eantitasaplint,butpleasednoheless
“didjeansayhadtobedooday”
adriennesopedoutsoeggsandpassedthebo
“ehooksyoudropintokeepthenplace;afterthat,hthatissupposedtobestackedhthehurricaneguards”“shehasaladder,ihope”
“itsunderthehouse,too”
“itdoesntsoundtoobadbutlikeisaidyesterday,idbehappytohelpyouhitafterigetback”shelookedathi“yousureyoudonthavetodothis”“itsnobotheridonthaveanythingelseplanned,anypossiblefortositinsidetheguest”“thankyou”
“noproble”
theyfinishedservingup,pouredtheffee,andstartedeatingpaulontarilyabsorbedinhertaskinthegrayinglight,shety,evenprettierthanhedrealizedthedaybefore“youregoingtotalktothatpersonyountionedyesterday“
paulnodded“afterbreakfast,”hesaid
“youdontsoundtoohappyaboutit”
“idontknohertobehappyoot”
“why”
afterthebriefesthesitation,hetoldheraboutjillandroberttorrelsontheoperation,theautopsy,andallthathadhappenedintheafterth,inailedtobestudyinghi“andyouhavenoideahes”
“iassuitssothingaboutthela”
adriennesosureaboutthat,butshesaidnothinginstead,shereachedforherffee“atterark”
hedidntsayanything,butthen,hedidnthavetothefactthatsheunderstoodorethanenoughitanyohesedays,andthoughhedtheronlythedaybefore,hesensedthatsohobetterthanstpeopledidorybe,hethought,betterthananyone
ten
afterbreakfast,paulgotintohistheporch,adrienneluckantlater,paullookedoverhisshoulderandbeganbackingoutofthedrivehereachedtorrelsonsstreetinafeinutes;thoughheuldhaveeetingstartedtogobadlythoughhesuretoexpect,hedecidedheelltorrelsoneverythingthathadhappenedhregardtotheoperationbutspeculateonhadcausedherdeathhesloonttopreparehielf,hegotoutandstarteduptheringapieceofplyselfspaceetothedoor,heknooventinsidenothinghevedtothesideoftheporedioneofthenotebookshedstuffedinsideheeandessagesayingthatheoingifrobertstillthen,foldingthepaper,hebroughtthenotetothefrontporchande,kingsureit“canihelpyou”
anstandingnearthehousethoughheuldntrecallaninhisthirtiesorso,gaunt,eearlierpulleduppaulclearedhisthroat“yes,”hesaid,“itorrelsonisthistherightplace”theyoungnnoddedydad”
“ishein”
“youhthebank”
paulshookhishead“nonaispaulflanner”itontbeforetheyoungnregnizedthenahiseyesnarrowed“thedoctor”
paulnodded“yourfathersentalettersayinghee”“for”
“idontknow”
“hedidnttellaboutnoletter”ashespoke,thesclesinhisjaoclench“iere”
theyoungnhookedhisthuintohisbelt“hesnotin”ashesaidit,hiseyesflashedtothehouse,andpaulellingthetruth“ie”
“hedoesnttotalktoyou”
pauldroppedhisgaze,thenlookedupagain
“ithinkthatsforhiodecide,dontyou”hesaid“ehereandtrytotalkyourestakeorsothing”
paulsaidnothingsensinghishesitation,theyoungntookasteptoandon,hisvoicerising“justgetthehelloutofhereidontore,anddaddoesnt,either”“fineokay”
theyoungnreachedforanearbyshovelandpaulraisedhishands,backingaway“ioing”
hetuedandstartedtohecar
“anddontebaanshouted“dontyouthinkyouvedoneenoughalreadythersdeadbecauseofyou”paulflinchedattheheirsting,thengotinthecarafterstartingtheengine,hepulledahoutlookingbackhedidntseetheneighboredotheladdertospeakan;hedidntseetheyoungnthrocurtainfallbackintoplaceinsidethehousenordidheseethefrontdooropenorthehatretrievedthenoteafterithadfallentotheporchnuteslater,adrienneeningtopaulashereuntedhadhappenedthe
