Американские боги

           Shadowstoppedonthewoodendeckoutsidehisapartmentandlookedoutatthelake,dottedhereandtherewithgreenandbrownice-fishinghuts.Manyofthemhadcarsparkedbesidethem.Ontheicenearerthebridgesattheoldgreenklunker,justasithadsatinthenewspaper."Marchthetwenty-third,"saidShadow,encouragingly."Roundninefifteeninthemorning.Youcandoit."

           "Notachance,"saidawoman’svoice."Aprilthird.SixP.M.Thatwaythedaywarmsuptheice."Shadowsmiled.MargueriteOlsenwaswearingaskisuit.Shewasatthefarendofthedeck,refillingthebirdfeederwithwhiteblocksofsuet.

           "IreadyourarticleintheLakesideNewsontheTownRecordNorthernPike."

           "Exciting,huh?"

           "Well,educational,maybe."

           "Ithoughtyouweren’tcomingbacktous,"shesaid."Youweregoneforawhile,huh?"

           "Myuncleneededme,"saidShadow."Thetimekindofgotawayfromus."

           Sheplacedthelastsuetbrickinitscage,andbegantofillanetsockwiththistle-seedsfromaplasticmilk-jug.Severalgoldfinches,oliveintheirwintercoats,twittedimpatientlyfromanearbyfir-tree.

           "Ididn’tseeanythinginthepaperaboutAlisonMcGovern."

           "Therewasn’tanythingtoreport.She’sstillmissing.TherewasarumorthatsomeonehadseenherinDetroit,butitturnedouttobeafalsealarm.