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I was busy thinking about six other things, breathing through ether Meanwhile, Woofer, the yellow an’s side He stood there with his chin on Flannagan’s thigh, looking up at hian smiled and rubbed behind his ears

I cleared "

"Yeah, well, I swore I’d never own another one and here I aood Maybe I’ll get lucky and go before he does At any rate, that’s the story of Ulf You caught ht I’d hear another word about the dog"

"I appreciate the information"

"What about you? You haven’t explained how you ended up with his tag"

I gave hi with Michael Sutton, his encounter with the two guys digging the hole, and his suspicions about Mary Claire Fitzhugh Flannagan remembered the child’s disappearance None of the other na to him He hadn’t known the Kirkendalls, the Suttons, or anyone on Alita Lane

With a shrug I said, "Maybe there’s no connection Maybe Ulf being buried there was pure coincidence It just see is put down The vet ht have buried hi once so it’s not like there was an emotional connection between the two I know I didn’t bury hiuess What else do you want to know?"

"I guess that’s about it Do you reh ht taketi back that far"

"Give me a number where I can reach you and I’ll see what I can find"

"I’d appreciate it"

He watched while I jotted down my home number on the back of a business card and when I handed it to hi to this town as Peephole People around here can be stiff-necked We call it Puerto"

"Thanks for the warning I’ll watch e onto catch you before you left for the day We wanted to make sure you received the invitation to the dedication Could you give me a call and let me know if you can make it? That’s Saturday, May 28, in case the invitation hasn’t arrived We’d really love to see you Hope all goes well"

She recited her nu everything down As part of my brand-new attitude of open done so, I tore the sheet from my scratch pad, crumpled it, and threw it in the trash I wasn’t even teain, in part because I knew this was Monday and the garbage wouldn’t be picked up for another two days Plenty of time for ambivalence

I checked my watch It was 5:15, time for me to pack it in for the day I’d just locked the front door and I was heading down the hen the turquoise MG came around the corner with Sutton at the wheel He had the top down and his dark hair was ruffled I waited while he parked, wondering why he was back Even at that short distance, he looked closer to eighteen years old than twenty-six I’ve noticed that once in a while, soe in life from which they never advance Ten years from now, I suspected he’d look much the saing jawline

He got out of the car and approached with his head down, his hands in his pockets When he spottedfor the day?"

"That was my intention What’s up?"

"Can you spare me a fewI’d turn around and unlock the door He said, "I’d prefer to talk in private"

I debated the point When a client comes in, I offer a cup of coffee as athey won’t take me up on it Often, the coffee ritual is more of a commitment than I really care to make Set up the machine, wait until the coffee’s done, inquire about preferences (black, ar), check the relevant supplies I keep packets of sweetener on hand, but the milk is inevitably over the hill, and then what? We talk about the downside of powdered whitener and who gives a shit? I’d rather whiz past the chitchat and get to the point Sa a seat If I let hient?"