h e r he ree nee xp e c n U
Also Al so by
SHAR SHA RON CREECH Walk Two Moons Absolutely Normal Normal Chaos Pleasing the Ghost Chasing Redbird Bloomability The Wanderer Fishing in the Air Love That Dog A Fine, Fine School Ruby Holler Granny Torrelli Makes Soup Heartbeat Who’s That Baby? Replay The Castle Corona Hate That Cat The Unfinished Angel
sharon creech
h e r he ree ne n e x p e c U
Joaa n n a C o t l e r B o ok s Jo
T G U C © 2012 S C A A . . P P U S S A .. N w w w q q w. F HC C’ B, HC C’ HC P, 10 E 53 S, Nw Y, NY 10022. ww w. w. . . L C C--P C --P D . ISBN 978-0-06-189232-5 ( .) — ISBN 978-0-06-189233-2 (. .) T M M G-K 12 13 14 15 16 CG/R RDH 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ❖
F E
for Pearl and Nico and for you, reader
So much world all at once . . . —Wislawa Szymborska
Overhe ard Conversatio Conversations ns Father and four-year-old son: F: S: F: S: F: S:
D ? Y. R? Y. T . . W “”?
Mother and five-year-old daughter: D: M: M : D: M: D:
I’ . I’ I ? Y. I w . F ? ? W “”?
Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Prologue A B F F T L Across the Ocean: Revenge Revenge T B S T M Across the Ocean: The The Solicitor N J F B D N N H Across the Ocean: Dogs Sleep T C B A S Across the Ocean: A Visitor Visitor W W W T B Across the Ocean: Ocean: The Request T U U S T D D M A F F F Across the Ocean: The The Bridge
1 3 5 10 12 15 19 22 26 29 35 37 42 46 47 53 56 58 63 67 72 75
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43
I D’ D’ C T F U U S T S U U S O L S Across the Ocean: The The Call T L F F D’ G T F D’ F R R S Across the Ocean: Another Another Call W A P D Across the Ocean: A Visitor Visitor Returns Tw T Across the Ocean: Plans Plans T T T T R U U T W Bw S T Across the Ocean: Ocean: A Prowler Nw L-- Across the Ocean: Ireland Ireland
77 79 83 89 93 96 102 107 112 114 122 126 128 138 141 147 154 158 163 165 16 5 168 171
44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57
P P T B O Across the Ocean: A Storm R N R R R? ? Across the Ocean: Wind Wind and Fire F D D’ ’ E E Across the Ocean: The The Witch Visits Visits A T G U O M T Across the Ocean: The The Mail M-M M -M G Across the Ocean: True True as True True S M M
174 180 187 189 192 195 196 198 202 208 215 218 21 8 221 22 1 222
h e r he ree nee xp e c n U
Prologue rologue
M
N D I w B T, , J N. A J J w w, w w , w .. “A ?” w. “W I w w ? I ..” “N ,” . “R .” T , , ’ . “W, w,” . “T’ . I w w me w.” “R ,” . A ’ ’
2
the great unexpected
, , . J w w , , w ’ : ,, w w,, , , , ,, . I , I w , w ’ ’ . E I’ , w , I w q . S , S , J w ,, “I’ “I’ , N, .” H I , “I’ , , I’ I’ ”— I I w . A w ’ , I w , I’m not in the story, I’m not in the story , ’ w I was .
chapter
A Body Fa ll llss from a Tr Tr ee
I
, w . I . L L , w, . B , , , . B ? T . I w , , , w. S S . Bw . B T-. B . D. D’ . M w, Is this my I fault? I bet this is my fault. N w . S , , w most w .
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the great unexpected
A I A w w w , w. I w w w I w , w , “A I ?” I ’ . I w . “I , I ’ .” T , “W I , w w I w I’ ?” “W, “W , w, ’ ’ , ’ w w,, ’ , I ’ w ’ .” “B w w I w I’ I’ R O?” “I ’ w , I . W ’ ?” A w w — w, w , w , , , “O no!” w .
