【】t

plao,butheuld.ifhefoundthegirlsasleep,itght

aost

sensitiveobreakthenews.

chapterthree.

jackdidn”tseechoftherestofthedrive.fogntiofloat

acrosstheroad,liftingandledterrain,

allopseofseastagrayeronhis

righthostofchaparralagainstrohisleft,butanashen

palllayasthihisndasihe

seeddense,aheavyonshouldersthatiredandtense.

ityfourhourssincehehadlastslept.lifehadbeena

nightre.

andnoofacethegirls.

partofhitillpicturedhisdaughtersasthetotle

nkeysbeforethingsfellapart.theyore

blondnooreadolesalethan

nkey.yetthesaoldsothingteddeepinhischestwhenever

theiascaup.

theybabies.hugsalonebeenough.buthugshadnt

doforaorecautiousthanad

noanyrespects.

thinkingaboutthatashedrovethroughthefog,hehadasudden,

brutalsehelitsofhisrelationshiphhisdaughters.

takingtheoavie,ortochaoo

breakfastinsausalitoatfredshing.fillinginforrachel,

dealinghheavydutystuff,eanother.hefacedatrialby

fire.

thirtynutessouthofthea

thesea.itsroadarkedbyanoakgroveandabankofilboxes

ninedeep.onlyohenihe

left.

thisyearityearithadbeen

rachelsbutteryelloanthaspurple.

hetuedoffthehighb.theroad

eep.ithuggedthehillsideandwound

steadilyuphatcareeneddownandaround

intoprivatehos.thehigherhedrove,thethihefog.oak

yieldedtosyadrone,ixedfartheronuph

cedar.

redehereahels.

herhoeanderedovera

sllspaceofthehillside,upabithere,dothere.pulling

inhgraveldrive,heinute

hestoodthereuove,breathinginsothingdifferent,drawn

toit.freshair,hedecided,snappingtohaneffort.he

stretchedandrubbedhisfacehhishands.heneededashave,a

shoesleep.hegothefound

inside.

shadblanchedledtothefront

door.

hisloafersechoedinthesilehedidoraponthe

door.itopenedbeforehereachedit.thenfillingitsfrawas

farolderthanjatedmidsixties,heguessed,frohepure

eofhishairandbeardandhisheredskinbuther

detractedfroispresence.hean,tallerthanjacks

o

puttingoutahand.

itethis.

”thegirlsareasleep,”dunblighsaidinthesahardvoicehe

hadusedonthephohatithingtosoften

it.

”hoatose,”jackreplied,lo

thegirls.”hernditionisntal.

herbodyis.”

”prognosis”heshruggedandhitchedhistoheinsideof

the.”theycalddoakeit””no.”dunpushedbeefy

arintoaflan.”theyjustselvesout.”hestrode

pastjack,ttering,”igotodo.”jackraisedahandinthanks

andgoodbye,butdunhadalreadyrouhehouseandriding

uptheforestedhillside.”ingyou,too,pal,”he

ttered.

goinginside,hequietlyshutthedoorandleanedagainstittogethis

bearings.

itethathehadbeenthisfar.stoften,whenhe

pietatadonaldsjustnorthof

saheinstanceshehethree

ofthetthebankofilboxes.he

ulduntononehandtheishehadbeentothe,

andthen,onlytothedoor.

froherehedhadglisesoflor.nopsebecaablur

ofnaturalurethaters,

edontheopeoakit,

butthebacksheforest.theview

herepler,regeohiseye.paleshaftsofsunbroke

throughtheredingtoheforest

floor.

soundlesslyuntingseveralstepstotheleftofthelivingroohe

.betheguy

postersohas

naussedbutety.

upseveralrestepsandondohehall,anotherdoorwasajar.

thisrooaderlorsontheerfeelentirely.both

girlswoheadsofblondhairaswild

astheirthers.hopeantharawled.ina

gulleybethathadtobethecat.

hethreeshoain

roondsankintothesofa.slippingloedhishead

againstitsback.hiseyesclosed,hisbodybeggingforsleep,buthis

going.inutesheandlifting

thekitphone.

hecalledthehospitalfirstand,speakingquietlyhthei.c.u

nurse,leaedthatrachelsnditionhadntged.

hecalledhispartho.inrespooabreathless

greeting,hesaid,”ill,”davidsunggasped,

andjathathadbeenfilledh

exerciseequipntafterdavidslastakenoffhthe

chippeableandchairs.

”sorrytointerrupt,”hesaid,”butihaveaproblerachelwasina

rashlastnight.iohthegirls.”

”downwhere

inbigsur”thebeatoreadllslobigsur.esseg

eetinghereintkindarash””a

badone.”jackkepthisvoicelohefarendofthe

livingrooothathehegirlsappeared.”shes

inaa.”

”jesus.”

”istoppedatthehospitalothe

girlsbac

...