第9部分(第3/7 頁)

〃Do　you　mind　if　I　e　over　today？〃　he　asked　before　we　got　to　the　truck；

beating　me　to　the　punch。

〃Of　course　not。〃

〃Now？〃　he　asked　again；　opening　my　door　for　me。

〃Sure；〃　I　kept　my　voice　even；　though　I　didn't　like　the　urgency　in　his　tone。　〃I

was　just　going　to　drop　a　letter

for　Renee　in　the　mailbox　on　the　way。　I'll　meet　you　there。〃

He　looked　at　the　fat　envelope　on　the　passenger　seat。　Suddenly；　he　reached　over

me　and　snagged　it。

〃I'll　do　it；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃And　I'll　still　beat　you　there。〃　He　smiled　my

favorite　crooked　smile；　but　it　was

wrong。　It　didn't　reach　his　eyes。

〃Okay；〃　I　agreed；　unable　to　smile　back。　He　shut　the　door；　and　headed　toward

his　car。

He　did　beat　me　home。　He　was　parked　in　Charlie's　spot　when　I　pulled　up　in　front

of　the　house。　That　was

a　bad　sign。　He　didn't　plan　to　stay；　then。　I　shook　my　head　and　took　a　deep

breath；　trying　to　locate　some

courage。

He　got　out　of　his　car　when　I　stepped　out　of　the　truck；　and　came　to　meet　me。　He

reached　to　take　my

book　bag　from　me。　That　was　normal。　But　he　shoved　it　back　onto　the　seat。　That

was　not　normal。

〃e　for　a　walk　with　me；〃　he　suggested　in　an　unemotional　voice；　taking　my

hand。

I　didn't　answer。　I　couldn't　think　of　a　way　to　protest；　but　I　instantly　knew

that　I　wanted　to。　I　didn't　like

this。　This　is　bad；　this　is　very　bad；　the　voice　in　my　head　repeated　again　and

again。

But　he　didn't　wait　for　an　answer。　He　pulled　me　along　toward　the　east　side　of

the　yard；　where　the　forest

encroached。　I　followed　unwillingly；　trying　to　think　through　the　panic。　It　was

what　I　wanted；　I　reminded

myself。　The　chance　to　ta