chapter
Lizzie
N
w I w L S. L — , , w —w w . “O, --, ”— L— “ , --—” L w , I w , I w w w . S S L . “O, --—N! I ?” L . “N!” S w , . “A A!! N, w that ? I ?” S w I w
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the great unexpected
. “W ? W’ ? I dead ?” ?” S . “Y ’ kill , ?” “I . I w , , w ’ .” I . “I ?” L . “T .” I ’ w. “I .” “O, ! T ’ . H ? W w — w w ?” ?” “S ’ , ’ .” L’ ’ . “M w w —” “M “M w it .” L ’ . “N w , ?” “N.” “L , N. S w . .”” “I’ ’ , . Y Y . .”” J . L w . “G ! I w ! I’ !” H w . . “N “N, , thing . W ? W
lizzie
w ’ w ? N, .” T . “A I —?” L q. “I !” I w . “A “A I — I ?” ?” I . “Y “Y’ ’ .” “Hw w I w ?” “W, , here . I w’ , w’’ , w ? Y w Y’ ’ w w . B ’ ’ w , you are here !” !” “N, ’ ’ . . I’ w w .” “F. T , D L.” “I will .” L ,, . “Nw,” , “ w . W w .” T w . . L . “B, ?” S. “B, ?” S. “N, ?” “N, L, I .”
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the great unexpected
“I w ’ .” “I ’ .” L , . “O, , , .” S ’ . T w . . “W , L?” “I , N. I .” “W ’ ? W ?” L ’ . “P . .”” S. “I w , .” S. “N, w . I w w , . P . P .” B I , . “D’ .” “N, ! H !” “I’ , L. I .” I . “W ?” S. I . N . I : “WHAT GOLD?” “N, ’ , .” T .
lizzie
“N, .” “F ’ ’ , , L, L , I’ I’ . .”” “M F.” “N, “N , ! ! H ! H F!” “T ’ ,” . “N, —” “I w, I w w . T ’ . T ’ , . T ’ —” “H ’ , N. H .” “N ,” . “S?” L . “N .”
chapter
Across the Ocea Oce a n: Rev R evenge enge MR S . K AVANAGH
W
hile Naomi and Lizzie were learning the name of the body that fell from a tree, across the ocean in a stately st ately
manor on the southeastern coast of Ireland, the elderly Mrs. Kavanagh paused as she wrote on a piece of fine parchment. She placed the pen to one side and tapped a finger on the desk. “There. Enough for now.” She smiled a wistful smile. “’Twill be a fine, fine f ine revenge.” revenge.” Her companion, Miss Pilpenny, recapped the pen. “Yes, Sybil, a fine and clever revenge.” “Shall we have a murder tonight?” “Indeed, Sybil. Splendid notion.” notion.” “And then perhaps a little jam and bread.” “Indeed. That plum jam from the Master’s orchard?”
a c r o s s t h e o c e a n : r e v e n g e
Old Mrs. Kavanagh laughed, a sudden girlish burst that was followed by prolonged wheezing. Miss Pilpenny rubbed the old lady’s lady ’s back until the wheezing subsided. “There, “ There, there. You can rest now. now.””
chapter
The Body Spe Spe ak akss
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F w w . “C?” I . “Y. “Y . C-, C -,”” , w . T w - . “C ?” L . “W , F ?” B , F : , , , . “Y , w, — . Y ?” Y Y L L w w, w w w w ?
th e body spea ks
“N ,” I . A L I w . S F . “I , N. I . .”” “I w w, L. I . .”” L . “F , ? B B , , w N . B , w , w w , F .” “N. N ,” F , . “O, , ,” L L . . “A “A ?” “I’ , .” F . H . “I’ w.” F w. w. “B w,” L . “W, w, F !” S . “W’ ? W w? w? W —” “I .” L w . “B “B, , F , w . W’ .” F . “I’ .”
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the great unexpected
“U ?” I . “B D N H?” “T’ w ? T’ w I’ .” “B , —” I L. S . “N D .” .” L w . “S.” “S.” F , , , “T’ w I’ , D’ .” W , w w . “L w ’ , N.” “W? W’ I ?” “Y ‘’ D. T’ .” “T’ w . T’ w you .” .” “B ——. “B ——.”” “‘H’? S w ‘’?” “O, N. T , . T , F .”
chapter
The Moon
L
, w w w. W , , . P w . L . “N, I ’ w , F . W w ? I . W , N? W ’ w D D B D N H H? ? D ’ ? T w w .” w .” J, w w w, , L, “T . .””
