" Simple words but thecenter of my ecstasy. Before I could reply, she put a latex-clad fingerto my lips. "Never, never, never forget that I love an... respect yourstrength, Ken."I kept my gaze locked on her eyes, which spoke to me as mine did to her."There have been many time, my love," she continued in a low butimmensely intense tone, "when you have been my strength. When my fatherdied, when we left Illinois and set out on our own . . ." a pause. "Lotsof times I needed you to be strong for. Growth cannot be uncontrolled. Perhaps Boobook and Frogmouth can assist us in talking about this.”“Will you be the boss?” Andy enquired.“No. I am just a voice. No man is superior to another. No man has the slightest right to define another man’s duties. If anyone exercises such power it is only because others permit him to do so. Were those two drunks several weeks ago superior? They were no whiter than Sam, and they were stupider. They tried to boss you.”Andy nodded, as did Zeke.“But we must. It was funny, Layna never called me by my name or really any term. I half-expected an ‘uncle’ label, but she never did. I was just one of her friends and watching her face light up when I would pick her up from school always brought a smile to my face.Okay, background laid. You can see I lived in an estrogen-heavy environment, but not to the point it was going to become. Michelle came back for another visit and that first night things started spiraling out of control. We were sitting on my. It was a little late, because we were already there and she hung up before we could get much more information from her. Sure, we'll check into it right now." He turned to a patrolman and told him to dispatch two squad cars to that address and pick up the girl if she were there.Feeling a little better, Jimmy began the long involved story about how he had run into Christine after looking for her at the camp and how he had been introduced to Price through her. He wasn't sure how she had become.