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ig presentation 。 。 。 it's the stress； and oh boy； it's pounding like a hammer now。 。 。'
Pete nods sympathetically。 He knows about headaches。 Of course most of his are caused by beer rather than stress； but he knows about them； all right。
'I had some time to kill； so I also went into the little store next to the pharmacy for a coffee 。 。 。 the caffeine； you know； when you have a headache the caffeine can help 。 。 。'
Pete nods again。 Henry's the head shrinker； but as Pete has told him more than once； you have to know a fair amount about how the human mind works in order to succeed at selling。 Now he's pleased to see that his new friend is calming down a little。 That's good。 He has an idea he can help her； if she'll let him。 He can feel that little click wanting to happen。 He likes that little click。 It's no big deal； it'll never make his fortune； but he likes it。
'And I also went across the street to Penny's。 I bought a scarf。 。 。 because of the rain； you know。 。 。 'She touches her hair。 'Then I went back to my car。 。 。 and my son…of…a…damn…bitch keys were gone！ I retraced my steps 。 。 。 went backward from Renny's to the store to the pharmacy； and they're not anywhere！ And now I'm going to miss my appointment！'
Distress is creeping back into her voice。 Her eyes go to the clock again。 Creeping for him； racing for her。 That's the difference between people； Pete reflects。 One of them； anyway。
'Calm down；' he says。 'Calm down just a few seconds and listen to me。 We're going to walk back to the drugstore； you and I； and look for your car…keys。'
'They're not there！ I checked all the aisles； I looked on the shelf where I got the aspirin； I asked the girl at the counter…'
'It won't hurt to check again；' he says。 He's walking her toward the door now； his hand pressed lightly against the small of her back； getting her to walk with him。 He likes the smell of her perfume and he likes her hair even more； yes he does。 And if it looks this pretty on a rainy day； how might it look when the sun is out？
'My appointment…'
'You've still got forty minutes；' he says。 'With the summer tourists gone； it only takes twenty to drive up to Fryeburg。 We'll take ten minutes to try and find your keys； and if we can't； I'll drive you myself。'
She peers at him doubtfully。
He looks past her； into one of the other offices。 'Dick！' he calls。
'Hey； Dickie M。！'
Dick Macdonald looks up from a clutter of invoices。
'Tell this lady I'm safe to drive her up to Fryeburg； should it e to that。'
'Oh； he's safe enough； ma'am；' Dick says。 'Not a sex maniac or a fast driver。 He'll just try to sell you a new car。'
'I'm a tough sell； she says； smiling a little； 'but I guess you're on。
'Cover my phone； would you； Dick？' Pete asks。
'Oh yeah； that'll be a hardship。 Weather like this； I'll be beatin the customers off with a stick。'
Pete and the brunette … Trish … go out； cross the alley； and walk the forty or so feet back to Main Street。 The Bridgton Pharmacy is the second building on their left。 The drizzle has thickened； now it's almost rain。 The woman puts her new scarf up over her hair and glances at Pete； who's bare…headed。 'You're getting all wet；' she says。
'I'm from upstate；' he says。 'We grow em tough up there。'
'You think you can find them； don't you？' she asks。
Pete shrugs。 'Maybe。 I'm good at finding things。 Always have been。'
'Do you know something 1 don't？' she asks。
No bounce； no play； he thinks。 I know that much； ma'am。
'Nope；' he says。 'Not yet。'
They walk into the pharmacy； and the bell over the door jingles。 The girl behind the counter looks up from her magazine。 At three…twenty on a rainy late September afternoon； the pharmacy is deserted except for the three of them down here and Mr Diller up behind the prescription counter。
'Hi； Pete；' the counter…girl says。
'Yo； Cathy； how's it going？'
'Oh； you know … slow。' She looks at the brunette。 'I'm sorry； ma'am； I checked around again； but I didn't find them。'
'That's all right；' Trish says with a wan smile。 'This gentleman has agreed to give me a ride to my appointment。'
'Well；' Cathy says； 'Pete's okay； but I don't think I'd go so far as to call him a gentleman。'
'You want to watch what you say； darlin；' Pete tells her with a grin。 'There's a Rexall just down 302 in Naples。' Then he glances up at the clock。 Time has sped up for him； too。 That's okay； that makes a nice change。
Pete looks back at Trish。 'You came here first。 For the aspirin。'
'That's right。 I got a bottle of Anacin。 Then I had some time to kill； so…'
'I know； you got a coffee next door at Christie's； then went across to Renny's。'
'Yes。
'You didn't take your aspirin with hot coffee； did you？'
'No； I had a bottle of Poland water in my car。' She points out the window at a green Taurus。 'I took them with some of that。 But I checked the seat； too； Mr 。 。 。 Pete。 I also checked the ignition。' She gives him an impatient look which says； I know what you're thinking： daffy woman。
'Just one more question；' he says。 'If I find your car…keys； would you go out to dinner with me？ I could meet you at The West Wharf。 It's on the road between here and…'
'I know The West Wharf；' she says； looking amused in spite of her distress。 At the counter； Cathy isn't even pretending to read her magazine。 This is better than Redbook； by far。 'How do you know I'm not married； or something？'
'No wedding ring；' he replies promptly； although he hasn't even looked at her hands yet； not closely； anyway。 'Besides； I was just talking about fried clams； cole slaw； and strawberry shortcake； not a lifetime mitment。'
She looks at the clock。 'Pete 。 。 。 Mr Moore 。 。 。 I'm afraid that at this minute I have absolutely no interest in flirting。 If you want to give me a ride； I would be very happy to have dinner with you。 But…'
'That's good enough for me；' he says。 'But you'll be driving your own car； I think； so I'll meet you。 Would five…thirty be okay？'
'Yes； fine； but…'
'Okay。' Pete feels happy。 That's good； happy is good。 A lot of days these last couple of years he hasn't felt within a holler of happy； and he doesn't know why。 Too many late and soggy nights cruising the bars along 302 between here and North Conway？ Okay； but is that all？ Maybe not； but this isn't the time to think about it。 The lady has an appointment to keep。 If she keeps it and sells the house； who knows how lucky Pete Moore might get？ And even if he doesn't get lucky； he's going to be able to help her。 He feels it。
'I'm going to do something a little weird now；' he says； 'but don't let it worry you； okay？ It's just a little trick； like putting your finger under your nose to stop a sneeze or thumping your forehead when you're trying to remember someone's name。 Okay？'
'Sure； I guess；' she says； totally mystified。
Pete closes his eyes； raises one loosely fisted hand in front of his face； then pops up his index finger。 He begins to tick it back and forth in front of him。
Trish looks at Cathy； the counter…girl。 Cathy shrugs as if to say Who knows？
'Mr Moore？' Trish sounds uneasy now。