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"Annie"
"Yes?" She sat up, confused
"It’s Uncle Michael Come to the "
She yawned, sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes, her liht? At her ? She padded to the opening, the plastic blinds pulled up by herUncle Michael’s big size "What?" she whispered
"I have another present for you--out in the car Aunt Becky is holding hio unlock the front door Meet me on the front steps Don’t wake your mommy, she’ll make me take it back"
Every part of Annie was instantly awake, tre with excite a kitty--"
"Shhh!" The sound was harsh, , the next words stuck in her throat "Go to the front Be extra quiet and wait on the step" She nodded quietly and turned, tiptoeing out of her room and past her parents’ closed bedrooh of relief when he saw her pink-clad body sitting on the step, arms wrapped around her little knees He was close, so close He held out his hand and she stood, rushing forward and grabbing it, her s past her bike, turned over in the dirt, and on to his car, which sat at the outside corner of their lot, dark and silent in the night
She realized so earlier than he had expected She had believed him when he said that Becky had the kitten down the road, holding it in her car She had gotten in, fastened the seatbelt and leaned forward expectantly--scanning the fields and approaching roads for Becky’s van But now, six miles down the road, she was silent, her questions less frequent, and her face tighter
"How long before we get there, Uncle Michael?"
"About fifteen ot, Becky decided to take the kitten to our house instead She’s got it there, giving it so it? Aren’t I going to get to keep it ather knee "Of course, Annie We’re just going to make a quick stop at my house first"
CHAPTER 36
I wait at the door until I hear the elevator open, Jeremy step on, and the car’s e cardboard box hts I carry the box in; swinging the door shut with n object stuffed halfway into the pocket of the label
It is a card, the envelope pink, and the words on the front painstakingly neat--"To The Girl Who Lives in Apt 6E" I s behind it, its reference toout the plain white card Inside, thein blue ink:
I don’t knohat’s going on with you, with your whole ‘I don’t talk to people, I kill the on with et you out of my mind Please letit on the desk in front ofThen I pick up the phone and call Derek