Chapter 6Danny stood on the shore and stared across the pond. It was really more a small lake than a pond. Lily pads covered much of the surface except for the center, which was deep and clear, fed by a bitter cold spring. As he watched, a pair of swans floated languidly on the far side. Danny wished he could emulate their serenity.
But after a weekend spent alternating between sunny daydreams and cold terror, he was anything but calm. All of it made more difficult by the fact he was not to tell anyone, even his little sister, Katie, until everything was settled. Despite the difference in their ages, Katie, as she grew up, had become Danny’s closest confidante.
So, early this morning, he’d retreated to the pond. It had always been a place of respite, soothing the worst of his emotions. T
