The front door opened and I offered Gabe the crumpled paper bag. He took it from me without a word, smiling gently and standing aside for me to enter. He closed the door quietly behind me and I followed him to the kitchen. Odd plates were taken from the cupboard, and the cakes gently tipped from the bag and placed between us as we sat opposite each other. Gabe sat with arms folded, leaning on the table and looking at the plates.
"Which one"s Annie"s?" he asked. I was startled, amazed by his insight; it was as though I was walking a familiar path, something he"d seen before. I pointed to the shortbread and he nodded. "Any sign?"
"Everyone I could casually drop in on, I casually dropped in on."
"No-one knew her did they?" It was more of a statement than a question and I shook my head. Ga
