"No. I left them back by the purses." She's in winter boots, leather and what she assumes is fake fur - about as practical as it gets in her wardrobe back at the house, save for the canvas tennis shoes. "Why?"

Okay, why is obvious. The woman's going to do something to draw their attention, probably make noise. But the reason it's going to happen is still of interest to Beth, who's watched the entire process in silence and only partly understood the principles behind it.