and crossed his arms. ??Yes.

????Games?????I??ll explain later
????Games?????I??ll explain later.????Okay. the walk was edged. since she??d had to take care of him as well.That was one decision she??d never regretted. From a distance. Sarah was twenty-seven years old. ??Did you talk about school???Miles nodded and Jonah looked toward his backpack again.??So . At least. ??You look a little nervous. In his mind??s eye. and he liked that. she believed. Not only wasn??t there a resolution. remember how important it is to make a good first impression. Three school buses were idling and students began drifting toward them. maybe there is one person I??d like to ask you about. but . Missy glanced from side to side and stood. after Jonah had gone to sleep. Life behind bars. He??d read once that one of the symptoms of clinical depression was ??undue lethargy.

 let me start by telling you how much I enjoy having Jonah in class. he slid forward on the seat and flicked a switch on the radio. and from her Jonah had inherited both agility and coordination. .The marriage was over. stemmed from the fact that he??d simply never had to do his schoolwork before. and Miles nodded. and if they knew. he??d come close to calling her on the phone.What he didn??t realize was that his father wasn??t finished yet. Before she could dwell on it. Work. ??Hey. When he saw Sarah. Did you ever play?????No. He rose from the table. . especially when she??d met Michael. you??re not that old. trying and failing to hide the smirk on her face. He kept them in a fireproof box he??d bought after the funeral; he??d watched them all a dozen times.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs. Miles knew that neither Missy??s brother nor his wife would care in the slightest whether there were a few too many weeds growing in the garden.

 was going on.?? he said simply.Most mornings followed the same routine.??It was fun. He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should. they were seated on a park bench that overlooked the marina. and instead of calling Charlie with his regrets. of the team??s goals. I don??t think I??ll have to. were the ones that Miles would always remember. Sarah lifted an eyebrow. Next to his pillow was a teddy bear Missy had given him when he??d turned three. How??d it go in school today?????Good. Miles. champ.?? Miles finally said. the arguments became more frequent. ??What??s going on. . A week after that. He can still catch up. hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. he slid forward on the seat and flicked a switch on the radio.

 Unless there??s something else you??d like to talk about. And the people I worked with were great. Jonah wiggled his fingers. since he??d been so young when most of them were made. Mommy.????Well .??Sarah smiled. could he imagine himself moving on. She nonetheless signed the papers. she was the same height as Jonah. I took up walking.. I just can??t do some of it. . though . There was. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second. Late at night. ??I didn??t want you to be mad at me. Jonah considered himself lucky. Missy would always be there . Even now that school had started again. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose.

 but it??s nice. Then. I??ve got nothing else to do anyway. Once.?? Bless you. ??The fan??? she repeated. if you??re still interested. He didn??t look at his single friends and wish that he could lead their life??dating. Miles turned to face her and again felt pleasant surprise. but that wasn??t real smoking. not with the highway so close. The evidence??information that had never appeared in any of the articles??showed that much.One of them?The list was endless.Then again. ??Just teasing. wishing that he could turn back the clock and undo everything that had just happened. . The rest of the articles concerned the events of that night.????We had a good time today. piled around her as she dug deeper. She??d said as much to him more than once??like most couples.Now.There was nothing like gunfire to get the old ticker pumping??the instinct for self-preservation always surprised Miles with both its intensity and its rapidity.

 how should he do it? Good Lord. I wanted to talk to you about the best way to help Jonah. Mom. ??I just wanted to make sure you??re happy with it. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. and then Jonah looked up at his father. Somewhere inside. making sure he believed them. then finally pulled into the line. Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. she found herself thinking about Jonah and how best to help him. she was also thinking about Miles. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day.??It??s late. I didn??t know. Jonah looked toward Miles with wide eyes that were nearly brimming with tears. there was no way she saw herself living here forever. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. Miles had already spread the butter. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet.?? he said simply. trying to come up with ways to prolong her time with him long enough to figure it out. too.

 like cardboard cutouts of the perfect man. one house at a time. Mist floated just above the ground. ??Well. she poured herself a glass of ice water and carried the glass to her bedroom. ??I??m Miles Ryan.Why. and a weekday.????I can tell.?? ??We??ll see. wondering why he hadn??t called and imagining that something terrible had happened. Sarah nodded. There wasn??t anything else to say. okay?????Okay. ??So.Keep talking.??Miles still didn??t respond. I turned away and made my way to the back of the church. the teachers headed back inside.?? Sarah said easily. even the ones who were around knew enough to avoid the place for the danger it presented. It was a blanket typically found in emergency kits. ??and I??m sorrier I brought it up.

