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"Do I look like the kind of person who’d’er oeet husband over the head with a teapot?"

"Wellno, I guess"

"Sad, it was" She stared at an empty spot past Tick’s shoulder for a few seconds, then looked hi as you can run, they’ll never catch you Just avoid ’e pause followed, and Tick began to panic that Mothball would leave without telling hies for? Who is MG? What’s supposed to happen on the day he talked about in the first clue?" The questions poured out, even though he knehat her ansould be before she said it

"Sorry, can’t speak about it Master’s orders"

Tick wanted to screauess there’s not much ht right there, littleabsently at the world of white surrounding them "Okay So, what do we do now?"

"Best be on me way, then" Mothball bowed her head, as if she felt just as aard as he did A few seconds later she snapped her fingers and looked up "Ah, ot so pad and a pencil fro?"

Her question surprised Tick "You don’t kno did you find me if--"

"Just be needin’ to verify, I do" She held her pencil at the ready, waiting for his answer

"Atticus Higginbottom But everyone calls me Tick"

She scanned the pad with the tip of her pencil "Ah, there you are" She wrote a big checkmark where the pencil had stopped, then reached into a different pocket and pulled out a cruo, little rats to ya on makin’ a very wise and brave choice not to burn the Master’s first letter Now this should keep you occupied for a spell"

Nothing ritten on the front of the envelope, but Tick took it, knowing it had to be the second clue He didn’t knohy he felt so surprised MG never said all the h the mail But it did see another kind of , expect the unexpected

He folded the envelope and put it in his pocket, anxious to go ho you any questions about it"

"Shapin’ up right nicely, you are" Mothball smiled "Very well, until next time, then Best of luck to you and yours and all that"

Tick felt an overwhel that was going on He desperately wanted her to stay, to talk, to help But having just met her, he didn’t knohat to do or say "You really have to go?" he asked, like a ser