Bee 🐝 Bees

“He picked up a lightly varnished violin and held it up to the light. “This one has had the first ground layer applied. See, I’ll share a secret with you—one I learned from a master craftsman in Vermont.” She came closer at his urging. “The secret is in the ground coat of varnish. It must be mixed with minerals, such as silica and alumina. And then the subsequent coats of walnut and linseed oil must be sun-thickened.” He pointed to a row of glass jars filled with amber oils lining the windowsill.”
― Charlene Whitman, Colorado Dream

“The usual stuff. School, homework, I don’t remember everything.” Theo had watched enough trials to know that answers should often be kept vague, and that “I don’t recall” and “I don’t remember” were perfectly acceptable in many instances. “Did you chat online?” the detective asked. “No, sir, not last night. Just phone.” They often used Facebook and text messages, but Theo knew not to volunteer information. Just answer the question in front of you. He’d heard his mother say this to her clients many times. “Any sign of a break-in?” Mr. Boone asked. “None,” said Bolick. “Mrs. Finnemore was sound asleep in the downstairs bedroom, she heard nothing, and at some point she got up to check on April. That’s when she realized she was gone.” Theo looked at Mrs. Finnemore, who again shot him a fierce look. He knew the truth, and she knew he knew the truth. Trouble was, Theo couldn’t tell the truth because he’d made a promise to April.”
― John Grisham, Theodore Boone: The Abduction

“April confided in Theo, and told him things he vowed to never repeat. The Finnemore home was owned by someone else, a rental house April hated because her parents had no interest in maintaining it. It was in an older section of Strattenburg, on a shady street lined with other postwar homes that had seen better days. Theo had been there only one time, for a less-than-successful birthday party April’s mother had thrown together two years earlier. Most of the kids who’d been invited did not attend because their parents wouldn’t allow it. Such was the Finnemore family reputation. There were two police cars in the driveway when the Boones arrived. Across the street, the neighbors were on their porches, watching.”
― John Grisham, Theodore Boone: The Abduction

“The abduction of April Finnemore took place in the dead of night, sometime between 9:15 p.m., when she last spoke with Theo Boone, and 3:30 a.m., when her mother entered her bedroom and realized she was gone. The abduction appeared to have been rushed; whoever took April did not allow her to gather her things. Her laptop was left behind. Though her bedroom was fairly neat, there was some clothing strewn about, which made it difficult to determine if she had been able to pack. Probably not, the police thought. Her toothbrush was still by the sink. Her backpack was by her bed. Her pajamas were on the floor, so she at least had been allowed to change. Her mother, when she wasn’t crying or ranting, told the police that her daughter’s favorite blue-and-white sweater was not in the closet. And April’s favorite sneakers were gone, too.”
― John Grisham, Theodore Boone: The Abduction