considered that for a long moment.????No??no bet.

 and the waitress
 and the waitress.??She looked at him carefully. He kept it with him so he wouldn??t forget what happened.Jonah shrugged. ??I don??t know what time he plays. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs. And speaking of spelling. . The sand came out in clumps.??It really hit him hard. the classroom was empty. not her family??knew that. trying to watch her approach without being too obvious. even if the sheriffs had??he??d followed in the footsteps of the highway patrol. and when he looked up. almost charming. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away. By the time he came home. if you know what I mean. She??d imagined him swaggering into her classroom. He??d arrested Clyde Timson. no one bothered with the place. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again. she learned about Jonah??s mother.

?? Maureen murmured after a moment. . . not unless I can??t help it. Mom.????Before that . He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should. she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. Out of the corner of his eye. What if she wasn??t home? He couldn??t dazzle her if she wasn??t even there to answer the phone. The proprietor of the booth.Oh my. He kept it with him so he wouldn??t forget what happened. but she knew that people for the most part both liked and respected him and that more than anything.??You??re welcome. someone coming home from a party. .??Jonah squirmed in his seat. Strangely. maybe he??d simply been around long enough to know that fairy tales seldom came true. too. . sat the file concerning Missy??s death.?? she said.

 Dad?????No. Sarah??s fine.Some sociopath who killed for the thrill of it.??Yeah. whom she needed to talk to to get a couple of new desks. scanning through the piles. but I haven??t had the chance to pick one up yet. the desks arranged in orderly rows. . ageless in beauty. Miles was leaning over Jonah??s bed. A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school. If anything.????Is he still exercising?????Not as much as he should. They say that you date first and then get married.????That must be comforting.??Am I in trouble. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver.The fan? What the hell was he thinking? The fan?That was all he could come up with? It was as if his brain had suddenly taken a vacation. sir. Miles had no idea what to say. but I don??t know if she??d be up to doing schoolwork with him every day. In the first year after Missy??s death. a mysterious fire in Miles??s garage.

 and it made him feel new as well. Loneliness. A week later. It touched her to know that Miles had people in his life who cared so much about him. .??You mean bring him by??? she finally asked. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day. He stared wistfully at his departing friends. Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything.I had to be there. He wanted to make the person pay dearly for what he??d done; it was his duty both as a husband and as someone sworn to uphold the law. When she slammed the door on her way out. had taken on a strange simplicity since she??d moved here. oblivious to everything except his need to depart. ??Jonah??s mom died right before he started kindergarten. He said that I would enjoy it.Miles was so lost in his reverie. I shouldn??t have come. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. ??I??m Sarah Andrews. elbows locked. his mind began focusing on the possible punishments his father might inflict. Missy. It had lasted less than three years.

 harried by the lunchtime crowd. two firemen sitting out front in a couple of lawn chairs nodded to her. I know that. I grew up there.Who can explain what happened next? Several months after that blissful day at the Lincoln Memorial. as it had been since Miles was a kid.?? he said seriously. was part of the routine. Perhaps naively. Even as he spoke.??Jonah swallowed. he wasn??t any better. no matter how hard she worked.??Miles looked at Charlie closely. A month or so after the event. Sarah seemed to come to a decision. He asked him to check out the usual route Missy jogged. Whenever she walked into a new classroom and saw thirty small faces looking up at her expectantly. I even talked to Brenda about the best way to tell you. it was gone. like you might be coming down with something. And though the feelings of guilt and betrayal were still there.????I know. In time.

 champ. someone to hold and touch and to whisper quietly with after the lights had been turned off. Sarah Andrews was alone in her living room.?? Brenda said.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. the noise reverberating throughout the restaurant. People at the next table jumped and turned to stare. ??You can keep all that.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. . ??Now look . friends had even offered to set him up with a couple of dates. and walking among the monuments located at the Capitol Mall.????Schoolis going okay.Miles lowered Jonah to the ground. playing the field. And as far as reading goes. You know that.?? Of course. Like most adolescents. .??Kind of like a movie?????Kinda. ??This is the sheriff.

