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He took another swallow and felt the warmth course through his body.
"Funny," Mrs. Glover said, "you don't look like a detective."
"Probably because I've only been a detective a couple of weeks."
"Or a policeman," she said. "I thought you were one of those who was going in the Marines?"
He was surprised that she had paid enough attention to him to have known that.
"I flunked the physical," he said.
"Oh," she said. "And do you like being a policeman?"
"Most of the time," he said. "Not tonight."
She hugged herself, which caused the material of her blouse to draw taut over her bosom.
"That warms you, doesn't it?" she said.
"Yes, it does."
"My husband's father gave him that when he was promoted."
"Oh."
"I was tempted to throw it out when he left, but I decided that would be a waste, that sooner or later, I'd need it. For an occasion. I didn't have something like this in mind."
"Well, it's over," Matt said. "Put it out of your mind."
"I'm not letting you get on with whatever you were about to do when this happened."
"Don't worry about it."
"Where do you live?"
"In Center City. I was driving past the Acme, saw the parking lot was pretty empty, and thought it would be a good time to get a dozen eggs and a loaf of bread."
"Me too," she said, and upended her brandy snifter and drained it. "I went there to get something for my supper. Have you eaten?"
He shook his head, no.
"The least I can do is feed you," she said. "There should be something in the freezer."
She found two Swanson Frozen Turkey Breast Dinners and put them in the oven.
"It'll take thirty-five minutes," she said. "Is that going to make you terribly late where you were going?"
"I just won't go," he said. "It wasn't important."
She made herself another cognac and ginger ale and extended the bottle to him.
"Well, we'll eat the leathery turkey, and then you can drive me back there."
"Fine."
"I'm now going to do something else I rarely do," Mrs. Glover said. "I'm going to smoke a cigarette."
"I'm sorry, I don't have any."
