"That sounds fun," Jill said, in answer to Daniel's suggestion. She looked, I thought, as calm as though absolutely nothing had happened. Nothing at all.

I didn't feel that way. I was shaking, at least inwardly. Regretting my decision to holler out at Leo like I had. I was worried about my brothers, sure, but

whenever I thought of that look in Leo's eyes, I felt a shiver go down my back.

I stared at Jill, wondering how she could act like that-so calm and nonchalant-

"Do you want to?" Ivy was asking Crane, looking up at him.

"Sure, if you want to," Crane answered.

"How about you, Harlie?" Ivy asked me.

I didn't want to go out with them, though ordinarily I would have loved it. I just wanted to go home.

"I'm not very hungry," I said. Wrong thing to say, as it caused Daniel to look concerned, and Crane to give me the 'once-over' with his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Crane asked me. Immediately, I knew, he was thinking of my diabetes.

Before I could even answer, he went on, "How long since you ate?"

"Lunch at school," I said. "It's nothing like that, Crane. I just-think I'll go on home."

"Awe, come on, squirt," Daniel was coaxing me. "Probably you need to eat something, anyway."

Crane was eyeing me a trifle suspiciously, and I pulled the card I thought would ease him off.

"I probably ought to get going on my homework," I said. "I've got a lot."

Instead of clearing his forehead of questions, it only deepened them, it seemed like.

"Since when are you in such a hurry for homework?" he asked me.

"Yeah. We won't be all that long," Daniel was saying. "You'll have plenty of time to get it done."

Both Daniel and Crane were looking at me, waiting. Jill didn't say anything, but she was watching me, too, her expression knowing.

It was easier to just give in. So I said, "Okay," which made Daniel grin again and hook his arm around my neck.

"Alright," he said, "Steak or pizza?"

It was decided that we'd go to the Pizza Hut in Angels Camp. Crane went inside to call home and let Hannah know that four of us would be

absent from the supper table.

I rode with Crane and Ivy in her truck, while Daniel and Jill rode in his. Daniel asked me to ride with them, too, but I didn't want to sit next

to Jill. I was feeling unsettled.

I ended up sitting between Ivy and Crane. Ivy offered for Crane to drive, but he shook his head, and said he was fine sitting on the passenger seat,

with the window down.

The two of them talked on the ride over, about a case of sick sheep near the county line, and Crane and she discussed the local wild horse herd.

Ordinarily, I would have been all ears to both of these topics. Hearing about the illness of the sheep, and then the wild horses, and Crane discussing the

Mustangs herd increasing. But, today, I only heard parts of what he and Ivy were saying. My thoughts kept hopping to Leo, and the way he'd spoken-and the

look in his eyes-

"You ok, kiddo?" Crane asked me, jolting me from my own thoughts.

I looked at him and nodded..

At the Pizza Hut, it was beginning to get crowded. We managed to find a corner booth, and ordered drinks and our pizzas. I ate my salad and

nibbled at my pizza. It was good, cheesy and yummy, but I still felt as though I couldn't eat much without my stomach being upset.

I had one Coke and would have liked another, but resisted and had water. In fact, I let the waitress refill my water glass at least twice.

"That all you're going to eat, squirt?" Daniel asked, leaning over to give me a nudge in the side.

"More for you," I told him.

I left the table and went to the bathroom as Crane went to pay the bill, and everybody was standing by the door, waiting.

In the bathroom, I locked the door, and splashed cold water on my face. In the mirror, I thought I looked like a one of those lemurs, with

their huge eyes.

There was a light tap on the door of the bathroom. Before I could call out that it was occupied, I heard Ivy talking to me.

"Harlie? It's Ivy."

"I'll be out in a sec," I said.

"Just checking to see if you're alright," she said.

I patted my face dry with a paper towel, and tossed it in the trash can, unlocking the door and stepping out.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I said.

"Crane's worried about you."

"Yeah," I said, trying to make light of it. "He's a regular mother-hen sometimes."

Ivy was studying me, those green eyes of hers observant.

"Does he need to be worried?" she asked, then. "You seem like you're a little bit-off or something."

"He always thinks it's my diabetes, whenever I get hot or don''t eat, or when I drink a lot of water-" I shrugged.

"I told him you seemed just fine this afternoon at work," Ivy said.