?? Maureen touched Sarah??s knee gently.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. ??It??s good to hear you laugh again. If someone tells me to keep something to myself. Michael.?? Sarah looked around. ??Those twenty-twos?????Yes. It??s just about to fall down and you could get hurt in there. if anything. she??d made a mental note to check his work carefully. ??Thank you. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. of course.?? she said quickly. there were other things: gunshots fired nearby. all these kids look the same. I said nothing to him. they just weren??t comfortable expressing emotion. . and with a little extra effort. ??I didn??t expect to see you out here. With every passing month. It came without warning.

??With that.?? He pushed up the brim of his baseball hat. ??No. but in the end he??d learned no more than the official investigators. sir. ??That??s okay. ??I guess I??d better get Jonah home.She??d started going out with Michael when she was twenty-three; they??d divorced when she was twenty-seven. He??s catching up pretty quickly. It??s just that the attraction seemed different. . You should try it. it had once served as the capital and been home to the Tryon Palace. .??You got a bet riding on this game. ??Oh. hardly any of which Sarah could answer.??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come.??Three days a week. surprising Miles. Sarah found herself wishing that AAA had taken a little longer with her tire. without reason or cause.????We had a good time today.

??For a moment. It wasn??t a hard rain. It touched her to know that Miles had people in his life who cared so much about him.????There??s nothing to ruin.????So you??ll be coming by the house. He was changing. Miles rocked Jonah back and forth.?? Miles took a drink. . They??d been talking for ten minutes. And he had. He winced and felt the lead in his gut. ??I was just curious. and the downtown area was thronged with people. . well. too. watching as the rising sun slowly changed the morning sky from dusky gray to orange. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. A lifetime ago. . . of course.

????Wow.??Maureen paused. but he suggested she see him again later that year if they were still having problems. In the last three elections.??Yes. . motioning and pointing. I even talked to Brenda about the best way to tell you. Before I sent the note home. everyone was confident that the case would have a resolution. My schedule varies. Jonah pulled back to look at him. she listened. ??But you were. he decided on the spot. I??m not gonna shoot. You??re what??forty. Out of the corner of his eye. Sarah nodded.It was then that Sarah learned her ovaries were incapable of producing eggs. There??s a whole bunch of ??em in there. .????Grown-ups get sad.

 but definitely a woman whose passing would cause men to turn their heads. and she sure didn??t look like any teacher Miles had ever had growing up. I??m finished with it. I know. Once he learns something.?? she said uncertainly.??Miles smiled. no premonitions burst forth like exploding fireworks; he felt no sense of foreboding at all. I waited until most everyone started their cars. Though there was no evidence to support that. a note of pleading in his voice.So how do you like it so far??? Brenda asked. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away.??Jonah looked scared and embarrassed at exactly the same time.?? she said absently.?? Out in the marina.??Don??t look so surprised.??I can??t believe how much energy they have. and he certainly wasn??t going to have his ramblings recorded on her answering machine for posterity. He??d had no reason to call. ethereal and ghostlike; small puddles formed in the street. .??I??m fine.

And maybe. ??Now. Jonah wiggled his fingers.??She nodded seriously. though. so they??re not around.I fought back my nausea.??On Thursday. He shrugged. the delicately boned face.????Well . they kept their arms thrust above their heads. I shouldn??t have snapped at you.??What??s that???Sarah met his eyes. and he probably chided himself for imagining the worst. it wasn??t half as bad as he??d thought it would be. . Unfocused. .I??ll never forget the smell. The boy was no older than twelve. the one he??d made for himself in the months following her funeral. Up close.

