I'd never thought of it that way, but I knew... I'd never thought of it that way, but I knew what
she meant"I find it sort of soothing
She gave a small and doubtful shrugAre you ready to go back? I
could scramble us some eggsEven throw in some
peppers and mushrooms
"I haven't seen you off your crutch for so long
since the accident
"I hope to be walking a quarter-mile south along
the beach by the middle of January"A quarter of a mile and back?"
147
I shook my headJust a quarter of a mile
I plan to glide back I extended my arms to
demonstrate
She snorted, started toward the house again,
dior saddle bags then
paused as a point of light heliographed in our
direction from the southThe
two specks were down there
"People," Ilse said, shading her eyesMy only neighbors, right nowAt
least, I think so
"Have you met them?"
"NopeAll I know is that it's a man and a woman
in a wheelchairI think she has her breakfast
down by the water most daysI think the tray is
the glinty thing
"You should get yourself a golf cartThen you
could buzz down and say hi
"Eventually I'll walk down and say hi," I said
"No golf cart for the kidKamen said to set
goals, and I'm setting
vintage hermes em
"You didn't need a shrink to tell you about
setting goals, Daddy," she said, still peering
south"Which house do they belong to? The big one
that looks like a rancho in a western movie?"
148
"I'm pretty sure, yes
"And no one else lives here?"
"Not nowJack says there are folks who rent some
of the other houses in January and February, but
for now I guess it's just me and themThe rest of
the island is pure botanical pornography
"My God, why?"
"Haven't the slightest ideaI mean to find out -
to try, anyway - but for now I'm still trying to
get my feet
chloe black chloe black under meAnd I mean that literally
We were walking back to the house nowIlse said,
"An almost empty island in the sun - there should
be a storyThere almost has to be a story, don't
you think?"
"I do," I said"Jack Cantori offered to snoop,
but I told him not to bother - thinking I might
look on my own I snagged my crutch, fitted my
arm into its two steel sleeves - always comforting
after spending time on the beach without its
support - and started thumping up the walkBut
Ilse wasn't with meI turned and looked backShe
was facing south, her hand once
jumbo chanel flap bag more shading her
eyes"Coming, hon?"
149
"Yes There was one more flash from down the
beach - the breakfast tray"Maybe
they know the story," Ilse said, catching up
She pointed to the road"What about that? How far
does it go?"
"Don't know," I said
"Would you like to drive down it this afternoon
and see?"
"Are you willing to pilot a Chevy Malibu from
Hertz?"
"Sure," she saidShe put her hands on her slim
hips, pretended to spit, and affected a Southern
drawl"I'll drive until yonder road runs out
xii
But we didn't get even close to the end of
gucci twirl watch Duma
Road