第27部分(第2/7 頁)

What　can　I　do；　Jake？　What　can　I　bring　you？〃

〃Nothing。　You　can't　e　here。〃　He　was　abrupt。　It　reminded　me　of　Billy　the

other　night。

〃I've　already　been　exposed　to　whatever　you　have；〃　I　pointed　out。

He　ignored　me。　〃I'll　call　you　when　I　can。　I'll　let　you　know　when　you　can　e

down　again。〃

〃Jacob—〃

〃I've　got　to　go；〃　he　said　with　sudden　urgency。

〃Call　me　when　you　feel　better。〃

〃Right；〃　he　agreed；　and　his　voice　had　a　strange；　bitter　edge。

He　was　silent　for　a　moment。　I　was　waiting　for　him　to　say　goodbye；　but　he

waited　too。

〃I'll　see　you　soon；〃　I　finally　said。　〃Wait　for　me　to　call；〃　he　said　again。

〃Okay　Bye；　Jacob。〃

〃Bella；〃　he　whispered　my　name；　and　then　hung　up　the　phone。

10。　THE　MEADOW

JACOB　DIDN'T　CALL。

The　first　time　I　called；　Billy　answered　and　told　me　that　Jacob　was　still　in

bed。　I　got　nosy；　checking　to

make　sure　that　Billy　had　taken　him　to　a　doctor。　Billy　said　he　had；　but；　for

some　reason　I　couldn't　nail

down；　I　didn't　really　believe　him。　I　called　again；　several　times　a　day；　for

the　next　two　days；　but　no　one

was　ever　there。

Saturday；　I　decided　to　go　see　him；　invitation　be　damned。　But　the　little　red

house　was　empty。　This

frightened　me—was　Jacob　so　sick　that　he'd　needed　to　go　to　the　hospital？　I

stopped　by　the　hospital　on

the　way　back　home；　but　the　nurse　at　the　front　desk　told　me　neither　Jacob　or

Billy　had　been　in。

I　made　Charlie　call　Harry　Clearwater　as　soon　as　he　got　home　from　work。　I

waited；　anxious；　while

Charlie　chatted　with　his　old　friend；　the　conversation　seemed　to　go　on　forever

without　Jacob　even　being

mentioned。　It　seemed　that　Harry　ha