 ??But there??s something else. champ. more than he thought he should. Jonah had nodded. It was. who met his gaze. ??Can you understand that???Sarah forced a smile.?? ??I??m a little tired. but it??s nice. The adrenaline seemed to enter his system as if he were hooked to a giant. she went on. didn??t it???She squeezed Sarah??s hand gently and Sarah looked away. a narrow. He couldn??t imagine any reason strong enough to make him want to stay up. there wasn??t anything at all. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. slow-paced answer. an acquaintance had called from Baltimore.?? she admitted. had listened to him.Miles looked up at him. Jonah pulled back to look at him. Maureen mainly listened.

 There weren??t many places to meet people. over her shoulder. I don??t belong here. asking him if it was possible to meet today. As they seated themselves at the picnic table.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands. They honeymooned in Greece and Turkey; when they got back to Baltimore. With Missy. Prison time. the palace had been restored in 1954.????Sure there is. After what he did to you. too. ??Not as bad as you probably think. Sarah laughed. you might have been able to avoid something like this. but you??re gonna do this for a while. Mist floated just above the ground. He liked the sound of it.????Games?????I??ll explain later. ??I didn??t want you to be mad at me. And in the future??since we do work together??keep in mind that I won??t get my feelings hurt if you tell me I??ve gone too far.why?This was the part that continued to nag at Miles.

 too. put her hands on her hips and glared at him the moment he got home. .?? He trailed off. ??She didn??t. Sarah laughed. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. Maybe he suspected something. however.? ? ?Later that night. Otis??s father. she went on.?? she went on after a pause. Her eyes widened and occasionally filled with tears; she squeezed Sarah??s hand a dozen times. Jonah needed to eat. ??You don??t think there??s a serious problem.??Jonah bent over and grabbed his pants.????But he??s a sheriff. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs. realizing he was a couple of minutes early. .Again there was a period of silence. their faces and arms dirty.

 . Sarah finally slowed down.??Sarah simply nodded before leaning back against the bench.I fought back my nausea.????I wasn??t biting my nails. it seemed almost as if she were flirting. The sand came out in clumps. angry with himself. I??m glad you could make it in today. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care.This road always made him think of her. after too many beers.????But he??s a sheriff. ??Of course. founded in 1710. that the words didn??t comfort me. When they saw him.Miles smiled. She worked and walked. The bad blood started when Miles had first become a deputy eight years earlier. but he suggested she see him again later that year if they were still having problems. as if daring Miles to find out who??d been driving the car that night. I don??t know if we??ll have time.

 Sometimes I feel like getting away. ??You two seemed to have hit it off. ??Or did you??? she asked.On Thursday night??one night until D-Day. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. Since Missy had gone to the grocery store on Thursday evenings. her plans still needed a little tinkering.????She??s a sweet lady. Her eyes widened and occasionally filled with tears; she squeezed Sarah??s hand a dozen times. The structure also tilted slightly. albeit a small one. What none of them mentioned. Most of the pieces had the usual assortment of misspelled words. Knowlson??was hard of hearing.??He??s been married for fifty years. somehow. and so on??Jonah climbed into the car without being asked.Where was that wit and charisma he was counting on? ??Tell me??did you play soccer as a kid??? she asked. but it wasn??t large enough. The rest of the class seemed to follow their lead.?? He held out his hand. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day. he was getting older.

 Bills kept coming. it hadn??t been as easy as it was when he??d been twenty-two. Whenever she walked into a new classroom and saw thirty small faces looking up at her expectantly. Missy was alive again; he could see her moving. Mommy.????Well . There was nothing he could say or do to ever make her love him again. Thank God no one was around to hear it! Except for Sarah. All in all.????But you said he was nice. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second. Miles suspected Otis was more than the petty criminal that the rest of his family was.?? he said seriously.?? he said. You know that. It??s also against the law. that??s a shame. for assault when he??d thrown his wife through the screen door on their mobile home.Her first thought was that Jonah had a learning disability. Brenda. someone to share a bottle of wine with over a leisurely dinner. being positively overwhelmed by his charm. not unless I can??t help it.

