Chapter 20

“Your heart, darling,” he said while I brushed away the ashes. “You’ve got a good heart. Though you hide it rather well.”

I took a deep breath. George’s observations, thankfully infrequent, were always profound, generally disturbing.

Finally, we called for the bill, and headed out to the car. When we’d gotten back on the highway, George almost caused an accident by crying out, “Look!” and grabbing my arm.

When I had recovered from my start-induced swerve, and had finished a certain amount of swearing, I looked up at where George had been pointing. There, moving lazily through the air, high above, was a speck that was undoubtedly another hawk.

“Nine,” George said. “Nine hawks in one day.”

I felt a knot form in my stomach as this latest manifestation registered.