The Big Bad Wolf

CHAPTER 18

I FLEW BACK TO D.C. the next day and was home at six that night, finished with work for

the day. At times like this, I almost felt that maybe I had my life back. Maybe I’d done the

right thing by joining the Bureau. Maybe … As I climbed out of the ancient black Porsche, I

saw Jannie on the front porch. She was practicing her violin, her “long bows.” She wanted to

be the next Midori. The playing was impressive to me, anyway. When Jannie wanted

something, she went after it.

“Who’s the beautiful young lady holding that Juzek so perfectly?” I called as I trudged up the

lawn.

Jannie glanced my way, said nothing, smiled knowingly, as if only she knew the secret. Nana

and I were involved in her practices, which featured the Suzuki method of instruction. We

modified the method slightly to include both of us. Parents were a part of practice, and it

seemed to pay dividends. In the Suzuki way, great care was taken to avoid competition and

its negative effects. Parents were told to listen to countless tapes and attend lessons. I had

gone to many of the lessons myself. Nana covered the others. In that way, we assumed the

dual role of “home teacher.”



“That’s so beautiful. What a wonderful sound to come home to,” I told Jannie. Her smile was

worth everything I’d gone through at work that day.

She finally spoke. “To soothe the savage beast,” she said. Violin under one arm, bow held

down, Jannie bowed, and then she began to play again.

I sat on the porch steps and listened. Just the two of us, the setting sun, and the music. The

beast was soothed.

After she finished practice, we ate a light dinner, then hurried over to the Kennedy Center for

one of the free programs in the Grand Foyer. Tonight it was “Liszt and Virtuosity.” But wait

there was more. Tomorrow night we planned to attack the new climbing wall at the Capital Y.

Then, with Damon, it was a video game extravaganza featuring Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s

Requiem and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.

I hoped we could keep it up like this. Even the video games. I was on the right track now and

I liked it. So did Nana and the kids.

Around ten-thirty, to complete the day just right, I got hold of Jamilla on the phone. She was

home at a decent hour for a change. “Hey,” she said at the sound of my voice.

“Hey back at you. Can you talk? This a good time?”



“Might be able to squeeze in a couple of minutes for you. I hope you’re calling from home.

Are you?”



“Been here since around six. We had a family night at the Kennedy Center. Big success.”



“I’m jealous.”



We talked about what she was up to, then my big night with the kids, and finally my life and

times with the Bureau. But I had the sense that Jamilla needed to get off after about fifteen

minutes. I didn’t ask if she had anything going for tonight. She’d tell me if she wanted to.

“I miss you way out there in San Francisco,” I said, and left it at that. I hoped it didn’t come

off as not caring. Because I did care about Jam. She was in my thoughts all the time.

“I have to run, Alex. Bye,” she said.

“Bye.”



Jamilla had to run. And I was finally trying to stop.