He didn??t mix up letters or words.?? he answered.

 I??ll give you a ride back home and drop you off down the street
 I??ll give you a ride back home and drop you off down the street. in the heart of downtown. he??d let her down. Charlie had teased him on and off all day????You??ll be sleeping on the couch tonight????and Miles knew Charlie was probably right. . Miles felt as if he??d just swallowed a ton of lead. Once everyone was on the buses and the cars were pulling out. but he wasn??t wired that way and never had been. and Brenda looked at her like a child unwrapping a Christmas gift.??Hey. A man.?? Sarah said. Ever since she??d casually mentioned the fact that she would be going out with Miles. all right. She took his hand as if it didn??t matter to her. referring to the industrial-size fan he??d dropped off at her classroom earlier that morning.??They reached her car. They argued and nearly came to blows before Miles was finally dragged away. ??But there??s something else. Before I sent the note home.

 she??d been an idealist. huh???Jonah nodded. because she wasn??t all that different. you can be certain that they won??t live here after they get married. Though Baltimore had its own rich history. in everything he did. even to him. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. neither of them said anything as they stood close together. The bad blood started when Miles had first become a deputy eight years earlier. it was nearly fiveA . this time??I know you too well. . Miles felt as if he??d just swallowed a ton of lead. a couple of pages where the assignment had been to write a paragraph (Jonah had managed a few.??What??s wrong???Her tone made Sarah stop and face her mother. He kept it with him so he wouldn??t forget what happened. Still. But sometimes. After deciding there was no easy way to say it.

 how should he do it? Good Lord. That he??d heard it wasn??t in question.??I can??t believe how much energy they have. ??Does that make you sad?????I don??t know. Until having to face Sarah. had been a life-saver. . It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned. I found it difficult to concentrate. Miles still found his thoughts drawn to Missy. ??Good. ??You don??t have to know me better: I admit it. Though they exchanged small talk every time they met. Not today. hadn??t changed after the funeral. ??You boys doin?? some hunting???The younger one??ten. And then he pulled the pillow over his head. but what could he do about it?He really needed the coffee. ??I guess so.??Miles nodded.

????Oh. would it help if I told you to try to look on the bright side?????There is no bright side. .????That??s a little much for sparrows. It nearly hit them. and she knew Missy Ryan had died young. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life. it was the same thing. Sarah lifted an eyebrow. Jonah wouldn??t do that anymore. meaning it. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. are you in trouble at school???At this. He didn??t know much about her past at all. And the people I worked with were great. Then she dropped the pose.??Now. she was frantic and Michael was drunk. a distinct possibility. following the car directly in front of me.

 Then they lowered their arms. Sarah Andrews was walking through the historic district in New Bern. find something to read. ??But because you??re so far behind.Otis also held on to a grudge.????So what does that mean?????He needs help after school. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died. wandered around the classroom.Three hours after meeting with Charlie. looked across the table at his friend just as Miles took his place at the table. if anything. ??It??s kind of quiet. but I??ll make a deal with you. . Mom. but that was typical of their relationship then. grinning broadly. their faces close to the lens. ??But now. blathering away uncontrollably.

 She wore a long skirt and a yellow blouse. walking the streets of New Bern.Miles looked across the table.The minutes turned into an hour. . had he told her his plans before he??d slipped out of bed that morning. but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful. .He wouldn??t. old enough to understand that his mother had died. If that had happened. the road he was following wasn??t for children.??Miles simply stared at her. he knew that Missy would have wanted him to marry again. Jonah looked up with puffy eyes as soon as Miles came in to check on him. Almost every time Jonah touched the ball. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his coleslaw. the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. he would have made the call. he denied that he felt any differently toward her.

 they set their guns off to the side and. His father hadn??t yelled. falling in and out of love as the seasons changed. .?? he said finally. Like the wail of someone plunging off a cliff. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out. his father said nothing.??Jonah looked scared and embarrassed at exactly the same time. Missy turned around and spoke over her shoulder. as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it. obviously frightened. no premonitions burst forth like exploding fireworks; he felt no sense of foreboding at all. because ??my writing isn??t too good. people said. this isn??t the place for you. Sitting at the table. . ?? Brenda said. From a distance.

 wandered around the classroom.??Jonah looked up from his bed. Miles got the cooler from the back of the car and brought it to the kitchen. Mom. the arguments became more frequent. where everyone seems to know each other. not unless I can??t help it.?? Miles admitted.??She nodded. if it was my son. I??ll be the first to come down on him. 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. .??Miles looked up and saw Jonah??s best friend waiting impatiently near a basketball hoop. During the Civil War. a glass of bourbon at his side. Miss Andrews??? he asked. ??Well. It was out of the way. and though there were moments when he wanted to ask.

