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           "Say,IheardyourbossisgoingtomakeatriphometoItaly."

           "Idon’tknow.Seemsoddtomeheneverwentbefore.Thosefamiliesareawfulclose."

           "Gottimeforacupofcoffee?"

           "Ioughttogetsweptout.Shouldbeabusymorningaftertheholiday."

           "Oh,comeon!Livebig.ThepersonalfriendofMr.Bakercanaffordtimeforacupofcoffee."Hedidn’tsayitmeanlythewayitlooksinprint.Hecouldmakeanythingsoundinnocentandwell-intentioned.

           InalltheyearsIhadnevergoneintotheForemasterGrillforacupofcoffeeinthemorningandIwasprobablytheonlymanintownwhodidn’t.Itwasacustom,ahabit,andaclub.WeclimbedonstoolsatthecounterandMissLynch,Iwenttoschoolwithher,slidcoffeetouswithoutspillinganyinthesaucer.Atinybottleofcreamleanedagainstthecupbutsherolledtwopaper-wrappedcubesofsugarlikedicesothatMorphcriedout,"Snakeeyes."

           MissLynch—MissLynch.The"miss"waspartofhernamebynow,andpartofherself.Iguessshewillneverbeabletoexciseit.Hernosegetsreddereveryyear,butit’ssinus,notbooze.

           "Morning,Ethan,"shesaid."Youcelebratingsomething?"

           "Hedraggedmein,"Isaid,andthenasanexperimentinkindness,"Annie."

           Herheadsnappedaroundasthoughatapistolshotandthen,astheideagotthrough,shesmiledand,doyouknow,shelookedexactlyasshehadinthefifthgrade,rednoseandall.

           "It’sgoodtoseeyou,Ethan,"shesaidandwipedhernoseonapapernapkin.