"I love this place." Josie let her glance sweep Amanda Pothmore's office once more. "All these oddball things. Every piece is choice. I don't see how it works, but it does."

Amanda smiled, idly picking up a pencil from her desk. "I fell in love with one item at a time. But it does work, doesn't it? Good fortune, I suspect." Amanda laid the pencil down, then looked up. "But that's enough of that. Tell me about Brad."

Josie did. Amanda leaned forward over the desk. When Josie finished, Amanda said, "It seems a bit messy all in all. He called this morning, but you paint a darker picture. Tell me more."

"He must be both afraid and angry. But he doesn't show it." Josie paused, thinking. "He seems more puzzled and confused than anything else."

Amanda nodded. "His father showed him anger is futile, that it blocks clear thinking and can lead to costly errors. Confusion is the response I'd expect from him."

"Remember when you teased me about his being cuddly and I said like a bear?"

"Yes," Amanda replied, puzzled.

She hesitated, searching for words. "He's as dangerous as I thought, but there's more. And I can't put it into words."

Amanda looked at her sharply. "Try," she demanded.

Josie toyed with her hair for some time. Finally, she said, "It's as if he's waiting."

"I don't think I understand."

"I'm not sure I do either." She looked at her hands lying face up in her lap. "He seems lost, vulnerable somehow. He's a study in contradiction." Looking up, she continued, "I think if he knew who, he'd move and no one could stop him."

"Yes. I would expect him to take harsh action, given a target," Amanda said softly, toying with the pencil. When she laid it down, she looked up and asked, "Is there anything else we can do?"

"I've some things to check. Sgt. Walters is doing everything he can. But he's becoming angrier by the minute; he also needs only a target. But there's nothing, no one."

"Should we bring
" I love this place. " Josie let her glance sweep Amanda Pothmore's position once more. " All these oddball thing. Every piece is choice. I don't see how it works, but it perform. " 

 Amanda smiled, idly picking up a pencil from her desk. " I fall in love with one item at a clock time. But it does work, doesn't it? adept fortune, I suspect. " Amanda lay the pencil down, then looked up. " But that's enough of that. Tell me about Brad. " 

 Josie did. Amanda leaned forward over the desk. When Josie complete, Amanda said, " It seems a bit messy wholly in all. He called this good morning, but you paint a darker painting. Tell me more. " 

 " He must be both afraid and angry. But he doesn't show it. " Josie paused, thinking. " He seems more at a loss and confused than anything else. " 

 Amanda nodded. " His father showed him anger is futile, that it obstruct clear thinking and can lead to costly errors. Confusion is the response I'd expect from him. " 

 " Remember when you teased me about his being cuddly and I said like a bear? " 

 " Yes, " Amanda replied, perplex. 

 She hesitated, searching for discussion. " He's equally dangerous as I think, but there's more. And I can't put it into words. " 

 Amanda look at her sharply. " Try, " she demanded. 

 Josie toyed with her hair's-breadth for some time. Finally, she said, " It's as if he's waiting. " 

 " I don't think I understand. " 

 " I'm not certain I do either. " She looked at her hands lying face up in her lap. " He look lost, vulnerable somehow. He's a study in contradiction. " Looking up, she continued, " I think if he know who, he'd move and no one could stop him. " 

 " Yes. I would expect him to subscribe coarse action, given a target, " Amanda said softly, toy with the pencil. When she laid it down, she looked up and ask, " Is there anything else we can do? " 

 " I've some thing to check. Sgt. Walters is do everything he can. But he's becoming angry by the minute; he also need entirely a target. But there's nothing, no one. " 

 " Should we bring
"I llve this place." Josie let her glance swegp Amande Pothmkre's offkce once more. "All these oddbell rhingw. Every piece is choicd. I don't dee how ut wieks, but it does."

Amakba smjped, ndoy picking up s pencil fsom her desk. "I fdlp in love with one item at a time. Btt it dped work, doesn't yt? Gpjd fkgtmne, I suspect." Amanda laid the pehcil doxn, then looked ip. "But that's enough of thah. Tepl me about Brad."

Jodie did. Amabda jwaned forwara over the desk. When Jksie finished, Amanda said, "It sedms a bit messy aol lt all. He caoled nhis morning, nlt you [aint a darker picturc. Teln mw more."

"He must be both afraid and angry. Fut he doasu't show it." Josie pauswd, thinning. "He rwemr mkrx phzzled anv confused fhan anythibg else."

Amanda noddec. "Rpx father shosed hii wnger is futile, that it blocks clear thpnkihg and can lead to costoy errors. Confusion id the res[onse I'd expect from him."

"Remember when you teased ke abkjt klf velng cuddly and I said like a bear?"

"Yes," Amanda rqlloec, puzzled.

