d not

and unzipped the pocket of her handbag. The hospital brace

us. Her eyes trailed over Milo's toys, which were fewer but more beloved-the most popular bei

lized, would be the

t a baby's stuffed toy to contain a pi

celet in the cavity-the fiberfill buried the bracelet. She took out a

half-past five, Ivy had thought up three different lies and discarded every single one as insu

morning, the

te shirt, no tie and clutching a black coffee in one hand and the ph

orning,"

ticed

ll me th

inconvenient second, sat up in his crib, smiled broadly, and let out a sound that no

ll fo

opped. His e

th

es

x in the

ready picking Milo up from th

d reached for the wipes. Then she glanced at Alexander, who was standing stiffly by

ilt. Put the

your

e you the truth. I have a bab

the table. "H

ng, tense paus

lo'

am

. He crossed the room like a warrior going into battle and took Milo's legs in

s my photo in your shoebox?" She spoke in an excellent imitation of his voice, and

r in astonishment. "Yo

. Which side is the

he

know whic

with th

ch d

e duck, Mr.

he duck. "I negotiated a four-bill

can hand

mething like amusement lit up Alexander's

o take off Milo's di

he

Vande

m as

tention, decided that the time had come for his piece of entertainment. With an excruciating shriek, he launched a long, silver

er lip so hard that she could taste copper, her shoulders

d his head. "Yo

m n

re sha

a co

not a

ss laughter, her hand covering her mouth, tears of mirth rolling down her cheeks. It was the first real laugh

et out a short, surprised laugh himself, and it transformed his face completely. He looked ten years younger and infinitely

said, still looking surpr

a man trying to extract a confession from a murderer. When she picked the clean, happy-looking Milo up from the

said. "T

. Ivy settled Milo on her hip and

wh

yo

rows rai

e a man who f

fire p

I saw the ad, and I read everything there was about you because I knew

esita

o that I knew your fa

gain. "I know h

der said slowly, ".

mos

mos

e picture under the lamp. "You told us yesterday tha

h went dry

t the c

s. The date was printed at the bottom of the image in the gray color of the gossip site's logo. There it was, right beneath the si

aid, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "The newspaper is soft in the folds. You can see ho

, but there was something in it that made Ivy stiffen. "And

damp hand and said something th

ned her

ng ca

her, his expression impenetrable. Some