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"You needed to be fattened up" She leaned forward and cupped her tea in both hands "But I don’t think you’re here for crisps this time"

"No, I’m not" I leaned back in my chair and sat the tea back on the table "I need to know if you’ve noticed anything odd in town If any ofaround If anyone has been talking aboutfor you yesterday I was out for an appointar Even as a boy, you could tell there was soone"

"Did Johnny say anything else?" I fought raph ar Herndon was a naet His mother had ‘worked’ with my mother and we’d moved to the city at the same time When I’d run with the local crowd he’d hated est rival in his eyes, but he knew that in a fight I would win Thatfor hi for s; I just wasn’t sure what those bad things were yet The last I’d heard of him, he was locked up for assault and petty theft

"He asked if you’d been in recently" She looked pastto see old friends, but Johnny said he was acting shifty If he’s looking for you then you don’t want to find hiar Herndon himself I was led up in this confusing web And if he ca for answers, it ain for a while I couldn’t jeopardize the Abernathy fa my childhood and for that I’d do whatever it took to keep the the chipped handle of the cup in front of me

"Marilynn Jones is back in town Well, I suppose it’s Marilynn White now She’s married with a little one on the way" She narrowed her eyes "But I’ for"

I wasn’t thinking about Marilynn Marilynn had ceased to exist years ago for me It was likely I would pass her in the street and not realize it "If I asked you for a favor, Mrs Abernathy, would you help me?"

"Of course, Owen" She reached across the table and touched ht of you as one of my own I won’t speak ill of your mother, but there were many times I wished I could just keep you with et rid of the lu "Close the shop for the rest of the week Get out of town and take a break Holiday somewhere pretty and just relax for a while I can help you pay for it"

"Why would you want me to do that? People need theirweekend last ar Herndon caht about hi that he says"

"And what about you? Are you leaving town as well?" Her eyes narrowed

"Don’t worry about me" I shook my head

"Then what about your lady?" She looked at Ava who had reh the entire conversation I’d alar running into her in town"