分节阅读_119

  ee him.”
  ”no,” i quickly lied, my fag hard. ”he laew…
  but i have no idea where.”
  he took in my ged expression, ahoughtful.
  ”jake,” he said, still appraising me. ”why don't you go get that new
  picture of rebecca out of the car? i'll leave that for charlie, too.”
  ”where is it?” jacob asked, his vla him, but he
  was staring at the floor, his eyebrows pulliher.
  ”i think i saw it irunk,” billy said. ”you may have to dig for it.”
  jacob slouched bato the rain.
  billy aher ier a few seds, the quiet
  started to feel awkward, so i turhe kit. i could
  hear his wet wheels squeak against the linoleum as he followed.
  i shoved the bag onto the crowded top shelf e, and spun
  around to . his deeply lined fareadable.
  ”charlie won't be back f time.” my voice was almost rude.
  he nodded i said nothing.
  ”thanks again for the fish fry,” i hinted.
  he ued nodding. i sighed and folded my arms ay chest.
  he seemed to se i had given up on small talk. ”bella,” he said,
  aed.
  i waited.
  ”bella,” he said again, ”charlie is one of my best friends.”
  ”yes.”
  he spoke each word carefully in his rumbliiced you've
  beeime with ohe s.”
  ”yes,” i repeated curtly.
  his eyes narrowed. ”maybe it's none of my busi i don't think
  that is such a good idea.”
  ”yht,” i agreed. ”it is none of your business.”
  he raised his grayi my tone. ”you probably don't know this,
  but the family has a reputatioion.”
  ”actually, i did know that,” i informed him in a hard voice. this
  surprised him. ”but that reputation 't be deserved, could it?
  because the ever set foot oion, do they?” i could
  see that my less than subtle remihe agreement that both bound
  aed his tribe pulled him up short.
  ”that's true,” he acceded, his eyes guarded. ”you seem… well informed
  about the s. more ihaed.”
  i stared him dowter ihan you are.”
  he pursed his thick lips as he sidered that. ”maybe.” he allowed, but
  his eyes were shrewd. ”is charlie as well informed?”
  he had found the weak my armor.
  ”charlie likes the s a lot,” i hedged. he derstood my
  evasion. his expression y, but unsurprised.
  ”it's not my business,” he said. ”but it may be charlie's.”
  ”though it would be my business, agai i think that it's
  charlie's busi?”
  i wondered if he eveood my fused question as i struggled not
  to say anything isio. he thought about it while
  the rain picked up agaihe only s the silence.
  ”yes,” he finally surrendered. ”i guess that's your busioo.”
  i sighed with relief. ”thanks, billy.”
  ”just think about what y, bella,” he urged.
  ”okay,” i agreed quickly.
  he frow i meant to say was, don't do what y.”
  i looked into his eyes, filled with nothing but e, and there
  was nothing i could say.
  just the ded loudly, ahe sound.
  ”there's no piywhere in that car.” jacob's plaining voice
  reached us before he did. the shoulders of his shirt were staih
  the rain, his hair dripping, when he rouhe er.
  ”hmm,” billy grunted, suddeaning his chair around to
  fa. ”i guess i left it at home.”
  jacob rolled his eyes dramatically. ”great.”
  ”well, bella, tell charlie” — billy paused before g — ”that we
  s