One of the first letters he wrote was to inform Eli of the day’s events. With the standard greeting out of the way, he went straight to the heart of what was bothering him. I’m confused, I don’t mind admitting. When I ran into Sarah the other day, a smarmy insurance agent was sniffing at her heels. Then, I found out she was reading the very books I’ve been waiting for; I was startled. I handled that badly, something that I seem constantly to do around her. She got sick right after that, from what Shirley said. Knowing that just made the guilt worse. I went to pick the books up today, and the gladness that went through me at seeing her… I don’t like it. But then she talked to me about the books. She’s so damned smart, Eli. I wanted to stay there at the counter all day. I don’t know what spurred her interest in the subject of the paranormal and Appalachian folklore. It was all I could do not to ask. She didn’t volunteer anything beyond what I asked her, and I could tell I made her uncomfortable.
