With Duff pushing, I managed to back the car a short distance to a place where I could get it back on the road.

“Only a scratched front fender,” he said, getting back in the car. “I’m still the champ.”

“Don’t try to be cute. It’s not at all funny.” My voice was quavering and my hands were trembling on the wheel as I drove the mile or so to the farm, glancing sideways every few seconds to make sure it was still Duff beside me.

Jack and Stephanie were waiting for us at the door. Jack was anxious, but Stephanie seemed really worried.

“Which one had the accident? The mother looks worse than the son,” Jack said.

“I wasn’t used to the car and I went off the road,” I said. “I don’t think we’re liable for damage to a rented car, are we? It’s about the only thing that’s happened today that we aren’t liable for.”

I called Franny’s school and asked that she be told to take the bus home. Then I took two of Jack’s Libriums and lay down on his bed. When Stephanie knocked at the door and asked if she should start preparations for dinner, I told her to go ahead. It was the last time I spoke with Stephanie.

I fell asleep and apparently slept for hours without having any of the nightmares I expected. When I awoke it was dark. I went out to the living room and found Jack sitting under the old fringed Art Deco floor lamp, writing on his yellow pad.

“Feel better?” he asked. He didn’t sound awfully concerned.

“Somewhat. Where’s everyone else?”

“Franny went to bed bewailing our lack of a television set. Duff went out.”

“Not in that rented car, for God’s sake, Jack!”

“No, no. I wouldn’t allow that. Some kids came by on motorcycles and picked him up.”

“And you let him go? You and your goddamn book!”

“Maggie, I saw no reason to keep him in the house on a warm September night. He said he didn’t have any homework.”

“Naturally, since he wasn’t in school today. Were they the same motorcyclists we saw that day we arrived—the ones in the supermarket parking lot?”

“I don’t remember seeing any motorcyclists that day.”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Jack! Where’s Stephanie? Did she go with them?”

“I don’t think so, but I haven’t seen her since dinner.” It was obvious he couldn’t wait to get back to his writing.