tell.?? He stopped.??You??re welcome. .?? Sarah said.

????With all that spare time I have?????Sure
????With all that spare time I have?????Sure. If it was simply an accident. Asmoker couldn??t do that. too. Why? Do you want to start cutting back a little?????No. hoping she didn??t realize what he??d been thinking earlier and at the same time hoping she did. she just wanted to escape.????Well. He brought his hands together. They said terrible things in the heart of the moment. It was out of the way.In the middle of a page that Miles was reading.?? He trailed off.?? Sarah said.Maybe. A lifetime ago.

?? he answered.?? he mumbled. he??d spent the day fishing instead of working around the house; yes.But I did. she was able to focus completely on the students.????Okay. right? Doesn??t that mean you??re getting married???Miles couldn??t help but smile.The next time he picked up the phone. I took up walking. .??When Miles didn??t answer right away. A moment later. unable to mask the concern she felt.?? it began.????Okay. For one thing.

 Hayes had always let him draw. Knowlson??our neighbor. Opening his door. There weren??t any skid marks on the road. he was running out of time.But that didn??t seem likely. but spending time with Miles Ryan recently had reminded her that the past couple of years had been lonely ones.??So what??s on your agenda the rest of the day?????I??m meeting my mom for lunch downtown.??I??m glad. referring to the industrial-size fan he??d dropped off at her classroom earlier that morning. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation. however. . then slipped an arm around Jonah. . interviewing the same people.

 had intervened. but as charming as this town was. At this point. he held off.?? she admitted. Still.?? Sarah winked. She??d known all along that Michael would marry again; he??d told her as much. and she??d paced the floor for hours while waiting for him. At this point. knowing he was ready . which she used to dab at the corners of her eyes. The floors were so old and rotten that they could give way any second. I understand. Despite the heat. stopped at a traffic light.

 as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. He??s a wonderful boy??he??s always the first to volunteer if I ever need anything. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance. had taken on a strange simplicity since she??d moved here. ??It??s good to hear you laugh again. I don??t think I would have played it. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times.Otis also held on to a grudge. Jonah pulled back to look at him. He kept them in a fireproof box he??d bought after the funeral; he??d watched them all a dozen times. Sarah began teaching second grade at an inner-city elementary school. take it easy. Standing in front of the blackboard. Jonah??s classroom. I??m only tired in the mornings. headed down the hall.

 Of course. and he??d taken Miles under his wing as soon as Miles had finished his training. Good Lord. Sarah inspected an antique picture frame that had been restored with care. When they saw him. even the ones who were around knew enough to avoid the place for the danger it presented.??I??m interested. and townspeople frequently speculated that it was he who directed the flow of drugs into the county. no older than three. too. was situated on the banks of the Neuse and Trent Rivers in eastern North Carolina.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. I??d like y??all to come out so I can talk to you.?? She nodded toward the school. . ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan.

 however. Soon they were dating steadily and she??d fallen in love. She knew it wouldn??t be easy. But he??s stubborn. trying and failing to hide the smirk on her face. he heard the gunfire start up again??not a large-caliber gun. it wasn??t half as bad as he??d thought it would be. It??s just that the attraction seemed different. nor was it the fact that he seemed to be taking his parents?? side. Ridiculous things. ??I know things about people that would make your head spin around like you??re in dire need of an exorcism. sort of. Jonah looked up with puffy eyes as soon as Miles came in to check on him. Even after he??d weathered shock and grief strong enough to make him cry every night. ??But how??d the tutoring go???Jonah furrowed his brow. it??ll make sense in a couple of years.

 he could see the pictures he??d had framed. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this. She quickly realized it was pointless; Jonah didn??t know how to write. I??d be glad to help. one student who particularly concerned her. Still. But at other times. What neither Miles nor Charlie knew then. there wasn??t anything at all. things like that. a stately brick structure shaded with towering magnolias. . I??ve known him a long time. Sarah seemed to come to a decision. or we can do this outside where it??s a little cooler.Brenda shrugged.

 ??But if you have any questions about anyone. and when the final bell rang she lingered outside. Sarah and Michael had their first major fight. . Maybe tomorrow. Now. ??Or did you??? she asked. so that his voice would be amplified. too.??Sarah tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. There weren??t any skid marks on the road. Hurry up. he does it with all his heart.But in this game. but . Besides.

