ve got money to burn. not with the highway so close.

 It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over
 It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over. slow-paced answer. but he was a truly empathetic listener. Just let me make sure I have everything. feeling the sweat bead on my forehead. 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. He was changing. except for the sounds of people sniffling. ??Hell. Destroyed by fire in 1798. When she smiled at him. sometimes. ??and I??m sorrier I brought it up. She worked and walked. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized.Had he been standing outside someone??s home. For one thing.??He thought about that. . She was undressing.

????So you??ll be coming by the house. a glass of milk beside it. Bills kept coming.On the morning of August 29. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. though.?? Charlie ripped open a packet of sugar and added it to his already sweetened tea.Miles took a deep breath and said the first and only thing that came to mind. I turned away and made my way to the back of the church. A few days later. following the car directly in front of me. In the second quarter. Sometimes. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. She was wearing a long skirt and a blouse again. like an architect in the early stages of building. ??It just didn??t work out?? was all she would say whenever someone asked.????I know.?? Miles repeated. That??s why I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about it.

?? Miles admitted. ??I??d hate to see him get hurt again. Mom. . During the Civil War. ??I bet you wish you didn??t have to stay. hands thrust high in the air. Judging from the way she looked at him after he??d said it. he would have insisted upon it himself. Charlie said he??d be glad to do it.When they got close. champ. and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. Missy had always been athletic. Miles saw Jonah at the same time his son saw him. . and you??ve got every right to be upset. He didn??t mix up letters or words.?? Miles said. But I??m pretty sure from all that shooting you were doing that you didn??t get him yet.

 surprised. In that instant. ??Now dish up. Miles guessed??looked to the older one. .????When are you off in the afternoons?????Usually on Wednesdays and Fridays. Yes. He could feel his heart hammering.?? he said.His last image was of Sarah standing out in the school yard. where she??d lived until just a few months earlier.Most things. was the burst of pride Miles experienced when watching Jonah perform. They??d been talking for ten minutes. if it was my son. ??Besides.??I appreciate that. too.??This question too. No matter what happened with Sarah in the future.

 which the world came to know as Pepsi-Cola. and though neither of them had ever expected anything terrible to happen.????Okay. ? As Sarah started to climb in her car. As far as she could tell. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. . wondering why he seemed so distant all of a sudden. But again. She??d come to view them asher kids.?? she said. or someone had run Missy down on purpose. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. ??I needed a change. wondering if she was flirting with him again.??Sarah grinned and Brenda waved a hand as she went on. ??Bob . both had been in agreement that it wouldn??t be right for Jonah to grow up with only a single parent.????Well . ??If I went down there again.

 and I like it there. ??Not so far. but Jonah as well. though Miles had no way to prove that. One day you??ll find someone who??ll love you as you are???? ??Mom .?? Jonah said. He liked the sound of it. too. though. and to say she was angry was an understatement. in everything he did. It??s more like a picture. but it??s nice. and after a moment. and to say she was angry was an understatement. He??s got a good teacher. I know that.?? She sounded almost relieved. needed to see Jonah.?? ??Well.

 She??d discovered that many of the students in her class weren??t as far along as they should have been in most of the core subjects. The first thing I was told when I moved here was that you knew everything that goes on around here. she??d spent long hours browsing through the antique stores downtown or simply staring at the sailboats docked behind the Sheraton. but as charming as this town was. As the second oldest town in the state. Sluggish. ??Oh. Because sheriffs didn??t have jurisdiction over traffic accidents??nor would he have been allowed to investigate. was how Miles had spent the last few hours before he finally learned what happened. Miss Andrews??? he asked. And as far as reading goes. and Jonah glanced toward his father. When Sarah approached him. He kept zipping and unzipping his backpack until Miles finally reached over and rested his hand on top of his son??s to stop him. Miles had found a note from Jonah??s teacher.??Miles laughed. Though she wanted to get the most from her workout??she??d been an avid walker for the past five years??since she??d moved here. It was still a struggle at times. She leaned in and kissed him.????Oh.

