第4部分(第1/7 頁)

whether　she　could　go　there　or　not？

？Are　you　a　teacher　here　or　？？？　she　asked　politely。

Mr。　Tortia　squatted　down　and　held　his　palm　out　to　April；　who　handed　him　a　piece　of　Dentyne。　He

stood　up　again。　？As　a　matter　of　fact；　I？m　the　headmaster；？　he　replied　flatly。　He　pulled　on　his

mustache　and　offered　her　his　first　smile。　？Discretion　lesson　number　one：　Let？s　not　mention　this

little　incident　to　anyone。　Got　it？？

Jenny　nodded　mutely。

Mr。　Tortia　held　up　both　hands　and　waved　with　his　palms　facing　backwards；　like　the　Queen　of

England。　？Arrivederci；　little　prospective　girl！？　he　chimed；　dismissing　her。

Harry　reached　up　and　patted　Jenny　on　the　bottom。　？Drive　safely；？　he　told　her　affectionately；　even

though　she　was　obviously　not　old　enough　to　drive。

Arrivederci；　fuckups！

Her　whole　body　trembling　with　outrage；　Jenny　hurried　down　the　path　through　the　woods；

wishing　with　all　her　heart　there　was　a　subway　stop　right　there　by　the　duck　pond。　She　could　swipe

her　MetroCard　and　catch　the　3　train　down　to　Ninety…sixth　Street　and　Broadway；　and　be　home　in

time　forAmerican　Idol　。　The　green…headed　mallard　quacked　at　her　mockingly　as　she　hurried

by。　？Cr？me　de　la　cr？me！　Cr？me　de　la　cr？me！　Cr？me　de　la　cr？me！？　he　seemed　to　be　saying。

Jenny　whipped　out　her　cell　phone　and　dialed　information。　？Taxi。　In　Croton　Falls；　New　York；？　she

instructed。

？We　have　no　listings　for　Taxi；？　the　operator　responded　blandly。　？I？ll　check　Limousines。？

？Fine。？　Jenny　typed　the　number　for　the　Village　of　Croton？s　only　limousine　service　into　her　cell

phone。　With　the　money　her　father　had　given　her　bined　with　the　money　already　in　her　wallet；

she　could　probably　get　the　driver　to　tak