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"Oh, Kevin" Cheryl sighs "Not here Not tonight Will you put your phone away for once?"

"--a ‘person of interest’" Dad looks up, blinking, like a person e from sleep "I wonder what that’s about"

"I’ the corner of her eye with one perfectly French-ernail "He’s been obsessed," she says to et pleasure out of talking about Mo she can talk about"

Cheryl just shakes her head

I turn to Dad, struck by an idea I’ of what Sarah Snow said: You look familiar "Did the Snows ever live in Somerville?"

He frowns and returns to his phone "Not that I know of"

So that’s a dead end Cheryl, who can’t stand to keep her mouth shut for more than 5 seconds, jumps in "It’s terrible, just terrible My friend Louise won’t even let the twins out on their own anymore Just in case there’s a"--she lowers her voice--"pervert on the loose"

"I just feel so sorry for her parents," Dad says "To keep on hopingto not know"

"You think it’s better to know?" I say Once again, Dad looks at me His eyes are red, bloodshot, and I wonder whether he’s already drunk He doesn’t answer

"Let’s change the subject, shall we?" Cheryl says, as once again waiters appear, this tihetti on vast white plates Cheryl claps her hands together, and a ers "Marlic scapes and fresh ramps I absolutely love ramps Don’t you?"

After dinner, Dad drops Cheryl off first, a sure sign he wants to talk to me--which is funny, both because he was almost entirely silent at dinner, and because I’re me off I wonder what it’s like to sleep in the bed of Cheryl’s dead ex-husband, and I have a sadistic urge to ask He white-knuckles the wheel as he drives, leaning forward slightly, and I wonder whether it’s because he’s tipsy or so he doesn’t have to look at me

Still, he doesn’t speak until he’s pulled up in front of the house As usual, only a few lights are burning: Nick’s, and the one in the upstairs bathroom He jerks the car into park and clears his throat