I felt suddenly very grateful for Ivy. She was calm, and kind, and there was no back-and-forth or heights of emotion when I was

around her. She was comforting. So different than Jill, a thought popped in my head.

"I'm okay," I said.

"You can talk to me, you know. If you need to. Anytime," Ivy said, quietly.

I nodded. "I know. Thanks."

We went down the hallway and out where Daniel, Jill and Crane were all waiting. We stepped outside, and the cooler air felt so

good to me. I took a deep breath of it.

"Riding with us back to Murphys, squirt?" Daniel asked me.

I didn't know just when Jill was going to have her 'talk' with Daniel about Leo but I didn't want to be present for it.

"I'll ride with Crane and Ivy," I said, trying to sound casual.

Once we were back, parked in front of the veterinary office again, we said our goodbyes to Ivy, and if I'd thought I might have a

few minutes to myself to think things thru, and get a grip, I would have been wrong. Crane got into the passenger side of my truck as I

got behind the steering wheel.

I mean, I love being around Crane-and all of that, but I was fairly sure he was going to be asking me about things-like was I feeling badly, or why

hadn't I eaten more, all of that.

To his credit, he did not start in on me right at the start. He was quiet, and so was I, until he said,

"I want you to check your level when you get home."

"I will. I always do, after supper. Or before bed," I said.

"Okay. Don't forget."

Another pause in conversation.

"You have a lot of homework?" he asked.

"Not much," I said.

I remembered just then that I'd used a ton of homework for the reason that I didn't want to go with everybody to Angels Camp earlier.

But, Crane didn't say anything, or call me out on that.

"Did something happen between you and Jill?" he asked me then.

I'd been figuring he would ask me about other things-but not that, exactly.

I looked at him for a moment before I put my attention back to the road in front of me.

"We didn't argue or anything," I said.

"How about anything else?" he asked.

I gave him a puzzled look. "Huh?" I asked.

"Maybe a conversation that was uncomfortable for you, or something she said that bothered you?" he suggested.

I tore my gaze from his. "Jill's been being nice to me lately," I said, vaguely. Sounding lame.

"I didn't ask if she was being nice to you," Crane said, his tone quiet.

I was glad to reach the end of our driveway. We were almost home.

"I just want Daniel to be happy," I said.

I pulled into my spot, and put the truck into park.

Instead of getting out right away, Crane sat where he was and said, "So do I." He paused. "But, Daniel's happiness isn't your

responsibility, Harlie."

I was so shocked by that that I turned to look at him, stunned. What did he mean by that?

Crane was watching me. His demeanor steady as always. Calm. I felt as though he could look right into me at that moment. Usually, I only

feel that way with Brian-that he can see inside to my thoughts. But, right now, I felt it with Crane.

"I know that," I said.

"Do you?" he asked, still softly. As if he doubted it.

I wasn't sure just what Crane was getting at.

"Yeah, I do," I insisted.

Crane nodded. "Alright," he said, seeming to accept what I was saying. And, then he gave me a smile, and got out of the truck.

7

That conversation with Crane was so, so weird. I think it was for sure the strangest talk I'd ever had with him.

We went into the house, where Adam and Hannah were sitting on one couch, and Brian and Clare were on the other couch,

facing each other. Isaac was in his pajamas and scooting his way around the floor, playing with his toys.

Adam laid his newspaper to the side. "Hey, there," he said, in greeting.

Crane said 'Hey' in a general hello, and I said hi.

"How was pizza?" Hannah asked us.

"Good," Crane said.

"Nothing left to bring home, huh?" Brian asked.

"Nope, nothing left," Crane said.

"Kenny called," Hannah told me. "He said he'd just talk to you tomorrow at school."

I said okay.

"Go do your check," Crane told me.

Instantly, Hannah was on alert. "Are you feeling badly?" she asked me, sounding worried.

"No. I'm fine," I said, shortly. I did not want to spend the next hour with all of them hovering around me. I made a quick exit to

the kitchen, where I checked my level, and then got a glass of milk.

Clare came into the kitchen, rubbing her stomach.

"Everything good?" she asked me.

I told her what my level was, and she nodded.

"Want some milk?" I asked her, holding up the jug of milk before I put it away.

"No, thanks. I had some already. I'm going to head up to bed in a bit."

"Me, too," I said. I did my shot, then.

