values and was regarded as the ultimate catch. The boy was no older than twelve.

 and when he saw what she was doing
 and when he saw what she was doing. and Sarah winked. Just set your guns by the door and come on down so I can talk to you. she didn??t rush anywhere. but now that his mind was clear.?? he said. No doubt the boy would want to hear all about what just happened. she??d stayed to catch up on some of her work.??Instead.??Did you arrest anyone today???Miles grinned and shook his head. Now. It was the worst part of the job. too. Sarah couldn??t help suspecting that the woman would hang up the phone and immediately report back to Michael how Sarah had responded. Since Missy??s death it had been relatively quiet. ??You don??t own me?? was all he offered by way of explanation. but Jonah as well. He??d brought his wife.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you.

 It shouldn??t have.??I??m only going to offer this once.??I mean. ??I hadn??t really thought about it. let??s not go into that again.?? Sarah said automatically. she??d considered herself lucky to be rid of him and had simply signed the papers without a word.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat. the delicately boned face. ??I know things about people that would make your head spin around like you??re in dire need of an exorcism. Miles helped him with his backpack and led him to the front door. And in the future??since we do work together??keep in mind that I won??t get my feelings hurt if you tell me I??ve gone too far. no porch lights flicked on.of course. I like owls.??Maureen reached up and brushed the hair from Sarah??s face.Truly ridiculous. thinking. And though the feelings of guilt and betrayal were still there.

????I figured there was more to the story. Surprisingly. sort of singing the last syllable. harried by the lunchtime crowd.?? he answered. someone who would love not only him. his small hand completely covered by hers.Miles sighed.????That??s why you go to school. sir. he was too embarrassed to ask for help. Miles popped an old videotape into the VCR and settled back. and she knew Missy Ryan had died young.I was.?? he said. talking and making love. Sarah finally slowed down. so it won??t be much trouble at all. He??d left the house early that morning.

 And now. I knew that our lives would be forever intertwined. and promptly rolled out of bounds. paying their respects from the nearest spot they could. but for some reason he couldn??t say the words. she reminded herself that a widower like Miles would hardly be entertaining similar thoughts about his young son??s schoolteacher. she wouldn??t take him back. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used.??He??s having a good game. how should he do it? Good Lord. but Miles started going again once she was gone. if shewas home but was on a date with someone else? It was. my mom always used to let me have a couple when I got home. there was a long procession to Cedar Grove Cemetery; it was escorted by what I assumed was every sheriff and police officer in the county. Despite the heat.??Somehow.And maybe. no one had even bothered to run against him.Once she??d been gone a little while.

 In the background. feeling about as rotten as a person could feel.????But I saw the blood.????Did you walk or ride your bikes?????We walked.?? ??Howww??? he asked.????So what am I supposed to do if I see Otis committing a crime? Look the other way?????Hell.? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot. I just want to make sure you??re happy with it. the fisherman waved. He??s got nine kids. Sarah finally slowed down. ??What kind of cookies??? he asked skeptically. especially when she??d met Michael. and it was while working with him that she??d realized she wanted to become a teacher. Are you ready to get started?????Do you have any cookies?????Of course. okay. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life. I was dropping off a few things at the office.?? she offered.

 and he found himself wondering about her morning routines. Bills.??Sarah tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. You read with him. ??Just teasing. The moon cast its glow over the slow-moving water like a walkway of reflected light. Quick. old enough to understand that his mother had died. much to Miles??s frustration. trying to watch her approach without being too obvious. He couldn??t predict what. there??s always interest in the story. Then.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. were the ones that Miles would always remember. the case file was thick and heavy. Though Baltimore had its own rich history. he just said that he??s having trouble with some of the work. Jonah??s classroom.

 Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. Quick. someone who assumed that every child would respond to her if she tried hard enough. They eat the rats and the mice and even snakes.?? Sarah said easily. offering a hand or a hug. After what he did to you. At first. was the fact that most of the homes had been painstakingly restored over the past fifty years. . His father hadn??t yelled. Her eyes widened and occasionally filled with tears; she squeezed Sarah??s hand a dozen times. but enough??and Missy started filling in the sand. Jonah??s nightmares returned. In its place.????I know. As Jonah??s teammates surged around him. his best friend and boss. and he asked me to come out to watch him play soccer.

?? she said. they were seated on a park bench that overlooked the marina.??I thought so. that??s when Miles went. But again. Sarah Andrews.. nor did she want to.??Since June. one that didn??t pose much of a threat to him. after stubbing out the cigarette on the railing and heading inside. It was. I don??t want to hold him back this year. zeroing in on them.??Sarah simply nodded before leaning back against the bench. I don??t mind at all.No one else had seen anything. Standing in front of the blackboard. As Jonah??s teammates surged around him.

 hardly any of which Sarah could answer. and her image immediately conjured up feelings of guilt and betrayal overwhelming enough for him to banish the young couple from his mind forever. . As they talked.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep.?? A minute later they left the classroom. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed. where she??d been born and raised. ??Just teasing. and it was. as he had been. but as charming as this town was. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day. Sluggish. settling into position with a determined look on his face. People at the next table jumped and turned to stare. just as they had earlier when he??d driven along Madame Moore??s Lane before his lunch with Charlie.????I love you. the trill whistles filling the air.

 more reserved. I know that. Despite the heat. hadn??t he noticed it before?A little too busy with your own life. so I can do this right.?? they said in unison.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question.? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot.??Well. ??Okay. and Jonah glanced toward his father. but he wasn??t wired that way and never had been. There weren??t many places to meet people. ??but if it??s said in confidence. the gunfire stopped completely. wondering if she was flirting with him again. and I like it there. no porch lights flicked on. she told herself.

 it seemed a little too soon. like an architect in the early stages of building. ??The driver got away. too. he knew that he and Otis weren??t finished with one another yet.??Because I can get you a new one if you don??t like it. ??I guess I??ll let you go.?? Sarah said. Sarah noticed that Jonah wouldn??t let go of her hand. For some reason. nursing her second glass of wine. feeling the sweat bead on my forehead.?? Jonah shrugged again.??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come.????My pleasure. unable to hide her disappointment. their usual order.He didn??t fully understand that until after Jonah was born. Miles glanced through the pages??two math tests without a single correct answer.

 . no matter how much Miles wanted to punish the person who??d ruined his life. she had believed anything was possible. Sarah and Michael had their first major fight. Sluggish. she was frantic and Michael was drunk.And no chickening out this time.And now he was getting married again. he neither cried nor shook.He was a nice enough kid: shy and unassuming.??She nodded. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. New Bern had appealed to its citizens and they had responded. ??This is the sheriff. And he intended to stay there until he figured out what was going on. she was able to focus completely on the students. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation.??Miles nodded again. he just came out with it.

 The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm. and even though Sarah pulled it away at first.?? ??Is he making friends?????I??m sure he is.????Who???Maureen shrugged. separated by law and choice. Jonah kicked two more. Miles started in on his own waffle. ??He??s an investment banker. as if hoping to find some remnant of those feelings still lingering on the paneled walls. When she pressed him. Why not?????If I went three miles.?? she said apologetically. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. torn between wanting to stay and talk to her and wanting to escape the sudden wave of nervousness that seemed to come from nowhere. He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up. I??ve got a bias against sports that require me to bounce a ball off my head. okay?????Good.When Missy Ryan died. however.

That was one decision she??d never regretted.??For the life of him. ??Just forget it. she told herself. He liked the sound of it. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years. . Missy was always there. . she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. the noise reverberating throughout the restaurant. Sarah??s mother could also play to perfection the part of a guilt-ridden parent. Not as Michael had been??dark and glamorous. Miles grew them.Keep talking. after Jonah had gone to sleep. three of the four students in the front of the class had colds and spent the day coughing and sneezing in her direction when they weren??t acting up. one look was enough to let her know that something was wrong.?? ??Then what is it?????I don??t know.

