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〃Of course。〃
〃I'll want an answer。〃
On the stainless…steel table； Aristophanes purred； happily twitched his long tail； and looked infuriatingly normal。
***
Later； at home； just inside the front door； when Grace slipped the latch on the padded travel basket and opened the lid； Aristophanes exploded out of confinement with a hiss and a snarl； his fun bristling； his ears laid back against his head； eyes wild。 He clawed her hand and squealed as she thrust him away from her。 He sprinted down the hall； disappeared into the kitchen； where the pet door gave him access to the rear yard。
Shocked； Grace stared at her hand。 Ari's claws had made three short furrows in the meaty edge of her palm。 Blood welled up and began to trickle down her wrist。
Carol's last appointment on Friday was at one o'clock： a fifty…minute session with Kathy Lombino； a fifteen…year…old girl who was gradually recovering from anorexia nervosa。 Five months ago； when she had first been brought to Carol； Kathy had weighed only seventy…five pounds； at least thirty pounds below her ideal weight。 She had been teetering on the edge of starvation； repelled by the sight and even the thought of food； stubbornly refusing to eat more than an occasional soda cracker or slice of bread； often gagging on even those bland morsels。 When she was put in front of a mirror and forced to confront the pathetic sight of her emaciated body； she still berated herself for being fat and could not be convinced that she was； in fact； frighteningly thin。 Her prospects for survival had seemed slight。 Now she weighed ninety pounds； up fifteen； still well below a healthy weight for a girl of her height and bone structure； but at least she was no longer in danger of dying。 A loss of self…respect and self…confidence was nearly always the seed from which anorexia nervosa grew； and Kathy was beginning to like herself again； a sure sign that she was on her way back from the brink。 She hadn't yet regained a normal appetite； she still experienced mild revulsion at the sight and taste of food； but her attitude was far better than it had been； for now she recognized the need for food； even though she didn't have any desire for it。 The girl had a long way to go before she would be fully recovered； but the worst was past for her； in time she would learn to enjoy food again； and she would gain weight more rapidly than she had done thus far； stabilizing around a hundred and five or a hundred and ten pounds。 Kathy's progress had been immensely satisfying to Carol； and today's session only added to that satisfaction。 As had bee customary； she and the girl hugged each other at the end of the session； and Kathy held on tighter and longer than usual。 When the girl left the office； she was smiling。
A few minutes later； at two o'clock； Carol went to the hospital。 In the gift shop off the lobby； she bought a deck of playing cards and a miniature checkerboard with nickle…sized checkers that all fit neatly into a vinyl carrying case。
Upstairs； in 316； the television was on； and Jane was reading a magazine。 She looked up when Carol entered； and she said； 〃You really came。〃
〃Said I would； didn't I？〃
〃What've you got？〃
〃Cards； checkers。 I thought maybe they'd help you pass the time。〃
〃You promised you wouldn't buy me anything else。〃
〃Hey； did I say I was giving these to you？ No way。 You think I'm a soft touch or something？ I'm lending them； kid。 I expect them back。 And whenever you return them； they'd better be in as good condition as they are now； or I'll take you all the way to the Supreme Court to get pensated for the damage。〃
Jane grinned。 〃Boy； you're tough。〃
〃I eat nails for breakfast。〃
〃Don't they get stuck in your teeth？〃
〃I pluck 'em out with pliers。〃
〃Ever eat barbed wire？〃
〃Never for breakfast。 I have it for lunch now and then。〃
They both laughed； and Carol said； 〃So do you play checkers？〃
〃I don't know。 I don't remember。〃
The girl shrugged。
〃Nothing's e back yet？〃 Carol asked。
〃Not a thing。〃
〃Don't worry。 It will。〃
〃My folks haven't shown up； either。〃
〃Well； you've only been missing for one day。 Give them time to find you。 It's too soon to start worrying about that。〃
They played three games of checkers。 Jane remembered all of the rules； but she couldn't recall where or with whom she had played before。
The afternoon passed quickly； and Carol enjoyed every minute of it。 Jane was charming； bright； and blessed with a good sense of humor。 Whether the game was checkers； hearts； or five…hundred rummy； she played to win； but she never pouted when she lost。 She was very good pany。
The girl's charm and pleasing personality made it highly unlikely that she would go unclaimed for long。 Some teenagers are so self…centered； spaced out on drugs； bullheaded； and destructive that when one of them decides to run away from home； his decision often elicits only a sigh of relief from his mother and father。 But when a good kid like Jane Doe disappears； a lot of people start sounding alarms。
There must be a family that loves her； Carol
thought。 They're probably crazy with worry right now。 Sooner or later they'll turn up； crying and laughing with relief that their girl has been found alive。 So why not sooner？ Where are they？
The doorbell rang at precisely three…thirty。 Paul answered it and found a pallid； gray…eyed man of about
fifty。 He wore gray slacks； a pale gray shirt； and a dark gray sweater。
〃Mr。 Tracy？〃
〃Yes。 Are you from Safe Homes？〃
〃That's right；〃 the gray man said。 〃Name's Bill Alsgood。 I am Safe Homes。 Started the pany two years ago。〃
They shook hands； and Alsgood entered the foyer； looking with interest at the interior of the house。 〃Lovely place。 You're lucky to get same…day service。 Usually； I'm scheduled three days in advance。 But when you called this morning and said it was an emergency； I'd just had a cancellation。〃
〃You're a building inspector？〃 Paul asked； closing the door。
〃Structural engineer； to be precise。 What our pany does is inspect the house before it's sold； usually on behalf of the buyer； at his expense。 We tell him if he's buying into a heartache of any sort…a leaky roof； a cellar that floods； a crumbling foundation； faulty wiring； bad plumbing； that kind of thing。 We're fully bonded； so even if we overlook something； our client is protected。 Are you the buyer or the seller？〃
〃Neither；〃 Paul said。 〃My wife and I own the place； but we aren't ready to sell it。 We're having a problem with the house； and I can't pinpoint the cause of it。 I thought you might be able to help。〃
Alsgood raised one gray eyebrow。 〃May I suggest that what you need is a good handyman。 He'd be considerably cheaper； and once he'd found the trouble； he could fix it； too。 We don't do any repair work； you know。 We only inspect。〃
〃I'm aware of that。 I'm pretty handy myself； but I haven't figured out what's wrong or how to fix it。
I think I need the kind of expert advice that no handyman can give me。'
〃You do know we charge two hundred and fifty dollars for an inspection？〃
〃I know；〃 Paul said。 〃But this is an extremely annoying problem； and it might be causing serious structural damage。〃
〃Wha