Karen leaned forward a fraction of an inch. “Don’t call him ‘the kid.’ His name is Toby.”

Peter spread his hands and nodded and stared off into space some more.

At fourteen minutes after four Karen’s orange and white cat came out of the hall, walked across the living room, and sniffed at Peter. Peter reached down to pet it, then thought better of it and drew back his hand. Guess the scratches hadn’t healed from before.

At twenty-two minutes after four Karen looked at her watch, then at the Early American clock, then frowned. Toby should’ve been home.

At twenty-eight minutes after four Peter put his hands on his knees and stood up and said, “What the hell is this? Is the boy coming or not?”

Karen stood up with him and her nostrils were tight. “He’s having a hard time, Peter. He was nervous about meeting you. He didn’t sleep well and he’s scared.”

“What’d you tell him about me, that I eat rat turds?”

Karen made a hissing sound and went into the kitchen and picked up the phone. “I’ll call the school.”

Peter walked around in a little circle, then sat down again. Dani put a hand on his shoulder.

Six minutes later Karen came out, worried. “They said he left forty-five minutes ago.”

I said, “How long is the ride from school?”

“No more than ten minutes.”

Peter said, “Jesus Christ, you think he ran away?”

Karen got her purse and her keys from the hutch in the dining room and went to the front door without saying anything. I got up with her, looking at Pike. “I’ll go with her. You hang here.”

Pike nodded, the black lenses moving just enough to catch the light.

Peter said, “Hey, I’ll come, too.”

Karen said, “No,” and when Peter started to get up, Pike gently pushed him back down. “Not this time.”

Peter said, “Hey,” and tried to get up again, but Pike kept him in the chair, standing so close that Peter couldn’t get the leverage to rise. Peter said, “What in hell you doing?”

Dani stood and took a step forward, but I shook my head once and she stopped. Pike leaned down close to Peter, Pike’s face maybe six inches from his, letting Peter stare into the glasses, and said, “It’s better if she goes without you.” Pike’s voice was soft and even.

Peter squinted into the dark and stopped trying to get up. “Sure.”

Karen was already climbing into the LeBaron when I got out the front door. Her back was stiff and her jaw was tight and she overcranked the engine, grinding the starter gears.