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Claudine arrived with a steas, which she set down in front ofvoice and calves knot-ted with varicose veins

"Morning, Darcy What’ll you have today? We’re out of cheese Danish, but I laid back a cherry in case you’re interested"

"That’s fine And a se juice"

Claudine made a note and tucked her order pad in her apron pocket "Just a second and I’ll bring you a coffee cup" She was gone again before Darcy could protest I could see her do a quick visual survey, looking for an e up rapidly and it looked like she was trapped

While I ate, I studied her in aShe eased out of her coat,up so she could fold it just so She’s one of those woe to their in-house experts She has baby-fine hair that defies styling, a high, bulging forehead, pale-blue eyes Her skin isthrough like faded laundry marks I’d heard Darcy’s boyfriend was a s on the side, and I wondered if he delivered junkher day, which i you heard about the trouble I’m in"

"It’d be hard not to," she said

I opened a plastic locket of grape jelly and spread half on a triangle of whole-wheat toast "Got any ideas about who set me up?"

Claudine returned with a cup and saucer and the cof-feepot Darcy judiciously elected to refrain from comment until her cup was filled and mine had been topped off When Claudine departed, Darcy’s expression turned prirade fro She’s big on pastel shades, i, I sup-pose, that washed-out colors are so to her than bold ones She wore a pale-yelloeater about the hue of certain urine sanosis isn’t keen The pink in her cheeks gave her back an air of health

She leaned forward "I didn’t do anything to you," she said

"Great Then maybe you can help"

"Mac told us specifically not to talk to you"

"How coet informa-tion you’re not supposed to have"