Maybe she will take the plunge another time?”Lydia was a promising prospect, just 19 years old, who had joined Julia's team just a few months previo...sly. Straight from university with a masters degree, she showed a natural, and at times, ruthless aptitude in the tasks she was given. Julia took another long sip of wine, the smack of her lips telling all that she was considering an answer.“Lydia is really, really shy. Maybe just maybe she is here in spirit? I know she is single and I know that. “You’re not tempted to find out how she’s doing?”“I’ve thought about calling them, sure. But then they’d know I’m not in touch with her, and then what? How do I explain that? It might freak them out. I don’t even know what they know.”Lara squeezed my hand. “Okay. I know things aren’t much better since yesterday, but I’m really glad you at least broke open this side of what was happening.”“Me too, sis ... Then again, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if it was even me who did. All the dogslaves were excessivelythin and filthy, with matted hair, lice and fleas, and probably infectionsfrom the waste splattering into open wounds. Several of the slaves startedbarking frantically when they saw the investigators; most just stayed quiet,too beaten down and hopeless to put up a semblance of interest. Most of thembore fresh brands on their flanks or buttocks; they were too new to the petslavebusiness to know that the SPCP uniform meant help. Felicia went to the bigmale who. ‘John, I just can’t move in to your house, you know, and I sure can’t afford to take time off and go back to school right now. And who knows where I’ll end up being based, assuming I can even get on with either of them.’ ‘You know, to me it almost sounds like the perfect time to cut the cord.’ ‘And how would I afford that, John?’ ‘You can pay me back someday.’ Silence. ‘Rhea?’ ‘I heard you.’ ‘Are you broke? Is that about the size of it?’ ‘Close. I’ll get a few months severance, but I’ll have to.