Richard

Despite everything, everything that’s happened, everything that might happen…

… Despite the feeling of waiting…

…. What’s Klempner doing?

?

Who knows?

Hickman?

I suppose he’d tell us if he thought there was a problem…

… life feels almost normal. I could work at the office, but with Elizabeth due any time now, I prefer to work here.

“Ross, could you deliver these back to Francis, please. I’ve emailed the scanned documents, but she needs my original signatures on some of them.”

“Yes, sir.” He takes the files. “Is there anything for Mr Alexanders?”

“James? I’m not sure. Let’s go ask him.”

find him in the kitchen, sir.” Ross shifts from one foot to

Really?

kitchen. There’s not too much doubt of it. A trail of banging and cuss-words leads us right to him. And as Ross and I come down the hall from one direction, Michael is approaching from the

“No idea.”

James’ back is turned to us. Jacket hanging over the back of a chair, shirt sleeves rolled up, and be-aproned, he slams down some doughy mass on the counter-top, sending a small cloud of flour billowing. To one side, Scruffy sits, nose aimed upwards. To the other side: Bear, also sitting but at eye-level with the

hands, then lifts and slaps it down again with what

brows at me and I

in my hands, “James, I was looking for

through clenched teeth. “What can I do for you,

wants to know if there’s anything you need delivering

the parties concerned.” Lifting the dough once more, he spins it, slams it down, then leans in, kneading hard with

face is very straight. “That should make excellent bread, Mr Alexanders.

a smile. “You’re right. My apologies. Ross. I

brows. “Better bread than pastry. Or people.” File in hand he turns for the

him, returning a

the dough into a round, he raises eyes ceilingward.

“Why? What’s she doing?”

to her mother too,

“What triggered it?”

Exorcist impression over her. Fountained about a gallon of her lunch back over Charlotte’s brand-new outfit… It was unfortunate, but her reaction was off the scale. I’m not letting her get away with

chin jerks up. “You’re

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