Senseless by Mary Burton Page A

in the mail yesterday. Just got it from the P.O. box this morning.”
    He dug under his big white apron into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a rumpled brown letter. He handed it to her.
    A frown creased her brow as she glanced at the simple bold handwriting. Her name, King’s post office box and no return address. Who would ever know she lived at King’s?
    Refusing to borrow trouble she tore open the back flap with her thumbnail and pulled out the neatly creased newspaper article. The paper was brittle and yellowed on the edges.
    Dated a decade ago, the article’s headline read FIRE DESTROYS SORORITY HOUSE.
    Eva’s blood pressure dropped, making her light-headed. She glanced at the envelope and searched for a return address or a postmark. Alexandria postmark with no return address.
    She reread the headline. FIRE DESTROYS SORORITY HOUSE . She flipped the article over, and written on the back in red ink was the word Atone.
    Atone. Atone for what? She’d spent ten years in jail atoning for sins she wasn’t so sure now that she’d committed. Now she was rebuilding her life. What did she have to atone for? Instead of being scared she grew angry. Someone in town had recognized her, remembered her history and thought it would be a laugh to jerk her chain. Outrage burned inside her.
    “Bad news?” King said.
    Eva carefully folded the paper. “Just a bill. ”
    “How could you have a bill? You never spend money. ”
    “Don’t worry about it.” She crammed the article into the back pocket of her jeans.
    King grunted. “Something wrong?”
    “Nope. All good.”
    Someone knew about her past.
    Eva coaxed a faltering smile for King and Bobby. “No worries, boys. No worries.”
    King arched a bushy brow.
    Even Bobby had stopped eating and stared at her as if he were trying to read her mind.
    Eva bit into her bagel, doing her best to look casual. “You two look so serious. Really, it’s nothing.” To change the subject she said, “That computer professor at St. Margaret’s said I could come by the lab anytime after I audited his class.”
    “You should go,” King said.
    Eva shook her head. “I’ll skip today. I can help find Merlin.”
    King shook his head. “No, you go. I see the way your eyes light up when you get back from one of those classes. The kid and I will trap Merlin.”
    The boy’s brow knotted. “I don’t like school but I like reading.”
    She smiled. “What do you like to read about?”
    “Cowboys. And boats.”
    “I’ll bet you are good,” Eva said.
    “I am.” Tension suddenly radiated from his little body like a clenched fist. He’d remembered something from his past.
    “It’s okay,” Eva said. She had similar moments. She’d be discussing something that didn’t have to do with anything and then the past would blindside her.
    Bobby sighed. “Aren’t you too old for school?”
    “You’re never too old.” Eva shrugged. “I didn’t get a chance to go much when I was younger. I’m doing a little catch-up.”
    “Why didn’t you go to school?”
    “Good question,” King said.
    The brains that had earned her a full college admission and scholarship at sixteen hadn’t saved her from a manslaughter conviction. “Lots of reasons.”
    “Like what?” Bobby said.
    “Like it doesn’t matter now.” She dug her fingers through her long hair and checked her watch. “I better get going or I’ll be late for class.”
    “Go,” King said. “The boy and I have a kitten to trap.”
    Bobby studied Eva. “You’re coming back?”
    “Of course. I’ll be gone just a few hours.” Going to the computer lab would mean on-line time and the chance to check on kids matching Bobby’s description.
    The boy picked a fresh bagel from the tray. “Not everyone comes back.”
    “Yeah, well, I will.”
    He thrust his lip out. “Even if you don’t, I’m not a baby. I can take care of myself.”
    Garrison and Malcolm pulled into Fort Ward’s stone entrance exactly an hour later. This