I haven't heard from her since January when I didn't feel able to help her out with a plot for Dancer #50.

She's not answering e-mails and her mobile phone number's no longer in use (although that's not unprecedented). I did send her a birthday card but I haven't had a reply.

I keep meaning to call in and see her next time I'm in the North Riding, but it's about three hours drive from here so it's hardly a casual trip unless business takes me that way. The old method of Shep information-gathering of having my mother speak to her mother isn't possible since her mum died a couple of years back.

It's not the first time Shep's gone incommunicado for a while. It generally means something really good or really bad is happening. I can only hope it's the former.