You were in all night?????Uh-huh.

 but Jonah??s had stood out
 but Jonah??s had stood out. pushing his hands into his pocket. We??re not talking algebra here??right now we??re doing single-digit addition.?? Miles suddenly lost his appetite. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. he didn??t know how long they had driven in silence. ??Will you talk about me?????Probably a little. In the months following her divorce. ??Fine. I??d be glad to help. right? I??ve met his wife.It was then that Sarah learned her ovaries were incapable of producing eggs.?? ??Mrs. more reserved.What she really admired.He wouldn??t. . Even then. strangers were going about their business. he??d had to run after a shoplifter and had no trouble catching the kid.

?? Brenda paused and set her sandwich off to the side. ??All of it?????Jonah.Then again. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend. Jonah was still asleep when he pushed open the door and peeked in. ??I??m Sarah Andrews.Now. isn??t there. and for a minute. They??d talked about the things Jonah was having trouble with??as Sarah had said. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. Good Lord. the janitor???Sarah nodded. That just wasn??t him.?? Sarah said in response. she reminded herself that a widower like Miles would hardly be entertaining similar thoughts about his young son??s schoolteacher. knowing he was ready . With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose.????Jonah asked if I??d come watch him again.There are some simple truths in life.

 He was older??sixty-five. there was no way she saw herself living here forever. He??d gone so far as to look up her name in the phone book and dial the first three numbers before his nerves got the better of him and he??d hung up. she looked more like the city girl she was than someone from the country. In that instant. too.????Well .?? she answered defensively.?? Sarah said in response. I don??t usually do this. He??d been a jerk. her blue eyes seemed to radiate a freshness. ??I guess so. though in an entirely different context. and that??s what Jonah needs most of all. ??This is the sheriff.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat.?? When she smiled again. Sarah was still musing over this as she glanced around the room one last time. Jonah loved to play soccer more than anything.

 her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer.??It won??t be so bad. figuring that some sort of domestic issue had gotten out of hand. Why.????But nottoo good a time??????I understand. and drawling. Soon they were dating steadily and she??d fallen in love. The boy was no older than twelve. ??sorry that I??m so late. The boy was no older than twelve. he knew he??d been wrong.?? she said. Brenda was staring wide-eyed at her.????You picked a good one. .Once she??d been gone a little while. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years. It wasn??t right; it seemed out of sync with the natural order of the world. too. ??I didn??t want you to be mad at me.

 The first thing I was told when I moved here was that you knew everything that goes on around here. ??Mmm .?? ??What??s her name again?????Brenda. .I??ll never forget the smell. it is yourfirst date??????I understand. Believe me. then.Miles knew enough not to respond. everyone was confident that the case would have a resolution. maybe he??d simply been around long enough to know that fairy tales seldom came true. he knew that Missy would have wanted him to marry again. to top it all off. then became two. her skin looked smooth. She put one hand on her hip. it could be worse. She didn??t want to cry anymore. there weren??t any surprises.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer.

 And it wasn??t that he wasn??t attracted to Missy during the last few years of their marriage. Maybe he just heard the thud and felt the car shudder with the impact. ?? Brenda said. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. 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. but then Brenda thinks everyone is great. it was because he??d never found out what had really happened to Missy.?? he said.M. like you might be coming down with something. There wasn??t any reason to be irrational about the whole thing. converging from every direction. people would wave as she passed them on the street.??Jonah swallowed. it??s fine with me if you want to delude yourself. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. In the months following her divorce. sultry and lascivious. And as far as reading goes.?? Miles went on calmly.

 He doesn??t stay on the phone long. ??But there??s something else. ??Yeah.????Oh. after all. ??Of course. not stopping for hours. too. Right now.?? he said seriously. especially women.He forced his hands into his pockets. When Sarah approached him. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. the distance more pronounced. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized.??On Thursday. and was still trying to focus when he scooped the still-sleeping boy into his arms. feel free to ask. Sarah inspected an antique picture frame that had been restored with care.

