I quietly closed the door. They wouldn’t be disturbed or distracted if I ripped it off it’s hinges, I’d bet money! I tiptoe to rejoin Mama.Once ...gain inside, Mama secures the passlock, then lets her robe slip off her body. I just stand here admiring. Mom catches the mood and poses provocatively for me. She hasn’t brushed her hair since showering. It cascades from her head in a luxuriant thick matted mass, a conical cape reaching down to and covering her shoulders. Where have I seen this style. "Shit," Bill said."I assume you haven't called the press office for comment yet," he said to me."I thought maybe we should wait," I said. "If I called them now they'd have all weekend to work on their response to the article. Same with Ms. Linney."He gave me a look that merged respect and surprise."Guess I'm gonna have to stop thinking of you as the obit guy. Huh, Hando?" I like doing the obits, sir," I said."Yeah, right. Okay. Here's what we need to do. Pull in one fact-checker over the. .. are you?”“No, it would be churlish to disappoint them when they appear to be so determined.”Michelle laughed; this was music to Tim’s ear. He wanted to know everything about this girl.“How did you become so good at lip reading?” he asked.“When I was a very young child and living with my grandmother I had trouble with my hearing. It might be hereditary, as my grandmother has worn a hearing aid for years, certainly for as long as I can remember. My hearing loss came on so gradually that I. An inscription at the base of the painting read: Victoria Marplecroft. Founder. Circa 1845. Michael looked back up at the woman’s face. Her cold gray eyes gazed sternly over the assembled gaggle. Her expression was of rigid solemnity. A chill raced through him and he pulled his eyes away quickly. As he did, something caught his attention. A girl was standing along the same wall, looking roughly as out of place as he felt. She was tall, very fair skinned, with flowing locks of fiery red hair.