"I'll do what I can," Groff said. He went over to the jeep and the staring woman.
"Polly," he said.
She turned and told him in a dry, controlled voice: "I'm all right. It's just so strange to think that it's—over. Him and his bragging, him and his plans, him and his tramps. It's over. I suppose you miss a tumor when they cut it out of you. That's the way I miss him." She sagged against Groff in a half-faint. He led her to a chair where she sat like a stick. The captain, in a businesslike way, asked Cioni, "Just where's this church?"
Cioni told him and the jeep rolled away.
"No, no, no," Sharon Froman was saying faintly.
Then she smiled and said to Groff: "Girl backed the wrong horse, didn't she? Mickey, how'd you like to meet Congressman Akslund first thing in the morning? Artie's gone, one with the martyrs, but Akslund's still going to need expert advice on the reconstruction. I've got an in there."
"Keep it," said Groff, and put his arm around Polly.
She turned to Dick McCue. Her smile was becoming ghastly. She said, "Got a kind word for an old friend, Dick? We've had some fun together. Shall bygones be bygones?"
"No," said Dick McCue. "If you keep bothering me I'll take out your upper plate and step on it."
Her hand flew to her mouth. There was a bark of laughter from Mrs. Goudeket. "You thought nobody knew? You thought you could see through everybody, Miss Sharon Froman, but nobody could see through you? We all know you have an upper plate. We all know you'll never finish your book or hold a man. We all see through you because we all see through each other, but we know also that we're seen through. That makes us sometimes kind to each other—we have to be. But you, you have to think you're perfect and that if anybody sees anything less than perfect in you it's because they're fools."