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"Of course She’s been stoned since she walked in my front door It’s been such a bone of contention between Derek andour relationship" She closed her mouth and composed herself, then said, "What s? It seems odd to me, that’s all," I said "I can’t believe she’d leave the for starters and I can’t believe she’d have pills in that quantity Do you knohat that stuff is worth?"

"She has an allowance of two hundred dollars a ued and cajoled until I’m blue in the face, but what’s the point? Derek insists The money coh-level stuff She’d have to have an incredible connection somewhere"

"I’m sure Kitty has her little ways"

I let the subject pass and made a mental note for myself I’d recently h School’s ht be able to identify her source He ht even be her source, for all I knew He’d promised me he’d shut down his operation, but that was like a wino pro to buy a sandith the dollar you’d donated in good faith Who e trying to kid here?

"Maybe we should let it go for now," I said "I’h I’d like to have the nairl friend if you have it, and I’ll probably want to talk to Rick’s parents, too Can you tell ive you both nuot up and crossed to a little antique rosewood desk with pigeonholes and tiny drawers along the top She opened one of the large drawers below and took out a rammed leather address book

"Beautiful desk," I land she has nice jewels

"Thank you," Glen said idly, while she leafed through the address book "I bought it at an auction in London last year I’d hesitate to tell you how ive it a whirl," I said, fascinated I was getting giddy hanging out with these people,

"Twenty-six thousand dollars," she e

I could feel rand was as nothing to her I wondered what she paid for underwear I wondered what she paid for cars

"Here it is" She scribbled the information on a scratch pad and tore off a leaf, which she passed to me

"You’ll find Rick’s parents rather difficult, I suspect," she said

"How so?"

"Because they blame Bobby for his death"

"How does he handle that?"

"Not well Sometimes I think he believes it hiet to the botto?"

"Of course"

"Is it ’Glen’ as in ’West Glen’?"

"The other way around," she said "I wasn’t named for the road The road was naot back in est It was 9:30, fully dark, and too chilly for a black gauze tunic that ended six inches above le out of h heels into the backseat and pulled on ain, then started the car and put it in reverse I backed around in a se for a way out I spotted the second arlimpse of the rear of the house There were four illu black by night, probably giving back sequential i photographs

I reached West Glen and turned left, heading toward town There’d been no indication that Derek had gotten hoht I’d try to catch him at St Terry’s before he left Idly, I wondered what it’d be like to have a city street naured I could learn to live with the tribute if it caht, looks like an enorhts: three tiers of crea in front where the entranceway has been cut out Visiting hours ht across the street I locked my car, crossed, and headed up the circular driveway There was a large portico and covered walk leading up to double doors that shushed open as I approached Inside, the lobby lights had been diht To my left was the deserted coffee shop, one waitress still at work, dressed in a white uniforift shop with adisplay done up with the hospital equivalent of naughty lingerie The whole place serated case