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She rolled her eyes before leveling thee is not on my side, and B--he’s not around on Saturdays"

"How about the police?"

"The police? Now coet into stuff like this?"

"I don’t know I’ve been in situations in the past where they have, though not in this state He has to turn over the kids on your scheduled days He’s been ordered by the court He’s in conte"

"Oh, your lips to God’s ears Listen," she said, "I’m pissed as hell about this, plusand clawing forthem But I’m afraid of hi"

Noah thought for a second Then he said, "Wait aback in with him?"

"Not exactly, but he did say we could’ve been a family if I hadn’t been so impossible That’s not true, by the way I tried--for two months and twenty-six days He’s the stubbornest, rabbed her hand "Co her out of the bathrooht at his office door and slowly unbuttoned the paint-splattered work shirt that she wore "We’re gonna go get your kids It’s your day"

He hung the shirt on his office doorknob He looked at her low-cut, sleeveless T-shirt, her tight jeans He sighed Well, this was Ellie No doubt this had always been Ellie And he was in a position he’d never been in before in his life--he liked her just fine the way she was The fact that he worried about the judgment of others made him furious with himself

"I have to rinse o," he said

"Noah," she said, pulling back "If the paint dries on the roller…"

"I’ll get you a new roller tomorrow," he said He crouched and looked deeply into Lucy’s eyes "You stay here Take a nap No painting" Then he pulled Ellie out of the side door of the church "If you’re right, and it sounds like you are, he wants you back Ellie, do you think he cares about your kids? Do you think he wants thes with the He wants them quiet, neat, invisible All kids annoy him Really, he’s the last person who should be the principal of an elementary school…"

"Private school, you said"

"Yeah, private MoreMaybe a ss like credentials, and past work problems Noah wondered what Arnie’s e you, Ellie Don’t buckle Let’s go get your kids"

"What are you going to do?" she wanted to know

"I’ to do it in a pure rinned "We’ll have to take your car so we have roo?"

Noah pulled into a neighborhood in Redway, just north of Garberville The houses were a lot alike in shape and size, but were painted a variety of colors Most had two stories with dores and front walks Some boasted pampered lawns and summer flowers, some weren’t quite so well loved They were all what Noah would consider small--maybe three bedrooms, as well as attics and basements They were all nestled into tall trees

Noah drove very slowly because kids were playing in the street There were a few riding their bikes around in circles while a group in the center appeared to be playing kickball A couple of parents were busy with the usual Saturday chores--cutting the lawn, digging in the garden, washing the car

"It’s that house," she said, pointing "There’s a black SUV in the driveway"

"Are your kids out here?" he asked As he drove slowly down the street, the legion of kids separated to let his car pass

"No Arnie doesn’t let them play outside unsupervised And he doesn’t have time to supervise, so they never had a chance to make friends"

"Do you have any idea what I should expect?" Noah asked

She took a breath "He’s a chameleon, Noah He fooled me for quite a while The school secretary worships him, she thinks he’s a kind, devout man, who’s strict and doesn’t put up with bad behavior, but he’s beyond strict He can be nice when it suits hi stick’ His other favorite is, ‘Children should be seen and not heard’ By now the neighbors hate him because he’s antisocial and wouldn’t allow the kids to interact with their kids He’ll probably be very nice to you, but don’t fall for it"