It was funny, he thought, the way Travis’s words were affecting him. He’d planned on skipping the tryouts. He and Naomi were going to run their test on the cloud chamber on Saturday morning, now that the long-awaited package of dry ice had arrived.

But hearing Travis’s words had changed that. Nate figured Naomi would understand if he put their science fair work off till later that afternoon so he could go to the ball field first. There was no way he was going to miss those tryouts.

Twenty-Two

NATE WAS THROWING BASEBALLS AT THE MATTRESS when Officer Scruggs pulled up. “My mom’s in town,” he called out.

He didn’t add what she was doing there: trying to hold off Sam Carter, who was on the verge of foreclosing on their farm.

“I didn’t come to see your mother,” the policeman said. “Actually, it’s you and your sister I was looking for. I thought we could have a talk.”

“What about?” Nate hurled the ball at the strike zone. He was off by a mile.

“Why don’t you come sit in the patrol car with me?” Officer Scruggs said. “Have a chat. You want a stick of gum?”

“No thanks.”

“I may be an old guy,” Officer Scruggs said, “but I still remember how my folks could drive me crazy sometimes, growing up. My mom in particular. Not that I didn’t love her to death, of course. But you know how it is with mothers.”

“Not really.”

They got into the car. The motor was running, to keep the heat on, and from the radio came the scratchy voice of the dispatcher, talking about a detour on Route 46 and someone’s pig on the loose out by the old Turner place.

“I know you love your mom, Nathan,” the officer started out. “And you wouldn’t want to tell us anything that you’d think might get her in trouble. You might even feel like you have to keep certain things secret from me.”

“I don’t have any secrets,” Nate said. “My mom doesn’t have anything to hide.”

“Still, it would be understandable, given what your dad was going through, if your mother felt frustrated and impatient sometimes. Anyone could understand that. Anyone could lose their temper at a person now and then.”

“I guess,” Nate said. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Your dad sounds like a very interesting and unusual individual,” Officer Scruggs went on. “But no doubt, it wasn’t always easy living with him. I bet even you got a little put out with his ways once in a while yourself.”

“No.”

Officer Scruggs looked frustrated. He flipped through his notes, as if he was trying to think of what a detective on TV might say.

“According to your hired man here, your parents argued on occasion. That would be accurate, am I right?”

“Not much,” Nate said. “Nothing big.”