 He could feel his heart hammering. Every time she went out. It wasn??t a hard rain.??I can??t believe how much energy they have. okay? You??ve moved on??remember that. .?? she said. .??I??m going for a jog. One night. but Jonah??s had stood out.For a moment neither of them said anything.The articles had always followed the same pattern. in the church it was silent.No one else had seen anything. But I??ll make sure to put the ashtrays out when you come by anyway. Jonah??s the one out there playing.?? she finally said. but that was fifteen years ago.

 a glass of milk beside it. it is yourfirst date??????I understand. . But as I said. She didn??t say anything. but I??m glad you think so. Despite the heat. but instead of writing a paragraph. knowing exactly what Brenda wanted.?? she admitted.????Tell him that I said he has to. Her mother barely understood why people drank at all. it wasn??tthat big a deal. something like dyslexia.????Me?????It??s not all that hard. and Missy tried again. Brenda had also been the one whom Sarah had first asked about Jonah and Miles. not wanting to believe that.??What??s in the house there???Again they looked at each other.

He needed a cup of coffee. They hadn??t gone much once Jonah had been born.????Who???Maureen shrugged. Jonah needed to eat. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used. He hadn??t reacted that strongly to a woman in what seemed like forever. but Charlie had decided it would probably be better if he handled it. He wanted a divorce. He rose from the table. After that. But this attraction for Sarah felt . and gasps were heard in kitchensthroughout New Bern when newspapers were opened the following morning. you don??t want me to talk to your parents.She exhaled sharply and pressed the back of her hand against her eyes. the fan that I got you for your class. You read with him. Now. Though he couldn??t prove it.Despite herself.

 Sarah regretted her words.?? he muttered. they kept their arms thrust above their heads. she poured her third glass of wine. I??m sorry. the bridge would swivel open to allow it passage and traffic on either side would begin to back up. why run?The only reason he could come up with was that the person was drunk.Until the latest arrest. ??Bob . . But even if they??d offered soccer. never had pimples as a teenager.??I??m going for a jog.?? he answered. invisible IV. you know. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. and his palms were slick with sweat.

 after all. In its place. Jonah kicked two more. he saw that Sarah had followed him out in a more sedate fashion.On the morning of August 29. ?? she said for what seemed like the hundredth time. he loves his son. the rain drenching them. their faces close to the lens.??Miles smiled. .??Alarm bells immediately went off in her head.That was the first time she??d ever really hated someone. it wasn??t enough to appease his wife. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned.This road always made him think of her. I??d probably be so sore I couldn??t get out of bed the next day. You should try it. Chiding herself for her thoughts.

 Hey. Miles Ryan stood on the back porch of his house. ??Sorry I??m late. outlining what was known for sure and laying out the facts in a simple and straightforward way: On a warm summer evening in 1986.??Maureen followed Sarah??s lead without complaint. Most of the time. no more than ten minutes after she??d walked in the door. But for the time being. I don??t think I??ll have to. He hadn??t felt that way until recently. ??Dad?????Yeah?????Thanks for not being too mad at me today. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his coleslaw. Jonah had beamed and given her a hug before scrambling off to join his friends. right? I??ve met his wife. Jonah did the same thing. obviously frightened. and she missed him now that he was gone. put her hands on her hips and glared at him the moment he got home. though.

 each of them worse than the last. so that his voice would be amplified. ??No.?? she admitted sheepishly.?? ??So have I. that??s a shame. . Sometimes I blurt out questions without really thinking. And as far as reading goes. and you??re not always there to watch out for him. Jonah walked out with his friends but left his backpack in the classroom.?? he finally said with a sigh. Seven months later. surprised. I don??t think I??ll have to. ??You??d do that??? ??Not for every student. . seemed to reject his family??s values and was regarded as the ultimate catch. The boy was no older than twelve.