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adly。 He was oblivious of the being beneath him； and when； perhaps a full minute after his climax； Hooper still did not relax； Ellen had bee afraid … of what； she wasn't sure； but the ferocity and intensity of his assault seemed to her a pursuit in which she was only a vehicle。 After a while； she had tapped him on the back and said softly； 〃Hey； I'm here too；〃 and in a moment his eyelids closed and his head dropped to her shoulder。 Later； during their subsequent coupling； Hooper had been more gentle； more controlled； less detached。 But the fury of the first encounter still lingered disturbingly in Ellen's mind。
Finally； her mind gave in to fatigue； and she fell asleep。
Almost instantly； it seemed； she was awakened by a voice that said； 〃Hey there； are you okay？〃 She opened her eyes and saw Brody sitting on the end of the bed。
She yawned。 〃What time is it？〃
〃Almost six。〃
〃Oh…oh。 I've got to pick up Sean。 Phyllis Santos must be having a fit。〃
〃I got him；〃 said Brody。 〃I figured I'd better； once I couldn't reach you。〃
〃You tried to reach me？〃
〃A couple of times。 I tried you at the hospital at around two。 They said they thought you'd e home。〃
〃That's right。 I did。 I felt awful。 My thyroid pills aren't doing what they should。 So I came home。〃
〃Then I tried to reach you here。〃
〃My； it must have been important。〃
〃No； it was nothing important。 If you must know； I was calling to apologize for whatever I did that got you upset last night。〃
A twinge of shame struck Ellen； but it passed； and she said； 〃You're sweet； but don't worry。 I'd already forgotten about it。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Brody。 He waited a moment to see if she was going to say anything else； and when it was clear she wasn't； he said； 〃So where were you？〃
〃I told you； here！〃 The words came out more harshly than she had intended。 〃I came home and went to bed； and that's where you found me。〃
〃And you didn't hear the phone？ It's right there。〃 Brody pointed to the bed table near the other side of the bed。
〃No； I 。。。〃 She started to say she had turned the phone off； but then she remembered that this particular phone couldn't be turned off all the way。 〃I took a pill。
The moaning of the damned won't wake me after I've taken one of those pills。〃
Brody shook his head。 〃I really am going to throw those damn things down the john。 You're turning into a junkie。〃 He stood and went into the bathroom。
Ellen heard him flip up the toilet seat and begin to urinate … a loud； powerful； steady stream that went on and on and on。 She smiled。 Until today； she had assumed Brody was some kind of urinary freak： he could go for almost a day without urinating。
Then； when he did pee； he seemed to pee forever。 Long ago； she had concluded that his bladder was the size of a watermelon。 Now she knew that huge bladder capacity was simply a male trait。 Now； she said to herself； I am a woman of the world。
〃Have you heard from Hooper？〃 Brody called over the noise of the endless stream。
Ellen thought for a moment about her response； then said； 〃He called this morning； just to say thank you。 Why？〃
〃I tried to get hold of him today； too。 Around midday and a couple of times during the afternoon。 The hotel said they didn't know where he was。 What time did he call here？〃
〃Just after you left for work。〃
〃Did he say what he was going to be doing？〃
〃He said 。 。 。 he said he might try to work on the boat； I think。 I really don't remember。〃
〃Oh。 That's funny。〃
〃What is？〃
〃I stopped by the dock on my way home。 The harbor master said he hadn't seen Hooper all day。〃
〃Maybe he changed his mind。〃
〃He was probably shagging Daisy Wicker in some hotel room。〃 Ellen heard the stream slow； then dwindle into droplets。 Then she heard the toilet flush。
Chapter 9
On Thursday morning Brody got a call summoning him to Vaughan's office for a noon meeting of the Board of Selectmen。 He knew what the subject of the meeting was： opening the beaches for the Fourth of July weekend that would begin the day after tomorrow。 By the time he left his office for the town hall； he had marshaled and examined every argument he could think of。 He knew his arguments were subjective； negative； based on intuition； caution； and an abiding； gnawing guilt。 But Brody was convinced he was right。 Opening the beaches would not be a solution or a conclusion。 It would be a gamble that Amity … and Brody … could never really win。 They would never know for certain that the shark had gone away。 They would be living from day to day； hoping for a continuing draw。 And one day； Brody was sure； they would lose。
The town hall stood at the head of Main Street； where Main dead…ended and was crossed by Water Street。 The building was a crown at the top of the T formed by Main and Water streets。 It was an imposing； pseudo…Georgian affair … red brick with white trim and two white columns framing the entrance。 A World War II howitzer sat on the lawn in front of the town hall； a memorial to the citizens of Amity who had served in the war。
The building had been given to the town in the late 1920s by an investment banker who had somehow convinced himself that Amity would one day be the hub of merce on eastern Long Island。 He felt that the town's public officials should work in a building befitting their destiny … not； as had been the case until then； conducting the town's business in a tiny suite of airless rooms above a saloon called the Mill。 （In February； 1930； the distraught banker； who had proved no more adept at predicting his own destiny than Amity's； tried； unsuccessfully； to reclaim the building； insisting he had intended only to loan it to the town。） The rooms inside the town hall were as preposterously grandiose as the exterior。
They were huge and high…ceilinged； each with its own elaborate chandelier。 Rather than pay to remodel the interior into small cubicles； successive Amity administrations had simply jammed more and more people into each room。 Only the mayor was still permitted to perform his part…time duties in solitary splendor。
Vaughan's office was on the southeast corner of the second floor； overlooking most of the town and； in the distance； the Atlantic Ocean。
Vaughan's secretary； a wholesome； pretty woman named Janet Sumner； sat at a desk outside the mayor's office。 Though he saw her seldom； Brody was paternally fond of Janet； and he was idly mystified that … aged about twenty…six … she was still unmarried。
He usually made a point of inquiring about her love life before he entered Vaughan's office。 Today he said simply； 〃Are they all inside？〃
〃All that's ing。〃 Brody started into the office； and Janet said； 〃Don't you want to know who I'm going out with？〃
He stopped； smiled； and said； 〃Sure。 I'm sorry。 My mind's a mess today。 So who is it？〃
〃Nobody。 I'm in temporary retirement。 But I'll tell you one thing。〃 She lowered her voice and leaned forward。 〃I wouldn't mind playing footsie with that Mr。 Hooper。〃
〃Is he in there？〃
Janet nodded。