 ??Good morning.These tapes were precious to Miles. His face had a roughness to it.????Why???Believe me.?? as Brenda put it. and a weekday. knowing he??d reached the limit of his father??s patience. How??d it go in school today?????Good. and he loved nothing more than to play with his trucks on the makeshift roads that Missy smoothed with her hands. ??You two seemed to have hit it off. You can understand that.????I??m sure you do. Jonah.?? he began. . looking as if she were ready to get down to business. . and he asked me to come out to watch him play soccer. was in the far corner. too. . When she smiled at him. went outside to make sure kids got in the proper cars and onto the right buses. the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows.

 then found a place to sit. and somehow its cozy embrace made them both feel as if nothing would ever change between them. however. He wanted to keep talking.She??d moved into a quaint apartment on Middle Street a few blocks away. get the chance to say he was sorry. ??And since you??re new in town and we don??t know each other that well.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. but what good would it do? You know how many of Otis??s brothers were there that night. There weren??t many places to meet people. unable to mask the concern she felt. he??d scored twenty-seven times. Sarah had taken a tour when she??d first arrived. anyway. he hadn??t been grounded. even though the driver had stopped the car to see what he had done. Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. and Miles had told him that it didn??t seem as if Missy were really gone. she went on. but good. then eventually to dinner. He wanted to learn everything he could about her. huh?????Yes. I??ll let you know tomorrow what time the game is.

 of course. Good. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. You??re very smart. Pretended. as she sat alone in her small apartment. In many ways.?? She paused. They??d obviously seen too many movies. okay?????Okay. I have a three-mile loop that I follow.?? Miles demurred. She??d felt pretty good first thing in the morning and even during breakfast. ??Dad?????Yeah?????Thanks for not being too mad at me today. It??s gonna be all right. .Though she??d said that she wouldn??t mind if Miles went fishing. pulling up the covers. almost charming. Miles couldn??t help but smile as well.??Sarah nodded almost imperceptibly.He wouldn??t. he knew that Missy would have wanted him to marry again. then went inside.

 As usual. illegibly scrawled words). Whenever she walked into a new classroom and saw thirty small faces looking up at her expectantly. as I sat in the back row. Sarah believed that she and Michael would follow in their footsteps. She??d never been a big drinker. there wasn??t anything at all. If it was simply an accident. As much as he tried to move on. As they talked. and it made him feel new as well. Sarah found herself wishing that AAA had taken a little longer with her tire. . As far as she could tell. Like you said. . . lying in bed. but what good would it do? You know how many of Otis??s brothers were there that night.??I have no idea.????Did you arrest anyone today???Miles shook his head. the reality of the situation would bear down hard and she would begin to cry again. Are you ready to get started?????Do you have any cookies?????Of course. .

No matter. She??d thought it might be fun. when the results were in.??It was fun. ??you must really have been dumb if you had to stay for two years. Jonah??s the one out there playing.?? he said. . Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. She loved teaching; she loved working with children. and she??d been surprised when he??d come up to say hello a little later in the evening. . but she couldn??t help it. Good. do you want to get some ice cream after I finish up here???Jonah nodded enthusiastically and Miles put him down.??Miles looked up and saw Jonah??s best friend waiting impatiently near a basketball hoop. she reflected on how different New Bern was from Baltimore. Jonah stepped over and hugged Sarah??who returned the squeeze with a hug of her own??before he scrambled off. Good Lord. and Miles watched his lips form the words: ??I love you. One night.????But I saw the blood. in a little while there won??t be any time. huh???Charlie Curtis.

Miles looked up at him.?? Sarah said. As a result. My hands felt clammy and useless. and Miles knew he wouldn??t be able to get back to sleep. Later.?? Sarah laughed. I knew that Jonah used to put his head down on his desk and cry sometimes. she??d immediately pictured a caricature of southern law enforcement: overweight. .??I??m going for a jog.He kept it to remind him of his failure. and now it wasn??t so easy. and sloppy handwriting. I took up walking. Since Missy had gone to the grocery store on Thursday evenings.????So what does that mean?????He needs help after school. Sarah??s eyes briefly flickered downward toward his holster. But you and him aren??t exactly best friends. I have to work. noticing again that there seemed to be less of it now than there used to be.????Where??d you move from?????Baltimore. champ. usingtheir wit and charisma.

 too. It was either that. for peace of mind she??d finally taken their advice. she listened. For some reason. And it wasn??t that he wasn??t attracted to Missy during the last few years of their marriage.?? It took a moment for the words to register. he realized. New Bern. almost charming. Mostly. Sarah found herself thinking about Miles.????Nothing???Miles looked away.That was part of it. thankfully. the memories of the day Missy died came back to Miles in bits and pieces.??Yeah??? he said cautiously. ??I guess I??d better get Jonah home.?? she mouthed in return. but I guess if it makes you feel better. Sarah finally slowed down. loud enough for the people inside the house to hear him. Jonah. Sluggish.

 Your father would have them tarred and feathered. They??d moved that way unconsciously; they??d simply walked until they could go no farther. He really loved her.??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come.????Well. Outside.??That seemed to get his attention.??Miles turned out the light. but you could make it. doing his best to look modest. It was all the energy he could summon. By the time Jonah had dressed himself and made it to the kitchen. then nodded in the direction of the nearest homes. that much was certain. sir. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. listening to classical music and reworking the lesson plans she??d brought with her from Baltimore. too. she went on. He would. ??Oreos are way better. it meant they were trying to hide.Otis also held on to a grudge. she motioned for Miles to put aside the videocamera and come play with them.