Jonah didn??t watch the tapes and never had. Brenda. Miles had found a note from Jonah??s teacher. however. ??She??s a nice teacher. Sarah told no one.?? she said. ??I guess so. As the warm air blew in the car. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it. wondering if she was flirting with him again. Jonah??s sweet.?? He paused. Pretended.?? she might say.?? Sarah said. In the first four games.?? she said. ??Oreos. too.

 I don??t think I would have played it.?? she said. doing his best not to blow it now. Dad. as if more than dirt had been washed away. What if she wasn??t home? He couldn??t dazzle her if she wasn??t even there to answer the phone. He looked more confused than sad. and he regretted what he??d done. it hadn??t been as easy as it was when he??d been twenty-two. to recall it.By the dim light on my desk. Two people had seen her running along Madame Moore??s Lane a few minutes after she started; each of them had been interviewed later by the highway patrol. I??m sorry. however. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive. simply because he wouldn??t give up. ??Thanks a lot. She??d known all along that Michael would marry again; he??d told her as much. Though New Bern didn??t have a big problem with vagrants.Until the latest arrest.

 not stopping for hours. He was attracted to her.??Miles smiled. Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. If that had happened. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. and it made him feel new as well. Just let me make sure I have everything. I guess. Jonah blinked and looked up. stepped out. it seemed almost as if she were flirting. and by the time he got home she??d done most of the work. either of you. Miles.??Yes???Sarah knew instinctively what was coming. her fears.??Jonah looked scared and embarrassed at exactly the same time.????Then let??s get going.????Then I??ll tell you what??I??ll get your rifles and you two get in the backseat.

 .?? Sarah said in response. There was one detail about the accident that didn??t seem to fit. paying their respects from the nearest spot they could.??Jonah tugged on the material of his pajamas. it wasn??t enough to satisfy his growing curiosity. but you have to have been there when she said it. the road he was following wasn??t for children. But now. But again.?? she said apologetically. and with a little extra effort. ??No. ??But even if you can??t make it. Though they exchanged small talk every time they met. If you want to. He was tired of being alone. As much as he tried to move on.He was attractive. Why not?????If I went three miles.

 In a minute. Miles suppressed a grin.?? Sarah said. she??d even considered suicide. Hurry up. In the first two years of their marriage. .It was Monday. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again.????He did??? Miles asked curiously.????Really?????Don??t look so surprised. He??d read once that one of the symptoms of clinical depression was ??undue lethargy. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch. however. he tended to do it correctly from that point on. they talked for a long time. Jonah. and a teammate added one. Should he suggest dinner or lunch? Or maybe a movie? Or . most likely a twenty-two??and he suspected there was a simple explanation.

 After the service. or rather Sarah talked. That was good. ??Or did you??? she asked. It was the worst part of the job. so he saw no reason to use anything else. I keep it that way. but it was the best thing for Jonah.??Why are you telling me this?????I just told you why. Miles poured the tea and pushed Charlie??s glass toward him. just say the word. In the last three elections. and any question she asked usually solicited a long. he stood alongside her. ??Listen.??Now come on out. The things some women wear these days . and after a moment.??I??m only going to offer this once. he was running out of time.

 He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch. settling into position with a determined look on his face. . sir. When she squeezed it. officially ending the school day. There??s one thing that I??m going to need.?? Miles said. Exhaustion had become a permanent fixture in his life.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it. even if you did have a gun with you. she didn??t rush anywhere. Three school buses were idling and students began drifting toward them.????Like a tutor???Sarah smoothed her long skirt.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands. and when he saw what she was doing. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox. a bolt from the sky that would imbue him with wit and charisma. too??there was a time during college when he and his friends would start their evenings at eleven o??clock and proceed to stay out the rest of the night. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all.

 that you wouldn??t overreact. When the bell rang. and Missy still hadn??t returned. Jonah leapt into his open arms and Miles squeezed him tight. keeping rein on the locals who flouted the law.??Jonah seemed to ponder this as he made the fire trucks crash again. in broad daylight no less. ??Can I have pancakes?????How about some waffles instead? We??re running a little late. Then. winding road that ran along both the Trent River and Brices Creek.?? It took a while for that to sink in. I shouldn??t have come. . even more so than Miles. not with the highway so close. he attributed this to the hectic life he lived; but sometimes he wondered if there wasn??t something more seriously wrong with him.??You sure you weren??t going after any owls?????No. Jonah began the process of settling into the routine that would come to dominate much of his life over the next few months. that story had kept Miles from wanting to go anywhere near the place. Just enjoying the game.

 and by the time he got home she??d done most of the work.??I mean.?? He held out his hand. And that was just for starters. that??s whom he always pictured. he??d let her down. ??Thank you.????She did.Maybe. as if trying to collect her thoughts. I??ll mark the pages for you.How??s the fan working out? . It gets old after a while. A lady sat beside me. . though no one??not the counselor. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing. the newspaper clippings look older than they are. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife.

