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sat on the patio, head cocking with each snap of Billy's fingers. Max sensed Josie before Billy did, but, as soon as the old dog struggled up and put his front paws on the low wall, Billy looked Josie's way, too.
    His grin was as bright as seashells polished by the sand, his eyes sparkled with leftover specks of the mid-summer sun and Josie wondered how his mother could care more about her booze and boyfriends than she did about this kid of the beach. Not that Billy didn't have folks to look after him: Josie looked after him when he ran afoul of the local law; Archer liked him despite the façade that he only tolerated the boy. The ocean loved Billy and he loved the ocean back.
    ''Hey.'' Billy slid off the wall, leaned his hip against it and ruffled Max's ears, waiting for Josie to come to him.
    ''Hey, Billy.'' Josie lifted her chin. ''Is she in there?''
    He nodded. His skinny shoulders shifting as his free hand combed through his long hair.
    ''Yeah. Hannah was really ticked off when she got home, Ms. B.''
    ''I don't doubt it.'' Josie stopped and mirrored Billy. Her hip went against the wall, her hand went to Max's other ear. ''Were you in school today?''
    ''Yeah, but I kind of skipped sixth period.'' he admitted with no apology. He pulled his lips tight and screwed them up to one side as if it was his distasteful duty to point out that Josie had made a big mistake. ''Hannah didn't have a way home. You could have told me. I'd have brought her home if you wanted.''
    ''I thought I was going to be there to get her,'' Josie sighed. ''I should have been there to get her. It was her first day.''
    ''Don't beat yourself up. That's what my mom always says. Don't beat yourself up for things you can't help.'' Josie closed her eyes and prayed for patience at the mention of Billy's mother. She'd like to ring that woman's neck for making Billy believe he didn't deserve any better out of life. Luckily, he couldn't see her eyes behind her dark glasses so he just kept talking. ''Yeah, well I was hanging with Carl and we saw her coming and she looked really ticked.'' Billy's hand left Max's head and he flipped his fingers like he'd just touched something hot. ''She was so mad I thought she might, you know, hurt herself. So I followed her and then I stayed to watch. Just to make sure she was okay.''
    Josie looked at the house. It was shut down tight, all the blinds were drawn. Hannah could have sliced herself into lunch meat and Billy wouldn't have a clue. Still, he'd done his best.
    ''How did Max get out?'' she asked.
    ''I knocked on the door to see if Hannah was okay. When she opened it Max came out. Then she threw the leash out, too, so I took him down to the pier and came back. I've just been here. You know, kind of watching.'' Billy took a deep breath, his shoulders rose but his concave chest barely registered the breath.
    ''You're a good kid, Billy.''
    ''Thanks Ms. B. I figured whatever kept you had to be bad. I tried to tell Hannah that, but she didn't want to hear it.''
    ''It was bad, Billy.'' Gently Josie pushed Max down and let herself through the little gate. She thought for a second and then decided there was no upside in keeping quiet about what had happened. She turned back to Billy. ''Archer was arrested this afternoon. They're charging him with murder.''
    ''Dude,'' Billy breathed, his face registering such disbelief that Josie almost put her arms around him.
    ''It's not an excuse for forgetting Hannah, but it was an emergency,'' Josie said, knowing she didn't have to convince Billy of anything.
    ''That's so foul. No way that's even remotely close to what Archer could have done,'' Billy whispered.
    Josie's lips twitched with a wry smile. Her own sense of outrage hadn't even come close to Billy's eloquence. Indeed the day and the problem were foul.
    ''Thanks.'' She patted his shoulder and with a snap sent Max to his outside bed. ''And thanks for looking after Hannah. Do you think you could see school through to the end of the day