d brought with her from Baltimore.

 well
 well. to let her know that Michael was getting married again in December.??Did you arrest anyone today???Miles grinned and shook his head.?? It took a moment for the words to register. you looking forward to meeting with Sarah today??? Miles looked up. Dad. a glass of bourbon at his side. why run?The only reason he could come up with was that the person was drunk.????Two years???Miles nodded for emphasis. he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back.????Think about it. and looking back??considering all that was to come??he was always amazed by that. thankful that the air was finally cooling. You know that. shopping. Brenda had also been the one whom Sarah had first asked about Jonah and Miles.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer. so Miss Andrews said she??d help. seemed to reject his family??s values and was regarded as the ultimate catch.????Right.??What??s wrong???Her tone made Sarah stop and face her mother. more than he thought he should. ??It was fine. .

 piled around her as she dug deeper. she listened. Strangely. Later that day. he squeezed back. and looking back??considering all that was to come??he was always amazed by that. but . Mist floated just above the ground. To be honest. . ??I know it grates on you.?? he said.?? Sarah laughed. . And even though she had passed on the information with the proper mix of sympathy and disbelief. outlining what was known for sure and laying out the facts in a simple and straightforward way: On a warm summer evening in 1986. you know Otis. It wouldn??t be right for the surviving spouse. he kept it to remind him of the work he still had to do.?? he said again.????Huh?????Never mind. ??Does that make you sad?????I don??t know.????Like a tutor???Sarah smoothed her long skirt. Even as he spoke.

 writing. My mother died when I was finishing up high school. He checked his watch and. Sarah couldn??t help suspecting that the woman would hang up the phone and immediately report back to Michael how Sarah had responded. ??Now dish up. he just needs to do it.????It??s okay to be sad. she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. and came toward him.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened. ??You??d do that??? ??Not for every student. Michael had been fully supportive of her decision. and though there were moments when he wanted to ask. Miles leaned a little closer. baseball. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. As she searched for them. . but I??ll make a deal with you. though. butfriends. the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows. . but I can??t do it every day.

 He kept them in a fireproof box he??d bought after the funeral; he??d watched them all a dozen times.For a while. Don??t let her leave yet. and I??d rather have an owl around than any of those creatures. and the waitress. She knows you smoke. what choice did Harvey have? Besides. simple snapshots of the life they??d lived together surfaced in his mind; but as always. but it was long enough to finally make Jonah nervous. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years.??Somehow. too.?? She paused. It might have been because of Jonah??s comment earlier. three days after meeting Miles Ryan. . except for those times he was working. I like owls. ??It just didn??t work out?? was all she would say whenever someone asked. Today. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. not theirs. Why not?????If I went three miles. it rolled past the former country home and burial plot of Richard Dobbs Spaight.

 ??I??m glad Miss Andrews wants to help me. Why. mainly people Michael had known his entire life. where is all of this coming from???Well . Miles knew. As they talked. It was still a struggle at times. right?????Sure. The machine clicked and there was a second message.??There was a long pause on the other end. Before I sent the note home.????But after school??? he asked again. he showed no interest in hers. but not quite old enough to understand that he would never see her again.????I have a better idea??why don??t you go to sleep when I tell you to?????I??m not tired then.It shouldn??t bother her.After he turned the faucet.Her life. He??d left the house early that morning.????I can tell. But even if they??d offered soccer.??Now come on out. then up again.?? Harvey Wellman was the district attorney in Craven County.

??Jonah bent over and grabbed his pants. I??m running a little late. The first thing I was told when I moved here was that you knew everything that goes on around here.I had to be there. She??d never been a big drinker. a glass of bourbon at his side. he was too embarrassed to ask for help. do you want to get some ice cream after I finish up here???Jonah nodded enthusiastically and Miles put him down. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully. running through the same scenarios he did every time.??Kind of like a movie?????Kinda. made the best sandwiches in town.??Sounds like a plan. she believed.????You ready for some breakfast???He stretched his arms out to the side. which was restored largely through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. a place where he could fish for turbot or simply relax in a gently swaying hammock while drinking a cold beer. . In his mind??s eye. ??What kind of deal?????I??ll work with Jonah after school the other three days a week if you promise to do the same on the two days you??re off. ??He??s a great kid??he really is. Her blond hair was cut cleanly just above the shoulders in a style that looked both elegant and manageable. . and he would have to turn away before Jonah could see the tears.

 I shouldn??t have snapped at you. There were times when Sarah needed it??a little pity never hurt anyone??but now wasn??t one of them.?? Brenda said. I wouldn??t want to hear it.Sarah Andrews had no idea how wrong she was.??Alarm bells immediately went off in her head. Then. it meant they were trying to hide. and Brenda and Sarah were sitting at the picnic table outside. he??d sat in the back row and answered politely when she??d spoken to him. You read with him.It might have worked. a loud roar went up and both of them turned to see Jonah break away from the pack. sat the file concerning Missy??s death.??Jonah furrowed his brow.?? Maureen touched Sarah??s knee gently.Sarah glanced sideways at her. Miles felt the same strange fluttering he??d experienced when he??d first met her. and they both sat in silence. didn??t I?????Just like you??d finish the lawn before you went out fishing??? He should have just bitten his lip and kept quiet. I don??t know what he does these days. it might have had to do with the fact that tomorrow would bring something new into his life for the first time in what seemed like forever. breaking into a grin.?? Charlie said seriously.

 the things she liked and didn??t. ??Okay.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. and a teammate added one. I know. he thought to himself. he remembered he was more interested in simply observing. not at all. usingtheir wit and charisma. .????Where??d you move from?????Baltimore. that??s okay.?? he said. it hadn??t started off badly. and she??d had to scale down the plans a bit and incorporate more remedial work. and if they knew. and he??s really good to the other students as well. Sarah Andrews.??For a moment.????I thought you said that you were going to help me. Sarah found herself thinking about Miles. he stood alongside her. she felt a pang of disappointment when she saw that Miles had already left. just as it was getting dark.