Crane was still in the living room, talking to Adam and Hannah and Brian. They got quiet when Clare and I walked into the room. I wondered if

they'd been talking about me. Or if I was being paranoid.

"I'm going to take a shower and do homework," I announced in a general way.

"Alright, sugar," Adam said.

I paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Where's Guthrie?" I asked.

"I think he's doing his homework, too," Hannah said.

I went upstairs, and took a shower. After that I went to my bedroom, and started doing my homework.

I was in the midst of definitions of phycology, propped up against my headboard on my bed, when I thought I heard a car door slam, but

then I didn't hear any more so I went on with my work.

I heard voices from downstairs. Lots of them. Nothing unusual about that, really. Just that they seemed louder than

normal. I scooted off of the bed, and went to open my bedroom door. I peered out into the hallway, and then went to the top of the

stairs. I looked over the railing down into the living room. I didn't see Hannah anywhere, or Clare. They'd probably gone to bed. Adam

was there, and Brian, along with Crane and Daniel. Jill stood beside Daniel. She was quiet, but she didn't looked cowed down or anything. Just

still.

"Sometimes-" Brian was saying, in a disgusted tone.

Adam was standing with his hands in his pockets, not moving a muscle.

"We already went by the sheriff's office," Daniel said.

"Let 'em know?" Adam asked, and Daniel nodded.

"Why would you?" Brian demanded of Jill. "Attempt this?"

"I know Leo. I know how his mind works," Jill said. "I was encouraging him to leave."

"Encouraging, huh?" Brian said, and while Daniel bristled, I winced.

Ouch.

"Watch it, Brian," Daniel said, sounding angry.

"I didn't mean it that way, Dan'l," Brian said, backtracking. He looked at Jill, who shrugged, seemingly unbothered.

"It's alright," she said. "You don't really know me, Brian. For all you know-I might be capable of that."

I went down a few stairs, still looking over down at them.

"Mistake or not, Jill was trying to help," Daniel said, in defense.

"What'd the sheriff's office say?" Adam asked, not responding to Daniel's defense of Jill.

"They're gonna see to it that Leo gets out of town," Daniel said.

"I wanted to accomplish his leaving without involving the police," Jill said. Nobody around here calls law enforcement police, but Jill's a city

girl.

"Why?" Brian demanded.

For a moment or so Jill was silent. "I thought it would be best."

"You're not just talkin' about yourself now, Jill," Adam said, his tone severe. "You've got Daniel and all of us involved now in this thing."

I winced again.

"I understand-" Jill began to say, but Daniel interrupted, "Jill's tired out. It's not gonna do any good to keep harping on her like that, Adam."

I held my breath, hoping that Daniel and Adam wouldn't both get angrier. I felt in a way that Adam had a right to point things out to Jill. Yet, I

felt for Daniel, and I just wanted them to stop.

I must have made a movement, because Brian's gaze swept upwards towards me. He looked directly at me, and our eyes met. He didn't say anything or

nod his head towards my bedroom, or anything to tell me to go.

"Right," Adam said, sounding grim. "It's in the sheriff's hands now. They'll get him gone."

"They'd best," Brian said, sounding equally grim.

Crane, who up until now had been quiet, said, "Everybody ought to get to bed."

"Yeah. Tomorrow's another day," Adam said, with a sigh.

Daniel began to usher Jill towards the stairs.

"Night," he said.

"Night," Adam replied.

"Night, Dan'l," Brian said.

At least they were saying goodnight to each other, I thought. Jill came up the stairs, her gaze lighting on me.

She didn't say anything to me. She raised her eyebrows just slightly, and kept walking on past.

"Hey," Daniel said to me.

"Hey," I said.

Daniel's smile was tired, and sad, not like the smiles of earlier in the afternoon, when he'd been as happy as I'd seen him in a while.

He gave my arm a squeeze on his way past towards the room that Jill was staying in. They went into the bedroom and closed the

door. I wasn't stupid. I figured that Daniel would be spending the night in that room with Jill.

"Harlie," Brian spoke from down below, and I looked down at him, startled.

"Get to bed," he told me.

At that, Adam's eyes swept up, seeing that I was standing there. I didn't wait for him to say anything to me. I scuttled to my bedroom and

closed the door. Instead of working any further on the school stuff I'd been doing, I moved it aside, turned off the light, and crawled under

the sheets and quilt.

7