It was later than she thought, she realized, too late to go back to the bake sale. She had ignored Chris’s calls to her cell phone and they’d finally stopped. There was no way she could tell her what had happened to Mimi—word would have spread like wildfire and impeded the police investigation—and she hadn’t had the energy to think up a plausible lie. Now it was almost one and time for her to head over to the high school to pick up Sara and Sassie.

From the honking procession of cars, with screaming teens leaning out the windows waving streamers in the school colors, and the boisterous attitude of the players and cheerleaders who tumbled out of the two yellow school buses when they arrived in the parking lot, it was obvious the Tinker’s Cove Warriors had carried the day.

She found herself smiling as Sara and Sassie skipped across the asphalt, shaking their pom-poms.

“I guess the Warriors won,” she said, as they slid into the backseat.

“Even the JV team,” announced Sara.

“Wow.” Lucy was amazed. Wins were few and far between for the Warriors and she couldn’t remember when the JV team had won a game. Their losing record had assumed legendary proportions.

“You had a good time?” asked Lucy, starting the car.

“It was awesome, Mom. Awesome.”

Sara’s enthusiasm was almost enough to make Lucy forget the terrible scene she’d witnessed at the Stanton house—until she spied Tommy Stanton, standing quite alone on the sidewalk, obviously looking for his ride. A ride she doubted would be coming.

“Who picks up Tommy?” she asked the girls.

“His mom. Sometimes his dad.”

Lucy knew that Mimi wouldn’t be coming, for sure, and she suspected that Fred was otherwise occupied. She’d have to give the kid a lift, it was only decent. She drove over and stopped in front of him, leaning out the window. “We’re headed your way—want a ride?”

Tommy looked around at the rapidly emptying parking lot. “Sure.” He ducked into the front seat. “Thanks.”

“I hear your team had a big win,” said Lucy. In the backseat the girls giggled.

“Yeah.” Tommy nodded proudly. “I made a forty-yard run.”

“All that running’s paying off,” said Lucy, her heart aching for him.

“Yeah.” He couldn’t stop smiling. “Did you see Mikey Meehan’s touchdown?” he asked, turning around to face the girls.

“Sorry. We didn’t watch the JV game,” said Sassie. “You guys never win.”

“We did today,” he said, practically singing.

“Maybe we’ll watch next time,” said Sara, erupting into giggles.

Lucy was tempted to delay the return to Prudence Path. “You guys want to stop for some ice cream or something?” she asked.

“Thanks, but I’ve got to get changed and get to my job,” said Tommy. “I’m a bagger at Marzetti’s.”