neck was broken," said the Chief "It was very fast She didn’t even see it co"

"Why?" she asked "Why would anyone kill Lillian?"

"We don’t know But we’ll find out who did this"