@@@@@I guess I must have moved it myself - it's
@@@@@I guess I must have moved
it myself - it's even stuck on the same red
Pushpin - but I don't remember doing itI guess I
wanted it closer to meIsn't that funny?"
No, I didn't think it was funny
895
"I wouldn't want to live if you were dead, Daddy,"
she said"I'd want to be dead, tooas dead as a marble!" And she laughedI
thought of Wireman's daughter and did not
"Listen to me carefully, IlseIt's important that
you do as I sayWill you do that?"
"Yes, DaddyAs long as it doesn't take too longI might
be able to sleep, now that I know you're all
right
Yes, she'd be able to sleepRight under The End
of the Game, hanging from its red PushpinAnd
she'd wake up thinking that the dream had been
this conversation, the reality her father's
suicide on Duma Key
The rage was back, just like thatAs if it had
never been awayBut I couldn't let it fuck up my
thinking; couldn't even let it show in my voice,
or Ilse might think it was aimed at herI clamped
the phone between my ear and shoulderThen I
reached out and grasped the slim chrome neck of
the sink faucetI closed my fist around it
896
"This won't take long, honBut you have to do it
Then you can go to sleep
Wireman sat perfectly still at the table, watching