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It couldn't be the same shutter they'd heard last
evening； for it would have continued banging all night。 Which meant there were now two of them to repair。
Jeez； he thought； the old homestead is falling down around my ears。
THUNK！
The source of the sound was nearby； in fact it was so close that it seemed to originate within the room。 Paul pressed his forehead against the cool window glass； peered out to the left； then to the right； trying to see if that pair of shutters was in place。 As far as he could see； they were both properly anchored。 Thwzk； thunk…thunk； thunk； thunk。。。
The noise grew softer but settled into a steady； arhythmical beat that was more irritating than the louder blows had been。 And now it seemed to be ing from another part of the house。
Although he didn't want to get up on a ladder and fix a shutter in the rain； that was exactly what had to be done； for he couldn't get any writing acplished with that constant clattering to distract him。 At least there hadn't been any lightning this morning。
He put his mug on the desk and started out of the room。 Before he reached the door； the telephone rang。
So it's going to be one of those days； he thought wearily。
Then he realized that the shutter had stopped banging the moment the phone had rung。 Maybe the wind had wrenched it loose of the house； in which case repairs could wait until the weather improved。
He returned to his desk and answered the telephone。 It was Alfred O'Brian； from the adoption agency。 Initially； the conversation was awkward； and Paul was embarrassed by it。 O'Brian insisted on ex
pressing his gratitude： 〃You saved my life； you really did！〃 He was equally insistent about repeatedly and quite unnecessarily apologizing for his failure to express that gratitude yesterday； immediately following the incident in his office： 〃But I was so shaken； stunned； I just wasn't thinking clearly enough to thank you； which was unforgivable of me。〃 Each time Paul protested at the mention of words like 〃heroic；〃 and 〃brave；〃 O'Brian became even more vociferous than before。 At last； Paul stifled his objections and allowed the man to get it out of his system； O'Brian was determined to cleanse his conscience in much the same way that he fussed with the minute specks of lint on his suit jacket。 Finally； however； he seemed to feel he had atoned for his （largely imaginary） thoughtlessness； and Paul was relieved when the conversation changed directions。
O'Brian had a second reason for calling； and he got straight to it now； as if he； too； was suddenly embarrassed。 He could not （he explained with more apologies） locate the application form that the Tracys had brought to his office the previous day。 〃Of course； when that tree crashed through the window； it scattered a lot of papers all over the floor。 A terrible mess。 Some of them were rumpled and dirty when we gathered them up； and a great many of them were damp from the rain。 In spite of that； Margie。 my secretary； was able to put them in order…except； of course； for your application。 We can't find it anywhere。 I suppose it might have blown out through one of the broken windows。 I don't know why your papers should be the only ones we've lost； and of course we must have a pleted； signed application before we can present your names to the remendations mittee。 I'm extremely sorry about this inconvenience； Mr。 Tracy； I truly am。〃
〃It wasn't your fault；〃 Paul said。 〃I'll just stop in
later today and pick up another form。 Carol and I can fill it out and sign it tonight。〃
〃Good；〃 O'Brian said。 〃I'm glad to hear that。 It has to be back in my hands early tomorrow morning if we're going to make the next meeting of the mittee。 Margie needs three full business days to run the required verifications on the information in your application； and that's just about how much time we have before next Wednesday's mittee meeting。
If we miss that session； there's not another one for two weeks。〃
〃I'll be in to pick up the form before noon；〃 Paul assured him。 〃And I'll have it back to you first thing Friday morning。〃
They exchanged goodbyes； and Paul put down the phone。
THUNK！
When he heard that sound； he sagged； dispirited。
He was going to have to fix a shutter after all。 And then drive into the city to pick up the new application。 And then drive home。 And by the time he did all of that； half the day would be shot； and he wouldn't have written a single word。
THUNK！ TRUNK！
〃Dammit；〃 he said。
Thunk； thunk…thunk； thunk…thunk。。。
It definitely was going to be one of those days。
He went downstairs to the hail closet where he kept his raincoat and galoshes。
***
The windshield wipers flogged back and forth； back and forth； with a short； shrill squeak that made Carol grit her teeth。 She hunched forward a bit； over the steering wheel； squinting through the streaming rain。
The streets glistened； the macadam was slick； greasy looking。 Dirty water raced along the gutters and formed filthy pools around clogged drainage grids。
At ten minutes past nine； the morning rush hour was just over。 Although the streets were still moderately busy； traffic was moving smoothly and swiftly。 In fact everyone was driving too fast to suit Carol； and she hung back a little； watchful and cautious。
Two blocks from her office； her caution proved justified； but it still wasn't enough to avert disaster altogether。 Without bothering to look for oning traffic； a young blond woman stepped out from between two vans； directly into the path of the VW Rabbit。
〃Christ！〃 Carol said； ramming her foot down on the brake pedal so hard that she lifted herself up off the seat。
The blonde glanced up and froze； wide…eyed。
Although the VW was moving at only twenty miles an hour； there was no hope of stopping it in time。 The brakes shrieked。 The tires bit…but also skidded…on the wet pavement。
God； no！ Carol thought with a sick； sinking feeling。
The car hit the blonde and lifted her off the ground； tossed her backwards onto the hood； and then the rear end of the VW began to slide around to the left； into the path of an oning Cadillac； and the Caddy swerved； brakes squealing； and the other driver hit his horn as if he thought a sufficient volume of sound
might magically push Carol safely out of his way； and for an instant she was certain they would collide； but the Caddy slid past without scraping； missing her by only an inch or two…all of this in two or three or four seconds…and at the same time the blonde rolled off the hood； toward the right side； the curb side； and the VW came to a full stop； sitting aslant the street； rocking on its springs as if it were a child's hobby horse。
***
None of the shutters was missing。 Not one。 None of them was loose and flapping in the wind； as Paul had thought。
Wearing galoshes and a raincoat with a hood； he walked all the way around the house； studying each set of shutters on the first and second floors； but he couldn't see anything amiss。 The place showed no sign of storm damage。
Perplexed； he circled the house again； each step resulting in a squishing noise as the rain…saturated lawn gave like a sodden sponge beneath him。 This time a