I believe you know Mrs. Veronica Clemson already."Jack's eyes widened and Sam's body made perceptible jolt. There shewas, the girl from the picture. ...The girl they had been staking out andfollowing."Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Locke," Jack managed to say,then turned to Veronica. "And you too Mrs. Clemson." He was finding itdifficult to concentrate. He seemed to be under the influence of twopowerful forces at the same time, the commanding voice of Anthony Lockeand a growing lust. Ihad a lot on my mind, but just how to say it eluded me.Karina appeared lost in her own thoughts, her facesilent and withdrawn. Just before the 7-11 outsideBeaver Hill, I pulled the Ford over onto the shoulderand took a deep breath.“Karina,” I began, “I know that it’s important to servethe community. And the extra money that Mike Tobinpromised us as a Xmas bonus, well that’s prettyimportant too. And I know that getting ahead and doingwell in our new town is a key. Mitch and Abbey did the same.At dinner the first night we were all there together with Cherise, she made the comment that she was going to rattle around alone on the second floor. The girls just giggled and nothing more was said. But I knew that the reason for their giggles was that the only way to get a room on the third floor was to also be in my bed.We set up one of the other bedrooms on the second floor as a temporary schoolroom and classes began a few days later.There is something surreal. “What Akio is trying to get at is that I told him that I was teaching you Japanese. Hana asked if she could help, but normally that is not allowed. Hana reminded us that she’s more American than Japanese, which has her father worried.”I nodded my understanding.“Hana would also like to travel with you to Japan and serve as your interpreter. It would be an honor for her to help someone like you with our language,” Akio conceded.Hana had sat nervously as her uncle and father offered me the.