Chapter 12: Thank You Very Much

The dining hall was loud at noon.

I climbed onto the stool by the salad bar with a sheet of cream paper in one hand and a garment bag over my arm.

Bea stood below me with her ladle raised.

"Everybody!" she shouted. "Shut up!"

They did.

Camryn stood by the doors in a white coat with her two friends from the steakhouse.

She had come because I'd texted her one line: I'm returning your gifts. Come get them.

She had wanted the audience.

So I gave her one.

"Hi," I said. "Some of you know me from the soup station."

A few people laughed.

"In the last ten days, Camryn Ellingwood gave me a lot of things she didn't want."

"You saw some of it. You filmed some of it. I said thank you every time."

Camryn's smile was thin.

"Today I'm saying it for the last time."

I unzipped the garment bag and held up the Marchetti dress.

"Thank you for the dress. It fits me better than it fit you. I'm returning it dry-cleaned."

I laid it over the salad bar.

A phone clicked somewhere.

"Thank you for the placement. I'm returning the letter."

"Amesbury Capital hired me by name this morning, at the same salary, so I don't need yours."

I put the letter on the dress.

The room was very quiet.

Camryn took one step forward.

"Susie, that's enough."

"I'm not done."

I held up a set of brass keys.

"Thank you for the apartment on Beacon Street. The rent hasn't been paid since January."

"A notice was in the silverware drawer. I'm returning the keys, and I'll find my own place."

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