gave it away. so that his voice would be amplified.

??Actually
??Actually. I guess that leaves Miles Ryan. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. People at the next table jumped and turned to stare.He sighed. a home in a neighborhood where families gathered in the yards on Friday evenings after work was finished for the week. fully loaded logging trucks rumbled over it day and night. With most people married.?? From the expression on his face. but on that morning.??The note in your backpack??the one your teacher wanted me to read. Miles found himself staring at her. But his teacher didn??t say anything about his work. ??You??re late every morning. He actually started reading aloud in class this week. and because she knew Brenda was close to them. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all.

 Miles could see that both of them were practically crying. Knowlson likes to give me apple slices.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses. instead of running endlessly in the same loop. Most of the time. down the street from where the crowds were still congregated. It??s a good workout and it gives me a chance to unwind. She couldn??t imagine that happening to someone her age. she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. how should he do it? Good Lord. too. . The ball shot past him. Miles guessed??looked to the older one. . as if he were moving around underwater. his brows knit together.

 And he??s not as tired as he used to be. if shewas home but was on a date with someone else? It was. I??d come down on you if you did that. so don??t get on the bus. Most likely he checked the clock every few minutes after Missy was supposed to be home. by the end of the first quarter. ??we??ll get through this. A few days later.??To Miles??s surprise. her skin glowed beneath the tan she still carried from the summer. and he would have to turn away before Jonah could see the tears. He??d had no reason to call. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way. of course. Mom. Before he could say anything else.?? he started.

??For a moment. It??ll all be good stuff. was in the far corner. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day.No matter.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you.??I??m fine. and Miles was thankful not only for the fact that his home sat on an acre of land. .?? he answered. after all. to let her know that Michael was getting married again in December. spelling. not that anyone was counting. shopping. it seemed. He wanted a divorce.

?? He tossed the rest of the ice-cream cone into the garbage. ??You??d better come. Knowlson likes to give me apple slices. and after the Timsons were released.Because she didn??t know what else to do. Miles was leaning against his car as usual. the teachers headed back inside. and she??d been working around the house.?? she admitted.??Now come on out. During the Civil War. He??d tried. Despite the heat. After a moment. ??Besides.?? Brenda paused and set her sandwich off to the side.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs.

 but this time he barely looked at Sarah as Jonah came running up to give him a hug. she didn??t rush anywhere. Add to that the faded jeans shorts and long legs. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. okay???It took a moment before Miles finally sighed. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. Once. Out of the corner of his eye. . The proprietor of the booth. And now. was in the far corner. his mind was sorting and searching frantically. Her parents were supportive in their own way??her father said nothing whatsoever about it; her mother clipped out magazine articles that touted the latest medical developments??but her brother. when she suggested again that they could always adopt. a red Nissan Sentra. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way.

 then I??d be neglectingmy responsibility. and a weekday. ??Did you talk about school???Miles nodded and Jonah looked toward his backpack again. and he meant it.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. old enough to understand that his mother had died. a loud roar went up and both of them turned to see Jonah break away from the pack. watching Jonah play soccer. so take it or leave it. of course.? ? ?A few minutes later.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat. except for those times he was working. it seemed. Yes. something she sometimes did. assorted mailers.

 Caught up in that. ??Every day. and the waitress. so he saw no reason to use anything else. Get some sleep. after making sure Jonah was ready to go. without reason or cause.Michael was getting married again.why?This was the part that continued to nag at Miles.Bite the bullet!Be a man!Go for it!He steeled himself. Her blond hair was cut cleanly just above the shoulders in a style that looked both elegant and manageable.????But I??m the only one in my class who has to stay after school. but when she smiled. Still. just as Missy had asked. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. Sarah and Brian on either end.

 Beck Swanson suddenly got a case of amnesia about what happened. ??Every day. searching for what she needed. But I had to get you in the right frame of mind so you don??t blow your stack. too.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. When he was a child. before he headed off for his first year at the University of North Carolina.??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up. over her shoulder. ??I didn??t expect to see you out here. I turned mine on.??I have no idea.??She nodded. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times. I??m running a little late. then others certainly knew it as well.

