Chapter 17
Little Gray Man
Penny went to bed early, emotionally drained and physically exhausted, and awoke early the next morning with the rising sun slanting through the open curtains of her window, sliding across her face in dusty bars. She lay there for a few minutes, basking in the warmth of the spring sunlight on her face, her eyes closed, her mind happily blank. Only the gentle squeaking of bedsprings reminded her that she had company. Katie, a much less exuberant sleeper than Zoe, was in the spare bed so often occupied by Zoe. Then Penny remembered that Zoe was just beneath her in the spare bedroom, where she’d been sleeping since noon the previous day. If she wasn’t awake by now, she would be soon.
Reluctantly, Penny opened her eyes and turned toward Katie.
Katie had roll
