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Alice screeched to a halt in the parking lot of Bill's Motel. She bailed out and ran around to the General Store, where Bill was locking up. He turned the OPEN sign around to CLOSED and reached for the top bolt on the other side of the door.
Alice pounded a fist on the glass.
Bill opened the door a foot and poked his nose through the gap. "Past closing time now, Miss Parks," he said.
"I know," said Alice, breathless. "There's just a couple of things I need. It's urgent."
Bill checked his watch. He opened the door for her. "Well, all right, but make it quick."
"Thanks," Alice said, making straight for a rotating white wire stand near the front of the store. She grabbed three local area maps off the stand and spilled them onto the counter. She fumbled inside her wallet for the right
