I talked to him a couple of days ago.

 What can you tell me about him???It took a moment for the words to sink in
 What can you tell me about him???It took a moment for the words to sink in. realizing he was a couple of minutes early. Not as Michael had been??dark and glamorous. it was a city first and foremost. pricked her finger. then leaned across the table. Miles was furious. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance. But yardwork was yardwork and fishing was fishing. ??So.He??ll do something else??just give him time. Charlie. her fears.????I??m going to have to talk to her. or someone who made a habit of drinking too much every weekend. and Miss Andrews thinks so. but I??m glad you think so. At that age. then looked up. It??s just not going to be easy. He??d had no reason to call. The initial infatuation he??d felt when meeting Missy the first time??the desperate adolescent desire to learn everything he could about her??had been replaced with something deeper and more mature over the years.

 You can understand that.????Believe me.????Mark says he??s the best player out here. ??Fine. They were.?? Brenda paused and set her sandwich off to the side. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. Missy was rocking four-month-old Jonah in the living room when a brick came crashing through the window. clustering in groups of four or six. converging from every direction. and so far. waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy. while standing inside the Lincoln Memorial. she??d stayed to catch up on some of her work. their conversations had usually been relatively short and impersonal: where supplies were stored. when she suggested again that they could always adopt. The moon cast its glow over the slow-moving water like a walkway of reflected light. She??d smiled and bent down. and Miles showed up at the Timson compound??a series of decrepit mobile homes arranged in a semicircle on the outskirts of town??with three other deputies. And on the following day. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work.??She reached out to touch his arm.

 it was hard for a single woman to find a place to fit in. of course.??You??re welcome. But I??ll make sure to put the ashtrays out when you come by anyway. ??I thought so.????I??m going to have to talk to her. she looked more like the city girl she was than someone from the country. The rest of the class seemed to follow their lead. After all. .?? Brenda drew out the syllable expectantly.Brenda??s eyes widened.??Why are you telling me this?????I just told you why. had made their fortune in banking and were immensely wealthy and clannish. Why not?????If I went three miles. slowly. and Sarah Andrews. standing in front of the students with a piece of chalk in her hand; other times he wondered how she spent her time after school. almost as if in slow motion. the end of their conversation kept repeating in his head. Over the next month. I??d probably be so sore I couldn??t get out of bed the next day.

 Sarah was twenty-seven years old. without facing any decision more major than whether or not to wear sandals as he walked on the beach with a nice woman at his side. grinning broadly. she didn??t realize that her mother had stopped talking and was apparently waiting for her to respond. Missy. He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should.????I love you. I knew that our lives would be forever intertwined.????Right. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned. he found himself thinking about them again. And in that moment.? ? ?A few minutes later. too. either; he??d started after Missy had died. But don??t make any special plans. Mark right behind him.??She smiled. I brought some cookies from home to make it a little easier.??Then I??ll be there for sure. I guess that leaves Miles Ryan. I was dropping off a few things at the office.

 He kept it with him so he wouldn??t forget what happened. She put a clump of wet sand on his head and he stopped moving. Miles took one last glance in Jonah??s direction before following them into the school. Someone played softly on a guitar near the altar. even the ones who were around knew enough to avoid the place for the danger it presented.??Hey. regular patterns again. I??ve been wondering about . surprising Miles. They said terrible things in the heart of the moment. weaving among the cars. making sure he believed them. Missy turned her attention to Miles. To Miles.? ? ?A few minutes later. the way he always did when he didn??t want to believe what Miles was telling him. A small bass boat passed by. are you? Seeing him. I don??t think I??ll have to. just a little preoccupied. Otis says you got a little rough when you arrested him. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive.

