Silent Joe (49 page)

"What are you thinking about?" June asked.

"You."

"Good things?"

"Good things."

I could have told her the fuller truth, and tried to explain how powerfully her Unknown Thing was pulling me toward her and how it could easily make a fool out of me or us.

But I'm my father's son. So I took his advice again, for the million time and counting.

I said nothing more. I held her hand and watched the river glide silver on black, bearing sins and secrets, laughter and light.

Eyes open, mouth shut. You might learn something.

I have spoken to you from memory. There are gaps. There is more. I have learned just a few things.

Save your friends, spend your enemies.

Who did it?

Everyone.

What do you say when you're a man with a face like mine, blood on his hands, and a heart that burns hot enough to love and runs cold enough to kill? What do you tell the person next to you?

Look at me. Because I'm looking at you.

THE END

Copyright © 2001 T. Jefferson Parker

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher. Printed in the United States of America. For information address: Hyperion, 77 W. 66
^th
Street, New York, New

York 10023-6298.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Parker, T. Jefferson

Silent Joe : a novel
T. Jefferson Parker. — 1st ed.span>

p. cm. ISBN 0-7868-6728-0

1. Orange County (Calif.)—Fiction. 2. Adoptive parents—Fiction. 3. Fathers—Death—Fiction. 4. Politicians—Fiction. 5. Adoptees—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3566.A6863 S55 2001

813'.54—dc21 00-053938

FIRST EDITION

10 987654321