kids a long time ago, Nora. A long time. If we play a role in Sierra’s life, then that can be . . . a kind of substitute for that.”
“Sure,” Nora said, rolling back over. “Although I don’t agree with you that it’s the same. It might be close, but it’s not thesame.”
Chapter Seven
Nora looked surprised when she saw Jason approaching the circulation desk of the Ednaville Public Library at four thirty. She had been bent over a stack of books, using a stubby pencil to make a note on a scrap of paper. Jason cleared his throat as he walked up, and Nora straightened, her eyebrows raised in greeting, expecting a library patron.
“Oh,” she said. “It’s you.”
“It’s me.”
“Did you get out of work early?”
“A little. They probably won’t even notice that I snuck away.”
Nora folded the scrap of paper and laid it aside. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said. “I think Sierra could use a distraction. I mean, I’m assuming you’re here to spend time with her. Right?”
Jason looked around the first floor. He didn’t see his niece. “Why does she need a distraction?”
“She’s worried about Hayden. She hasn’t really said it. You know, she’s chatty, but still a little guarded.”
“Most teenagers are guarded, aren’t they?” Jason asked.
“She’s tried to text and call her mom, and Hayden hasn’t responded since this morning.”
Something cold passed through Jason when he heard that. “Was she supposed to hear from her?”
“I’ve got two people on the phone here,” Nora said. “Sierra’s upstairs reading or studying or something. Why don’t you go up and talk to her?”
“Okay. I will.”
“You’re her uncle. She
wants
to talk to you.”
“We’ll see you at home, then.”
“Oh, wait,” Nora said. “There’s something else I have to tell you.” She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “There’s a dead cat in our backyard.”
“A dead cat?”
“Yeah. It’s right on the patio. I thought it was sleeping there at first, but then . . . It’s dead, Jason. I don’t know what happened to it.”
“Do you know who it belongs to?” he asked.
“It might be the neighbors’. I didn’t have time to deal with it, and I didn’t look closely. We went out to buy groceries. I cooked, and then I took the garbage out and the cat was there.” She shuddered a little. “I thought maybe you could move it so I don’t have to see it again.”
“Why do I get all the shitty jobs?”
“Because you’re a big, strong man.”
Nora picked up the scrap of paper and bustled away. Jason walked across the thin carpeting and through the hushed, air-conditioned silence to the stairs. When he was a kid, the library looked very different. They had remodeled the place sometime after he went away to college, and he never quite felt comfortable in the new space, even though Nora worked there.
When he reached the top of the stairs, he looked around. He saw a scattering of what he considered typical library patrons.Older men and women, browsing slowly. Mothers trailing small children. Disaffected teens slouching in corners. It took him a few moments to find Sierra. She sat alone at a table in the far right corner of the room, books and papers spread in front of her. She stared at a laptop screen, earbuds sticking from the sides of her head, the tinny chords of a band Jason knew he’d never heard of leaking out. She wore a black “Free Pussy Riot” T-shirt and had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. When she didn’t notice Jason, he waved his hand in front of her face to get her attention.
She pulled the earbuds out, the music growing slightly louder. “Hey.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt you.”
“It’s cool.” She shut the music off. “I’m just doing this work they assigned me.”
“Have you been here a while?” Jason asked.
“Since one o’clock. I hung out at the house with Aunt Nora this morning. She made us lunch. She’s a good cook, you
“Sure,” Nora said, rolling back over. “Although I don’t agree with you that it’s the same. It might be close, but it’s not thesame.”
Chapter Seven
Nora looked surprised when she saw Jason approaching the circulation desk of the Ednaville Public Library at four thirty. She had been bent over a stack of books, using a stubby pencil to make a note on a scrap of paper. Jason cleared his throat as he walked up, and Nora straightened, her eyebrows raised in greeting, expecting a library patron.
“Oh,” she said. “It’s you.”
“It’s me.”
“Did you get out of work early?”
“A little. They probably won’t even notice that I snuck away.”
Nora folded the scrap of paper and laid it aside. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said. “I think Sierra could use a distraction. I mean, I’m assuming you’re here to spend time with her. Right?”
Jason looked around the first floor. He didn’t see his niece. “Why does she need a distraction?”
“She’s worried about Hayden. She hasn’t really said it. You know, she’s chatty, but still a little guarded.”
“Most teenagers are guarded, aren’t they?” Jason asked.
“She’s tried to text and call her mom, and Hayden hasn’t responded since this morning.”
Something cold passed through Jason when he heard that. “Was she supposed to hear from her?”
“I’ve got two people on the phone here,” Nora said. “Sierra’s upstairs reading or studying or something. Why don’t you go up and talk to her?”
“Okay. I will.”
“You’re her uncle. She
wants
to talk to you.”
“We’ll see you at home, then.”
“Oh, wait,” Nora said. “There’s something else I have to tell you.” She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “There’s a dead cat in our backyard.”
“A dead cat?”
“Yeah. It’s right on the patio. I thought it was sleeping there at first, but then . . . It’s dead, Jason. I don’t know what happened to it.”
“Do you know who it belongs to?” he asked.
“It might be the neighbors’. I didn’t have time to deal with it, and I didn’t look closely. We went out to buy groceries. I cooked, and then I took the garbage out and the cat was there.” She shuddered a little. “I thought maybe you could move it so I don’t have to see it again.”
“Why do I get all the shitty jobs?”
“Because you’re a big, strong man.”
Nora picked up the scrap of paper and bustled away. Jason walked across the thin carpeting and through the hushed, air-conditioned silence to the stairs. When he was a kid, the library looked very different. They had remodeled the place sometime after he went away to college, and he never quite felt comfortable in the new space, even though Nora worked there.
When he reached the top of the stairs, he looked around. He saw a scattering of what he considered typical library patrons.Older men and women, browsing slowly. Mothers trailing small children. Disaffected teens slouching in corners. It took him a few moments to find Sierra. She sat alone at a table in the far right corner of the room, books and papers spread in front of her. She stared at a laptop screen, earbuds sticking from the sides of her head, the tinny chords of a band Jason knew he’d never heard of leaking out. She wore a black “Free Pussy Riot” T-shirt and had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. When she didn’t notice Jason, he waved his hand in front of her face to get her attention.
She pulled the earbuds out, the music growing slightly louder. “Hey.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt you.”
“It’s cool.” She shut the music off. “I’m just doing this work they assigned me.”
“Have you been here a while?” Jason asked.
“Since one o’clock. I hung out at the house with Aunt Nora this morning. She made us lunch. She’s a good cook, you
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