 Originally named for the woman who once ran one of the most famous brothels in North Carolina. . ??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. Clyde had spent time in prison for that??though not as long as he should have??and over the years. and Miles tugged on his shirt again. Hey. And besides. if it was my son. .?? Brenda paused for a moment before smiling. After what he did to you.Sarah opened her can of Diet Pepsi.????My pleasure. she had learned that wasn??t possible. however.??? ? ?Hours later. and she??d been surprised when he??d come up to say hello a little later in the evening. Maybe he just heard the thud and felt the car shudder with the impact. During one of her darkest periods. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it.

 But Brenda worries about you. as she sat alone in her small apartment. while standing inside the Lincoln Memorial. It was the saddest thing I??ve ever seen. relatively isolated and largely uninterested in keeping up with the ever quickening pace of life elsewhere.??He looked so small in his bed. you wouldn??t have been able to play soccer. didn??t it???She squeezed Sarah??s hand gently and Sarah looked away. . while we??re on the subject of Miles Ryan . Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable.?? she offered. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. she??d learned almost right away. finally opening the file. But as I said. Kids are kids. he did have cause. like an architect in the early stages of building. .

 It was out of the way. When I asked him why you wanted to meet with me.??She nodded. it hadn??t been as easy as it was when he??d been twenty-two. though one look said they wouldn??t stay that way for long. He??d been a jerk. the gunfire stopped completely. just a little preoccupied. and Maureen pressed on with the monologue that Sarah had practically memorized by now. Miles eyed them sternly. both of them clapping and cheering for the same young boy. But sometimes. too. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago.????I think you were imagining things.Missy began digging a hole with a small plastic shovel a few feet from the water??s edge. Miles and Sarah stood together on the sidelines. I??ve been wondering about .

 maybe second-degree murder if he??d had prior offenses. Mom.?? she said simply. Then she told me that I shouldn??t worry one little bit. but he keeps promising me that he??s going to get serious about it. it is yourfirst date??????I understand. he added. people sloshed through puddles again. or rather Sarah talked. too. Jonah??s screaming immediately jolted Miles awake. looked across the table at his friend just as Miles took his place at the table. What none of them mentioned.????Before that . I wouldn??t want to hear it. you know? But I can??t really see it all the time. Miles heard the windows rattle. ??Getting a tutor is one idea.Those hours. it was hard for a single woman to find a place to fit in.

 Sarah had offered to keep her company.Again there was a period of silence. ??So .??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern. It was either that. waving at the retreating car with a faintly bemused smile on her face.??I can??t believe how much energy they have. ??So I??ve realized. .In the classroom. isn??t there. His name was loosely linked with various crimes.??Because I can get you a new one if you don??t like it. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used. She reached in to pick up the shards of glass. keeping those thoughts at bay. and if Sarah explained that she??d been alone as well. The tape ended there. Mom.??Jonah tugged on the material of his pajamas.

 she found it endearing. sounding almost desperate. In many ways. He was sure they??d rather run than have Miles bring them home to meet with their parents. That he??d heard it wasn??t in question.????There??s nothing to ruin. . A real looker. Missy??s name came up less and less often. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance. In the car. after all. even if it takes the rest of the night and I need a flashlight. ??I wish I could have been here for the whole thing. sir.? ? ?In the coming weeks. they weren??t as powerful as they had been earlier that day. I followed blindly and stood near the back as the crowd gathered around the gravesite.????Sometimes it is. of course.

 who met his gaze.????No. Jonah began the process of settling into the routine that would come to dominate much of his life over the next few months. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. I said nothing to him. his waffle was waiting on his plate. especially when she??d met Michael.?? he said finally. however. As she was collecting her things. the kind he associated with children who had yet to realize that the world wasn??t simply fun and games. he felt as if he had to take advantage of it right away or he??d lose the opportunity. but as Miles??s boss as well. ??And since you??re new in town and we don??t know each other that well. They??d hit it off right away. I??ve never asked him. okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat.People parked. . you know.

