Fred was still smiling as they drove out of the parking lot. "Thanks, Dora. I learned a new trade today," he told her.

"We both did," she answered. "It's not too different from cleaning houses." She added. "And you catch on to things fast. By the way, don't forget to pick me up a little early tomorrow so you can go by the office and get those clothes she offered. If Mrs. Brown is any example, they'll probably be expensive. You might even get something to wear to our class reunion next month, that is if you plan to go."

"I don't usually go to those things. Everybody probably looks so different that, even if you knew them in High School, you wouldn't recognize them now." he told her.

" I know what you mean but we did recognize Mrs. Brown, even if she was a grade ahead of us. We might know some of them." Dora really wanted them to go to the Reunion."

"I haven't gone to any of the other ones." Fred sounded like a little coaching would bring him around.

"Me either but this is the 25^th one. It would be sort of special. Maybe we could go together. At least we would recognize each other whether we know anyone else or not." Dora urged.

Fred was quiet for a while before telling her, "I'll have to ask the secretary for an advance. Mrs. Brown said we could do that. It would be nice to go together." He thought of all the dances he hadn't attended because he couldn't get a date. Maybe she should have asked Dora. "I'll drive, if old Maisie is still running."

"Good! And I'll ask for that advance, too. My bank account is getting pretty low. We both have to remember to send in our reservations." Dora suddenly felt happy because she had something to look forward to.

Fred smiled all the way to her house. He knew she would object when he got out to walk her to the door so he told her, "It's too late for you to go in alone. I'll just see you get in the house safely."

"Thanks," she told him as she made a mental note to the list of things she had learned about him in just one day. "See you tomorrow about 4. That should give us time to take care of things at the office."

"O.K. Four it is," He wondered whether it would have been appropriate to try to kiss her but she had gone in and closed the door before he got up the nerve.

As Dora leaned against the door she had just closed, she was already looking forward not only to the next day when they would be cleaning offices together but next month when they would be spending the Reunion together. What a great turn her life had taken.

The next day, Dora put on the best old clothes she had so Mrs. Brown would see that she was trying to be a good rep for the company. She had swept, dusted, cleaned, and rearranged everything she could to make the day go faster but 4 o'clock was still a half- hour away. She was rearranging the china cupboard for the second time when she heard "Maisie" pulling up in front of the house. When she looked at the clock, it was only 3:40. "Maybe Fred's day was a little too long, too," she thought.

She was already at the door when Fred knocked. When she let him in, she saw that his hair had been cut and that he, too, looked like he had found some of his better old clothes to wear. She smiled, "Looks like we both are trying to please the boss," she told him as she touched his hair. . "You look great, Fred."

"You, too," he told her. "And Maisie was raring to go this morning. By the way, I found some change in my shaving kit, I think it's enough for a snack before we go to work." He looked in the hall mirror before he said," I'm glad you like my hair. My landlady cut it. I cut her lawn. "

Dora smiled. She had learned that it bothered Fred to be indebted to anyone.

When they got to the office, they both went in. The secretary looked up. "Yes?" she questioned.

Dora answered, " We're the new cleaners. Mrs. Brown said you would give us an advance if we needed it."

The secretary got up and came to the counter. "Yes. Nice to meet you…Fred and Dora, isn't it?" She gathered up a bundle of clothes that had been piled up on her desk. "Mrs. Brown said that these would be for Fred. And she said, if you came early enough, to ask Fred to look into the vacuum cleaners in the storeroom. To especially inspect all the bags that held the dirt to see if there might be a small bottle of prescription medicine." She looked at Dora. "If you don't mind, I could use some help with the mailing I have to do. You will both be paid for your time. I could add that to your hours from yesterday and give you the advance before you go."

Dora looked at the suits that Fred was picking up. "Sure. We have the time, don't we Fred." After he grunted assent, she continued, "That beautiful dark blue one looks like a Reunion suit to me."

Fred picked up the sleeve. "Nice material," he said . "I'll put these in the trunk so I can lock them up. Do you have some newspaper I can put around them." When the secretary handed him some papers, he left with the clothes over his arm. He was still feeling the material as he went out the back door.

"I think he likes them." Dora smiled at the secretary.

The woman returned her smile."By the way, my name is Marge," she informed Dora. "And that blue suit is the one Mr.Brown had on when they found him dead in his car in the parking lot."

Dora's mouth dropped open. "Good Lord, don't tell Fred that. He probably would never wear it. And what was that business about looking for something in the vacuum."

The secretary looked toward both doors. "Mrs. Brown is out on business. I'm not sure she would like my telling you this, but Mr. Brown died of a heart attack. He was supposed to keep his medicine with him at all times but they never found any on him. Mrs. Brown said she had picked up his medicine that morning and given it to him but it has never been found."

Dora remembered a conversation from that first day. "Is that what's holding up that insurance policy? She mentioned it yesterday."

Fred came in the back door and called to them. "I'll take a look at those vacuums now. Shouldn't be too long." He closed the door to the storeroom.

Dora was glad. She wasn't sure Fred would want to listen to the gossip that she hoped would go on. "Why would she think the medicine would be in a vacuum bag?"

Marge shook her head. "I don't think she does, but they have torn this whole place apart. The car, too. I think it's her last hope."

Dora couldn't understand the importance of such a small thing as a prescription medicine bottle. Everybody loses them occasionally. She had often cleaned houses for old ladies who would lose their medicine in odd places.

Marge must have understood her confusion as she explained, "You see, if they can prove that Mrs. Brown didn't give him the medicine, they could probably charge her with murder. If she did give it to him, and he threw it away, they would have a good case for suicide. If either one could be proved, the insurance company would not have to pay of that million dollar policy that he took out before his heart got so bad."

Dora was thinking of all the news she and Fred would have to talk about over lunch.

Marge had put a stack of envelopes and some printed sheets of colored paper on a table in the office. She walked to end of the counter and pushed open the swinging door and motioned Dora in. "While Fred is doing his job, maybe you could fold these ads and stick them in the envelopes that already have the addresses printed on them. Mrs. Brown is really into running the business. These are ads for trying to get new customers. I had to be out yesterday so I didn't get the mail out."

"Yes. She said one of your children was sick." Dora remembered the lack of sympathy in Mrs. Brown's voice.

"I'm sure she wasn't very happy about it. But she has been under a lot of pressure lately." Marge sounded like she was trying to understand. "Of course, that nice Daniel Stethman is some comfort to her. He comes in quite often to see if he can help her out. He sold Mr. Brown that big policy. That's when Mrs. Brown found out that they had gone to the same High School." Marge lowered her voice as she continued. "I think they have been seeing a lot of each other lately. He even looked the car over for one whole afternoon in case Mr. Brown had dropped the medicine bottle in the car. We could see that he had turned everything over."

Dora felt like she had found out more than she had bargained for. She and Fred would have to discuss it all over the burger and drinks.

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