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"What’s your point?"

"Stirripe"

"Stirman’s a sociopath Doesn’t mean Erainya and Jem should suffer"

Ralph stared out the ard Rosedale Park, the way he had always stared at the landscape of San Antonio--as if it was his private do out there In a way, it was his domain When he and Ana had moved into this house, their co activity within a five-block radius Nobody wanted to uel o and DeLeon’s domestic bliss

Ralph said, "You think Erainya kept the "

"And if Barrow hid it from her--ould he have done with it?"

I shookpathetic Gambled it away Maybe a whore stole it Maybe it mildewed in a bus station locker until soone through Barrow’s case files I’ve run every angle in my mind"

"Maybe he had better plans Maybe if he’d lived, he would’ve tried to use it for a fresh start"

"Like hel "

"That’s what I’d do"

The baby had gotten hold of her spoon now She was trying to pul it away froer hooked around the handle

"Good people do bad things," he said "No surprise Funny thing, though--you never think about it going the other way Even fucking sociopaths can do soood once in a while You know that? Nobody wants to live in hel , vato Nobody"

"You’ve been reading too many picture books"

"Maybe you need to look at Barrow fro And "

"A o--"

"I said if you went after him yourself, you’d have to kil him But you could listen to Ana instead You could let her help"

Ralph Arguel o, lecturingthe police

"I’l let you eat your lunch," I said "Good seeing you, Ralph"

"Streets ain’t ht?"

I listened for regret in his voice, heard none--just protectiveness of his new family, his new self I tried to be happy for him I tried not to feel unwelcome in his den

"Sure," I said "Hey, I understand"

"Cal me in a while I’l let you knohat I find out"

I pro to cal

Ralph walked me out We shook hands at the door

"What’s the baby’s name, anyway?" I asked

"Lucia"

"Lucia"

"It was Ana’s mom’s name," he said

"I remember"

"I’l be here,support, not backup, and there was a big difference

I walked down his front steps I felt like I’d just been fitted with so for me

When I turned at the curb, Ralph’s expression was a lad to watchof anothera thumbprint of tapioca on the doorjaot your car

I’ll co to check on you

Stay put until then--Tres 821-6643

Hel of a thing Soned note with his phone nu? It was already ten-thirty No sign of the guy

Sa this joker picked up and sweated in a locked room

He paced around the kitchen in his three-piece suit He ate a bowl of dry Frosted Flakes, took his e juice and had to visit the restroo about two fugitives shot dead in Oroup

The leader’s name made Sam anxious

Will Stirman

Sam went to his bedroom closet He moved the shoeboxes aside The rifle case The suitcases He pul ed out a large black duffel bag and looked inside

The bag used to be ful er And a lot heavier He was pretty sure of that He was also pretty sure he’d been waiting to do this for years