"Do you take cream or sugar?" No, black is fine."I poured us two cups and sat down beside her at the table. As I sat, I realized she was trying to pul... off some kind of power play by making me serve her. I sipped my coffee, not letting her throw me off balance. Finally I said, "I understand you had a long talk with Jules at the hospital." I didn't elaborate on how I knew, and took another sip of coffee.She looked puzzled. "I was told the hospital didn't allow contact during this initial. My body felt numb, suddenly, when I felt my heart being eaten. I realized that I was wide-awake with no heart in my body. Then I felt my throat stretched painfully and the snake slowly slithered out of my mouth and crawled away and burst into flames.I looked at the man and saw a single tear drip from both eyes. When they fell to the ground it sounded like thunder. Then, he held his hand out again and another ball of fire appeared and rose up slowly. t floated towards me and hovered just feet. .. For real?"She giggled. "Yes, silly. What do you say?" That sounds great," I said. She said, "I will pick you up in an hour."I looked up and found my Mom standing in the doorway."Umm..hold on Stacy," I said.Mom asked, "So, is she still wanting you to go on a date with boys forher?" I don't know, but I think so," I said. "She just asked me if I wantedto go on a date with her to the mall..just her and I." Oh, Really." Mom got a look on her face like she knew what was goingon, "Well,. I've heard what happened when you went playing detective again - you almost ended up as a pile of gunk. Doesn't that prove my point"!It was now my turn to avert my eyes. Of course she was right. I thought back to my feelings when I was being interviewed by Waters and became more conciliatory."I know Lou, I know. It's just that I know what happens in cases like this. Whatever they've taken away from the scene of the crime will be kept as evidence and I could almost guarantee that it won't ever.