Chapter 145

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Eleanor was starting to look a bit wan by the time Scooter rejoined them; the receiving line, horrible thing that it was, was down to a few stragglers. Andy was off to one side, speaking earnestly with Captain Spruce, who wore even her funeral clothing like it was a military uniform.

“Hey, Missus Howard. You holdin’ up okay?” Scooter greeted her, putting one hand lightly on Eleanor’s arm. “Don’t suppose you have any hand sanitizer in your purse. I’ll trade you a nip of vodka for it.”

He’d mostly been joking. But Eleanor turned to him with an almost genuine smile under that thick black veil. “That may well be the most sincere offer I have had all day, young man,” she said. She opened her bag and dug through it for a few moments, came up with a bottle. Scooter offered her the flask and wasn’t particularly surprised that she took a long draught through the veil, leaving a slight wet mark on the cloth. “Thank you.”