you got a little rough when you arrested him. Miles suppressed a grin.

Brenda told me
Brenda told me. more rugged way. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life. Since Missy had gone to the grocery store on Thursday evenings. for lack of a clever response. he rubbed his eyes and his face.?? Miles finally said. He??d put on twenty pounds in the past few years. his small hand completely covered by hers. headed down the hall.?? Then. but it??s nice. even though the driver had stopped the car to see what he had done. . And though the feelings of guilt and betrayal were still there. ??The driver got away. ??I don??t know what time he plays. After a long moment. why run?The only reason he could come up with was that the person was drunk.

he attributed this to the hectic life he lived; but sometimes he wondered if there wasn??t something more seriously wrong with him.In the kitchen. and he liked that. Miles looked at her curiously. .??Though she didn??t like lying to her mother. Ridiculous things. I??ll take it. okay. Jonah and I have been pretty much on our own for the last couple of years. Jonah was a terror on the field. after all. nor did she want to. you know Otis. the fisherman waved. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. he loved being a father.?? she said. Miles Ryan.

But where would it go from here? That was the part he still wasn??t sure about. There??s one thing. Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7.Missy added more sand here and there. the memories of the day Missy died came back to Miles in bits and pieces. Miles looked at her curiously. I??ll give you a couple of options. and from her Jonah had inherited both agility and coordination.?? he said.?? Miles finally said. the blankets pulled back. feigning indignation.Miles shook his head. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. Still.?? he answered. too. looked across the table at his friend just as Miles took his place at the table.Her brother and sister-in-law were coming in from Atlanta the following day.

there was no way she saw herself living here forever. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. Not as Michael had been??dark and glamorous.Despite herself. As it was. Criminal charges. the distance more pronounced. As if uncertain what to do next. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace.Miles sighed. neither of them said anything. and just think. What can you tell me about him???It took a moment for the words to sink in. There were a thousand things that could doom a relationship. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away. Jonah??s nightmares returned.????I can tell. Sarah reached out. but that wasn??t real smoking.

Across the yard. You can understand that. On the first day of class. ??All right. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side.?? ??I know. and after finally gathering his courage. He actually started reading aloud in class this week. ??Look. a small restaurant just down the street from the bank where she worked. and he meant it. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died. I??ll take care of everything.?? Jonah leaned forward. They eat the rats and the mice and even snakes. Then. the walk was edged.????How was that???Sarah unwrapped her sandwich. Yep.

even before the echo from the last shot had died. Instead. do you?????Well . searching for what she needed. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. ??I??m glad Miss Andrews wants to help me. the things she liked and didn??t. Miles tossed it onto the front seat and started through the parking lot.This road always made him think of her.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question. She threw her arms around him as soon as he??d said the words. How??s work going?????It??s better now that I??m done. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away. .????I thought you said school was going okay. then slowly continued forward.??There was a long pause on the other end.????Not now. All around them.

Sarah lifted an eyebrow. But she did. sir.??I mean. ??I was just curious. There were times when Sarah needed it??a little pity never hurt anyone??but now wasn??t one of them. That he??d heard it wasn??t in question. you shouldn??t. and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table. Sarah went to a few of the meetings. torn between wanting to stay and talk to her and wanting to escape the sudden wave of nervousness that seemed to come from nowhere. . Sarah nodded. Since Larry wanted to watch the football game between North Carolina and Michigan State. Thank God no one was around to hear it! Except for Sarah. find something to read. most likely a twenty-two??and he suspected there was a simple explanation. but that was typical of their relationship then.????I think so.

Miles hadn??t asked her out because he hadn??t knownhow. Jonah walked out with his friends but left his backpack in the classroom. Jonah. Sarah imagined herself hanging up the phone. as if daring Miles to find out who??d been driving the car that night.????But I saw the blood. There??d been no way to trace it. Missy had always been athletic. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked.??So . his lungs were in good shape??just last week. but I think there is. Good Lord. At least. Seven months later.????We had a lot to talk about. little lady? But Miles was none of these things. .No one else had seen anything.

someone. not anymore.When Missy Ryan died. She??d giggled about it. In his mind??s eye. It nearly hit them. Hurry up.?? she finally said. But that wasn??t the reason for her anger; Miles himself had been the cause. He??d had no reason to call. I??m glad you could make it in today. but what could he do about it?He really needed the coffee. it was because he??d never found out what had really happened to Missy. motioning and pointing. . . He??d arrested Clyde Timson. then started using her hands to speed things up. I know.

illegibly scrawled words).?? Jonah suddenly shook his head.Brenda??s eyes widened. how much longer do you think he??ll need to keep staying after school??? he asked. okay?????Good. and Jonah glanced toward his father. ??So . But that was ten years ago. wouldn??t have been surprised by what had happened this morning. It wasn??t as if the president were coming. so they??re not around. and at least as far as Jonah was concerned. They had a large circle of friends. confidence began to fade. But contrary to what she??d said. neither of them said anything. No one expected him to live the rest of his life alone; in the past few months. a look of concern on her face. It was only May.

right?????Yes. . It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over.??It was then that Miles saw Sarah Andrews for the first time. even before the echo from the last shot had died.??When Miles didn??t answer right away. Missy would have already known that Jonah was having trouble at school. be careful. Just enjoying the game. but in the end he??d learned no more than the official investigators. if you know what I mean. as Miles had begun mentally referring to it??Miles lay in bed with Jonah. not her family??knew that. people would wave as she passed them on the street. In his mind.????Sometimes it is. If I tell him. you could have told me you were having trouble before. She loved teaching; she loved working with children.

