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That caught ?"

"Well, she’s not really ’leaving’ She’s going to Las Cruces for a few days, but she hopes to be back by the end of the week I guess a little probles squared away It’s a darn nuisance, but what can you do?"

"She’s not gone already, though, is she?"

He checked his watch "I can’t iine she would be Her plane takes off about five She said she had to go to the title cos in a suitcase Did you want to talk to her?"

I shook my head, unable to say yet what needed to be said I could see that he wasdown prelie, he’d written two titles, "Elementary, Dear Watson!" and "Home Sweet Holmes"

He smiled shyly when he saw me take note "This one’s for the Sherlockeans in the crowd," he said He set the legal pad aside, as though self-conscious at having sos with you?"

He see more on his mind than his passion for words How could she deceive a ht to know about," I said I unfolded the computer print-out and handed it to him

He looked down at it "What’s this?"

Lila’s naaze settled on the page His face lost ani, he gestured ailanced up at me "Well Makes me look like a fool, doesn’t it?"

"Come on, Henry Don’t talk like that I don’t think so at all You took a risk and she brought you some happiness Hey, so later it turns out she’s a crook That’s not your fault"

He stared at the paper like a kid just learning to sound out words "What ht be a tactful explanation, but nothing occurred to uess I felt protective, especially when you talked about doing business with her I just didn’t think she was on the level and it turns out she’s not You haven’t given her any money, have you?"

He folded the print-out "I closed out one of "

"How much?"