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Finally tracked it down through the Library of Congress, of all things You know, they have a copy of every book that‘s ever been published? So nothing ever really vanishes these days, not even if there‘s a fire Anyway, you just listen, okay; see what you think‖

I was quiet

―See, I think there was this guy as a drunk and one bitter, abusive asshole

After his wife died--after she hanged herself--he only had his youngest girl to keep hi: cook, housekeeper, nurse, andcompanion?‖ You said that very carefully, Bob, but that as a bullet That as as loaded as a pistol

I listened

―Eventually, that girl got out of there There were probably secrets because you never can outrun the past I read somewhere that people are the accumulation of their experiences Without your

―So she falls in love; she gets married, has her own kids For the first tiot hope But there‘s the dao Her asshole of a dad is still around and, maybe, up to his old tricks Of course, she doesn‘t know for sure She hopes it‘s not true Until she finds out it is and then she decides to do so

―Otherwise,‖ you said, ―I really have to wonder why any irl was inside‖ You paused ―Unless she didn‘t‖

Unless she’d carried her little girl, her princess, to the car herself before she went back inside Unless she couldn’t know that her little girl wanted her favorite Ariel doll and slipped back into the house, to the basein with and that it was her brother who noticed she was goneHer brother

You , Bob, but I can‘t be sure

Because, by then, I was screa Dad blasted in and then he was shouting at you to get out and not come back without a warrant or lawyer orI don‘t know Once you were gone, Bobby-o, my father tried to find out what you‘d said, but I was curled up in my chair, hands over my ears, eyes squeezed shut Fire licked my back; my nose filled with the stink of burned hair and the cruel fla CPR on Grandpa: Don‘t you save that son-of-a-bitch; don‘t you dare!)

―What did he say to you?‖ Psycho-Dad was back, his hands cla my hands from my ears ―Daive her a ave her a little so?‖

―Get out,‖ my father said, only he actually didn‘t say it that politely After the nurse scurried away, Psycho-Dad bore down ―What did he say? Jenna, goddamn it, look at me I need you to tell me what he said‖

Even in non-Hulk nore

Whatever gumption I‘d discovered back at the house had evaporated So, between gulps, I told hi but burning, bloodshot slits

―Is it true?‖ I whispered ―Dad, did Mom--?‖

―Of course not,‖ he said ―Don‘t be stupid The fire at the store was an accident‖

That wasn‘t what I‘d meant, and Dad knew it ―That‘s not what I meant I meant about--‖ My throat balled, but I forced myself to finish ―About Grandpa‖

―No Don‘t tell me you believe that idiot He‘s like all police They‘re just covering up for their own incompetence‖

―But the detective--‖

―Fuck hier at ain, you understand? The only talking you do to any detective, ever, is when I‘ot that?‖

―Do you remerandfather‘s was an accident, open and shut, all right? I‘ to file a coet that guy‘s ass fired so fast‖ Dad cut the air in an angry, disesture ―Jesus, like I don‘t have o back hoot no choice I‘m it for our practice and there are no other doctors I can call to cover on such short notice I have patients in the hospital There‘s nothing more I can do here for your mother anyway‖

―Then I‘ll stay Sooing to wake up anytiht as well have ―But if that‘s what you want ‖