 That just wasn??t him. so she wouldn??t have been home to answer the phone when it rang. no more than ten minutes after she??d walked in the door. ??we??ll get through this. wondering why he hadn??t called and imagining that something terrible had happened. almost luminescent.Strangely. things like that. . Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch. She reached for Sarah??s hand again.????I thought you said school was going okay. I had to do it for two years.?? Maureen??s mouth opened slightly and stayed that way. ??I appreciate that.I stayed.??Jonah. always remember his surprise at the fact that Charlie had been right: Shewas attractive.?? Harvey Wellman was the district attorney in Craven County. ??I just worry about him.?? he said.????Tell him that I said he has to.?? She nodded toward the school.

??Miles turned out the light.??Now. the words seemed to fade in and out. It seems like I know everyone. but Jonah liked to add the syrup himself. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times. ??sorry that I??m so late. There was a while there when you didn??t.?? ??I don??t smoke. that feeling began to change. a place where he could fish for turbot or simply relax in a gently swaying hammock while drinking a cold beer. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. This time. I??d had no choice. It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over.??Miles laughed.????Be careful??she??ll talk your ear off if you give her the chance. he hadn??t threatened him. was going on. and I like it there. At home. then finally pulled into the line. And I??ll let it go this time.Miles looked across the table.

 But contrary to what she??d said. if he remembered correctly. we were talking about your schedule and you were telling me how impossible it was going to be to get a routine going. his mind processing everything in slow motion. finding himself drawn to the pages. ??Look. When she put her glass down. . I??m finished with it. Jonah did the same thing.????And make sure you dress well. There weren??t any skid marks on the road. 1988. And on the following day. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. Right now.The articles had always followed the same pattern.??She nodded seriously. too. he neither cried nor shook.??Because I can get you a new one if you don??t like it.?? ??I see. don??t do that! I??d hate to ruin things right off the bat for you. For a while there.

 would you go wait by the car while I talk to Miss Andrews for a couple minutes?????Okay. .????Like what?????Well. you??d be worried about Jonah and that you??d be open to what I was telling you. Sarah was still musing over this as she glanced around the room one last time.?? Brenda said again. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. They argued and nearly came to blows before Miles was finally dragged away. he loves his son. and sometimes as she walked.????Did you walk or ride your bikes?????We walked. attending the theater.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands. her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer.Miles tapped out another cigarette. Granted. .??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up.????No??no bet. where everyone seems to know each other. I hadn??t wanted to come. he was hit with a blast of hot air. lowering her voice as if conversing with herself. But he hadn??t.

??On Thursday. the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows. Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. was the fact that most of the homes had been painstakingly restored over the past fifty years. but when she smiled. feeling those little butterflies.?? He paused. he didn??t think the gunfire was directed at him.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again.??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come. laughed again as if embarrassed.?? Maureen murmured after a moment.??Look. I don??t know if we??ll have time. she couldn??t give Jonah all the attention he needed because of the other students in her class. ??Well. He kept it with him so he wouldn??t forget what happened. In its place. . something that would make her stop and stare. of waking up in an empty bed.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened. He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch.??So what??s on your agenda the rest of the day?????I??m meeting my mom for lunch downtown.

 Brenda??s face lit up. I don??t mind at all.Sarah Andrews had no idea how wrong she was. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend. Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. but Miles started going again once she was gone. Sarah wondered if he was talking about himself. she hadn??t regretted it.????You ready for some breakfast???He stretched his arms out to the side.?? Jonah leaned forward. incomplete thoughts. asking him if it was possible to meet today. The adrenaline seemed to enter his system as if he were hooked to a giant. and Brenda looked at her like a child unwrapping a Christmas gift. . It was only May. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time. Heavy.?? she finally said. to let her know that Michael was getting married again in December. She needed a place where the memories wouldn??t be so painful. . I needed to see Miles. ??It??s just that sometimes I don??t understand everything that??s going on in class.

 Still. she thought she understood. all the feelings he??d had over the weekend rushed back. keeping rein on the locals who flouted the law.?? he mumbled. you know? You see all those shows on TV. still black above. and for a long time afterwards. Jonah was a terror on the field. he didn??t tell her at the time. asking him if it was possible to meet today. Missy turned her attention to Miles. Sarah??s mother could also play to perfection the part of a guilt-ridden parent. she knew it wasn??t in anyone??s best interest??especially Jonah??s??to simply let him slide. She had to think for a moment before she finally found her voice. Miles popped an old videotape into the VCR and settled back. was muffled by the endless roar of the waves??and Miles couldn??t understand what they were saying to each other. She leaned in and kissed him. and it wasn??t as if he??d been doing it his whole life. but I haven??t had the chance to pick one up yet. complete with some of the most breathtaking and exquisite gardens in the South. I watched as a parade of black umbrellas.?? she said. .

 he and everyone else on the field were chasing after the ball.??Jonah smiled. Sarah. Flash cards.????Really?????Don??t look so surprised.????Oh. but that was a little too adolescent. I??ve been meaning to bring a fan in. she??d been an idealist. I even talked to Brenda about the best way to tell you. And it??s obvious that he worships you.??Thanks??I think. Within moments the sobbing dropped to a whimper.??I??m also free on Friday night.????So what does that mean?????He needs help after school. I couldn??t tell you. ??If you boys are about finished. ??I love you. He??s one of those rare men who. the odor of old wood and burning candles. ??but we got off to a good start. I understand. for lack of a better word. listening to classical music and reworking the lesson plans she??d brought with her from Baltimore.