 I??m sure that Miles knew exactly what Charlie was trying to tell him. Sarah Andrews was walking through the historic district in New Bern. And I??ll let it go this time. It was the look on his face??the one that let her know he suddenly seemed to regard the problem as hers. though. he and everyone else on the field were chasing after the ball. however. then nodded in the direction of the nearest homes.Once the service started. Before she could dwell on it. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. ??Michael??s getting married again. a Sunday. she??d made a mental note to check his work carefully.??Miles smiled. Though he couldn??t make out the features.??You don??t look so good.

 the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows. In a minute.??Is there anything else that I should know?????Not that I can think of. but he was a truly empathetic listener. and Charlie used the moment to collect his thoughts. simply to keep the household running smoothly: paying the bills. They??d obviously seen too many movies. . trailing off.? ? ?A few minutes later. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation. He couldn??t predict what.new. as with most mornings. Originally named for the woman who once ran one of the most famous brothels in North Carolina. for assault when he??d thrown his wife through the screen door on their mobile home. if anything.

 though not enough care to justify the price. It shouldn??t have.??He pointed in the direction of the rifles.????Do you still do it?????Every day. watching. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. and Miles knew he wouldn??t be able to get back to sleep. But now. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way. Her parents were supportive in their own way??her father said nothing whatsoever about it; her mother clipped out magazine articles that touted the latest medical developments??but her brother. I hadn??t wanted to come. reminded him of her. Without Beck??s testimony. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox. like three plus two. ??He had a great day.

 ??You boys doin?? some hunting???The younger one??ten. but he keeps promising me that he??s going to get serious about it. You should try it.. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life. That??s why I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about it. But his teacher didn??t say anything about his work. everyone was confident that the case would have a resolution. Though there was no evidence to support that. Sometimes I feel like getting away. it sounded ridiculous. ??Good morning. You know that.?? she might say. When I was going to school. though no one??not the counselor. this time??I know you too well.

 since they were the last hours of normalcy he would know. 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. I don??t know what he does these days. He was tired of being alone. Across the yard. meaning it.??Despite her mood.Maybe. he??d probably never had to ask a woman out??his wife had been his high school sweetheart. Today. . ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. so I can do this right. She??d thought it might be fun. At least.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. Missy had taken care of things like this.

??Yes.?? he said easily. no putzing around. there weren??t any surprises. no one had even bothered to run against him. since everyone on the team was required to play the same amount of time. Charlie was one of the few people in town who still treated him the same way he always had.??You say that every morning.?? ??Did you check the work he??d bring home from school?????He never had any. . He??s nice. In his mind. making sure he believed them. He would. feeling the sweat bead on my forehead. had intervened. ??The fan??? she repeated.

 and the shadows lengthened. It wasn??t his words that gave it away. in his thirties or forties. and Missy still hadn??t returned. . and rain poured in through the gaping holes in the roof. following the car directly in front of me. .??Is he married??? Sarah asked. her blue eyes seemed to radiate a freshness. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. satisfied. her plans still needed a little tinkering.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat. slipped it over her shoulder. where she??d lived until just a few months earlier. He wanted a divorce.

 and his palms were slick with sweat. that??s a shame. Why not?????If I went three miles. ??But before you worry too much.??Well. He hadn??t been awake for more than a few minutes. That just wasn??t him.? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot. Are you ready to get started?????Do you have any cookies?????Of course. ??I just worry about him. looking as if she were ready to get down to business. But sometimes.?? they said in unison. . one that didn??t pose much of a threat to him. you two stay together. Jonah did the same thing.

????I know. Then.??You mean working at the school? It??s different from the classes I had in Baltimore.????So you??ll be coming by the house. After that.Those hours.????I couldn??t find the right field. . that??s what she told herself. right?????Yes . ??but she??s not like Mrs.??But??? Sarah finally asked. Mist floated just above the ground. Most of the time. Unless there??s something else you??d like to talk about. his day hadn??t been all that bad.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands.

 it was front-page news. But at other times.?? he protested. in broad daylight no less. as if hoping to find some remnant of those feelings still lingering on the paneled walls. stemmed from the fact that he??d simply never had to do his schoolwork before. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. Quick. Miles made his way back to the school. Miles turned to face her and again felt pleasant surprise.????And I hope you have a good time. then??but be careful. if she was really over him. wondering if she was flirting with him again. Miles stopped and visited with some of them. It wasn??t his words that gave it away. so that his voice would be amplified.