第33部分(第4/7 頁)

et　then；　and　I　realized　he　was　on　the　phone。　A　minute　passed。

〃Don't　you　put　this　on　Bella！〃　Charlie　suddenly　shouted。

I　jumped。　When　he　spoke　again；　his　voice　was　careful　and　lower。　〃Bella's　made

it　very　clear　all　along　that

she　and　Jacob　were　just　friends　Well；　if　that　was　it；　then　why　didn't　you

say　so　at　first？　No；　Billy；　I

think　she's　right　about　this　Because　I　know　my　daughter；　and　if　she　says

Jacob　was　scared　before—〃

He　was　cut　off　mid…sentence；　and　when　he　answered　he　was　almost　shouting

again。

〃What　do　you　mean　I　don't　know　my　daughter　as　well　as　I　think　I　do！〃　He

listened　for　a　brief　second；

and　his　response　was　almost　too　low　for　me　to　hear。　〃If　you　think　I'm　going　to

remind　her　about　that；　then

you　had　better　think　again。　She's　only　just　starting　to　get　over　it；　and

mostly　because　of　Jacob；　I　think。　If

whatever　Jacob　has　going　on　with　this　Sam　character　sends　her　back　into　that

depression；　then　Jacob　is

going　to　have　to　answer　to　me。　You're　my　friend；　Billy；　but　this　is　hurting　my

family。〃

There　was　another　break　for　Billy　to　respond。

〃You　got　that　right—those　boys　set　one　toe　out　of　line　and　I'm　going　to　know

about　it。　We'll　be　keeping

an　eye　on　the　situation；　you　can　be　sure　of　that。〃　He　was　no　longer　Charlie；

he　was　Chief　Swan　now。

〃Fine。　Yeah。　Goodbye。〃　The　phone　slammed　into　the　cradle。

I　tiptoed　quickly　across　the　hall　into　my　room。　Charlie　was　muttering　angrily

in　the　kitchen。

So　Billy　was　going　to　blame　me。　I　was　leading　Jacob　on　and　he'd　finally　had

enough。

It　was　strange；　for　I'd　feared　that　myself；　but　after　the　last　thing　Jacob　had