K-Pax (84 page)

"Ca
n
yo
u
tel
l
m
e
th
e
daughter'
s
name
?
O
r
i
s
tha
t
a
secret?"

Afte
r
onl
y
a
 
moment'
s
 
hesitation
:
 
"rebecca.
"
 
Whe
n
 
thi
s
 
wa
s
 
divulge
d
 
s
o
 
readil
y
 
I
 
wondere
d
 
whether
Pet
e
 
ha
d
 
relente
d
 
an
d
 
ha
d
 
decide
d
 
t
o
 
allo
w
 
pro
t
 
t
o
 
tel
l
 
m
e
 
hi
s
 
rea
l
 
name
.
 
Perhap
s
 
h
e
 
wa
s
 
beginnin
g
 
to
trus
t
me
!
Bu
t
pro
t
mus
t
hav
e
anticipate
d
m
y
question
.
"Forge
t
it,
"
h
e
said.

"Forge
t
what?"

"He'
s
no
t
goin
g
t
o
tel
l
yo
u
that."

"Wh
y
not
?
Wil
l
h
e
a
t
leas
t
tel
l
m
e
wh
y
not?"

"No."

"Wh
y
not?"

"You'l
l
jus
t
us
e
th
e
answe
r
t
o
chi
p
awa
y
a
t
him."

"Al
l
right
.
The
n
tel
l
m
e
this
:
D
o
the
y
liv
e
i
n
th
e
sam
e
tow
n
h
e
wa
s
bor
n
in?"

"Ye
s
an
d
no."

"Ca
n
yo
u
b
e
mor
e
specific?"

"The
y
liv
e
i
n
a
traile
r
outsid
e
o
f
town."

"Ho
w
fa
r
outsid
e
o
f
tow
n
i
s
it?"

"No
t
far
.
It'
s
i
n
a
traile
r
park
.
Bu
t
the
y
wan
t
t
o
ge
t
a
hous
e
farthe
r
ou
t
i
n
th
e
country."
A sho
t
i
n
th
e
dark
:
"D
o
the
y
hav
e
a
sprinkler?"

"
A
what?"

"
A
law
n
sprinkler."

"I
n
a
traile
r
park?"

"Al
l
right
.
D
o
the
y
bot
h
work?"

Hi
s
mout
h
 
puckere
d
 
slightly
,
 
a
s
 
i
f
 
th
e
 
frui
t
 
hadn'
t
 
agree
d
 
wit
h
 
him
.
 
"H
e
 
ha
s
 
a
 
full-tim
e
 
job
,
 
a
s
 
you woul
d
cal
l
it
.
Sh
e
earn
s
som
e
mone
y
makin
g
children'
s
clothing."

"Wher
e
doe
s
you
r
frien
d
work?"

"Th
e
sam
e
plac
e
hi
s
fathe
r
an
d
hi
s
grandfathe
r
did
.
Jus
t
abou
t
th
e
onl
y
plac
e
i
n
tow
n
ther
e
i
s
 
t
o
 
work,
unles
s
you'r
e
a
groce
r
o
r
a
banker."

"Th
e
slaughterhouse?"

"Yessir
,
th
e
ol
d
butchery."

"Wha
t
doe
s
h
e
d
o
there?"

"He'
s
a
knocker."

"What'
s
a
`knocker'?"

"Th
e
knocke
r
i
s
th
e
gu
y
wh
o
knock
s
 
th
e
 
cow
s
 
i
n
th
e
 
hea
d
 
s
o
 
the
y
 
don'
t
 
struggl
e
 
s
o
 
muc
h
 
whe
n
 
you
cu
t
thei
r
throats."

"Doe
s
h
e
lik
e
hi
s
job?"

"Ar
e
yo
u
kidding?"

"Wha
t
els
e
doe
s
h
e
do
?
A
t
home
,
fo
r
example?"

"No
t
 
much
.
 
H
e
 
read
s
 
th
e
 
newspape
r
 
i
n
 
th
e
 
evening
,
 
afte
r
 
hi
s
 
daughte
r
 
ha
s
 
gon
e
 
t
o
 
bed
.
 
On
weekend
s
h
e
tinker
s
wit
h
hi
s
ca
r
an
d
watche
s
t
v
lik
e
everybod
y
els
e
i
n
town."

"Doe
s
h
e
stil
l
hik
e
i
n
th
e
woods?"

"Sara
h
woul
d
lik
e
hi
m
t
o
d
o
that
,
bu
t
h
e
doesn't."

"Wh
y
not?"

"I
t
depresse
s
him."

"Doe
s
h
e
stil
l
collec
t
butterflies?"

"H
e
thre
w
ou
t
hi
s
collectio
n
a
lon
g
tim
e
ago
.
Ther
e
wa
s
n
o
roo
m
fo
r
i
t
i
n
th
e
trailer."

"Doe
s
h
e
regre
t
hi
s
decisio
n
t
o
ge
t
marrie
d
an
d
rais
e
a
family?"

"Oh
,
no
.
H
e
i
s
trul
y
devote
d
t
o
hi
s
wif
e
an
d
daughter
,
whateve
r
tha
t
means."

"Tel
l
m
e
abou
t
hi
s
wife."

"Cheerful
.
Energetic
.
Dull
.
Lik
e
mos
t
o
f
th
e
housewive
s
yo
u
se
e
a
t
th
e
a&p."

"An
d
th
e
daughter?"

"
A
carbo
n
cop
y
o
f
he
r
mother."

"D
o
the
y
al
l
ge
t
alon
g
well?"

"The
y
idoliz
e
on
e
another."

"D
o
the
y
hav
e
a
lo
t
o
f
friends?"

"None."

"None?"

"Sarah'
s
a
catholic
.
I
tol
d
you-it'
s
a
smal
l
town...."

"The
y
neve
r
se
e
anyon
e
else?"

"Onl
y
he
r
family
.
An
d
hi
s
mother."

"Wha
t
abou
t
hi
s
sisters?"