What can I do; Jake? What can I bring you?〃
〃Nothing。 You can't e here。〃 He was abrupt。 It reminded me of Billy the
other night。
〃I've already been exposed to whatever you have;〃 I pointed out。
He ignored me。 〃I'll call you when I can。 I'll let you know when you can e
down again。〃
〃Jacob—〃
〃I've got to go;〃 he said with sudden urgency。
〃Call me when you feel better。〃
〃Right;〃 he agreed; and his voice had a strange; bitter edge。
He was silent for a moment。 I was waiting for him to say goodbye; but he
waited too。
〃I'll see you soon;〃 I finally said。 〃Wait for me to call;〃 he said again。
〃Okay Bye; Jacob。〃
〃Bella;〃 he whispered my name; and then hung up the phone。
10。 THE MEADOW
JACOB DIDN'T CALL。
The first time I called; Billy answered and told me that Jacob was still in
bed。 I got nosy; checking to
make sure that Billy had taken him to a doctor。 Billy said he had; but; for
some reason I couldn't nail
down; I didn't really believe him。 I called again; several times a day; for
the next two days; but no one
was ever there。
Saturday; I decided to go see him; invitation be damned。 But the little red
house was empty。 This
frightened me—was Jacob so sick that he'd needed to go to the hospital? I
stopped by the hospital on
the way back home; but the nurse at the front desk told me neither Jacob or
Billy had been in。
I made Charlie call Harry Clearwater as soon as he got home from work。 I
waited; anxious; while
Charlie chatted with his old friend; the conversation seemed to go on forever
without Jacob even being
mentioned。 It seemed that Harry ha