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Sue knew that James and Kath usually traveled home
together. She was thankful to find him alone in the
office when she got back. Kath had arranged to meet
an old college friend, a journalist on the New York
Times. Sometimes the newspapers knew more than they
could safely print.
They had discovered that the drum school downstairs
gave classes only in the evenings, which was a mercy,
but it made the office all but useless after 5pm. So
they strolled together through the busy streets to the
railroad station. Sue told him what she had seen in
the Harker Building, watching his jaw drop as she approached
the end of the story. From a trolley on the platform
James bought a beer, and iced tea for Sue.
"Do you have a video camera?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied, cautiously. He too had
been thinking about Hamlet's comment. "Why? What
are you planning?"
"Oh, you know. I thought I might just take a look
at Doberman's apartment."
"When?"
"I'm free tonight."
"Do you know where Doberman lives?"
"Course. I'm a detective." She followed him
onto the train.
"I don't suppose you're going to buy a ticket?"
he asked.
"Don't be silly," she whispered. "Now
tell me about the museum." Sue chose seats at the
back of the carriage. She liked to be able to vanish
without anybody seeing.
"Not much to tell. We took a look around but neither
of us knew what to do. The parts of the exhibit that
didn't get stolen were still on show, but not in the
original room. That's still sealed off. A security guard
told me that much."
His chances of succeeding as a detective were small.
He was coming to realize that if Sue could not solve
the cases, they might as well quit. They talked for
a few minutes more, until the Conductor arrived. Then
Sue slipped up to the luggage rack for a nap until they
reached James' stop.
She met up with him on the platform. "Hey, are
you hungry?" he asked. "Debbie made meatloaf.
You're very welcome. It might be good for you two to
bond a little."
"No, that's OK," she replied. "I need
to get going." He smelt a rat right away.
"Wait a minute. You're always hungry! Come on,
Deb won't bite."
She gave him a mysterious, guilty look. She had many
talents but lying was never going to be among them.
"I already ate."
"No you didn't. You're broke. Come on," he
said. "What's the matter?"
"No, really. I have to get the next train. Let's
just pick up the camera and I'll head back."
"Sue!" he warned.
"OK. I flew past your old office on the way back
from Harker's. I spotted Doberman going into a restaurant
across the street and I figured he still has enough
money for a good dinner, so I kind of hung around?"
"Literally?"
"Well, hovered."
James was beginning to laugh. "I can't wait for
this. What happened?"
She grinned happily. "I stole his Porterhouse
and a bottle of wine. You should have seen his face."
"What did you do with the wine?"
"I gave it to a wino," she said, with a shrug.
"What else?"
This was too good to be true. He only wished he could
tell Kath.
"Can you remember what the wine was called?"
Sue gazed upwards trying to recall. "I think it
was Chateau Neuf du Pape. Is that any good?"
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