“Yes, I-''Only you got something, too.” He can see it on the candy-rack, a bright yellow mark something like a handprint. “Snickers bar?” “Mounds.” Her brown eyes are wide. “How did you know that?” “You got the candy, then you went up to get the aspirin. He’s looking up Aisle 2 now. “After that you paid and went out… let’s go outside a minute. Seeya, Cathy.” Cathy only nods, looking at him with wide eyes.

Pete walks outside, ignoring the tinkle of the bell, ignoring the rain, which now really is rain. The yellow is on the sidewalk, but fading. The rain’s washing it away. Still, he can see it and it Pleases him to see it. That feeling of click. Sweet. It’s the line. It has been a long time since he’s seen it so clearly.

“Back to your car,” he says, talking to himself now. “Back to take a couple of your aspirin with your water… “He crosses the sidewalk, slowly, to the Taurus. The woman walks behind him, eyes more worried than ever now. Almost frightened. “You opened the door. You’ve got your purse… your keys… your aspirin… your candy… all this stuff… juggling it around from hand to hand… and that’s when…” He bends, fishes in the water flowing along the gutter, hand in it all the way up to the wrist, and brings something up. He gives it a magician’s flourish. Keys flash silver in the dull day.

“… you dropped your keys.”

She doesn’t take them at first. She only gapes at him, as if he has performed an act of witchcraft (warlock-craft, in his case, maybe) before her eyes.

“Go on,” he says, smile fading a little. “Take them. It wasn’t anything too spooky, you know. Mostly just deduction. I’m good at stuff like that. Hey, you should have me in the car sometime when you’re lost. I’m great at getting unlost.”

She takes the keys, then. Quickly, being careful not to touch his fingers, and he knows right then that she isn’t going to meet him later. It doesn’t take any special gift to figure that; he only has to look in her eyes, which are more frightened than grateful.