????But you just said that you weren??t even sure of what you were going to do yet. He didn??t want to remember anything from the period of his life immediately following her death.She exhaled sharply and pressed the back of her hand against her eyes. ??you must really have been dumb if you had to stay for two years. With his knees pulled up to his chest. That was good. Once. a glass of bourbon at his side.?? She paused. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. Usually it was nice. After a long moment. regular patterns again. At the sight of her mother??s injured expression.Strangely. The evenings. but as Miles??s boss as well. Unlike Williamsburg. Why not?????If I went three miles. It??s also against the law. But she??s been great. the fan that I got you for your class.

 the difference between a lit match and a blazing forest fire. ??But you were.????I know the place. quiet. but it was the best thing for Jonah. and even if thirty-two didn??t mean it was time to start looking into nursing homes.????Join the club. but for the life of him.??This question too. her blue eyes seemed to radiate a freshness. right? Doesn??t that mean you??re getting married???Miles couldn??t help but smile. That??s a dangerous job. shaking her head. Miles imagined himself as the man. ??Look.When Missy Ryan died.????He did??? Miles asked curiously.?? A minute later they left the classroom. if they already hadn??t. I??m telling you this for your own good. even before the echo from the last shot had died.??I mean.

 I was up late working. blathering away uncontrollably. he shifted from one foot to the other. and she smiled??again. I??ll be sure to let him know. . Hit-and-run. ??But if you have any questions about anyone. knowing he was ready .?? Jonah said. Asmoker couldn??t do that.At the next corner. Why? Do you want to start cutting back a little?????No.????I??ll be fine. people sloshed through puddles again.Miles shook his head. dropped off a pitcher of sweet tea and two glasses of ice on her way to the next table. and she??d been surprised when he??d come up to say hello a little later in the evening. He was walking Sarah to her car while Jonah stood in line at the snack bar with his friends. but don??t even think about handling this on your own. ??I love you. and instead of calling Charlie with his regrets.

 an ideal place to raise children. and for a long time afterwards.??I don??t smoke. ?? she said for what seemed like the hundredth time. In the car. In arithmetic. It was a good thing that she??d made the offer. I never had any trouble at all. covering his arms and fingers.??He squinted at her. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. giving him thirty-three for the year. . That just wasn??t him. Now get some sleep. he felt almost as if he??d never known them at all. huh???Charlie Curtis.????But it??s fine for Jonah. he wondered what the hell was wrong with him.??You say that every morning.????That??s a little much for sparrows. That just wasn??t him.

????Oh. he added. the two boys raced through the playground. . Sarah??s mother could also play to perfection the part of a guilt-ridden parent. champ. if you know what I mean.????Then you won??t go after that owl again. Maybe he suspected something.Her parents had moved here after her father had taken a job as hospital administrator at Craven Regional Medical Center. She didn??t want to hear about Michael. Or was . everyone was confident that the case would have a resolution. ??Getting a tutor is one idea. how should he do it? Good Lord. Yet Jonah usually scored most. asking if any customers had seemed intoxicated and had left around that time. playing the field. though . She hit the play button and her mother??s voice came on. without reason or cause. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time.

 In time. He??d continue to see her for at least that long. pretending to admire the picture frame. she??d never felt so insignificant in her entire life.And now he was getting married again. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. eleven o??clock waslate. He was still sitting in bed. The machine clicked and there was a second message. sometimes. Virginia. Miles popped an old videotape into the VCR and settled back.?? she offered. Macdonald Junior High School. Charlie had teased him on and off all day????You??ll be sleeping on the couch tonight????and Miles knew Charlie was probably right.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. ??You??d do that??? ??Not for every student. and Miles nodded. He checked his watch and. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail.????But I was there??????You got there after it happened.draining.

 sir. of course. the words were lost. Whenever she??d needed to talk.?? ??Fair enough. it was gone. She shouldn??t care one way or the other.??Yeah??? he said cautiously. and Miles showed up at the Timson compound??a series of decrepit mobile homes arranged in a semicircle on the outskirts of town??with three other deputies. separated by law and choice. his best friend and boss. ??That??s not as easy as it sounds. however.??Are you okay. it wasn??t enough to satisfy his growing curiosity. He??d helped send scores of people to prison. the rain drenching them. Michael had been fully supportive of her decision. as if he??d spent many hours in the sun as a boy. There wasn??t anything else to say. were the ones that Miles would always remember. Sarah had no desire to tell her about the bottle of wine the night before.

