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The frequency of newspaper coverage declined steadily through Christmas of that year It dropped sharply with the new year

Theones, blood overviolence

The last piece was dated on the fifth anniversary of Judith’s disappearance Her houna Beach, California, and the article appeared in the Orange County Register

A colurief, wrotehope that Judith was still alive So houitar She liked gospelwalks on the beach

The press had been provided two photos of her In both she looked ih Billy had never known Judith Kesselman, he could not bear the pro at her photos He printed selected articles for review later He folded thetables, ati broadly, sat Sheriff John Palh he wore his uniform, without hat, the sheriff less resembled an officer of the law than he did a politician Because his was an elected position, he was in fact both cop and pol

Barbered to the point of affectation, shaved as slass peach, teeth veneered to white perfection, features suitable for a Roer than he was--and ready for the caazine nor a newspaper, nor a book, lay in front of hi already

Pals up in Vineyard Hills?" Palmer asked

"Lots of vineyards and hills," Billy said

"You still tending bar?"

"There’s always a need It’s the third oldest profession"

"What’s second, after whores?" Palmer asked

"Politicians"

The sheriff see these days?"

"A little," Billy lied

One of his published short stories had featured a character as a thinly veiled portrait of John Pal?" Palmer asked

From where the sheriff sat, he had a direct view of the coh not of its screen

Maybe Pal at the work station A public coht keep a record of a user’s keystrokes No Probably not Besides, there were privacy laws

"Yeah," Billy said "So in front of Harry Avarkian’s office"

Billy said nothing

"Threeht be true

Palmer said, "I put two quarters in for you"

"Thanks"

"The ’s busted out of your driver’s door"

"A little accident," Billy said

"It’s not a code violation, but you ought to get it fixed"

"I’ve got an appointment on Friday," Billy lied

"This doesn’t bother you, does it?" the sheriff asked

"What?"

"You andlike this" Palmer surveyed the library No one was close to them "Just the two of us"

"It doesn’t bother ht and reason to walk away Instead he stayed, deterive even the appearance of intio, as a fourteen-year-old boy, Billy Wiles had endured interrogations conducted in such a way that they should have destroyed John Palmer’s law-enforcement career

Instead, Palmer had been promoted from lieutenant to captain, later to chief Eventually he had caned for the office of sheriff and had been elected Twice

Harry Avarkian had a succinct explanation for Palmer’s ascent and claimed that he had heard it from deputies in the department: Shit floats

"How’s Miss Mandel these days?" Palmer asked

"The same"

He wondered if Palmer knew about the 911 call Napolitino and Sobieski had no reason to file a report on it, especially since it had been a false alareants worked out of the St Helena substation While Sheriff Palhout his jurisdiction, his office was here in the county seat

"What a sad thing that was," Palmer said

Billy did not reply

"At least for the rest of her life, she’ll get the best care, with all that et well She’ll come out of it"

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes"

"All that ht to have a chance to enjoy all that n that he understood Pal, so relaxed and casual in his chair, Pal with ato be happy to hear that you’re not burnt out, that you’re writing a little"

"What people?"

"People who like your writing, of course"

"Do you know any of theed "I don’t …"

Because the sheriff wanted to be asked What?, Billy didn’t ask Off Billy’s silence, Palmer said, "I’m pretty sure your mom and dad would be so proud"

Billy walked away fro, the su when he inhaled, as if strangling when he exhaled Or maybe it wasn’t the heat, but the past

Chapter 38

Speeding north on Route 29, out of sun and into sun, with the fa imperceptibly at first and then perceptibly, Billy worried about protecting Barbara

The trust fund could hire around-the-clock security for the duration, until Billy found the freak or until the freak finished hi city The phone book didn’t contain page after page of ads for private-security firms