Her touch made the pain in his body ease and his fear of sleep’s approach lessen. He knew the risk of what he was doing, but he couldn’t help himself. “Okay.”
“Put your arms around me, please.”
He did as she asked, drawing her close, and all the space between them disappeared.
Old Bob crossed the grassy expanse of Sinnissippi Park, heading straight for the pavilion and the crowd, his shoulders squared, his big face intense. Nest’s friends struggled to keep up with him, whispering among themselves as they marked the determination in his long strides. Someone was gonna get it now, he heard the Heppler boy declare gleefully. He ignored the remark, his brow furrowed, his eyes troubled. Something wasn’t right about all this. That Nest was missing was reason enough all by itself for concern, but this business about poisoning trees suggested a depth to the matter that he knew he didn’t begin to understand. Nor did he like the fact that a bunch of older boys were involved. But mostly there was the look in Evelyn’s eyes. Behind the worry and fear for the safety of their granddaughter, Old Bob had seen something else. Evelyn knew something about this, something that transcended the boundaries of his own knowledge. Another secret perhaps, or maybe just a suspicion. But the look was unmistakable.
He crossed the parking lot fronting the pavilion and slowed as he approached the crowd. The band was still playing and couples still danced beneath the colored lanterns and bunting. The humid night air was filled with the bright, clear sounds of laughter and conversation. He glanced over his shoulder for Nest’s friends, then waited for them to catch up.
“Which one is Danny Abbott?” he asked.
They glanced about without answering. His heart tightened in his chest. If the boy had gone home, he was in trouble.
Then Brianna Brown said, “There he is.”
She was pointing at a good-looking boy with dark hair and big shoulders standing in the shadows just beyond the tables where the soft drinks and lemonade were served. Some other boys were with him, and all of them were talking and joking with a pair of young girls dressed in cutoffs and halter tops.
Old Bob took a deep breath. “Stay here,” he said, and started forward.
He was right on top of Danny Abbott before the boy saw him. He smiled when Danny turned and put a friendly arm about his shoulder, drawing him close, holding him fast.
“Danny, I’m Robert Freemark, Nest’s grandfather.” He saw frightened recognition flood the boy’s eyes. “Now, I don’t want to waste any time on this, so I would appreciate a quick answer. Where is my granddaughter?”
Danny Abbott tried to back away, but Old Bob kept a tight hold on him, taking a quick measure of his friends to see if any of them meant trouble. No one looked anxious to get involved. The girls were already moving away. The boys looked eager to follow. “You gentlemen stick around a minute, please,” he ordered, freezing them in their tracks.
“Mr. Freemark, I don’t know what …” Danny Abbott began.
Old Bob moved his hand to the back of Danny’s neck and squeezed hard enough to make the boy wince. “That’s a bad beginning, son,” he said quietly. “I know your father, Ed. Know your mother, too. They’re good people. They wouldn’t appreciate finding out that their son is a liar. Not to mention a few other things. So let’s get this over with before I lose my temper. Where is Nest?”
“It was just a joke,” one of the other boys mumbled, hands digging in his jeans pockets, eyes shifting away.
“Shut up, Pete!” Danny Abbott hissed furiously, the words out of his mouth before he could think better of them. Then he saw the look on Old Bob’s face and went pale.
“One more chance, Danny,” Old Bob told him softly. “Give me a straight answer and we’ll put this behind us. No calls to your parents, nothing more between you and me. Otherwise, the next stop for both of us is the police station. And I will press charges. Are we clear on this?”