Two men wearing police clothes came up on the deck. They talked and the fox-tie man nodded. Telly put his hands on his head and kicked air with his feet. “Jesus,” he said loud. “I feel like I’m going crazy.” A bunch of people got in their cars and drove away slow. Their tires left lines in the muck. Telly hugged Gloria and said, “They’re giving up. Already, Glow. Some of them are giving up.”

“They’re not, Telly.”

“Well, I’m going back in.”

“Mr. Janes,” the fox-tie man said.

“I don’t care what you say. I won’t stop until I’ve turned over every leaf in those goddamned woods. I’ll call up a few fellows from the garage. They’ll come out. We got to try again.”

I looked at the trees. Branches were going up and down and making a shush noise. There were lots of dark spots. Rowan could be hiding anywhere. Rowan and Carl and Girl.

Then I heard a terrible loud sound up in the sky. A helicopter was driving overhead. Telly and Gloria pointed at it, but I put my hands over my ears and pushed. It was trying to find Rowan, I knew, but the sound hurt my head. All I could think of was the top of the helicopter swinging around so fast I couldn’t even see it. Fast enough to slice me up. Or slice up Rowan if he got too close.

I ran inside and through the kitchen and into the hall. I jumped when I saw Mrs. Spooner. She was standing on the other side of the screen holding a huge plastic plate heaped up with sandwiches on fluffy white bread. They were all cut in fours. I looked quick at the middles. Egg salad and ham and cheese and tuna and some other pink stuff I couldn’t guess. My mouth started to water. Rowan would eat all those tuna ones if he could. He loved tuna. He said Gran always made him tuna on toast with melted cheese. Gloria never bought it because she didn’t want her kitchen stinking of fish.

I took my hands off my ears because Mrs. Spooner’s mouth was moving.

“I said awful racket, isn’t it?”

I nodded, but the helicopter was driving away. Getting quiet.

“Might I come in?” She sad-smiled at me.

I looked behind me and couldn’t see Gloria. I didn’t know if I should open the door. My head was getting floaty.

“Oh, I won’t be but a minute. I just want to drop these.” The sandwiches. “My arms are near gone.”

“Who’s that, Maisy?” Gloria called out from the kitchen.

“Mrs. Spooner,” I called back.

“Well, let her in.” Gloria came into the hallway. “Don’t just stand there gawking at the poor woman. Where’re your manners?”