“Pine roots are so shallow, and it overhangs this cabin,” Ted said. “Pretty poor planning. I said something to Parker about it last summer, but he just laughed. I hope he’s not sorry he didn’t listen.”

Okay, they were that kind of people.

“We’re out here year-round, not like the people who just come here when it’s good weather and everything’s going well,” Nita said. As if they were the people who really stuck with the poor lake when things weren’t going so good. The true friends.

“We’ll just have to hope the pine can handle the ice,” Tolliver said. “Thanks for making us aware of it.” He maybe spoke a little dryly, because Ted’s face tightened up a bit.

“I hope it stays up, too,” Ted said. “Hate for something to happen to you two. Specially since you’re visiting.”

“We’re lucky to have you two out here,” I said, to smooth over Ted’s ruffled feathers. “I think I’d be scared if we were out here by ourselves.”

That made Ted and Nita both happy. “We’ll be right next door; don’t forget to call us if you need us. We got all kinds of emergency gear, anything you might need.”

“That’s really good to know,” I said, and they finally, thank God, rose. We kept assuring each other we were so happy to have the other there until they were really down the stairs and on their way back to their own cabin.

We had brought in a radio we kept in the trunk, and we turned it on. The weather news was still the same. The police news was still the same. I guess I’d harbored some wild hope that they’d arrest someone, some secret suspect. Or maybe someone would just walk in to confess, unable to bear the burden of guilt any longer. I said as much to Tolliver.

“A guy that could do this so often, to kids he knew,” Tolliver said, “he’s not going to walk in and say he’s sorry unless he craves the attention. He’s going to be pissed off that he can’t do it again, that he has to relive all his old good times instead of making new ones. And you’re the one responsible for that.”

I stared at Tolliver. This was what had been griping him.

“I don’t think so,” I said, as calmly as I could. “I think he came to the motel in a fit of anger, sure enough. But I’d think right now he’d be most concerned about keeping his skin intact and remaining at large. He’s not going to do anything that would draw him to police attention. He’s going to lie completely low.”