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.152 SARAH MASTERSShe d cut it off when he d been alive, then.But how had she killed him? Nothing elseappeared out of place.Just a guy napping, sansdick.Shields broke their shocked silence, his voiceoverly abrasive.Perhaps the thought of losing hiscock like that had got to him.Oliver almost smiled. This note says: Hope you enjoyed yourdinner.Seems obvious the girl cooked for them,was a skivvy.She must have fed him something.Won t know what that is until the coroner s had agood look at him and the tox screens come back. Langham cleared his throat. That penis.Indicates she did more for him than cook dinner. Seems that way. Shields walked out of theroom, calling from the landing, Mrs Roosay.Number 97! as though he d been the one to getthe tip and they knew nothing about it until he djust said.Oliver stopped himself thinking like that, orbeing riled by Shields arrogant ways.He wantedto find Glenn so those drugs were taken from hersystem and she was given some understandingsomewhere.How old was she? If she was twelve153 SUGAR STRANDSor above, she d be tried as an adult and sentaway.He didn t think that was fair.She deservedhelp, a better life, a family who cared.That she possibly wasn t going to get it hadOliver belting out of the room and down thestairs, back out onto the broken concrete pathGlenn had trudged up and down all her life,leaving and entering a home where no one caredif she existed except for the fact she made cupsof tea, cooked meals, and gave her father morethan he had a right to take.154 CHAPTER TENMrs Roosay turned out to be Mrs Rosé, aFrench woman of indeterminate years.She stoodon her doorstep, back hunched, shouldersrounded, and squinted at them through thick-lensed glasses.Her home-knitted cardigan, brownwith hints of beige running through it, crossed overat the front, her arms clamping the garment to her. Glenn, you say? Yes, madam. Langham smiled. Have youseen her today.Or recently? Oliver studied her.She didn t display bodylanguage that spoke of her withholdinginformation.Or holding a child in her home.Shelooked weary, tired deep in her bones, andbewildered that a detective stood on her frontpath asking about a little girl. SUGAR STRANDS I have not seen her for weeks.I have beenworried, but there is nothing I can do.Theauthorities, they do not listen to me.Say it is allin hand.I do not believe them.How can it be allin hand if the child is still dirty and uncared for? Tears filled her eyes, and Oliver cursed thefact that here was a woman who had tried to help,yet her warm heart and good intentions hadseemingly been brushed away. Did you allow Glenn into your home at anytime, Mrs Rosé? Langham s voice was soft, kind.She nodded. I would rather tell you inside.Please, come in. Mrs Rosé led the way into her living room, thehouse the same layout as Glenn s.Except thishome was clean and well cared for.Familyphotographs covered the walls and everyavailable surface end tables, the mantel, thetelevision and the air smelled of furniture polishand washing detergent.Glenn must have loved ithere and wondered how her home could be sodifferent.Oliver and Langham sat at Mrs Rosé sgesture to do so, on an overstuffed sofa covered156 SARAH MASTERSin pink chintz.She sat in a matching chair totheir right and gazed out the front window withrheumy eyes. She is a dear little thing.I waited for her.Tocome here and visit.But she did not come.Thelast time she was here was my birthday. Shelooked at Langham, her smile sad and watery. When was that, Mrs Rosé? he asked. Two months ago.August seventeenth.Shesaid she had made me a card, that she wouldbring it& Her lower lip quivered. And the time before that? Langham prodded. Every week on a Saturday morning.I havemissed her.I wondered if the authorities hadfinally listened to me and taken her away becauseI saw her getting into someone s car.That car hadbeen outside the house before, and the child hadspoken to whoever was inside.Through thewindow. She d grabbed Oliver s attention with that.Langham s too.The detective sat upstraighter, then leaned forward to take the oldwoman s hand in his
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