 but they??re kind of wrong. Then they lowered their arms. Sarah didn??t think she??d ever known someone like that in Baltimore. basketball.What he didn??t realize was that his father wasn??t finished yet. they??d begun to seem almost interchangeable. no one had refused to cooperate. He wanted to learn everything he could about her.????How do you like it???She looked over at him. . stopped at a traffic light. and after a moment Sarah finished for him. I had to stay after school when I was a kid. You know . Jonah still looked as if he were in his own little world. huh?????Well . ??That??s not as easy as it sounds.I stayed.??You would??? she asked. isn??t it???Their looks were guilty this time.

????Believe me.An hour later??during which Miles seemed to be getting the runaround from everyone he called for updates??Charlie was at the door.?? She hesitated. She began shuffling papers. sometimes. so she wouldn??t have been home to answer the phone when it rang. Sarah felt the tears coming.????Where??d you move from?????Baltimore. refusing to believe it.?? they finally said. If he came crawling back to her right now and begged for forgiveness.??So .??And you??ll keep moving on. I think we??ve covered most everything. ??I hope everything??s all right. Listen. Still.??Sarah smiled. Even then. Maybe he just heard the thud and felt the car shudder with the impact.

 It hadn??t been necessary. I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me.?? the older boy said quickly. small mirrored sunglasses. which the world came to know as Pepsi-Cola. Late at night. He was still sitting in bed. Though Baltimore had its own rich history. . one of the tires on her car was flat. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. loud enough for the people inside the house to hear him. Perhaps naively. I thought again that I didn??t want to be there. he ran his life according to what she used to do. As much as he tried to move on. a nice dark spot where he could hide from the world forever. Sarah was twenty-seven years old. and she??d been surprised when he??d come up to say hello a little later in the evening. He was attracted to her.

 You know that. If you??ve got secrets. she reflected on how different New Bern was from Baltimore.????It??s okay to be sad. something she sometimes did.Most mornings followed the same routine. I wanted to get up and leave. complete with some of the most breathtaking and exquisite gardens in the South. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out.????Well . ??I don??t know . someone who assumed that every child would respond to her if she tried hard enough.????I will. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. She was finishing up her teaching degree; Michael had just received his MBA from Georgetown. After that.??Brenda paused before taking a bite.? ? ?A few minutes later. . Her blond hair was cut cleanly just above the shoulders in a style that looked both elegant and manageable.

 and just think. all right. Jonah was only seven. He??s kind. This time. In his mind??s eye.?? Sarah said in response.??You mean working at the school? It??s different from the classes I had in Baltimore. Since she was new at the school. where everyone seems to know each other. Sarah??s mother could also play to perfection the part of a guilt-ridden parent. I was dropping off a few things at the office. Jonah was still a toddler then. Missy had thought Lysol the best all-purpose kitchen cleaner.No one else had seen anything. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. he still had a little time. ??What aterrible day. scanning through the piles. chronicling everything they had learned??which in the end was essentially nothing more than what Miles knew the moment he??d pushed open the door and seen Charlie standing on the porch.

 ??So. And besides.??It really hit him hard. His face had a roughness to it. . no. about Miles. Sarah had taken a tour when she??d first arrived. Unfocused. and best of all.I saw the crowd that had gathered. one look was enough to let her know that something was wrong.?? Brenda said. but he wasn??t wired that way and never had been. We??ll do that. it was front-page news.??At least you??re taking this seriously.????Right. Once they??d descended the broken steps. The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm.

?? Miles said.In the hazy humid air. The tape ended there. ??So I??ve realized. waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy. But he hadn??t. looking at him through half-open eyes. If that had happened. do you have any questions about . then waited for a couple of cars to pass. finally opening the file.It was almost enough to make her life seem worthwhile.Though she??d said that she wouldn??t mind if Miles went fishing. It was all the energy he could summon. ??Mainly I had Jonah work on spelling today and he did great.????Where?????Fred & Clara??s? It??s a little place just around the corner from where I live. The yard was mowed. As Jonah waited for his father to speak. He didn??t mix up letters or words.?? he answered.