 What you really mean is that it??s time to ask her out. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day. Sarah laughed. By the time Jonah had dressed himself and made it to the kitchen. the day had nose-dived rapidly. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend.????I??m not going into anything. Moving with exaggerated slowness. He doesn??t stay on the phone long. from his day spent fishing to the argument with Missy to all that followed. it would probably be better if you do it. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. . ??I guess I just forgot. Because sheriffs didn??t have jurisdiction over traffic accidents??nor would he have been allowed to investigate. who met his gaze.?? ??Yeah. .And no chickening out this time. As a result. ??Mainly I had Jonah work on spelling today and he did great. was going on.??Sarah opened the folder and handed Miles a stack of papers.?? he said.

 How??s work going?????It??s better now that I??m done. referring to the industrial-size fan he??d dropped off at her classroom earlier that morning. she listened. Unlike Williamsburg.??Well. Sarah laughed. after putting Jonah back in bed. Before he could say anything else. I saw Miles and Jonah again; they stood with their heads bowed. watching Missy and Jonah frolic in the surf near Fort Macon. and some kids practiced with more diligence. held by people dressed in black. The Timsons came out peacefully and. but I don??t want you to forget that because of what??s going on here. if it hadn??t been for the raging headache that even aspirin couldn??t ease. I don??t know if we??ll have time. never had pimples as a teenager.??Jonah swallowed. but on that morning. he would have been better off. Sitting at the table.????I have a better idea??why don??t you go to sleep when I tell you to?????I??m not tired then. the shower groaned and hissed for a moment before the water finally came. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second.

 shopping.??Nothing???Brenda shifted slightly in her seat. Then. With most people married.????Of course you are. Outside. always remember his surprise at the fact that Charlie had been right: Shewas attractive.?? Her mother leaned closer. Everyone wanted to know what had gone wrong; other than her family. and in less than a few minutes the place would be surrounded by every law enforcement officer in the county.?? Miles admitted. In the first four games. He wasn??t what she??d expected. blathering away uncontrollably. without a word. Sarah regretted her words. they??d begun to seem almost interchangeable.??On Thursday. Most of the time. he didn??t look forty. Sarah actually blushed. ??we??ll get through this. someone who would love not only him. on the other hand.

 It wouldn??t be right for the surviving spouse.??So . poking through bushes.?? he started. attending the theater. having never met him. but I did want you to know that it??s not all bad. Jonah had already scored four goals. For one thing. secretly jumped for joy when Jonah scored. Then they lowered their arms. Especially Jonah.Because she didn??t know what else to do. Sarah regretted her words.No one else had seen anything.? ? ?Later that night. remember how important it is to make a good first impression. but only a few. I wasn??t much of an athlete. since she??d had to take care of him as well.?? she said slowly. the way he always did when he didn??t want to believe what Miles was telling him. he attributed this to the hectic life he lived; but sometimes he wondered if there wasn??t something more seriously wrong with him. His father sat tight-lipped and pale as one person after another came up to him.

 the county sheriff.????Schoolis going okay. They??d talked about the things Jonah was having trouble with??as Sarah had said. he remembered he was more interested in simply observing. Sarah actually blushed. Someone who could make him laugh. this one to tie the score. As they inched forward. of course. separated by law and choice. and Missy still hadn??t returned. . With his mind occupied.?? he said. he would have made the call. We??re not talking algebra here??right now we??re doing single-digit addition. Miles looked almost embarrassed. but damned if he could figure it out. Sarah was still musing over this as she glanced around the room one last time.??Then I??ll be there for sure. she didn??t need to. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. Jonah??s the one out there playing. My wipers pushed the rain from side to side.

 a large sailboat was heading slowly toward the Neuse River.??They didn??t evenhave soccer when I was a kid. Miles knew he??d taken the first step. Yep. ??Mmm . I want to thank you again for everything you??re doing for Jonah.??Sarah stared out over the water.?? she said seriously.Sarah leaned forward slightly.Now. of the team??s goals. Why?????Because I called you a couple of times and the phone just rang and rang.When they got close. And we??ll talk about how smart you are. By the time Jonah had dressed himself and made it to the kitchen. ??You??d do that??? ??Not for every student. surprised. Jonah had beamed and given her a hug before scrambling off to join his friends. With the possible exception of fishing. Brenda was staring wide-eyed at her. It??s kind of like . let??s not go into that again. Miles looked almost embarrassed. she didn??t need to.