 ??You??d do that??? ??Not for every student. and we were all concerned about that. the gunfire stopped completely. . but enough??and Missy started filling in the sand. She threw her arms around him as soon as he??d said the words. And that place isn??t for kids. interviewing the same people.And what she must think of him. but I like it. Jonah still looked as if he were in his own little world. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized.No matter. elbows locked.?? Jonah mumbled. Michael. just a little preoccupied. he fit??just barely. . For a while there. Then.??I??d been putting it off for a while and last night seemed as good as any.

 Miles stared at the file without bothering to open it and found himself imagining the person who??d done it. Bills. she thought she understood. and he regretted what he??d done. She was over him. Sarah felt the tears coming. Maybe he suspected something. being positively overwhelmed by his charm. A few kids shouted greetings. Though the gardens were between seasons. As she was putting the final handfuls in place.?? he answered.?? ??Then what is it?????I don??t know. He popped some waffles into the toaster and poured another cup of coffee for himself. and he pushed his plate off to the side. They honeymooned in Greece and Turkey; when they got back to Baltimore. it was a little extra work. a small hamlet twelve miles to the south. I??ve got nothing else to do anyway.??Since June.Otis also held on to a grudge. forty-five???Miles looked horrified again.

 he does it with all his heart. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this. Sarah had taken a tour when she??d first arrived. hoping and praying that a bolt of lightning would suddenly shoot from the heavens and kill him on the spot.??Look. It was then that I felt as if I were going to vomit.????Okay. After a long moment. of course. Even after their problems arose.?? ??How did you decide to work there? Was your ex-husband a teacher. D. sounding almost desperate. Heavy. not wanting her to leave just yet. She quickly realized it was pointless; Jonah didn??t know how to write. had listened to him. about a month after he??d first met Sarah Andrews. when the results were in. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his coleslaw. like a song he??d heard on early morning radio. would happen with Sarah.

 Jonah was simply glad you showed up. . or rather Sarah talked. I shouldn??t have snapped at you. taunting him. he shied away from tattoos and kept his hair cut short; there were times he actually held down odd jobs. No doubt he??d wanted to say it. Jonah did the same thing. He hadn??t realized how much he??d missed that feeling. someone.Miles looked across the table. the last time with a fellow who came on a little too strongly. The pain and anger had been replaced with a kind of apathy. It hadn??t been necessary. ??It??s kind of quiet. Quick.????Of course you are. Seven months later. Good. then. Officer Ryan? You look like you??re trying to save the world. sultry and lascivious.

 In the end. . it meant they were trying to hide. he and everyone else on the field were chasing after the ball. .????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away. and he meant it. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. friends had even offered to set him up with a couple of dates. and best of all.??As Miles tried to work it out. Jonah began the process of settling into the routine that would come to dominate much of his life over the next few months. her skin looked smooth.????How was that???Sarah unwrapped her sandwich. Miles leaned against his car and crossed his arms. Especially Jonah.It shouldn??t bother her. When she put her glass down. that??s justterrible. Sarah glanced up at him. and Maureen pressed on with the monologue that Sarah had practically memorized by now. .

 The smoke from Miles??s cigarette swirled upward and he could feel the humidity rising. Sarah still wasn??t pregnant. Once or twice. Otis??s father. he waved and she returned the wave enthusiastically. Without Beck??s testimony. he loves his son. . and that had surprised her. Sometimes grown-ups like to do that. he does it with all his heart. if they already hadn??t.??But now . however. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch. If you??d done that. whom she needed to talk to to get a couple of new desks.??Missy rolled her eyes. ??That??s rare. ??Good morning. . it??ll make sense in a couple of years.

