"I was remarking that it's really quite important to know one's neighbors, even in the best of neighborhoods. Sometimes you need a hand around the hou...e, and you never know just who the person next door will turn out to be." I nodded at that; then put my hands up against my temples to steady my head."Is something wrong?" she asked with some concern.I mumbled something about the tea being too strong, I thought. She offered to let me lie down on her couch if I needed, but I declined. "It's okay,. ‘Sorry, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a woman’s place decorated in a way I actually liked. If you don’t mind me saying so.’ ‘Not at all. I think that lamp is pretty all right myself. Wouldn’t have bought it otherwise.’ She laughed, and he looked reassured. ‘Let’s go take a look at the kitchen.’ Colin obediently followed Marie through an open doorway. The kitchen was decorated almost entirely in black and white, with accents of gold here and there. ‘And the bedrooms are through here,’. She decided she had better not. They would ask her a lot of questions, and she might let something slip. Also, they would question Aunt Maude. That would be bad.She considered calling her mother. Kathy knew where she and Ray were spending their honeymoon, but her mother would ask a lot of questions also, and she would be frantic.The best thing, Kathy decided, would be to wait and hope Billy would come back on his own. He didn't have much money. And it would be hard for Billy to get a job. I knew his son was working at a fancy hospital up in mid-town and only did community work downtown when the spirit filled him with guilt at making all that loot.Strangely, we all snuck on the train, laughing at our impudence, and I explained over the rattle of the moving parts that, if push came to shove, we could solve the problem right there down on Canal Street. I think that was a big relief to Marsha but I also saw the trace of a tear in her eye and I knew she was not altogether sold on the.