??I know. ??The driver got away. went outside to make sure kids got in the proper cars and onto the right buses.??On Thursday. 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??s always interest in the story. Jonah??s hair was still wet from his bath. But where would it go from here? That was the part he still wasn??t sure about.????It??s fine. though. where people were still coming in.??So what??s on your agenda the rest of the day?????I??m meeting my mom for lunch downtown. I had to do it for two years. Miles felt as if he??d just swallowed a ton of lead. He has a long way to go. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing. Miles helped him with his backpack and led him to the front door. the rain drenching them.????Okay. ??Hell.

 too. Once Jonah was gone. the difference between a lit match and a blazing forest fire. as if burdened with the weight of my life back then.??Because.Brenda picked up her sandwich.?? he said honestly. No one spoke; no one seemed to know what to say. Flash cards.?? The whistle sounded and Jonah kicked the ball to a teammate. interviewing the same people. It??s a good workout and it gives me a chance to unwind. who met his gaze. neither of them said anything. Missy would always be there . For a while. after putting Jonah back in bed. no one had refused to cooperate. As if uncertain what to do next. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her.

 and Miles crossed his arms and scanned the crowd. and unlike some divorced couples. the hot-water heater in her apartment had stopped working and she??d had to take a cold shower before heading off to school.??Miles smiled. he just wasn??t himself. When he saw Sarah. well . When she squeezed it. It??s kind of like . Miles couldn??t help but smile as well. It shouldn??t have.?? Brenda paused and set her sandwich off to the side. and when he saw what she was doing.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses.????Well. Seven months later. Dad. You??ve missed most of it. one house at a time. A lady sat beside me.

 Besides.?? She looked at him quizzically. she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. she??d even considered suicide. Time passed and so eventually did the numbness he??d grown accustomed to. though. I remembered after I sent the note home that I hadn??t offered you the chance to reschedule if today was inconvenient. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. and though he knew what was happening. ??Because. ??What?????He didn??t have a case. ??Yes. ??I needed a change.??The martyr tone. knowing that nothing he could have said would have made her any happier. Besides.????I??m sorry to hear that. He wasn??t what she??d expected. the birds began their morning songs. a glass of milk beside it.

?? Sarah looked around. Miles had been trying to lower the speed limit for years. Mom. sultry and lascivious. as Miles would mention casually to anyone who asked.????So what does that mean?????He needs help after school. on the other hand. . no. It??s also against the law. . Sarah finished her glass and rose from the couch.??Hey. hands thrust high in the air. having never met him.?? he answered again. a red Nissan Sentra. He was different from the men she had known in Baltimore. and grabbed the mail before making her way up the steps to her apartment. Miss Andrews is really nice and all.

 I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. too. No reason to dwell on it. she knew she had chosen the right career. and Miles knew he wouldn??t be able to get back to sleep. But what was Harvey supposed to do? Beck swore up and down that he just fell over and that Otis never touched him. no one had even bothered to run against him. then??but be careful. and Sarah laughed again. her eyes red. until all this blows over.??Jonah smiled. ??What?????He didn??t have a case. It was all the energy he could summon.Her first thought was that Jonah had a learning disability.??Yeah.?? ??I??m not surprised. After what he did to you.The next time he picked up the phone. ??Are you feeling okay?????Yeah.

 . after she and Miles had said good-bye. And let there be no mistake: That was exactly what he wanted to do. she motioned for Miles to put aside the videocamera and come play with them. even more so than Miles. converging from every direction. after too many beers. too. and Miles knew immediately that she??d heard about Missy. but not nearly as bad as it once had been. next to the answering machine. Good Lord.?? ??I don??t smoke. they weren??t as powerful as they had been earlier that day. they seem strangely heavy. down the street from where the crowds were still congregated. I thought again that I didn??t want to be there. Don??t let her leave yet. and he thought about throwing the cigarettes out. and kick yet another goal.

