I　shook　my　head；　though　I　must　have　been　starving。　I　hadn't　eaten　all　day。

〃Just　tired；〃　I　told　him。　I　turned　for　the　stairs。

〃Hey；〃　Charlie　said；　his　voice　suddenly　suspicious　again。　〃Didn't　you　say

Jacob　was　gone　for　the　day？〃

〃That's　what　Billy　said；〃　I　told　him；　confused　by　his　question。

He　studied　my　expression　for　a　minute；　and　seemed　satisfied　with　what　he　saw

there。

〃Huh。〃

〃Why？〃　I　demanded。　It　sounded　like　he　was　implying　that　I'd　been　lying　to　him

this　morning。　About

something　besides　studying　with　Jessica。

〃Well；　it's　just　that　when　I　went　to　pick　up　Harry；　I　saw　Jacob　out　in　front

of　the　store　down　there　with

some　of　his　friends。　I　waved　hi；　but　he　well；　I　guess　I　don't　know　if　he　saw

me。　I　think　maybe　he　was

arguing　with　his　friends。　He　looked　strange；　like　he　was　upset　about

something。　And　different。　It's　like

you　can　watch　that　kid　growing！　He　gets　bigger　every　time　I　see　him。〃

〃Billy　said　Jake　and　his　friends　were　going　up　to　Port　Angeles　to　see　some

movies。　They　were　probably

just　waiting　for　someone　to　meet　them。〃

〃Oh。〃　Charlie　nodded　and　headed　for　the　kitchen。

I　stood　in　the　hall；　thinking　about　Jacob　arguing　with　his　friends。　I　wondered

if　he　had　confronted　Embry

about　the　situation　with　Sam。　Maybe　that　was　the　reason　he'd　ditched　me　today

—if　it　meant　he　could

sort　things　out　with　Embry；　I　was　glad　he　had。

I　paused　to　check　the　locks　again　before　I　went　to　my　room。　It　was　a　silly

thing　to　do。　What　difference

would　a　lock　make　to　any　of　the　monsters　I'd　seen　this　afternoon？　I　assumed

the　handle　alone　would

stymie　the　wolves；　not　hav