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the great unexpected
“N, I Cw ?” “N, L, I .” M. M. Cw w L’ . T w w . M. Cw’ w, “D’ “D’ w ’ ’.. A’ A’ . .”” I M. Cw N, M. Cw w , “D’ w ’. A’ .” I M. Cw w , w , “D’ w ’. A’ .” L w Cw w , Rw, . S “” . H w “ ,” w M. T Cw L ,, w w w ’ ’ . L w , . “O, N,” , “I w w ,, w w w w , w w. I w .” S L w , “I
th e moon
w,” w , w , ’ , “T. M .” L w , w , w’ - w; w’ w ; w’ G q w . Y w , w w -- . Y w w , . . T I , w I w w w w , , w , , . . I w . W w w ,, L w , w , , , “T. M .” .” I w - w L w . . S S w w, “ F ” , , , . “N! “N ! I w w w !”
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the great unexpected
“A w’ ?” “Y — w w F!” “I ’. I .” “Y , I ’ . I tomorrow .”
CHAPTER 6
ACROSS THE OCEAN: THE SOLICITOR MR S . K AVANAGH
I
t was late when the solicitor arrived at Mrs. Kavanagh’s. It was long past the entertaining entertaining murder and the jam and tea.
Mrs. Kavanagh’s companion, Miss Pilpenny, Pilpenny, answered the bell. “I do apologize,” Mr. Dingle said. He was a tall, slim man, immaculately dressed in tweeds fashionable decades earlier. The faint smell of mothballs trailed him. “Mrs. Kavanagh did say it was permissible to come after the theater.” Miss Pilpenny nodded. “And sure it is fine and not all that late for the pair of us, now, is it?” Mrs. Kavanagh was seated in her usual place beside the fire. The ancient fireplace let as much smoke into the room as up the chimney, but this did not seem to bother Mrs. Kavanagh. “Charles,” she said to Mr. Dingle. “How good of you to come.”
the great unexpected
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“My pleasure entirely.” Mr. Dingle glanced around the sitting room. With a wink, he said, “I see you’ve taken down all the Master’s portraits.” Mrs. Kavanagh smoothed the afghan on her lap. “The fool. The bombastic, cruel fool.” “The room looks so s o much brighter now.” now.” “The whole house is so much brighter now,” Mrs. Kavanagh said. “The “T he whole yard. The orchard. The whole town!” town!” “That one man could cast such darkness over people— simply intolerable.” “And yet—and yet—we tolerated, didn’t we? You tolerate or you go hungry. But enough of that, Charles. Here are the papers. I’d like you to read them through and see if all is in order.” Miss Pilpenny tapped at the door. “Would you like some sherry, Mr. Dingle?” Mr. Dingle brightened. “Yes, indeed. Yes, thank you.” “Sybil?” Mrs. Kavanagh put her fingers to her lips. “Mm, yes, ye s, lovely.” lovely.” After the sherry had been sipped and the papers had been studied, Mr. Dingle leaned toward toward Mrs. Mrs . Kavanagh. “Absolutely splendid, Sybil. You see, things do right themselves in the end, don’t they?” “But do you see any obstacles here?” “I will have to investigate a few matters—” “I’ve appreciated your investigations over the years. This time, I’d like for you, personally, to go to the States and pave the way.”
ac a c r o s s t h e o c e a n : t h e s o l i c i t o r
21
“Absolutely. You read my mind.” “I wish I could join you, but these old legs, alas—” She tapped her knees with her cane. “These old legs and these old bones will not last much longer.” “Sybil—” “Now, now, let’s not pretend. pre tend. I am ancient as the hills; I am ready to go now that my revenge is in place.” Miss Pilpenny, reentering the room on those last words, said, “And a fine, fine revenge it is.” Mr. Dingle rose from his chair. “Indeed.”
chapter
Nula and a nd Joe Joe
“
I
’ , , w w , ’ , N?” S w’ . T w w N . W I w , w’ M G P L G. N w , “F , , .” A I w , , “O “O,, , . P .” N w w w , “D’ , w . W . W ww. W . W . . .”
