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〃Who？〃
〃Jenna。〃
〃Jenna？〃 Jimmy laughed； and then looked sidelong up the hill to the Montgomery place。 〃What for？ I thought it was you and me tonight。〃
〃She's。。。she's pissed。 I guess that's what it is；〃 Owen shrugged。 〃She's pissed and she wants us to talk to her。 I told her。〃
〃You。。。you told her？〃
〃After yesterday； in the truck； Christ； Jimmy； I can't not tell her。 I've known her all my life。 She's one of my closest friends。 I told her about us。
About how we're going to go away together。 How you love me now。 How everything's all right。〃
〃You。。。you。。。〃 he stammered。 The bottle in his hand dropped to the rocky ledge； shattering。 〃You told her。〃
It was ing out now。 The madness that they all had within them。
Owen wanted to smile； but knew that if he did； he would give himself away。
6
The rain thinned。 Minutes had passed while Jimmy had taken in what had just been said。 Owen could practically see the thoughts in the eyebrows as they squiggled around； flashing anger and confusion； and the way he chewed his lip； and his eyes wouldn't stop blinking。 Owen reached over and touched his scalp。 〃Sometimes I think I see a halo around your head。 I do。 I think you're some kind of angel；〃 Owen said； and then scruffed his hair。
〃You fucking told her？〃 Jimmy growled。 〃You goddamn fucking son of a bitch told her what we'd been。。。what we'd。。。〃
〃Do you think she didn't see？〃 Owen set his bottle down on the jetty； and put his hands on Jimmy's shoulders； pulling him into him。 〃Do you think she's stupid？ We're her friends； for Christ sakes。 She can see。 She told me she watched us that first night。 She saw us。 There was enough light to see our shadows； puppy。 She told me it upset her； but she understood。 She wasn't sure if it wasn't just one of those drunk boy things。。。or something else。 I told her it was。〃 Then； he added hesitantly； 〃Something else。〃
〃You fucking goddamn son of a bitch gardener's son living in your goddamn peasant fucking world you don't even know what you've done！〃
Jimmy shouted。 His face had contorted until it was more mask than face； a mask of pain and fury。 It was no longer human。 〃You fucking think that；〃 spit flew from his mouth； 〃that。。。that。。。you； you； with nothing to lose can just throw what we have in front of her； in front of … you know what you're playing with？ You're playing with things you can't even understand！〃 Jimmy began stomping around in a circle； alternating his shouts with lion roars。
When he finally quieted； Owen said； 〃What happened to yesterday？ You looking up at God and telling me how this all felt； how you felt on the inside。
How you felt you needed to let this out？ What happened to that？〃 He kept his voice low。
Jimmy's eyes lit up。 〃Don't you； you son of a bitch； use my words against me！ I wasn't born to lose everything because I'm sleeping with some island townie pervert； I wasn't born to have this get out； to have this ruin everything I've ever built。〃
〃Listen to yourself。 It's practically a whole new century。 You talk like it's 1950。 You won't lose everything just because … 〃
〃You think so？ You little bitch； you think I won't lose everything？ You don't even understand what is going on here do you？ You think it's about me wanting you。 The stakes are higher！ I'll tell you something； boy； I want you； but I don't want you。 You don't even understand why I have to be with Jenna； do you？ Do you？〃
Owen turned and began walking toward the strip of beach。 〃I don't want to hear。〃
〃Well； you need to。 Maybe living in some little caretaker's house gives you no perspective on this； but Jenna Montgomery means I will not be some poor shit like you。〃
Owen glanced back。 〃You're rich。〃
〃Ha！〃 Jimmy cried。 〃You don't know the half of it。〃
〃You're an heir to some fortune。 Some sports store chain。〃
Jimmy shook his head。 〃It's not like it looks。 My father has these stores。
That's all he has。 But the business is changing。 It's changing； and he's had some setbacks。 He isn't a good businessman； Mooncalf。 Never has been。 All this stuff； this boat； the houses； all of it； will be gone in a few years。 It's ing。
He's going to be in jail someday； my father； and the IRS is going to eat him alive。 And I do not intend to live like that。 I do not intend。。。〃
〃Jesus；〃 Owen gasped； and then began laughing。 〃Jesus。 You're just a gold digger。 You're just after her money。 Jesus！〃
Owen dropped to his knees on the wet sand。
〃What's wrong with you？〃 Jimmy snarled； ing over to him。 〃You feeling bad now？〃
〃I thought you loved me；〃 Owen said。
Jimmy's voice had grown cold。 〃It's not about whether I love you or not。
It's not about that。 But you've ruined even that now。〃
He grabbed Owen under his armpits； lifting him up to a standing position。 〃You've destroyed something for me； Mooncalf。 You really have。〃
Then； he looked up the hill to the house。 The lights were on along the pool； and the upstairs light … Jenna's bedroom … was dim。
〃I need to set this right；〃 he said。
〃No； don't； Jimmy； it's …〃
〃I need to；〃 Jimmy said。 〃I'll tell her that it was weakness。 I'll tell her I love her。 I love her more than anything on the face of the earth。 I'll tell her that I couldn't help myself with you； but that it was nothing。 That you were nothing。〃 He nearly laughed； but it had a cry within it。 〃You're just a little manipulative piece of trash。 She'll understand。 She's not like you。 She'll
understand。〃
Then； he took off in the rain； bounding up the wooden steps that crept like a vine along the side of the hill； and Owen began following； but slowly。
He heard the shots ring out before he had reached the top step。 Five distinct shots； and soon dogs down in town were howling； and lights came up along the waterfront。
7
The house was dark and silent when Owen went in through the glass doors by the pool。 He walked past the shimmering water； flicking up the lights as he went。 Entering the kitchen； he saw Mrs。 M； lying in a pool of blood； and then Owen found himself moving more swiftly； his heart pounding … … she resembled nothing of the mermaid she had once been； death had robbed her beauty； blood took away the magic of her form； her eyes were open； and fish…like … Dagon； what is this？ This isn't what was promised。 This isn't what I prayed for … … And he ran up the stairs to Jenna's room； and found him standing there； the Colt in his hand … On the bed； Jenna； bleeding； an enormous hole in her neck。 Her hands moved as if she were trying to reach up to her neck to stop the blood； but could not。
She opened her mouth to cry out； but all that came was a rasping sound； and while blood pulsed from her throat。 He felt himself burning as he watched the last light flicker in her beautiful eyes。
Then； her eyes closed。
8
〃Mooncalf； what did I do？〃 Jimmy said； his skin red； his eyes narrow slits； his shirt torn and bloody。 Tears and sweat shone like diamonds on his skin。 〃What did I do？ I。。。I came up。。。I wanted to talk。。。and she。。。she had this。。。〃 He held the pistol up。 〃She。。。she threatened me。。。and then her mother came up。。。I had grabbed it from her。。。I was going to leave。。。but they said things。。。her mother； too。。。they said 。。。things about me。。。and