1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 305
“You seem to have been in a scrape.”
Tally shrugged. “I was just trying to get out of the way.”
“Indeed.” Dr. Cable placed the magazine facedown on the
table. “That’s something you don’t seem to be very good at.”
Tally coughed twice, the last bit of pepper leaving her
lungs. “I guess not.”
Dr. Cable glanced at her workscreen. “I see we had you
among the resistors?”
“Some of the Smokies already suspected me. So when I
heard you guys coming, I tried to get out of town. I didn’t
want to be around when everyone realized what was happening.
In case they got mad at me.”
“Self-preservation. Well, at least you’re good at something.”
“I didn’t ask to come here.”
“No, and you took your time, too.” Dr. Cable leaned
back, making a steeple of her long, thin fingers. “How long
have you been here exactly?”
Tally forced herself to cough again, wondering if she
dared lie. Her voice, still harsh and uneven from inhaling
the pepper, wasn’t likely to give her away. And although Dr.
Cable’s office back in the city might be one big lie detector,
this table and chair were solid wood, without any tricks
inside.
But Tally hedged. “Not that long.”
“You didn’t get here as quickly as I’d hoped.”
“I almost didn’t make it at all. And when I did, it was