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"For the restaurant"

"Yes" He started to walk She followed She’d opened her eyes but only a slit--just enough not to crash into walls or furniture

He decided to let it go for the moment He felt her behind him--almost on top of him--as they exited the house "You okay to walk to the restaurant?" he asked her

"Of course!" she said with the indignant tone of one asn’t really okay at all

He took her arm She didn’t protest

"There are so many places around here," he said

"So o to your friend’s pub?" he asked

She shook her head, flushing "No, uht"

"Okay"

He knew it didn’t matter where they went; she just wanted people to be there He’d seen an Italian place that looked interesting down a side street and he headed toward it

"Luigi’s," she said

"Is it any good?"

"Sure! Warm, friendly, always busy"

There were a number of people at the restaurant, but the staff see activity well They didn’t have to wait more than a minute or two before they were seated at a table with a red checkered cloth

He didn’t give the waitress an opportunity to offer them a cocktail or wine "Two coffees and waters please"

Allison didn’t argue She told hiplant

When the bread came, she was happy to devour a piece

"Did you eat at all today?" he asked her

She thought about it for a minute "No"

"I don’t want to tell you how to run your life or anything, but if you’re going to swig booze, you really should add food to the lare but didn’t deny his words

"What brought this on?" he asked

"What brought what on?"

"Your apparent affair with a booze bottle"

She stiffened "I’ citizen often charged with foreneration I am certainly entitled to a drink if I choose"

"Yes, you are But I get the impression you don’t drink heavily that often"

"I didn’t drink heavily," she told hihtly"

"Alone?"

"Now that’s rude and personal"

"So, all alone, you decided to get smashed"

"I am not smashed"

"True--I’ve seen worse Actually, at various times in my life, I’m sure I’ve been worse It just doesn’t seem to be you"

"Ah, but you don’t really know oing toand intense

Their server arrived; Allison ordered chicken with broccoli and ziti, while he chose the lasagna He was glad to see that Allison quickly drank down the water She set the elass on the table and picked up her coffee

Tyler leaned toward her, placing his hand on hers "It won’t et more vicious"

She jerked her hand back "I have no demons in my mind I lost a friend, okay? I was distressed by his death I’ an off moment--or an off hour, or whatever I’ll be fine And I don’t knohat you want at the Tarleton-Dandridge House You can’t change the past"

"No, you can’t But you can discover the truth about it and soe the present or the future"

She sipped her coffee again, then pressed her fingers to her temples

"After we’ve eaten, if you want, I can walk you back to your house and you can get some sleep," he said

"No," she said firmly "I want to be where you are" The last words were tremulous, and somehow, the tone of her voice seemed to seep into his bones, his bloodstreaant The blue of her eyes see as if it lay beneath a brilliant sun He couldn’t help being affected

Tyler raised his brows, studying her He kneas attractive to the opposite sex, but he was sure she hadn’t suddenly decided that she cared for hi had unnerved her

And he realized that he yearned to help

"Okay You want to be with "

"Yes, they are" He hesitated "I think you’ll like theer like ed to Kelsey O’Brien, who used to be a US Marshal Kelsey has a cousin on our Krewe, Sean Cameron, who’s a ith cameras and special effects We have Jane Everett, an artist, who can take a spoken description of so that’s aled "Our last Krewe nition specialist? A forensics guru?" Allison asked

"She’s…a medical examiner," Tyler said