nu l a an d joe
“P, . I w.” “Q ’, , w!” A I w , w , . S w w I w L, N , “N w !” N , J, w I w . I ’ ’ , I . T I G G, I , I N J. I ’ ’ I w’ w’ I w . I J, w’ . H w , w, w w w w . H w w w “” “ ” . T . H ’ . H w ’ w. J ’ ’ , ’ w . H ’ , . . I, w ’ ’ w w . Y w . . I w w w ,
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the great unexpected
, , w w . N w w J’ . S w J , -, w , , w w . N’ w F, F, fin-NOO-luh, N (noo-luh). S w I I , w B T w B T, w w w , ’ “ w” . W J w w , I . “Nw, w w ?” J . I w w w . N , “A, , I w w . T w , , ?” J’ w J’ w . . “T’ , N. S “T’ I ’ . I w’ .” I L w , w ’ w w F. “F?” N . “F? N , I w w F , ’ . T w F O’T F
nu l a an d joe
M F O’C— , . A , F MC—’ w . F, ? A w w w?” I I ’ w w , w B D N H. “H w’ D’ , w, w ?” N . “F? A Finn?” T N w w w w w w w w w w , w ? T , I w , N . T , “F? A A w F?” “P .” “M-. I w F , I .”
chapter
Families
T
w , w w ’ ’ . S w . O , . W w w . “W ?” . “W, w, . Y families . Y w, , , , .” S w , The poor, ignorant dears, they do not even know what the word means. S , w w . S . W, W , , , . A w w . . H
families
w . L w , w w , . H , , w “ ” ”;; “ .” C w , w w, C C w’ w’ w q. D w’ w ’ w w w w w . A A w . I , , “G, I ,” w w w’ . I w w ,, . “O, ,” . “O, .” S w , w , , “E , ,” . “W?” I , w . “I ? A?” T I N I ’ I .
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the great unexpected
“R, w? A w w ?” “F ’ , w . A I w w’’ w ’’ w . . A I . . . flower fl ower .” T “” ’ . S M. T T w w “ .” W ’ W ’ w w . . W w w . A w w , w ’ , w w’ w w . I I w w w’ . W “” w, I ’ ’ .. B “” w w .
chapter
Black Dog Night Hill
L
I B D N N H, I w . “L--,” L w, “ .” S w . “T w . T , I D . Hw ? Hw—w—. Hw— w—. R, R , N?” “U-.” “Hw w, N?” “D ? N ’ w . M .” “F? B ’ ?”
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the great unexpected
“L I w .” “T, , N, .” T w , w w. P ; . A . “O!” L . “Eww. S , ’ . Eww. W’ w w w , ?” “N .” “T , ’ .” L w. R, I w. “I w D ,” . “I w w ’ w . I w , w w .” “I w w ..” “O. W! L. H ? A dog ?” ?” S dog w skunk bobcat . “H , N? W ? W ’ , N? T w w , , —” I w .
black dog night hill
W . S w W . L w . “W’ die .” .” S . W W . T .. A . A w , , . I w F. “D’ ,” I . “D’ .” F w w . “W ? W’ w ?” “N’.” “S w ’.” “N ,” L . “L!” “W, .” “I ’ ’ , , , ,”” F . “W you?” “I w N ,” L , . I ’ . “A’ w?” F . “I’ w I .” “S’ afraid dogs,” L . F . “Y? D’ I
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the great unexpected
B D ?” “W’ ?” “B .” “H w . H , I - .” F . “A ’ I ’ ?” “T w w .” .” “A ’ I , —” “Y ,” I . L . “H w . I . Flesh shakes.” “I ?” F . H . “S ’ .” L , “H .” “W?” “L, .” L . “W, . A . D . . N w w . T’ T ’ w ’ ’ .” “Y , L.” F’ w F’ . H L . I w’ w . I . . “F ,” L , “
black dog night hill
D’ ? I , I w ’ , ’ , I , ‘Hw ‘H w , w w D’ ?’ M?” “I ’ . N I’ I’ , w. w. T dogs —” —” “W?” I , I . . “Fifty?” “I ’ .” Nw,, . Nw . W W I w w , I F . . I ’ ’ . H w w w w , w w , , ’ I’ . H , , . H w w w . L , “F “F —” “W ’ F? T’ . N F boy .” “O “O .. F, ?” “I ’ . I ’ .”
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the great unexpected
“W’ ? W ?” I . I ’ . W I w w , I w w now . “N!” L . “N D, ’ w. M ’’ w w w w .” “L, .” .” “I’ ,” F . “I’ .”
