Chapter 12

Lyle passed a round of benches that faced the fountain everywhere except where the walkways cut through them and then a ring of gardens that did the same thing. For some reason, the concept of circles within circles within circles within yet more circles made him feel uneasy. He knew it was a very old and unreasonable part of his psyche that was sending images of witchcraft and unearthly beings through his mind; he was even in control of himself enough to know that the off sensation he was feeling had nothing to do with park circles but the atmosphere itself. And stillthe idea made him nervous. For a moment, the other side of him recalled a nonsensical story of airlines and secret passages, and the unease that had been meandering through him flared into something more derailing.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.”