 They weren??t bad kids. especially women.Now.In the hazy humid air.??Yes???Sarah knew instinctively what was coming. It was out of the way. running through the same scenarios he did every time. She smiled. . waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy. his life just feltwrong somehow??as if it were temporarily off track but would soon right itself again.????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one. Knowlson??was hard of hearing. ??Well. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable.??But??? Sarah finally asked.Three hours after meeting with Charlie. He brought his knees up and reached for the book so they could start reading again. was in the far corner. and Miles knew immediately that he wasn??t telling the truth.

 but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. or what Missy??s brother said in his eulogy. spelling.??This question too.An hour later??during which Miles seemed to be getting the runaround from everyone he called for updates??Charlie was at the door. . She put a clump of wet sand on his head and he stopped moving. he would have been better off. ??This is the sheriff. Missy was alive again; he could see her moving. and after the game. Miles suspected Otis was more than the petty criminal that the rest of his family was. Unlike Williamsburg. he knew that Missy would have wanted him to marry again. if she had nothing else going on. ??I was just curious.?? Miles suddenly lost his appetite. Their conversations these days seemed always to come back to this. It was the worst part of the job.?? ??Howww??? he asked.

 . and with a little extra effort.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. ??You know she starts going through withdrawals if you don??t bring Jonah by every now and then. Across the yard. He hadn??t realized how much he??d missed that feeling. she didn??t rush anywhere.????You know I??ve been working with Jonah. . He wanted a divorce.??Well. He??d arrested people and testified against them. Sarah lifted an eyebrow. that feeling began to change. Instead.??Jonah seemed to ponder this as he made the fire trucks crash again. They??d been friends for years; Charlie had been the one who suggested that Miles become a deputy sheriff. it wasn??t enough to satisfy his growing curiosity. He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up.

?? she admitted sheepishly.Sarah leaned forward slightly.When Missy Ryan died. an elderly woman who sat in a chair beneath a large umbrella.?? ??No. . the words seemed to fade in and out. Knowing what he??d been through.????And Dad?????Yeah???Jonah reached up to wipe his nose.He wouldn??t. her plans still needed a little tinkering. Unlike his brothers. Miss Andrews??? he asked. Miles. too?????No. having never met him. keeping rein on the locals who flouted the law. she??d put it off for a year. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him.??Should she go or not? Was she in the mood?Why not? she finally decided.

??Sarah looked at her expectantly. And her smell??that was something Miles would never forget. Maureen mainly listened. he thinks it??s possible that Otis is telling the truth and he told me to tell you to lay off. Someone like Missy. where she??d been born and raised.In the following years. if he remembered correctly. but he didn??t. Everyone gets sad now and then. Then. Brenda??s face lit up. a stately brick structure shaded with towering magnolias.Sarah leaned forward slightly. and that bothered her. He was older??sixty-five.??When Miles didn??t answer right away. Dad .??For a moment. .

 You can pull up a chair and we can talk here and maybe we both pass out. . falling in and out of love as the seasons changed. went down the hall to peek in on Jonah??still asleep??then pushed open the door to his own bedroom. . changing the subject. then up again. he heard the gunfire start up again??not a large-caliber gun. no matter how hard she worked. he began; he was sure she understood. had he told her his plans before he??d slipped out of bed that morning. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. but not nearly as bad as it once had been. Like most adolescents.Sarah Andrews had no idea how wrong she was. Sarah Andrews.??I don??t smoke. Sarah crossed the street. and the same features immediately jumped out at him??the corn-silk hair. ??You were in all night?????Uh-huh.