livious to turns of our conversation. I s up my festering doubt, made a joke of it, said somet of  I didnt.

    quot;So, tess,quot; Jimmy said, balancing e on ;er?quot;

    quot;You  t; Sroked  . quot;tle man?quot;

    Educk raigo t in h.

    S;Just like ;

    turned my smile.

    After t and Edaring out tcars s er in teamy languor. I put doea towel and, from behind, wrapped my arms around her, kissed her damp warm nape, and she shivered.

    quot;I  get too mad about Jimmy going on about  look so muc;

    quot;I kno; s;Its creepy.quot;

    For a split second, I t sed somet so face me and grabbed my face ;You  trangest t; Sion  elsewhere.

    A feess and I  of sed ;

    quot; is it?quot;

    quot;ould you listen? Someones do; I grumbled t it hing.

    quot;And Im telling you, someone is in t;

    I rolled out of bed and stood t, trying to rouse my senses, t Edo top of tairs. I did not see, but ion, t a lig doairs and t someto t. Anxious, I took teps one by one in a sort of ic trance, sorting ting emotions as it became darker and darker. At ttom, I turned into tcs. t for a fes, images of tess and me as co, and a parade of portraits featuring Ed  turn at tchen door.

    quot;; I yelled, and sped out in time to see tside in t, ty las, I called for to stop, but tcry  not muc rail dotted prints. t sort of break-in by a buncess came doairs and  s of tco put it back in order. Back in t tV, stereo, nothing of value gone.

    I examined