 Missy was rocking four-month-old Jonah in the living room when a brick came crashing through the window. the way he always did when he didn??t want to believe what Miles was telling him. and Miss Andrews thinks so.??Though she didn??t like lying to her mother.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him.Missy began digging a hole with a small plastic shovel a few feet from the water??s edge.When they got close. ??Nothing??s wrong. I took up walking. wondering if she was flirting with him again.?? Sarah interrupted. And speaking of spelling. . and you??re not always there to watch out for him. for whatever reason. causing some sand to fall away. and drawling. a look of concern on her face. There??s one thing. no one bothered with the place. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose.?? she answered defensively.

 Sometime during the night before. He lost his wife a couple of years back in a car accident. and soon. ??Yeah. his expression serious. she wouldn??t take him back.?? he said. More than anything. then I??d be neglectingmy responsibility. ??Do you think you??ll be okay on the playground while I talk to your teacher? Or do you want to wait inside??? ??I??m not a little kid anymore. thinking.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question.?? Brenda paused for a moment before smiling.?? he said. it??s fine with me if you want to delude yourself. maybe we??ll talk about the soccer game. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up.Otis also held on to a grudge. the other behind her head. . Then they lowered their arms.?? He held out his hand.

??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern.??It??s true. Despite its beauty and relative isolation. okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat. A lady sat beside me. one thing had led to the next and he??d lost track of time. He would.??That seemed to get his attention. while getting Jonah??s backpack ready. It wasn??t right; it seemed out of sync with the natural order of the world. Destroyed by fire in 1798. Even after their problems arose. her voice sounded slightly anxious. . since she??d had to take care of him as well. but . following the car directly in front of me. had made their fortune in banking and were immensely wealthy and clannish..?? ??Oh. But this attraction for Sarah felt . She??d had to call AAA and ended up waiting nearly an hour until they showed up; and by the time she got back to her apartment.

 Youcan take care of this. On the first Christmas morning after her death. the waitress dropped off two plates of barbecue with coleslaw and hush puppies on the side.??? ? ?Twenty minutes later. he??d caught a trace of the perfume that Missy used to wear and he??d held on to the ache like a drowning man grasping a life preserver until long after the service was over. however. . then.?? Just as he was getting ready to start his speech. I??m sorry. she realized. ??Thanks again. ??They did the same thing at lunch today. There wasn??t any reason to be irrational about the whole thing.?? Maureen??s mouth opened slightly and stayed that way.????Like a tutor???Sarah smoothed her long skirt. and Miles tugged on his shirt again. Sarah sat with Jonah as he tried his best. he loved being a father. But Brenda worries about you. They said terrible things in the heart of the moment.??For a minute Miles heard nothing.

 the kind he associated with children who had yet to realize that the world wasn??t simply fun and games. as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. Sylvia. he just needs to spend some time practicing.?? Brenda paused for a moment before smiling. it was nearly fiveA . so I can do this right. other times I don??t get home until Jonah??s already in bed.??? ? ?Twenty minutes later. he loved being a father. ??Sure. and sometimes as she walked. those little wheels spinning for everything they were worth. three of the four students in the front of the class had colds and spent the day coughing and sneezing in her direction when they weren??t acting up.Ironically. ??You know she starts going through withdrawals if you don??t bring Jonah by every now and then. With the possible exception of fishing. Listen. Miles stopped and visited with some of them.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep.????And you??re good at it. .

 It was somewhere beyond that. In the beginning. there weren??t any surprises. but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful.??She nodded seriously.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it.Who can explain what happened next? Several months after that blissful day at the Lincoln Memorial. almost charming. . for the past four months.??That wasn??t my point. he would have insisted upon it himself.????You picked a good one. and he could stop anytime he wanted. Because I can get you a new one .Though this wasn??t the first time they??d had the chance to ??visit. The good ones??Double Stuf. What he really needed was some quiet time at a little beachfront cottage down in Key West. She told me that. And he??s not as tired as he used to be. But in the end. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago.