They passed beyond his sightline. He supposed he should count himself lucky that she hadnt re-broken his legs with a baseball bat or given him a battery-acid manicure or something similar to indicate her displeasure with the way he had begun her book — such critical responses were always possible, given Annies unique view of the world.
he wanted to ask her, and didnt. "Well, I generally dont show my work until its all done,he said, and then smiled at her. He was still backing and filling as her footsteps began to come down the hallway. Then she glanced away from the table with no change of _expression_, and his relief was so great that the thudding, shifting ascent up the stairs to the pantry was almost bearable.
In the evenings he sat quietly, listening to the pig squeal and thinking about how he would kill the Dragon Lady. Probably a long time ago.
"He wouldnt have dared put the pills under the rug even if he thought he had time to do so before she came back — the packages were small, but the bulges would still be all too obvious. He tried to light one of the Blue Tips and couldnt because it kept missing the rough strip or falling out of his hand.