"Went and washed my face," she announced sitting down beside him again."I guessed," he smiled handing her a glass."Thanks." She took a sip. "Mmm! Er, ...al, would you put your arm round me again. It was comforting." Of course."He did so and she shifted up against him. "Thanks," she smiled up at him and then laid her head against his shoulder. They sat in contented silence for several minutes taking an occasional sip of their drinks."I think," said Hank eventually, "a Chopin nocturne or two would. I suspected she was using it as a tactic to get what she needed without argument, and if that was true, it worked. It was easier to lend her a few dollars than to risk her delving into even more scandalous behavior with me. She had even paid most of those loans back.I said, “Anyway, I’m fine, Laura. No need to worry about me. Life goes on.”“Well, if you’re sure,” she said, her tone indicating that she was leaving an opening.“I’m sure.”A pregnant pause followed, and I could tell by the look. Our little subdivision only had one stop and everyone was expected to be there. I stood well back away from the street clutching my backpack straps and waiting for the lumbering behemoth that would devour us and disgorge its meal at the high school. I suppose I would have had a better choice of seats if I’d gotten on first instead of last, but I just slid into the first open seat I came to.“Did you get number seventeen?” the kid next to me asked. Seventeen? Was that the bus number? I turned to. Nobody argued, which was worrying in itself. ‘Well, I think we should go the police now,’ I said. Liam grimaced. ‘I’d rather we didn’t if it’s all the same to you old, son. Niall and I wouldn’t really like to explain why we were disturbing the peace in rural Berkshire and it might not go down to well that we seem to have kept a couple of NATO souvenirs.’ He patted the bulge under his jacket to indicate the Browning. ‘I’ve no doubt Cornell wouldn’t hesitate to drop us all in it, if he had the.