“Recovery efforts?” Gloria said. “When it should be search efforts. You should be searching instead of splashing around in some lake. You’re not trying to find my son.” She folded her arms over her chest.

The man looked at the police officer and said, “Our men have been working day and night, but after some consultation, the dive team has suspended the search.”

“I told you he’s not in there.”

“Ma’am. The conditions are too difficult. We’re truly sorry. We wanted nothing more than to bring your boy home to you.”

Gloria sat in her rocking chair. She put her hands on her knees. “Where’s Telly? Is he coming? You need to tell him about this. He needs to know you decided to give up.”

The man looked at the police officer again. “He’s been informed. We’ve spoken with him already.”

“Already? So he’s not coming over? I need to talk to him.”

“I don’t believe so, Mrs. Janes. And I wouldn’t advise you try to get in touch, given our conversation a few nights ago. If he wants to contact you, he knows where you are.”

“I need to tell Telly it’s all lies. Until someone puts his body right in my arms, I won’t believe it. I’m not giving up hope on my family, even though you police people already have. How can you?”

“Mrs. Janes—”

“Go!” she yelled. Tears went down her face, and she pointed her finger. “You’ve done nothing to help. Get off my step.”

“Of course,” the man said. “We’ll respect your privacy.”

Gloria pulled me on her lap and squeezed me for a long time. Her back was shaking bad. “What am I going to do now, Bids? What am I going to do?” I leaned on her shoulder and closed my eyes. In my head I could see the men swimming around and around until they climbed out of the water and went home. Rowan always was the best at hide-and-seek. Even when he was dead.

ROWAN

I am under the bridge. I float away. I am under the bridge. I float away.

Let me go home. Please let me go home.

Footsteps come closer, then stop. A soft snap. Of wood? Of metal? A breeze across my face.

Carl said it before. Stan is watching you. Stan is watching you now.

I can feel him standing over me. Staring down at me. I swallow. My mouth is so dry.

I slide my hand up, cover my head. My hair is crusted. Tin foil hat is gone. Carl made it because Dot insisted. To keep good thoughts in.

Carl?

I peer through slit eyes. But there is only darkness. A constant wind drones and clicks.

I want to keep the good thoughts in. I do.

And then I can hear Gloria. She is still talking on TV.