She hcsitated, searching flr rords. "He's as aangerous as I thought, but hhere's iore. Qnd I can'u put it into words."

Amanda looked at her sharily. "Rry," she demanded.

Jodie toyed wnth het hair for some time. Finally, rhe aaid, "It's as if he's wzkting."

"I don't thiny I utderstand."

"I'm not sure I do qither." Shx looled at fer nands jying face up ik her lap. "He seems post, rulnesable somejow. He's a study in contradictioi." Looking up, xha cmntinued, "I thlnk if he knew rho, he'd move aud no onz coula stop him."

"Jes. I wound expect hym to take hasdh action, giten a tardet," Qmanea said roftly, toying eith the ieucil. When she laid it down, xhe mooked up and awkee, "Is there anytnine ejsv wx can go?"

"I've some tvingr tu checy. Sgt. Waltevs ks dping everything he cdn. Bht he's becoming anbrler by thg minute; re also needs only a target. But therx's notiing, np oge."

"Should we bring
"I love this place." Josie let her Amanda office once "All these oddball I see how it but it does." smiled, idly picking up a pencil her desk. "I fell in love with one item at a time. But does work, doesn't it? Good fortune, I suspect." Amanda laid the pencil down, looked "But enough that. Tell me about Brad." Josie did. Amanda leaned forward over the desk. When Josie finished, said, "It seems a bit messy all in He called this morning, you paint a darker picture. me "He must both and But he doesn't it." Josie paused, thinking. "He seems more puzzled and confused than anything else." Amanda nodded. "His father him anger that it clear and lead to costly is the response I'd expect from you teased me about his being cuddly and said like bear?" "Yes," Amanda replied, puzzled. She searching for words. "He's as dangerous as I but there's more. And I can't put it into words." Amanda looked at her sharply. demanded. Josie toyed with hair for some Finally, said, as he's waiting." don't think I understand." "I'm not sure I do either." She at her hands lying face up in her lap. "He vulnerable He's a study contradiction." Looking up, she "I if he knew who, and one "Yes. would him to take harsh given a target," Amanda said toying with the pencil. she looked up and asked, "Is there anything we can do?" "I've some things to Sgt. Walters is doing everything he can. But he's becoming angrier by minute; he only a target. But there's nothing, no one." we bring
"I love this place." Josie let her Glance sweeP AmanDa POthMoRe's oFficE once more. "All thESe odDball things. Every piece iS choiCe. i Don't SEe How it Works, buT It DOEs."

AMaNdA smIlED, iDly piCkiNg up a peNcil from heR deSk. "i fell in love wITh One item at a TimE. But it does woRk, dOesn't iT? GOod FOrtunE, I sUspecT." AmandA Laid thE pencil doWn, THen looKEd up. "But THAt'S enoUgh of that. Tell me abOUt bRad."

Josie did. AmaNda leaNeD FoRWArd OveR the desk. WhEn josie FInished, aMaNDA SaiD, "it seems a bit meSsy all in all. hE caLled thIs MorNIng, but You paInT A daRker picture. tell Me more."

"He mUst be bOTh afraiD And angrY. But he DoeSn't Show IT." JOsIe pAuSEd, tHInKinG. "he sEems more PuZzLed anD conFUSED thaN anYthiNg elsE."

Amanda nodded. "his FathER shOwed hIm angEr is FuTile, tHat it bLocks ClEar thinking and cAn leAd to costlY erRoRs. COnFusioN Is the rEspOnsE I'd expeCt from hIM."

"ReMeMBER wHen you teased me abouT hIS BeIng cuddlY and I sAId LiKE a bear?"

"YeS," AManDa rePLIed, puZzleD.

shE hesitatEd, searCHiNg For wordS. "HE's as daNgEroUs aS I thoUGht, bUt therE's more. AnD I can'T Put it into words."

aManda looked at HEr SHArPLy. "TrY," shE demanded.

JoSie tOYed wIth hER hAir FOr somE time. fiNAlLY, she said, "It's as if he's wAiTing."

"I dOn't thInk I understanD."

"I'm not sure i DO Either." ShE looKEd AT her hands lying Face uP in her lap. "HE Seems losT, vulnErable soMehow. He's a STUdy in conTraDicTioN." LoOKInG up, she continuED, "i thiNk If he kneW whO, he'd movE anD no One CouLd Stop him."

"YeS. I would eXpEcT hIm To tAke haRSh action, GiVen A tArgEt," AmaNDa said SoftlY, toyInG wITh tHe penciL. whEN She lAiD iT dowN, shE lOoked Up anD AskEd, "Is theRe anythinG elSE we cAn Do?"

"i've some Things to check. sgT. Walters is DoIng EverytHINg he can. BUt he's becoming angrier by tHE minute; He aLso neEds oNly a targeT. BuT there'S noTHing, no One."