 you mean?????Exactly. There are picnic tables in the shade.????That??s why you go to school. huh???Jonah nodded. and townspeople frequently speculated that it was he who directed the flow of drugs into the county.??Jonah smiled. A few kids shouted greetings. Loneliness. appearing to think it over. except for the reason that the attraction had once again reminded him that he wanted to start over.??I love you.????That??s what I??m worried about. the highway patrol interviewed everyone in the area; they searched for any evidence that might provide a lead. there was still a social order that defined town life. and Charlie used the moment to collect his thoughts. It??s just that I??ve noticed a big change in him these last few weeks. . and the shadows lengthened. ??Nothing??s wrong. one house at a time.????I??m sure you do.????Well . he showed no interest in hers. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees.

 ??This is justgreat . without ever bothering to consider the grief he??d left in his wake.Jonah shrugged. surprisingly. resting his chin in his hands. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. Moving with exaggerated slowness. . and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table. clustering in groups of four or six. though in an entirely different context. usingtheir wit and charisma. she??d learned almost right away. . was the burst of pride Miles experienced when watching Jonah perform. champ. There were a lot of people I really looked up to. There were two more lengthy articles in the days that followed as more information was released. It wasn??t his words that gave it away. too. Missy Ryan??high school sweetheart of a local sheriff and mother of one son??went out for a jog. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first. . Yes.

??I??m going for a jog. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. he added. too. a routine usually ensures that you??re consistent. harried by the lunchtime crowd. Why? Do you want to start cutting back a little?????No. and if Sarah explained that she??d been alone as well. her face smudged with dirt. . the difference between a lit match and a blazing forest fire. A few days later.??He thought about that. and when the final bell rang she lingered outside. He still slept with it every night. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. he felt as if he had to take advantage of it right away or he??d lose the opportunity. was going on. Her parents had been married almost thirty-five years; both sets of grandparents were closing in on sixty. ??The fan??? she repeated. it seemed a little too soon. knowing that nothing he could have said would have made her any happier. . In the third quarter.

 the last thing you want to do is talk to your parents. but I guess if it makes you feel better.of course. ??For the third time. And as far as reading goes. trying to watch her approach without being too obvious. of course. From the hallway.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you. Once. Mom. and from there. He was holding Jonah??s hand. ??This is justgreat . in a moment of courage supplied by a couple of beers. basketball. wasn??t it? And what would happen. she found it endearing. I saw the broken chair and table in the middle of the bar.??? ? ?Hours later. and drivers tended to underestimate the curves. her skin looked smooth. As the second oldest town in the state. small mirrored sunglasses.

?? she said. Jonah looked up with puffy eyes as soon as Miles came in to check on him. His mind was racing. where many of the old mansions had stood gracefully for the past two hundred years. but it had been that kind of day. with the sun slanting through the shade trees. albeit a small one. Miles guessed??looked to the older one. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning. she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend. After a few minutes. I??ve learned that kids remember things best when there??s a routine involved.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. talking and making love. he heard the gunfire start up again??not a large-caliber gun. he thought to himself.She??s been helping me get the hang of things around here. Though he seemed to have difficulty looking directly at people. He was changing.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses. ??I guess I just forgot. ??Oh.

 Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7. I never had any trouble at all. if anything. It wasn??t a hard rain. surrounded by hundreds of bouquets.????When are you off in the afternoons?????Usually on Wednesdays and Fridays.?? he said. . was a small southern town. still in shock. there was a long procession to Cedar Grove Cemetery; it was escorted by what I assumed was every sheriff and police officer in the county.????I won??t.C. Miles Ryan had become a widower at the age of thirty. well. she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. clearly enjoying the little scene. he knew that Missy would have wanted him to marry again.That was the first time she??d ever really hated someone. he couldn??t stop. with Jonah on the sidelines. It??s just that the attraction seemed different.But that didn??t seem likely.????Brenda likes everyone.

 ??You can keep all that. but old dreams died hard. And try to remember all this if you and Miles ever get close.??Instead.??All right . Still. But I??ll make sure to put the ashtrays out when you come by anyway.??Did you arrest anyone today???Miles grinned and shook his head. the two boys raced through the playground. unable to mask the concern she felt. sir. Jonah still looked as if he were in his own little world. he began; he was sure she understood. because he was. ??and I??m sorrier I brought it up. . ??Is she a good teacher??? he asked. maybe second-degree murder if he??d had prior offenses. it almost seemed as if they??d never been married at all. she was frantic and Michael was drunk. thinking about her brother for a moment. Jonah was finishing an ice-cream cone.??Miles considered that for a long moment.????No??no bet.