第24部分(第3/7 頁)

n。　I　immediately　regretted　bringing　it　up。

〃StillwithSam。〃

〃Yup。〃

He　put　his　arm　around　my　shoulder；　and　he　looked　so　troubled　that　I　didn't

playfully　shake　it　off；　as　I

might　have　otherwise。

〃Are　they　still　looking　at　you　funny？〃　I　half…whispered。

Jacob　stared　through　the　trees。　〃Sometimes。〃

〃AndBilly？〃

〃As　helpful　as　ever；〃　he　said　in　a　sour；　angry　voice　that　disturbed　me。

〃Our　couch　is　always　open；〃　I　offered。

He　laughed；　breaking　out　of　the　unnatural　gloom。　〃But　think　of　the　position

that　would　put　Charlie

in—when　Billy　calls　the　police　to　report　my　kidnapping。〃

I　laughed　too；　glad　to　have　Jacob　back　to　normal。

We　stopped　when　Jacob　said　we'd　gone　six　miles；　cut　west　for　a　short　time；　and

headed　back　along

another　line　of　his　grid。　Everything　looked　exactly　the　same　as　the　way　in；

and　I　had　a　feeling　that　my　silly

quest　was　pretty　much　doomed。　I　admitted　as　much　when　it　started　to　get

darker；　the　sunless　day　fading

toward　a　starless　night；　but　Jacob　was　more　confident。

〃As　long　as　you're　sure　we're　starting　from　the　right　place〃　He　glanced　down

at　me。

〃Yes；　I'm　sure。〃

〃Then　we'll　find　it；〃　he　promised；　grabbing　my　hand　and　pulling　me　through　a

mass　of　ferns。　On　the　other

side　was　the　truck。　He　gestured　toward　it　proudly。　〃Trust　me。〃

〃You're　good；〃　I　admitted。　〃Next　time　we　bring　flashlights；　though。〃

〃We'll　save　hiking　for　Sundays　from　now　on。　I　didn't　know　you　were　that　slow。〃

I　yanked　my　hand　back　and　stomped　around　to　the　driver's　side　while　he

chuckled　at　my　reaction。

〃So　you　up　for　another　try　tomorrow。'〃　he　asked；　sliding　into　the　passenger