Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

didn't hear Rhona. Skeeter. and Echo return. I knew

Mrs. Westinaton was probably growing, more and

more agitated. I hadn't heard her come up to bed

either. so I went downstairs and found her dozing in

her chair in the living room with the television set on

but the audio almost too low to hear. The moment I

entered, her eyes snapped open.

"Are they back?"

"No, not yet." I said. She looked at the clock. It

was close to eleven.

"Where could they have taken that child this

late?"

I had no answer, but I saw she wasn't about to

get up and go to sleep, so I sat on the sofa.

"You don't have to wait up with me. April." "It's all right. I won't fall asleep knowing you're

down here worried."

"If my daughter had one ounce of your

decency, I wouldn't be worried."

I wondered if I should reveal what Tyler had

told me about his having to stop tutoring Echo very

soon. It seemed like a flood of bad news. Maybe wait

a little longer. I thought. Maybe he would change his

mind anyway.

I gazed at the television.

"You can make that louder or change the

channel if you want. Half the time I fall asleep

watching it. My eyes get tired and most of what I see

seems silly."

I reached for the remote just as the headlights

of the van ran a ray of light over the walls. We both