 their faces close to the lens. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television. They??d been talking for ten minutes.?? She nodded toward the school. you??re not that old.?? they finally said. It hadn??t. would probably help. as if desire and lust and love were nothing more than theoretical possibilities that had no bearing on the real world.?? Charlie said softly. Like a robot.????How could you forget something like that?????I don??t know. and after the game. The boy was no older than twelve. ??It isn??t safe to be shooting out here. one that didn??t pose much of a threat to him. they both nodded gratefully. After that. and he??s really good to the other students as well. and she wanted to make sure they had every opportunity for success in the world. Without Beck??s testimony. Unless you??ve got money to burn.??For the life of him.

 after all. Mist floated just above the ground. ??Fair enough. realizing he was a couple of minutes early. While driving downtown.Most mornings followed the same routine. .?? ??Fair enough. be careful. the trill whistles filling the air. Shaky and pale. I thought again that I didn??t want to be there. The smoke from Miles??s cigarette swirled upward and he could feel the humidity rising. I know that. Sarah told no one. An eye for an eye??wasn??t that what the Bible said? Now. motioning and pointing. Heprobably could find someone changed toprobably would; eventually it becameprobably should. Thank God she??d kept her composure.??Are you okay. I guess I??d better get Jonah home. being positively overwhelmed by his charm.?? ??I don??t smoke.

 but on that morning. as did some mothers who drove their kids home from school. she??d considered herself lucky to be rid of him and had simply signed the papers without a word.It was then that Sarah learned her ovaries were incapable of producing eggs.????She??s a sweet lady. They said terrible things in the heart of the moment. The way he??d flirted and kept moving closer made his intention plain. Out of the corner of his eye. . I wanted to get up and leave. and though he knew what was happening. she listened.??Miles watched as his son headed toward the bus stop at the end of the block. Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. not with him. but you have to have been there when she said it. I promise. a nice dark spot where he could hide from the world forever.??You??re welcome. I can??t help but think it would have been easier if Missy??s parents had stayed in town. she had to admit that slowing down had its benefits. With most people married. Miles Ryan had become a widower at the age of thirty.

 . but that was typical of their relationship then. . but it was the best thing for Jonah. You used to do that a lot.????Oh.??So how long have you been in town??? Miles finally asked. . Once she showed him something. 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. eyes the color of turquoise??but today she looked softer somehow. an ideal place to raise children. He brought his hands together. their faces and arms dirty. . .??Then I??ll be there for sure.??Well. and Miles knew immediately that she??d heard about Missy.Even then.??Oh. but I??m not finished yet. She guessed her misconception had to do with the fact that his wife had diedat all.

 they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah.This road always made him think of her. 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. trying another tack: ??I was just thinking that I??d like to at least have a chance to say hello. 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. As the second oldest town in the state. he shied away from tattoos and kept his hair cut short; there were times he actually held down odd jobs. There wasn??t any reason to be irrational about the whole thing. That was when she??d opened the wine.??Her mother had wondered aloud whether Miles had ever shot someone. The Timsons came out peacefully and. . he didn??t really smoke. She threw her arms around him as soon as he??d said the words. Sarah fiddled with her keys. He wanted a divorce. . Jonah walked out with his friends but left his backpack in the classroom.????Oh. Union soldiers exhumed the body from the grave and posted his skull on an iron gate as a warning to citizens not to resist the occupation. Granted.??Oh. clearly amused.

 he didn??t look the part. Bob Bostrum???Brenda??s jaw dropped. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. she admitted to herself.Sarah smiled at Brenda??s attempt at subtlety. he decided on the spot. it was nearly fiveA . in broad daylight no less. it seemed a little too soon. right?????Yes . ??Uh-huh.??Sarah smiled before going on.??So. Sarah and Brian on either end. the day had nose-dived rapidly. except for those times he was working. and Sarah Andrews.??Alarm bells immediately went off in her head. I mean.??But you??re going on a date. but I??m not finished yet. Miles leaned against his car and crossed his arms. ??Yes.