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For a while we took turns in the ers if they could help us find our friend Mr Pyers were few and far between The third person I asked looked at me with so much suspicion that I went back to the truck

"Where is everyone?" I asked Mãe

"The snowbirds have flown north," she said "It’s a Florida phenomenon Come May, many condos are deserted"

She was stretched back in the seat, listening to the radio Johnny Cash was singing a song called "Hurt," a cover of a Nine Inch Nails song By now I knew most of his music No matter what buttons you pressed on the jukebox at Flo’s Place, you got music by Cash or Nine Inch Nails

"The Recovery Plan needs a new strategy," I told her

"Hmm?" She sat up Then she motioned for me to hand her my cell phone

She punched some buttons, asked for the home office of Green Cross Then she punched some more, and finally she must have reached a voice "Where’s our delivery?" she said, her voice alar for Mr Pyht Pass, Siesta Key, Florida" She winked at me

"You did?" she said "Where did you leave it?"

A few seconds later, she said, "Well, it’s not here Yes, you’d better do that We’ll be expecting you"

She ended the call and handed me the phone "It’s number 1235," she said "And to another delivery of who knohat"

While aited for the elevator, ht from foot to foot She pushed her hair back froh, half imitation of the sound made by a surprised cat) in her throat She hadn’t been nervous around me before She made me nervous I lifted my hair from my neck and moved from side to side

The elevator arrived elass walls, and as it rose, the city of Sarasota eo back down," I said "We don’t even have to leave the elevator"

"Yes, we do" She sounded as curt as when she’d done her Mary Ellis Root imitation

The elevator doors opened, and alked down an open corridor -- doors on the left, iron guardrails on the right The wall had no s I could make out the roof of our truck far below, parked in a visitor’s space

The door of unit 1235 was painted white and had a peephole, like all the others

My ain

Either no one was home, or the occupants of 1235 didn’t want company

"Nohat?" Mãe said I didn’t have the gu on the door

We retreated to the elevator I felt deflated, but not surprised How likely was it that we’d find him, based on hunches and lies?

As we rode doe didn’t look at each other I watched the ground rising to meet us -- and that’s when I saw her: a short, obese wo lot, carrying a paper bag in both hands No one else on earth waddled as she did The sun listen

My lad to see Mary Ellis again" She didn’t sound as surprised as I ht have expected "I must have conjured her when I imitated her voice"

"What e do?" I asked

Mãe pushed the button for the fourth floor The elevator had just slid past the sixth When the car stopped at four, I followed her out We stood for aclasses taped to the elevator doors Digital numbers above the doors an to rise again

She said, "This should be interesting"

What will Root do when she sees us? I wondered I’d spent ht the i but contehtened, my back tensed "Is she one of us?" I asked my mother

"Who knohat she is" Mãe’s lips pressed together tightly

Then the elevator stopped at our floor The doors slid open, and we stepped inside

Mãeyou here"

Root clutched her paper bag She didn’t look any older, only greasier Did she ever wash that dress? But soed, I noticed at once: she’d trirew on her chin They were less than an inch long now, mere bristles compared to their former state

Neither s, obvious things

"Surprise!" I said

"Look what the cat dragged in" Mãe folded her arms