Finally, Ranger Brock began putting on his uniform shirt. “They’re organizing the search just down the road from here. Sergeant Martin is there and he’s asked me to help.” He began buttoning up his shirt. “I’ll understand if you guys don’t want to join in.”

“Maria has been a pain in the ass,” Harlan said.

Argus nodded in agreement. “It’s pretty hard to help her when she was out there trying to destroy our lives.”

“If that’s what you want,” the ranger said, putting on a dark-green sweater that Phyllis had brought from the bedroom.

Just then Tora stood up. “This isn’t about Maria. She’s a mean little snake of a girl who doesn’t deserve our help, but if we did help it wouldn’t be for Maria, it would be for her sister.”

“I never said I wouldn’t help,” Harlan pointed out.

“Neither did I,” echoed Argus.

“I just said she’s a pain in the ass.”

“I think we’re all in agreement on that,” said Tora.

“Me too,” Noble said, struggling to get into a sitting position and managing to get his feet over the edge of his bed.

The ranger shook his head. “I think you’re going to have to sit this one out, Noble.”

“I can do it,” he said, in a voice that was still as raspy as sandpaper on stone.

“I’m sure you can,” the ranger said. “It’s just that…” His voice trailed away.

But Argus was there to pick up where the ranger left off. “It’s just that…the situation is bad enough already. We don’t need you scaring anyone half to death.”

“But I’m feeling better,” Noble said. “How bad can it be?”

Phyllis stepped into the room then with a mirror in her hand. She held it up in front of Noble so he could see his reflection. The left half of his face was covered in fur, the right half was not. Two lower teeth extended out past his lips halfway to his eyes, and his nose was big, black, and moist.

“Never mind,” Noble said, lying back down on his bed. He pulled the covers over his shoulders and said, “Good luck.”

“Right,” said the ranger with a nod. “Get ready. We’re leaving in five minutes.”

* * *

Sergeant Martin had parked his 4 × 4 at the crossroads. The flashing lights atop the vehicle were on so people wanting to help with the search would know where to meet.

When the Brocks pulled up in their family car, the first thing that struck Tora was how few people there were. There couldn’t have been more than twenty people there, all looking cold and miserable, like they wanted it to be over already.

“Where is everybody?” Harlan asked.

“It’s late,” replied the ranger, obviously making excuses for the people of Redstone. “And the search isn’t supposed to really get started until daylight.”