【】t</p>

plao,butheuld.ifhefoundthegirlsasleep,itght</p>

aost</p>

sensitiveobreakthenews.</p>

chapterthree.</p>

jackdidn”tseechoftherestofthedrive.fogntiofloat</p>

acrosstheroad,liftingandledterrain,</p>

allopseofseastagrayeronhis</p>

righthostofchaparralagainstrohisleft,butanashen</p>

palllayasthihisndasihe</p>

seeddense,aheavyonshouldersthatiredandtense.</p>

ityfourhourssincehehadlastslept.lifehadbeena</p>

nightre.</p>

andnoofacethegirls.</p>

partofhitillpicturedhisdaughtersasthetotle</p>

nkeysbeforethingsfellapart.theyore</p>

blondnooreadolesalethan</p>

nkey.yetthesaoldsothingteddeepinhischestwhenever</p>

theiascaup.</p>

theybabies.hugsalonebeenough.buthugshadnt</p>

doforaorecautiousthanad</p>

noanyrespects.</p>

thinkingaboutthatashedrovethroughthefog,hehadasudden,</p>

brutalsehelitsofhisrelationshiphhisdaughters.</p>

takingtheoavie,ortochaoo</p>

breakfastinsausalitoatfredshing.fillinginforrachel,</p>

dealinghheavydutystuff,eanother.hefacedatrialby</p>

fire.</p>

thirtynutessouthofthea</p>

thesea.itsroadarkedbyanoakgroveandabankofilboxes</p>

ninedeep.onlyohenihe</p>

left.</p>

thisyearityearithadbeen</p>

rachelsbutteryelloanthaspurple.</p>

hetuedoffthehighb.theroad</p>

eep.ithuggedthehillsideandwound</p>

steadilyuphatcareeneddownandaround</p>

intoprivatehos.thehigherhedrove,thethihefog.oak</p>

yieldedtosyadrone,ixedfartheronuph</p>

cedar.</p>

redehereahels.</p>

herhoeanderedovera</p>

sllspaceofthehillside,upabithere,dothere.pulling</p>

inhgraveldrive,heinute</p>

hestoodthereuove,breathinginsothingdifferent,drawn</p>

toit.freshair,hedecided,snappingtohaneffort.he</p>

stretchedandrubbedhisfacehhishands.heneededashave,a</p>

shoesleep.hegothefound</p>

inside.</p>

shadblanchedledtothefront</p>

door.</p>

hisloafersechoedinthesilehedidoraponthe</p>

door.itopenedbeforehereachedit.thenfillingitsfrawas</p>

farolderthanjatedidsixties,heguessed,frohepure</p>

eofhishairandbeardandhisheredskinuther</p>

detractedfroispresence.hean,tallerthanjacks</p>

o</p>

puttingoutahand.</p>

itethis.</p>

”thegirlsareasleep,”dunblighsaidinthesahardvoicehe</p>