Missing Pieces (16 page)

Chapter 67

Jeff’s mom talked with Mom
in the kitchen while Jeff sat on the couch and pushed a Cubs cap back on his head. If it had been anybody else, I would have hated “being talked to,” but I knew what Jeff had been through and that he was just trying to help.

“The hardest part of being sick is not knowing,” Jeff said. “I felt bad for a long time before the doctor finally found the tumor.”

“But doesn’t your treatment hurt?”

“Yeah, it’s a bummer to lose your hair and feel like you want to throw up all the time. But at least I know what I’m fighting. From what Bryce said, your doctor doesn’t really know what to do.”

“Right. But God’s in control.”

Jeff smiled. “But that doesn’t mean everything’s okay.” He leaned forward. “A lot of people say that to me, and I could just scream. God has been with me through this whole thing, but I don’t know how much longer I have. It may be a few years, a few months, or I could totally beat this. Do you know how that makes me feel every day?”

“Scared.”

“Bingo. God even uses the times I’m scared to bring me closer to him. Just being here now to talk with you proves that. He’s given me another chance to help somebody because of the stuff I’ve been through.”

“So what would you do if you were me?”

He shrugged. “Let yourself be scared. Tell God everything you’re feeling. Talk to other people too. That’s helped me a lot.”

Jeff’s mom came back into the room and said they had to go. I hugged Jeff and thanked him.

As soon as they pulled out, Frodo’s ears perked up and Pippin started growling. Mom was out of her chair and to the front door in a flash. It was neat that she cared so much for Leigh, but I have to admit that I was a little jealous.

Leigh walked in all smiles, waving a white sheet of paper.

“You didn’t hit anything?” I said, then regretted it.

Leigh shrugged it off and asked Mom if she could take her to get her license tomorrow.

“We can go right after school,” Mom said. “If we’re not back, you’ll be okay, won’t you, Ashley?”

“Me and the other latchkey kid will be fine,” I said.

“Thanks, Dad,” Leigh said. She hugged him and skipped up the stairs.

Dylan came out of Bryce’s room, and Leigh picked him up and twirled him around. “I passed my driver’s test!” she shouted. “I have to call Randy!”

“He’s not home,” Bryce said. “I talked with Derek a few minutes ago. Randy’s at softball practice and won’t be back until late.”

Bryce glanced at me, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

Chapter 68

The next morning I hit the Rewind button
on my surveillance tape and went downstairs to grab a bowl of cereal. When I got back, I turned on the monitor. The picture showed the camera was lying in the grass on its side. A tree blocked the view of the mailbox.

I slammed my cereal bowl down. I wanted to scream, but Dylan was still asleep.

I pushed the Play button and saw the whole video was shot from the grass. I ran outside and inspected the line running from the house to the camera. It looked as if someone had tripped over it, which would have yanked the camera to the ground. Dylan had been running outside the evening before. Maybe I couldn’t blame Randy for this.

It was getting close to school time, so I pushed Play, then held down the Fast Forward button. Everything was black, but I noticed a blip on the screen at about midnight and returned to normal speed.

The sound was muffled, but I heard a vehicle pass, turn around, and come back. I bet it was Randy’s truck.

Then it happened. Someone whooped, then a whack, and a guy yelped and cursed. The voice sounded familiar. Was it Randy? I’d certainly never heard him use those words before.

Then the truck peeled out and raced away. My camera would have been in perfect position to capture the license plate—if it hadn’t been on the ground.

I got dressed and came down to find Ashley eating breakfast.

“They came back last night,” I said.

“Great! You got them on tape?”

I shook my head. “Dylan must have knocked it off. I got them swearing when they hit the box, but you can’t see anything.”

I hurried out to the mailbox where I noticed a dent in one side. I couldn’t imagine what it must have felt like to hit concrete with a bat.

On the ground lay a splinter of wood with blotchy lettering on the side. So Randy had graduated from aluminum to wood.

Chapter 69

The doctor still hadn’t called
by the time Bryce and I left for school. I told Mom I’d call her at lunch to find out what he said.

As if enough wasn’t going on in my life, I had a test in Ancient Civilizations and got the Mayans and the Romans mixed up.

At lunch Mrs. Garcia thanked me for what I was doing. “It’s enough that someone believes me. I never thought anyone would.”

“If you’re right, we’re going to find Danielle,” I said. “Is there any chance your babysitter’s name was Zulauf and not Zoloff?”

She shrugged. “I’m not too good with names.”

Bryce came up as I walked to the phone. “I just heard some mailboxes near town were smashed last night.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Talk to Mom yet?”

I shook my head.

“Use my cell,” he said.

I dialed and my hands shook.

“I’m worried about Leigh,” Bryce said. “If she knew her boyfriend was—”

I raised a hand as Mom picked up the phone. I just wanted the facts. (Actually, I didn’t want to hear anything but that the doctor couldn’t find anything wrong with me.)

“Bottom line,” Mom said, “the doctor still doesn’t like what he sees. He’s considering other options. Another change of medicine. Blood tests. That kind of thing.”

I didn’t want to cry, but I couldn’t help it. Bryce, who didn’t usually do this kind of thing, put an arm around me.

“I hate this,” I whispered. “I wouldn’t wish this on Boo Heckler.”

“Might be an improvement for him,” Bryce said, and I had to smile.

My biggest fear was that I would never grow out of this. Jeff’s words came back to me as I whispered a prayer.

Chapter 70

Leigh showed off her license
that evening, though the picture looked like one of those wanted criminals you see on TV. “Can I drive over and show Randy?”

Mom said she could, and Leigh bounded up the stairs to get ready.

I cornered Mom. “You sure you want to let her go to his house?”

“It’s not that far, Bryce.”

“I don’t mean the driving. . . .” I hadn’t told Mom what I suspected, so I caught Leigh as she headed out the door.

“You might not want to spend so much time with Randy,” I said.

She slowed and glared at me. “Why?”

I followed her onto the porch. “He might be mixed up in something bad.”

“Like what?”

“I can’t say.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“How could you know if I know what I’m talking about if you don’t even know what I’m talking about?”

She stared at me. “What?”

“I have proof,” I said, but she jumped in the car and drove away.