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o n a nd g r a bb e d the t o p o f the plyw o o d .
    He l o o k e d at h e r f o r a be at t o o l o ng and h e r h e a r t s o r t o f twist e d in h e r ch e st. She c o u l d n ’ t q u ite bre ath e . A nd f o r the fi r st time i n h e r life a man s a i d , “What e v e r y o u want, L iv.”
    She th o u ght s he m i ght c r y r ight th e n and th ere . Bu t m o r e f r o m s h o ck than a n ything e ls e .
     
     
     
     

     

 
     

C ha p ter T h r ee
     
    Watching

    G a rre t t sat in the chair be si d e the fal l ing- d o wn chain- l ink f e nce and wa t ch e d h e r pac e . L iv w o u ld pick u p the p h o n e , s e t it d o wn. P ick it u p, s e t it d o wn. She had c ur r e ntly re p e a t e d this acti o n m o r e than a d o z e n tim e s.
    He kn e w a b o u t f e ar a nd he kn e w a b o u t a n g er . I t was what had lan de d him wit h o u t his pack in a h o rr i b ly c ru m b ling fix er - u pp e r i n the fi r st plac e . Bu t with o ne glimm e r o f a smil e , he re aliz e d it was also w hat h ad lan de d h im ac r o ss the st ree t f r o m who app e a re d to b e the m o st in de cisive w o m a n o n G o d’ s g ree n e a r th. Bu t it wa s n ’ t so m u ch in de cisi o n as d amage that had L iv M cC o y — h e’ d re ad h e r mail o n the e nt r yway ta b l e — d o ing this n er v o u s k ind o f d anc e .
    “Sh e’ s t r ying to de ci d e wh e th e r o r n o t to call the c o ps.” He s a id it a l o u d j u st to h e ar a v o ic e , e v e n if it was h i s. He had plant e d the s ee d i n h e r mind t o re p o r t that ass h o l e . He h o p e d she w o u l d .
    F inally, she s e t the ph o ne in its b ase and p o ure d h er s e lf a g lass o f w i n e . G a rre t t c o u ld s e e h e r cl e a r ly th r o u gh h e r d o ub l e - h u n g f r o nt win d o ws. H e’ d h a ve to t e ll h e r in the f u t u r e t o dr aw h e r b lin d s. He wa t ch e d h e r hit the lights and c o me o u t o nto the h u ge f r o nt p o r ch. She sat o n the s wing and r o ck ed , sipping at the win e . He c o u ld s m e ll de spair c o m i ng o ff h e r e v e n f r o m h ere . G a rre tt sat far b ack in the sha d o ws and cam o u flagi n g hims e lf was s e c o nd n at ure . He d i d n ’ t f e ar d isc o v er y as he r ais e d his h e ad and sniff e d the air t o pick u p h e r sc e nt.
    Y e p, th er e it was. D e spair a nd w o rr y and s o m e thing sw ee t e r . I nt e r e st. G a rre tt smil ed .
    T he p h o ne r ang in the k itch e n. He b o lt e d f o r it, w o n der ing who w o u ld b e calli n g so lat e . A nd d id he re ally want to ta l k to th e m? Bu t h e’ d a nsw e r the call. He c o u l d n ’ t sit o u tsi d e and spy o n his n e igh b o r s all n ight. H e’ d k ee p al er t f o r a n y sign o f t r o ub le o v e r at L iv ’ s place j u st to b e s af e .
    “H e l l o ?”

 
     

    “ C o me b ack h o m e , G a rre tt.”
    “ A nd h er e I t h o u ght y o u’ d t r y to w o o m e , K e lly.” He g r inn e d de spite hi m s e lf. He c o u ld h e ar the slight sq ue ak and sway o f L iv o n h e r p o r ch s wing. E v e n ac r o ss the st ree t and in the h o u se he c o u ld sm e ll the e a r th e n lav e n de r s m e ll o f h er .
    “ C o me b ack to the pack.”
    “ N o can d o . I’ ve g o t my b ach e l o r pad fi r mly e sta b lish ed . I e v e n h a ve a f e male i n my sights.” He was j o k i ng bu t as the w o rd s came o u t o f h i s m o u th he re c o gniz e d the t ru th in what he was sayi n g. S o m e thing in h im sp r ang to life and s o m e thing e lse ach ed .
     

    “A h u man, I p re s u m e ?” K e lly a sk ed . T h er e was a s mile and a f r o wn in h e r v o ice all at o nc e . H e’ d s ee n h e r p u ll o ff this c o mplicat e d e xp re ssi o n o n m a ny o ccasi o ns. His l o ve f o r K e lly was n e a r ly o v er wh e lming. I t h ur t him t o h e ar the pain i n h e r v o ic e . P ain he had ca u s ed .
    “W h y w o u ld y o u p re s u m e