The clock at her bedside had stopped sometime in the night, its’ hands poised vertically in the upper hemisphere, impervious to the approach of day....She’d not had the clock for very long, but she’d come to expect little of modern electronics and was so relieved to have just been unfettered from her terrible dream that she simply shrugged, not giving it another thought, and threw back the covers. The relief that had come over her lent itself to an unhindered exuberance, and she sprang suddenly. It won't be so bad, you'll enjoy it once ur broke in."He moved into the alleyway, slowly getting closer, I stopped breathing. He walked past me and up to the end of the alley. My heart was racing. After searching around for a bit he turned back, and began walking back out. I felt a surge of relief, until he suddenly turned and looked right at me. My heart felt like it was going to explode, I was frozen in terror.He took a step towards me then stopped, muttered something, then ran out of the. I felt I represented the school well,” I replied.“Hmmm, did the matter of funding come up?”“It did. I persuaded them to increase it should the school’s exam grades be raised, assuming we did well in the re-sits,” I replied. “Initially they wanted to cut it,” I finished with a lie.“This is true, Mrs Goodfried,” Jennifer confirmed. “Mr Howard spoke eloquently in support of you and the school,” she added, laying it on a bit thick.“I’m told there’s no chance of grades improving in the re-sits,”. The receptionist told him that Ms. Parnell was "out", but she promised to call back. Cromwell called again near the end of the day. The receptionist, now clearly covering for Parnell's absence, passed him on to another lawyer, equally junior."Ms. Parnell has been called away from the office for a day or so," the man lied, "so I'll take your case in her absence. I understand we have a plea bargain in place, so the court appearance is mostly a formality."Cromwell hung up the telephone, frowning..