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Prologue

A HOT SUMMER’S EVE

ONE

FROM INSIDE A ra white Colonial ho wildflowers, a woman called in a pleasant Southern accent: “TW-Two? Where are you? Mao to the store now”

There was a pause before she called again “TW-Two? Deuce?”

Timmy Walker Jr, TW-Two, also known as Deuce, elve and standing just inside the woods that adjoined his backyard

Go to the store? Deuce thought He had better things to do than ride his bike all the way there and back for his s to do

The back porch door opened with a creak

“Deuce,” his mother called “C’mon, now I’ll take you out for an ice cream sundae later?”

That was te, but Deuce stuck to his plan and eased off on a fa road and a creek that ht was slanted, coppery, and the air was still sticky and hot

Holding a beat-up old pair of binoculars his granddad had given hiood Seems there’s way etting on into night

Deuce looked down at his caht, I’et real close, and I’ve got the right gear

Mosquitoes whined He slapped at one that bit his ear, hearing the building thru sot out a cigarette he’d taken from his mom’s secret pack

He lit it, took a drag, and blew smoke at the mosquitoes That helped