第31部分(第4/7 页)

。　Before　I　was　expecting　it；　the　forest　began　to　thin；　and　I　knew　I

would　soon　be　able　to　see　the

first　little　houses　of　the　reservation。

Walking　away；　along　the　left　side　of　the　road；　was　a　tall　boy　with　a　baseball

cap。

My　breath　caught　for　just　a　moment　in　my　throat；　hopeful　that　luck　was　with　me

for　once；　and　I'd

srumbled　across　Jacob　without　hardly　trying。　But　this　boy　was　too　wide；　and

the　hair　was　short　under　the

hat。　Even　from　behind；　I　was　sure　it　was　Quil；　though　he　looked　bigger　than

the　last　time　I'd　seen　him。

What　was　with　these　Quileute　boys？　Were　they　feeding　them　experimental　growth

hormones？

I　crossed　over　to　the　wrong　side　of　the　road　to　stop　next　to　him。　He　looked　up

when　the　roar　of　my

truck　approached。

Quil's　expression　frightened　me　more　than　it　surprised　me。　His　face　was　bleak；

brooding；　his　forehead

creased　with　worry。

〃Oh；　hey；　Bella；〃　he　greeted　me　dully。

〃Hi；　Quil　Are　you　okay？〃

He　stared　at　me　morosely。　〃Fine。〃

〃Can　I　give　you　a　ride　somewhere？〃　I　offered。

〃Sure；　I　guess；〃　he　mumbled。　He　shuffled　around　the　front　of　the　truck　and

opened　the　passenger　door　to

climbin。

〃Where　to？〃

〃My　house　is　on　the　north　side；　back　behind　the　store；〃　he　told　me。

〃Have　you　seen　Jacob　today。〃　The　question　burst　from　me　almost　before　he'd

finished　speaking。

I　looked　at　Quil　eagerly；　waiting　for　his　answer。　He　stared　out　the　windshield

for　a　second　before　he

spoke。　〃From　a　distance；〃　he　finally　said。

〃A　distance？〃　I　echoed。

〃I　tried　to　follow　them—he　was　with　Embry。〃　His　voice　was　low；　hard　to　hear

over　the　engine。　I　leaned