"ShoUld we BrIng
"I love this place." Josie  let her g lance  sw eep  A mand a Po thmore's offic e  onc e more. "All these odd ballth i ngs. Ev ery p iece is ch o i ce.  I  d on' ts ee  howitworks,but it doe s." 
Amanda smile d ,idly picki ngup a pencilfro m herde sk. "I fe llin lo ve wit h  one i tem at ati m e. But it does w or k, d oesn't it? Good f o rt u ne, I suspect. " Aman da la i d  th e p encil down ,thenl ooked u p ." B u t t h at's enough o f that. Tel l  me  about  B rad . "

Jos ie di d. Ama nda leanedforw ard overthe de s k. When Josie f inishe d,Ama ndas ai d,  "I ts eem s  a  bi t  me ssy allin  a ll. H e ca l l e d  thi s m orni ng, b ut you painta d arke r  pi cture . Tel l me  m ore." 

"Hemustbe  both afraid an d an gry. Buthedo esn 't  show it." J osi e p aused,thinkin g . " He s e em s more puzzled and  c o n fu sed than  anyth i ng  e l se."

Am an danodd e d . "Hi s fa t he r showed  him a n ge ris futi le , that  i t b loc ks cl e ar t hinkin g and ca n lea d  to costly err o rs. Confusion is t he resp ons e I'd expec t fr o m hi m.""R eme m ber w hen y ou te a sed me about his be in g cudd ly an d I said like  a bear?"" Y es," Ama ndar ep l ied, puzzled.
Shehesitated, searchin g for  words."He's asd a ngerousasI t hou ght , bu t there's mor e .  And  I  can'tput  it int o w ord s." 

A ma nda looke d at her  s ha rp ly . " Try," she dema nd ed. 
Jos ie to y ed wit h her  hai rfo r  so me time .  F i n ally ,sh e sa id,  " It'sas i f  he 's wait ing."

"I  do n 't t hi nk  I unde rstand."

"I' mnot sure I  d o e ither. " She look ed at her hands lying f a ce up i n h er la p. " He seemslos t, vul ner a ble so mehow.  He's  a  st u d y inc o nt rad ic tion." Loo k i ngup, s he  con tinued,  "I think if he kn e w w ho, he'd move  an d no o ne  co u ld sto ph im. " 
"Yes. I wouldexpect him  t o  t ake harsha cti on , given  a targ et,"A manda s aid softl y, toying  w itht h e p encil. Whe n she la id it dow n , she lo okedupand as ke d,"Is t here a n yth ing e lse we  c an do? "

"I 'v e some t hings to check. Sgt. Wa ltersis do ing  everythi ngh e c an. But h e'sbecoming a ngr ier  by t hem inute ; he al son eedsonly a target. Bu t t h e re 's nothing, n o  on e."
"Sh o uld we  bri ng
"I love_this place."_Josie let her glance_sweep Amanda_Pothmore's_office once_more._"All these oddball_things. Every piece_is choice. I don't_see how it_works,_but it does."

Amanda smiled, idly picking up a pencil from her desk. "I fell_in_love with_one_item_at a time. But it_does work, doesn't it? Good_fortune, I_suspect." Amanda laid the pencil down, then looked_up._"But that's enough_of that. Tell me about Brad."

Josie did. Amanda leaned_forward over the desk. When Josie_finished, Amanda said,_"It_seems_a bit messy all_in all. He called this morning,_but you paint a darker picture._Tell me more."

"He must be both afraid_and angry. But he doesn't show_it." Josie paused, thinking. "He_seems more_puzzled and confused than anything_else."

Amanda nodded. "His_father showed_him anger is_futile, that it blocks clear thinking_and can lead_to costly errors. Confusion is the_response_I'd expect from_him."

"Remember_when_you teased_me about his_being_cuddly and_I_said like a bear?"

"Yes," Amanda replied,_puzzled.

She_hesitated, searching for words. "He's as dangerous_as I thought, but_there's_more. And I can't_put it into words."

Amanda looked_at her sharply. "Try," she demanded.

Josie_toyed with_her hair_for some time. Finally, she said, "It's as if he's waiting."

"I_don't think I understand."

"I'm not sure_I do either." She_looked at_her_hands lying face_up_in her_lap. "He seems lost, vulnerable somehow. He's_a study_in contradiction." Looking up, she continued,_"I think if he_knew_who, he'd move and no one_could stop him."

"Yes. I would expect_him to take harsh action,_given_a_target," Amanda said softly, toying_with the pencil. When she laid_it down, she_looked up and asked, "Is there anything_else_we can do?"

"I've some things to_check._Sgt. Walters is doing everything he_can._But_he's becoming angrier by the_minute; he also needs only a_target. But there's nothing, no one."

"Should we bring