“There’s such a thing as cell phones, you know. I’m sure he hasn’t gone to the moon.” Brent put two sugars into his cup. “What’s the big deal?”

“Nothing,” Jeremiah told him. “I just think it’s odd that he isn’t here for two days. He’s in charge of all this. This is his show. Is he on vacation or something?”

Brent shook his head and took a sip of his coffee. “I doubt it,” he said with some consideration. “I doubt he’s taken a vacation day in ten years. He’s probably just busy.”

Jeremiah leaned back against the counter and stared at Brent. “Do you think he’s sick or something?”

“I don’t know, maybe.” If Brent knew anything at all he showed no indication of it.

“He’s been acting strange lately,” Jeremiah said.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, like he’s nervous or something, like he’s got something on his mind.”

“He’s got a lot on his mind,” Brent said. “He’s in charge of this whole thing, remember.”

“What if there’s a problem we don’t know about?”

“You’re imagining things.”

“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think something’s wrong. And I’m starting to wonder if there’s anything I should know. Do you know anything?”

“Nothing, Jeremiah. Calm down. You’re reading too much into things that don’t matter. It seems like you’re the one with the problem.”

“Easy for you to say. Sorry, Brent, but you don’t have as much at stake as I do. And you’re not trapped in this room all day. If something’s going on, if something happened, I just think someone should let me know.”

“What do you think happened?”

“I don’t know. Maybe someone from the outside found out what we’re doing and we’re all going to jail? Maybe he’s lost funding and has to put the brakes on the whole thing? How do I know? No one tells me anything around here. I’m asking you.”

“And I’m telling you there’s nothing to worry about. If it were something like that, I would be told. Now, come on. The viewing’s about to start.”

“Would you tell me? If something happened?”

“Yes,” Brent said with an exaggerated sigh. “I’d tell you. Now can we get settled before the monitor comes on?” He walked into the living room, and Jeremiah followed him, satisfied that Brent didn’t know anything about Scott’s illness. At least, he thought, that meant Brent wasn’t in on it.

“I almost forgot,” Brent said before taking his usual spot on the couch. “I brought us something.” He unzipped his backpack and produced a white paper bag holding two absolutely mammoth chocolate-covered doughnuts. “Smuggled in something decent to eat.”

“Pike’s going to hand you your head if he finds out about this.” Jeremiah took almost half the thing in the first bite. “He’s all over me about my weight.”

“I think it’s definitely a risk worth taking. Maybe it’s the diet that’s making you all weird. Sit down, we have a show to watch.”