Set against the backdrop of the 2020 Covid-19 outbreak, a young woman, Gravely Eaton, is stuck working at the family funeral home with a father she hates. The world is dying around her, but there seems no escape from her boring life with no friend...
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The diner had booths along the front window where the four of us had a clear view of the parking lot. Crim insisted we sit up front, and he kept checking his watch as if he was late for an appointment. The van and wood chipper took up several parking spaces in a lot that was shared with a neighboring motel and pool. Healy asked about the equipment, just to make small talk I guess, while we waited for our server to show up with our order. Crim continually wrote notes in his little black book and deferred the question about the chipper to Domagio.
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"That baby's what's called a 24 by 26 wide drum-style chipper. Solid steel welded construction, feed system that's fast and true. Chute has enough power to throw a horse twenty yards or more – after it was minced of course," bragged Domagio.
Healy was noticeably impressed. "Guess you wouldn't want anybody falling into that sucker, eh?"
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Crim tensed up noticeably at the question but Domagio's mouth curled into a smile.
"Oh, I don't know about that," was the yank's come back.
Healy didn't see Crim's reaction to the dark comment, but I noticed the Englishman give Domagio a very subtle nudge without even looking up from his notebook. Talk about the "appliance", as they called it, stopped when the waitress arrived. She slipped a steaming plate heaped with food in front of Healy, and two side bowls containing soup and salad. Metal teapots containing Earl Grey were planted in front of Crim and me, with milk and creamers, and Domagio received a mug of coffee and a bran muffin the size of my head. Her delivery accomplished, the waitress stepped aside for a busboy who put two foamy beer steins in front of Healy. The wait staff disappeared as quickly as they'd come.
