The sound of my cursed surname shocked me enough. I’d been rumbled. I trudged outside under the glare of the adjudicator, who slammed the door behin...d us. “I saw you last time Williams, not working on your exam paper and just staring at the other candidates! Mr. Owen has told me of your...problem...” That must have been the House Leader... I recalled the memories of that day, drowning out the drone of the teacher “But I’ve had enough of your distractive attitude! I want you to stay back during. Then she reached for me, stepping carefully into me, prolonging the moment when our bare skin would touch. She gripped my hips, her fingers flexing restlessly, her breathing quick and harsh. The tips of my breasts touched her first, sending a sudden rush of sensation through my body. I gasped. She crushed me to her with a growl, lifting my feet from the floor and carrying me backward toward the bed.My thys hit the mattress and I landed on my butt, falling to my back with shalini leaning over. ”“Fine. Who’s your boss?”“Uh. Who are you, sir?”“I am the customer you don’t give a damn about what I want, X F Marigold.”“I’m sorry, Mister Marigold. You shouldn’t have heard that. Miz Folsom was wrong to talk once she knew who you are.”“Well, we’re agreed on two things, Winsler. I shouldn’t have heard your rant but, when you are yelling that loudly, it’s hard not to be overheard. Also, I agree that you’re a sorry sack of shit.” I hung up the phone.I muttered, “That sonofabitch can suck my. Wallerman asked.“Tell him where Jake is. He’ll go investigate.”“What do I do when he comes back in the house?”“He won’t.”“How do you know?”“I’ll be waiting for him. I’ll take him away.”“Where?”“Is that important?”Mrs. Wallerman studied Steele. “I guess not,” she said in a low voice.“You don’t sound very sure. Look, Ratchett murdered my friend.”Mrs. Wallerman’s eyes opened wide.“That’s why I’m here,” Steele said. “And I think Ratchett had something to do with the disappearance of my friend’s.