some　blood　this　time。〃

〃Oh！〃　It　must　not　have　e　to　a　confrontation；　then。　Laurent　must　have　simply

outrun　the　wolves；　but

why？　What　I'd　seen　in　the　meadow　just　got　stranger　and　stranger—more

impossible　to　understand。

〃Look；　I　really　have　to　go。　Don't　worry　about　Jake；　Bella。　I'm　sure　it's

nothing。〃

〃Fine；〃　I　said　curtly；　frustrated　as　his　words　reminded　me　of　the　more　urgent

crisis　at　hand。　〃Bye。〃　I　hang

up。

I　stared　at　the　phone　for　a　long　minute。　What　the　hell；　I　decided。

Billy　answered　after　two　rings。

〃Hello？〃

〃Hey；　Billy；〃　I　almost　growled。　I　tried　to　sound　more　friendly　as　I　continued。

〃Can　I　talk　to　Jacob；

please？〃

〃Jake's　not　here。〃

What　a　shock。　〃Do　you　know　where　he　is？〃

〃He's　out　with　his　friends。〃　Billy's　voice　was　careful。

〃Oh　yeah？　Anyone　I　know？　Quil？〃　I　could　tell　the　words　didn't　e　across　as

casually　as　I'd　meant

them　to。

〃No；〃　Billy　said　slowly。　〃I　don't　think　he's　with　Quil　today。〃

I　knew　better　than　to　mention　Sam's　name。

〃Embry？〃　I　asked。

Billy　seemed　happier　to　answer　this　one。　〃Yeah；　he's　with　Embry。〃

That　was　enough　for　me。　Embry　was　one　of　them。

〃Well；　have　him　call　me　when　he　gets　in；　all　right？〃

〃Sure；　sure。　No　problem。〃　Click。

〃See　you　soon；　Billy；〃　I　muttered　into　the　dead　phone。

I　drove　to　La　Push　determined　to　wait。　I'd　sit　out　front　of　his　house　all

night　if　I　had　to。　I'd　miss　school。

The　boy　was　going　to　have　to　e　home　sometime；　and　when　he　did；　he　was　going

to　have　to　talk　to

me。

My　mind　was　so　preoccupied　that　the　trip　I'd　been　terrified　of　making　seemed

to　take　only　a　few

seconds