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t was a repetition of her parents'。 She was familiar with the petty social problems； and they bored her。 She considered herself a simple girl； proud of the fact that in the yearbook for the class of 1953 at Miss Porter's School she was voted Most Sincere。
Her first contact with Brody was professional。 She was arrested … or； rather； her date was。 It was late at night； and she was being driven home by an extremely drunk young man intent on driving very fast down very narrow streets。 The car was intercepted and stopped by a policeman who impressed Ellen with his youth； his looks； and his civility。 After issuing a summons； he confiscated the keys to Ellen's date's car and drove them both to their respective homes。 The next morning； Ellen was shopping when she found herself next to the police station。 As a lark； she walked in and asked the name of the young officer who had been working at about midnight the night before。 Then she went home and wrote Brody a thank…you note for being so nice； and she also wrote a note to the chief of police mending young Martin Brody。 Brody telephoned to thank her for her thank…you note。
When he asked her out to dinner and the movies on his night off； she accepted out of curiosity。 She had scarcely ever talked to a policeman； let alone gone out with one。
Brody was nervous； but Ellen seemed so genuinely interested in him and his work that he eventually calmed down enough to have a good time； Ellen found him delightful： strong； simple； kind … sincere。 He had been a policeman for six years。 He said his ambition was to be chief of the Amity force； to have sons to take duck…shooting in the fall； to save enough money to take a real vacation every second or third year。
They were married that November。 Ellen's parents had wanted her to finish college； and Brody had been willing to wait until the following summer； but Ellen couldn't imagine that one more year of college could make any difference in the life she had chosen to lead。 There were some awkward moments during the first few years。 Ellen's friends would ask them to dinner or lunch or for a swim； and they would go； but Brody would feel ill at ease and patronized。 When they got together with Brody's friends； Ellen's past seemed to stifle fun。 People behaved as if they were fearful of mitting a faux pas。
Gradually； as friendships developed； the awkwardness disappeared。 But they never saw any of Ellen's old friends any more。 Although the shedding of the 〃summer people〃 stigma earned her the affection of the year…round residents of Amity； it cost her much that was pleasant and familiar from the first twenty…one years of her life。 It was as if she had moved to another country。
Until about four years ago； the estrangement hadn't bothered her。 She was too busy； and too happy； raising children to let her mind linger on alternatives long past。
But when her last child started school； she found herself adrift； and she began to dwell on memories of how her mother had lived her life once her children had begun to detach from her： shopping excursions （fun because there was enough money to buy all but the most outrageously expensive items）； long lunches with friends； tennis； cocktail parties； weekend trips。 What had once seemed shallow and tedious now loomed in memory like paradise。
At first she tried to re…establish bonds with friends she hadn't seen in ten years； but all monality of interest and experience had long since vanished。 Ellen talked gaily about the munity； about local polities； about her job as a volunteer at the Southampton Hospital … all subjects about which her old friends； many of whom had been ing to Amity every summer for more than thirty years； knew little and cared less。 They talked about New York polities； about art galleries and painters and writers they knew。 Most conversations ended with feeble reminiscences and speculations about where old friends were now。 Always there were pledges about calling each other and getting together again。
Once in a while she would try to make new friends among the summer people she hadn't known； but the associations were forced and brief。 They might have endured if Ellen had been less self…conscious about her house； about her husband's job and how poorly it paid。 She made sure that everyone she met knew she had started her Amity life on an entirely different plane。 She was aware of what she was doing； and she hated herself for it； because in fact she loved her husband deeply； adored her children； and … for most of the year … was quite content with her lot。
By now； she had largely given up active forays into the summer munity； but the resentments and the longings lingered。 She was unhappy； and she took out most of her unhappiness on her husband； a fact that both of them understood but only he could tolerate。 She wished she could go into suspended animation for that quarter of every year。
Brody rolled over toward Ellen； raising himself up on one elbow and resting his head on his hand。 With his other hand he flicked away a strand of hair that was tickling Ellen's nose and making it twitch。 He still had an erection from the remnants of his last dream； and he debated rousing her for a quick bit of sex。 He knew she was a slow waker and her early morning moods were more cantankerous than romantic。 Still； it would be fun。 There had not been much sex in the Brody household recently。 There seldom was； when Ellen was in her summer moods。
Just then； Ellen's mouth fell open and she began to snore。 Brody felt himself turn off as quickly as if someone had poured ice water on his loins。 He got up and went into the bathroom。 It was nearly 6：30 when Brody turned onto Old Mill Road。 The sun was well up。
It had lost its daybreak red and was turning from orange to bright yellow。 The sky was cloudless。
Theoretically； there was a statutory right…of…way between each house； to permit public access to the beach； which could be privately owned only to the mean…high…water mark。 But the rights…of…way between most houses were filled with garages or privet hedges。
From the road there was no view of the beach。 All Brody could see was the tops of the dunes。 So every hundred yards or so he had to stop the squad car and walk up a driveway to reach a point from which he could survey the beach。
There was no sign of a body。 All he saw on the broad； white expanse was a few pieces of driftwood； a can or two； and a yard…wide belt of seaweed and kelp pushed ashore by the southerly breeze。 There was practically no surf； so if a body was floating on the surface it would have been visible。 If there is a floater out there； Brody thought； it's floating beneath the surface and I'll never see it till it washes up。
By seven o'clock Brody had covered the whole beach along Old Mill and Scotch roads。 The only thing he had seen that struck him as even remotely odd was a paper plate on which sat three scalloped orange rinds … a sign that the summer's beach picnics were going to be more elegant than ever。
He drove back along Scotch Road； turned north toward town on Bayberry Lane； and arrived at the station house at 7：10。