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I woke to the sun setting behind mountains and peeled my forehead fro beside me

"Alers through his graying hair and buttoned the top button of his shirt

"How long have I been asleep?"

He lifted the cuff of his blue pinstripe shirt and glanced at his watch "Nearly three hours Silver City’s in the southern part of the--"

"Yeah I knohere Silver City is"

He studied lared at hi he’d sat up front with the social worker "I a new, I had no idea you meant I’d be moved to the opposite end of New Mexico" I pressed my forehead back on theand stared at the skyline-- you in the country …," Mr Petersen said

"Yeah I’m not blind"

"Where trouble will be harder to find"

If he knew the real me, he’d kno impossible that was I closed my eyes

"How many times have the police picked her up?" the man in the front seat asked I didn’t know hi ram

"More than I can count, Ollie," Mr Petersen replied

"But what’s she doing out on the streets? You don’t think she’s a prost--"

"You think you can handle her case?" Mr Petersen snapped

"Just because I’m not from the city doesn’t mean I’m incompetent"

"We’ll see about that," Mr Petersen ht up and looked at Mr Petersen "Wait a sec Since I’m so far from Albuquerque, do I still have to meet with you once a week?" I asked

Mr Petersen stared atmoment "Mr Willia to the front seat Mr Williams looked at me in the rearview mirror

"I mean as doctor and patient," I whispered

"I will turn your case over to a local therapist if I see the need"

A sh the frown that had been stuck there all day Mr Petersen wasn’t a badirl likeinsane

We passed a billboard that said WELCOME TO SILVER CITY Fraold center--and a howling coyote I pressed my nose to thefor a look at round looked parched and red in between scattered sagebrush and crooked ponderosa pines Wind bent the gnarled bows and whipped a funnel of dust into the orange sunset I could see no houses, no stores, only the occasional dilapidated barbed-wire fence

"Where’s the city?" I asked

Mr Petersen chuckled "You’re looking at it The outskirts, at least"

We turned off the highway before we reached civilization and drove down a deserted, pothole-filled road fraly junipers Ollieinto the door of the car and Mr Petersen into my lap

"Jeez Louise, Ollie!" Mr Petersen clihtened his tan Dockers "You almost hit a coyote?"

"Sorry Al dark"

"Haven’t you heard of a U-turn?" Mr Petersen asked, annoyed I knew his annoyed voice It was the one I was used to hearing

We bounced over an uneven gravel drive, toward lights glie a book by its cover The sae a family by its house I lived in a mansion once, the Simms residence They were the worst foster parents ever The last home I lived in, Jenny Sue’s, had been srass and plywood floors where they’d torn out the ancient carpet I was happier there than any other place