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"Oh, oh, oh!" Macy said "A fed"

"Technically, I’ out A slimmered on Malachi’s face He didn’t say a word She sensed that he wasn’t being polite, he really didn’t care if he was an agent or a detective or an investigator He was interested in the job, not the title

"Well, we’re glad you’re here," Macy said, shaking his hand Macy liked hiht Or, at least, admired his appearance She had that look she hen she found a htly

"I’e," Abby announced "Malachi, come on up and you can wait in Gus’s office"

"It’s your office now," Macy said

"It will always be Gus’s office," Abby said Macy seemed a little stricken and Abby quickly added with a smile, "Okay, let’s call it Gus’s and my office How about that?"

Macy slanced at her and nodded at Dirk, as staring down into his drink, then shook his head sadly Abby set a hand on Dirk’s shoulder "Dirk?"

Dirk looked up at her "That could be Helen," he said "That could be Helen That blond hair Helen has blond hair that streams around her like that"

"Dirk, you couldn’t really tell if the hair was blond or not," Abby told hiht-haired, butI know Helen, Dirk I don’t think it was her I wouldn’t lie to you"

"I’ve been trying to contact her fa I have no idea what to say to theot a reprieve They’re on safari in Kenya It’ll be another week before they can be reached Oh, Lord--I pray we find her, alive, before then"

Malachi’s phone rang and he excused himself to answer it

"This is horrible, so horrible," Dirk moaned as Abby tried to comfort him

Malachi came back over to them "That was Detective Caswell," he said "Thewoh to look at, but they’ve gotten all the river gunk off her and he wants you to conize her I told him Abby could probably coested you both coo" Dirk’s voice broke "She worked for me I owe her"

Aldous and Bootsie each set a hand on his shoulders They reminded Abby of the Three Musketeers--one for all, and all for one It must be nice to have such close and steadfast friends She didn’t lack friends but a friendship like theirs, like the one they’d shared with Gus, was pretty special

"Be right back" She ran up the stairs, stopping to throw the file folder of notes David Caswell had given the made her hide it beneath a stack of other papers

She paused, looking around the room "Blue?" She waited "Gus?" she said hopefully

But she spoke to the air

Leaving the office, she hurried to her own room to dress She put on one of her white tailored blouses and lightweight blue pantsuits She was going to the ue It felt important to dress properly

Malachi found a perch on the bar stool next to Bootsie Sullivan asked if he wanted anything; he decided that if he was going to sit there co trio of barflies, he should have a drink so he ordered a light beer

"Sad business," he said "But, Dirk, this ht not be Helen Abby doesn’t seem to think it is Still, it’ll be best to know for sure"

Bootsie turned to hiirl just went off on a ind romance, but"

"Helen was responsible," Dirk said He lifted his glass "Ah, Helen"

Dirk nize anyone, Malachi thought

"Dirk, did Ms Long have any tattoos or birthed?"

"Daed?" Aldous repeated with a shudder

"Uhtfully "She, uh, did say she had a tattoo But she never said what it was--or where it was She liked to tease her pirate cast uess They were a pheno people to ith--Helen, Jack and Blake They got along so well" He shook his head "Blake had a h, but said she wouldn’t date anyone she worked with Would that she had!"

"We don’t know that it’s Helen," Malachi repeated