Page 158 of The Bone Code
“Never,” I agreed.
“Abilene Monger.” One sanitized hand shot my way. “Very pleased.”
“Have you worked here long, Abilene?” We shook, her grip as strong as the discarded tissue.
“Since before Jesus raised up Lazarus.” Not quite a giggle but close.
“This is a little embarrassing,” I said, going hard for embarrassed.
“Oh, darlin’. What is it?”
“I’m looking for my niece.”
“She’s missing?”
I nodded. “For a while now. I think she and a friend may have come here a few years ago. She had short dark hair streaked pink. Her friend was quite tall.”
“The pink porcupine!”
“I’m sorry?”
“I make up rhymes and jingles to help my visual recall. It’s a memory trick I learned onOprah. Mnemonics.”
“I do that all the time.”
“I use it for faces and cars and things, not so much for voices or conversations. I have what doctors call an echoic memory. Ever heard of that?”
I shook my head.
“I hear a speech or a song or such, I can remember every single word. I’m so good at it a psychologist studied me back in high school.”
“I’m impressed.”
“So was he. Sit your sweet self down.” Indicating one of two gray velvet armchairs facing the desk.
I sat.
“Her hair. It was all spiky. Like a porcupine. And peony-pink.”
“Very clever.” Tone absolutely neutral, though my pulse was humming.
“Do you think the pink porcupine was your niece?”
I pulled the Shady Sam’s pic from my purse and laid it on the glass. Monger repositioned the Harry Potters, leaned forward, and studied the girl seated below the stage.
“Yes, ma’am,” she said finally. “What’s the poor lamb’s name?”
“Harmony.”
“How utterly charming.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s the child doing in a bar?”
“It’s a long story.”
Reproachful pause. Then, “Your niece and her friend were working on a science project for school. They hadn’t called ahead, but Dr. Huger very graciously agreed to see them. I was in his office catching up on filing, so I overheard most of what was said. Good gracious, I hate filing. That’s why I let it pile up.”
