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Was her raduate froht by a pre for a mystery where none existed?

ButSavannah’s murder rate for the past few years had been low for a city of its size Any large city battled violent crime and Savannah had seen its share But this

"Hey, you’ll be heading back to Virginia," Roger re hers "You have to worry about you right now, Ms Anderson"

"What are you going to do?" Paul asked her "You’ve inherited the Dragonslayer You wouldn’t close down the tavern, would you?"

"No, no, of course not," she said "Don’t worry"

"That’s going to be tough--you being an absentee owner," Paul pointed out

"Macy has it down pat," Abby said "We have great bartenders, cooks and waitstaff I’ to work out That’s been the least of" Her voice trailed off She didn’t want to say worries "That’swell, not what I’ve worried about," she said

"Yeah, sorry, kid So sorry," Roger murmured "I kno much you loved Gus"

"We really loved him, too, you know?" Paul said

She nodded "Of course I know"

Abby went back inside One of their neaitresses--a girl na up in the dining rooest hadn’t really worked that day, other than stepping in to help get a few things loaded into the bus carts They’d con of Malachi Gordon

"Everyone’s left?" she asked Julie

"There are a few of us still tidying up in the kitchen It’s back to full service tomorrow, or so I was told," Julie said She hesitated She was young and sweet, a student at the design school "I mean, I’m sorry--that’s your call now But, uular hours, Julie Thanks" Abby s picked up"

"Yeah, a real sad thing about Gus He was so good to all of us"

"That’s great to hear, even though it’s soreat to work for," Abby said

She turned and went back to the front Sullivan was behind the bar Macy was collecting glasses that had been left at the tall bar tables

Aldous, Dirk and Bootsie remained on their bar stools

"What happened to your new friend?" she asked him "The man from the bureau?"

Dirk frowned "I don’t know Maybe he took off He wasn’t actually a friend of yours, right? Just a rep froain before he left," Abby said "ButI guess not"

Bootsie stood, his peg leg wobbling "Listen, Abby, we know today’s been hard on you Now, the boys and I, we can hang around here as long as you like Or, better still, we can take you off soive you a break from this place"

She shook her head "No, thanks It’s okay To be honest, I’ forward to some time alone"

"Alone?" Bootsie said, surprised

"Do you want us to walk you to your parents’ house?" Dirk asked her "I ht now? You have that beautiful house on the square"

"She should come with us," Aldous said "The house is whereand this is where" He broke off The house here her parents had died; this here Gus had just died

"I love ain" The previous tenants had been a writer and his fao She’d rented the place furnished Not sure what she wanted to do with it yet, she’d brought over sos fro them to her childhood bedroouys I have good memories here--and there I’m fine Just need a little time to take a deep breath now that the funeral’s over, and then get everything in order Soout with the three of you! Go wander along the riverfront and give another innkeeper your business tonight Come back tomorrow With or without Gus, this remains your place I don’t knohat I’d do if I came home and didn’t find the three of you here But for now, scat!"

They looked like a group of fathers forced to leave their children for a first day at school

"Hey, come on now Out, out," Abby told them