(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

Damn.
The woman had returned to her faraway stare, but her mind hadn't
wandered as far this time - she was not nearly as startled by me. "You again,
eh?"
"Radine? The man whose name you took wants it back now," I growled.
Her voice grew shrill and a pink flush came to her cheeks. "Well, he can't
have 'em! He offered 'em to me, and I kept 'em. He never said nothing
about no loan of 'em, and he never said he needed 'em back! He ain't gettin'
em! You can go tell him so! He really needs a name, you tell him he can have
mine... the name 'Radine' should be good enough for anyone!"
It was hard not to poke a firm finger against her chest, "It wasn't good
enough for you... why should it suffice for him?"
"It's a world of difference between growing up in a name and having
someone else's, dearie. A new attitude behind an old name can change it all.
See what I've done with this one?" That mad smile came to her face once
again. She wasn't going to let this go easily.
"Very well. I'll talk to him about it. Farewell."
The nameless man gazed up at me as I approached him again, "Have you
located the woman with my name and number? She will tell you she won
the name from me, but she did not. She stole it. I require my name and
number. She is in the Village, somewhere."
I nodded, "I have. She doesn't want to give it up."
He paled for a moment. "She must. They are mine. She stole them from me.
I request your assistance." It was beginning to sound like a mantra.
"You're getting it."
"I require assistance. Any assistance you give me will be remembered with
gratitude. Please help," he pleaded.
Radine looked blankly as I returned, and then shook herself out of her daze.
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