“So, if that was rainwater on your floor, he exited the premises before midnight.” He wrote something in his book. Then he looked down at the floor and coughed. “Did you notice anything, Mrs. Janes? Footprints? Any signs someone came into your home?”

“Nothing,” she said. She shook her head for a long time. “Other than the dog’s. Mud from his paws. I cleaned it up. The water. I shouldn’t have done that? I should have left it?” Her voice went funny. She started to cry again. Then she waved at me. “Bids?”

I looked at the floor in front of the door. I had to remember it good. It was wide open this morning. Gloria’s hand didn’t flick the black switch last night to lock out Rowan. And lock out the wolves. She was upstairs gone to bed. She didn’t put Rowan outside. I was sleeping in Telly’s chair. I had root beer before and the bubbles tickled my chin. There was a big mess this morning. The water was all spread out and slippery. Chicken made muddy paw prints. Gloria was angry about the floor. But not too angry.

I nodded. My head felt worse and worse. Like my brain was in a radio and the songs weren’t playing right. I was trying to push the pictures in there and make them stay. “It was messy. From Chicken. Chicken can be a very bad dog.”

I let go of Chicken’s collar. He went right over to the man. The man rubbed Chicken’s head and Chicken’s tail bumped. Then he looked at me and smiled. “I’m sure he can be a very good dog, too.”

Gloria hiccuped from all the crying. “I’m beside myself, Mr. Um. Detective. Just out of my mind with worry.”

“Has he done this sort of thing before? Gone out overnight?”

Gloria tucked her head down and started crying loud. “No, never.” She sounded all sloshy. “He’s a wonderful boy. A wonderful son.” Telly put his head low too. He was smoothing her back. “What type of child would go out in that weather?”

“I’m sorry,” the man said. “I know this is difficult. But it’s not uncommon, you know. Teens, especially, like to startle their parents. Keep us on our toes.”

“We already searched the house,” she said. “Searched the shed, and Telly went through the woods as best he could. No sign.”

“Friends? Neighbors? Someone he might want to meet? A girl, maybe? Or people he might seek out if he were upset.”

I swallowed. Inside my head I heard Carl whisper Little Fawn. Like he was right next to me.