第11部分(第2/7 页)

of　the　story。　But　the　lovely　thing　about　my　life　here　is　that　the

people　I　know　see　me　for　what　I　am　today。　It's　easier　not　having　to

constantly　contend　with　the　past。〃

Ross　seemed　puzzled。　〃Why　do　you　assume　you'd　have　to　do　that　anywhere？

It's　been　eleven　years；　Chloe。　The　world　goes　on。　People　accept　change。

You　seem　to　be　the　only　one　who　can't　move　on。〃

Chloe　set　down　her　fork。　She　took　an　angry　breath。　〃I　look　in　the

mirror。〃

rooted　in　the　present。　There　were　reports　to　read；　studies　to　review；

proposals　to　consider。　The　more　she　worked；　the　better　she　felt。　For　the

first　time　since　having　done　the　lab　work　earlier　that　week；　she　studied

the　sediment　analysis　of　samples　taken　along　an　increasingly　unstable

portion　of　the　Cape　Cod　National　Seashore。

〃Problems？〃　This　from　Debbie　Walker；　who　popped　her　head　in　shortly

after　eleven。

〃Hi；　Deb。　e　on　in。〃　She　smiled　at　her　petite；　sandy…haired　associate。

〃It's　the　Cape　analysis。　I　was　just　studying　the　results　of　the　work　I

did　last　week。　I　have　the　grain　sizes　of　the　sand　pretty　much　divided　by

sections。　Boy；　they　really　botched　it。〃

〃〃They'　being　the　people　who　put　that　parking　lot　so　close　to　the

cliff。？〃

Chloe　sighed。　〃It's　begun　to　erode　already；　and　the　locals　want　to　sue。

According　to　my　calculations；　they　have　a　case。〃

〃Will　you　be　called　in　to　testify？〃

〃I'm　not　sure。　I　have　to　work　this　report　up　into　some　kind　of　written

form。　Depending　on　what　happens　when　they　read　it；　whether　or　not　the

matter　can　be　settled　first；　it　may　not　make　it　to　court。〃　She　sat　back。

〃It's　a　shame　that　we　seem　to　learn　things　after　the　fact。　If　on