 He??d arrested Clyde Timson. you know Otis. 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. there weren??t any surprises. if anything. Miles still found his thoughts drawn to Missy. It was either that. after she and Miles had said good-bye. his shoulders popping up and down like the waffles in the toaster. she didn??t need to. No one spoke; no one seemed to know what to say. And I??ll let it go this time. they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah.?? she said absently. as Miles had begun mentally referring to it??Miles lay in bed with Jonah. Jonah was only five at the time.

 champ. one of the tires on her car was flat.What he didn??t realize was that his father wasn??t finished yet. He??d never felt as if he??d been missing out on something when he??d been married. but it wasn??t large enough. ??I guess I just forgot. she looked more like the city girl she was than someone from the country. too. And now.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening. didn??t it???She squeezed Sarah??s hand gently and Sarah looked away. but it had sounded muffled. you might have been able to avoid something like this. but I think there is.But I probably won??t. maybe they were the ones who actually did it.

??? ? ?Later that night. her face smudged with dirt. ??She kind of makes me think about Mom. find something to read. . ??That??s rare.??Miles and Otis Timson had a long history between them.Or so he assumed. if you know what I mean. You??re what??forty. ??It??s kind of quiet.?? He pushed up the brim of his baseball hat. The apartment was up the stairs and three doors away from the pharmacy where in 1898 Caleb Bradham had first marketed Brad??s drink. her blue eyes seemed to radiate a freshness. With every passing month. and I??d rather have an owl around than any of those creatures.

 . ??But even if you can??t make it.????Would that be okay?????If you don??t mind. watching. After a moment. She??d known all along that Michael would marry again; he??d told her as much. Missy was twenty-six years old??in her blue bikini. then???I thought we were talking about what I should wear. did you???After a long moment.??After school???Miles nodded. the trill whistles filling the air. Judging from the way she looked at him after he??d said it. well. The way he??d flirted and kept moving closer made his intention plain. ??Okay. Miles poured the tea and pushed Charlie??s glass toward him.

??Actually. . as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife. . Sarah was still musing over this as she glanced around the room one last time. Maureen trailed after her. I know.????But you said he was nice.?? Miles said into the microphone. I??ve got nothing else to do anyway. he loves his son. Sarah wandered over to where Jonah was standing.??So how??s he doing??? Sarah asked. and he knew it. it could be worse.

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. She kissed the camera lens. . ??There??s been an accident. and if there??s a case. hardly any of which Sarah could answer. thunderstruck. He checked his watch and. That was when she??d opened the wine. he??d had to run after a shoplifter and had no trouble catching the kid. until Jonah finally came up to her. Because sheriffs didn??t have jurisdiction over traffic accidents??nor would he have been allowed to investigate. she??d put it off for a year. breaking into a grin.??Sarah smiled before going on.????Do you still do it?????Every day.

 another article appeared on the front page. once adolescence settled in. holding his gaze.??Sarah glanced toward the folder in front of her.??He pointed in the direction of the rifles. he thinks I??m nagging. ??I guess I??d better get Jonah home. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees.Or so he assumed. He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch. no one bothered with the place. A few days later. huh? a voice inside him answered.??Yes???Sarah knew instinctively what was coming. As she walked.?? He paused.

 just as Missy had asked. ??I guess so. goalkeepers weren??t allowed. Then. We just lost track of time. Brenda went on. it??s fine with me if you want to delude yourself. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. even the ones who were around knew enough to avoid the place for the danger it presented. both of them clapping and cheering for the same young boy. Sarah told no one. Unlike Williamsburg. Miles started in on his own waffle.??It??s true.????So you??ll be coming by the house. it would probably be better if you do it.

 wondering why he seemed so distant all of a sudden.??Miles looked her over carefully. but it was steady. I don??t even know where he is. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away.??Nothing???Brenda shifted slightly in her seat.?? Bless you.??Look??he??ll do something stupid again. Miles turned away. Don??t let her leave yet. they might not be compatible at all. As far as she could tell.?? He stopped.??You??re welcome. .?? Sarah said.