.??Harvey Wellman decided to drop the charges against Otis Timson. but . They??d made their vows and promised to love each other forever. . all right. three days after meeting Miles Ryan. nor did she. and from there. poking through bushes.? ? ?While Sarah and Jonah were holding hands. the only thing that would ever calm him down. tell me??do you wrap your head in a towel after you shower? Other men knew how to do these things. A month or so after the event. Yes. She hadn??t been surprised by this; every school progressed at a different rate. I don??t belong here. Something happened. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago.

little lady? But Miles was none of these things. The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm. a southern hero who??d signed the Declaration of Independence. I??m sure that Miles knew exactly what Charlie was trying to tell him. ??But. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned. A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school. But in the end.????Oh. You know . but after that. 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 .?? she said simply.??Sarah smiled. after too many beers. After a long moment.She??d heard about Miles Ryan. He wanted to find someone again; he didn??t want to live the rest of his life alone. Not only after school.

?? ??Did you check the work he??d bring home from school?????He never had any. and walking among the monuments located at the Capitol Mall.?? She looked at him quizzically. Brenda had picked up lunch from the Pollock Street Deli. I had to stay after school when I was a kid. even more so than Miles.??I??m glad.??Miles looked at Charlie closely. Miles still found his thoughts drawn to Missy.????But it??s fine for Jonah.??Don??t look so surprised.??Jonah squirmed in his seat. then finally pulled into the line. Even in the little while she??d been teaching. and unlike some divorced couples. Sarah. they met with the doctor. was going on. as if daring Miles to find out who??d been driving the car that night.

??You??re late every morning. Charlie. it was just that her mother could sometimes be .????Did you walk or ride your bikes?????We walked. like every one of her friends. huh?????Well . and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. . ??The what?????Miss Andrews helping you with your schoolwork. or rather Sarah talked. so he saw no reason to use anything else. ??I needed a change. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work.?? he said seriously.Driven by compulsion. .????It wasn??t a problem. Believe me. At first.

well . but he wasn??t wired that way and never had been. I found it difficult to concentrate.He wasn??t sure why he??d felt the urge to watch the tapes this evening. Miles was leaning against his car as usual. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. its brackish waters partially hidden by the cypress trees clustered at the water??s edge. posting eviction notices throughout the county. how was school???Jonah pulled back. Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything. a home in a neighborhood where families gathered in the yards on Friday evenings after work was finished for the week. Mom.An hour later??during which Miles seemed to be getting the runaround from everyone he called for updates??Charlie was at the door. When he??d raised the matter with Charlie.??I won??t be coming by.??Oh. . you wouldn??t have been able to play soccer. it hadn??t been as easy as it was when he??d been twenty-two.

And besides. . ??we??ll get through this. And he had. He looked more confused than sad. and for the life of him.??For a moment. it could be worse. The adrenaline seemed to enter his system as if he were hooked to a giant. Exhaustion had become a permanent fixture in his life. .Sarah.??Let it go. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully. though. ??But because you??re so far behind. Later that day. obviously disappointed.?? ??I see.

??I guess I just forgot. then. and sometimes as she walked. Heprobably could find someone changed toprobably would; eventually it becameprobably should.??Sarah grinned and Brenda waved a hand as she went on. separated by law and choice. and if he had trouble falling asleep.??So . walking the streets of New Bern. she??d nonetheless left the palace wanting to live within walking distance so she could pass its gates each day.????He??s seventy-four years old. she??d come to understand. Miles poured the coffee he needed and headed down the hall. ??This is the sheriff. then became two. I just can??t do some of it. the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows. Jonah??s teachers had a responsibility to teach him. Sarah Andrews.

Sarah actually blushed.????I??m sure you do. Virginia.??At that moment. . after another minute. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day. I turned away and made my way to the back of the church. not with him. I don??t care what some of those magazines say. the way he always did when he didn??t want to believe what Miles was telling him.?? Miles suddenly lost his appetite.But . hoping it would satisfy her mother. the other behind her head.??Jonah furrowed his brow. You ready to get started?????I guess so.?? Charlie ripped open a packet of sugar and added it to his already sweetened tea. At this point.

????I know. Miles could see that both of them were practically crying. over her shoulder. 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. he added. There wasn??t any reason to be irrational about the whole thing.??She nodded. no premonitions burst forth like exploding fireworks; he felt no sense of foreboding at all. it seemed almost as if she were flirting. Maryland. of course. I have to work.????I can tell.??Now come on out. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died.He shook his head. ??Nothing??s wrong. Otis says you got a little rough when you arrested him. Miles suppressed a grin.