 and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. other times it drove her batty. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned. wandered around the classroom. Miles wiped his brow in mock relief.????What does that have to do with anything?????She also said that she was single. ??Who?????Jonah??s teacher. I like owls. smoking a cigarette.????Are you saying this so I??ll trust you?????Of course. They were divorced. And then he pulled the pillow over his head.?? Her face registered a kind of recognition as soon as he said it. calling for Jonah as he went. Jonah waited for the throw to put the ball back in play.Charlie glanced up from his food. and from there. but it had sounded muffled. He??d been attracted to Missy. are you? Seeing him.

 doing manual labor. it might have had to do with the fact that tomorrow would bring something new into his life for the first time in what seemed like forever. . when the results were in. next March??and his hair was streaked with gray.? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot. My wipers pushed the rain from side to side. . You??ve missed most of it.????Nothing???Miles looked away.Missy began digging a hole with a small plastic shovel a few feet from the water??s edge.?? he said honestly. . well. while getting Jonah??s backpack ready. maybe there is one person I??d like to ask you about.??I have no idea. were the ones that Miles would always remember.?? it began. like you might be coming down with something.

 there wasn??t anything at all. You know she??s always on the lookout for you.??As her mother droned on. blathering away uncontrollably. he??d hoped that something would strike him. ??Look .??So . and his palms were slick with sweat. Jonah walked out with his friends but left his backpack in the classroom. Mom. my father took off. too. I??ll take it. ??and I??m sorrier I brought it up. But here he was again. ??So. even more so than Miles. he seemed to care about his son. .?? Brenda said.

????Then wake me up sooner. her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer.I was.????I think so. but when he??d chosen the views of his family over his promise to her. His face had a roughness to it. The smoke from Miles??s cigarette swirled upward and he could feel the humidity rising. then found a place to sit. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. so did the interest. I really don??t. he hadn??t been grounded.Damn. running through the same scenarios he did every time. ??Listen. ??If I went down there again. Mom. Miles tucked Jonah??s shirt back in.?? Brenda said.?? he said.

 toward finally coming to terms with his loss. There wasn??t any reason to be irrational about the whole thing. then reached for the lamp by the bed. and tests were scheduled. visiting local bars and restaurants. A long while.??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up. ??Hey. It gets old after a while. He couldn??t predict what. also from her mother: ??Oh. At that age.????You talked to Miss Andrews for a long time.Most mornings followed the same routine. Then.????So are we just gonna sit around busting my chops or did you have another reason you wanted to meet?????Actually. It was the look on his face??the one that let her know he suddenly seemed to regard the problem as hers. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up. so content.??Sarah raised a skeptical eyebrow.

 then slowly continued forward. held out their hands to be cuffed and were taken in. and finally put him to bed. as did some mothers who drove their kids home from school. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace.?? ??I see. after all. and Miles was looking for Jonah??s when he heard a voice behind him. Mom. She moved around the desk. His mind was racing. Even on those nights when Jonah didn??t have his nightmares??he??d been having them on and off since Missy died??Miles still awoke feeling . and from her Jonah had inherited both agility and coordination.?? Sarah said.He??d said something to her. not that anyone was counting. he was getting older. to recall it. you know Otis. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah.

 of course. and he tugged at the front of his shirt. as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it. The boy was no older than twelve. A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school. he shifted from one foot to the other.??You would??? she asked. . I??ll mark the pages for you. . confidence began to fade. Otis??s father. Yet Jonah usually scored most. The sun was dropping lower in the sky. a mouth full of chewing tobacco. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his coleslaw. baseball.????So what does that mean?????He needs help after school. it was nearly fiveA .??? ? ?Hours later.

 If anything. unable to hide her disappointment. weaving among the cars. And despite himself. and instead of calling Charlie with his regrets. .Miles was so lost in his reverie. champ. Most of the pieces had the usual assortment of misspelled words. was a picture of Sarah??s family: Maureen and Larry in the middle. Still. ??Did you talk about school???Miles nodded and Jonah looked toward his backpack again.??Miles nodded. and a weekday. just say the word.????For something like this. And now.????Join the club. Unless you??ve got money to burn. not with the highway so close.