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city for brain surgery and a soul replacement It certainly should be true"

"Fine"

An aard silence fell into the carriage Ian stared out the , seeing little beyond the jostling blur of white and green

Finally the carriage jerked to a stop There was a scra overhead, then a thuus, stood in the opening, his breath coreat plu behind him "There's the office, sir"

"Good Unload e I shall be going on to New York City posthaste"

"And Mr Strassborg?"

Ian's gaze ree back to Lethe House is"

"Ah, Ian" Johann's voice rang with derision "You wound me to the quick"

Ian ignored the soft cadence of Johann's laughter as he jue and strode up the dirt path to the squat, single-storied clapboard building that housed Alabaster's jail, courthouse, and post office

At the door, he paused, then drew a deep breath and pushed through

The roo suspended fro In the corner, a thin, stoop-shouldered old man sat behind a rickety wooden desk, a heap of rusty keys by his hand

The old ht in his pale eyes "Hello" He planted his hands on the desk and pushed to his feet Stepping around the desk, he shuffled toward Ian, his hand outstretched in greeting "Jed Larkha man?"

Ian stared at the big-knuckled, gnarled hand Instinc-

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tively he drew back and shoved his hands in the huge pockets of his cloak "I'm Dr Ian Carrick"