第30部分(第4/9 頁)

His　breath　misted　the　air　when　he　leaned　into　the　window。

〃Don't　forget　to　pack　a　dress。　We'll　be　going　out。〃　He　grinned　and

popped　a　featherlight　kiss　on　the　tip　of　her　nose。　〃Now；　go；　before　the

snow　gets　here。〃

She　went。

Thanksgiving　wasn't　nearly　as　bad　as　Anne　had　expected。　She　spent　it　at

her　parents'　house　with　their　usual　crowd；　and；　yes；　she　missed　Jeff。

But　there　were　interesting　people　to　talk　with；　and　chaos　enough　to

pretend　that　Jeff　might　just　be　off　in　another　room。　Her　major

disfort　proved　to　be　a　stomachache　from　eating　more　heavily　than　she

had　in　a　year；　but　an　antacid　and　a　long　walk　with　her　father　eased　that

pain。

Work　kept　her　busy；　as　did；　to　her　dismay；　unfinished　business　relating

to　the　plane　crash。　The　FAA　had　finally　e　through　with　its　findings；

and　Anne's　lawyer　had　filed　suit　against　the　airline…a　small；　privately

owned　one…for　the　inadequate　upkeep　and　safety…check　procedure　of　its

craft。

Anne　had　always　known　that　the　suit　was　a　possibility；　but　her　appetite

for　it　had　waned。　Not　so　Jeff's　parents'　appetite。　They　kept　the　lawyer

on　the　case　even　after　Anne　asked　them　to　stop。

Now　the　wheels　of　justice　were　turning。　The　lawyer　called　her　in　for

meeting　after　meeting。　Rarely　did　a　day　go　by　when　he　didn't　phone　her

with　one　question　or　another。　The　latest　word　was　that　there　would　be　a