him.”
Cooper’s throat burned. No words came.
The firefighter seemed to understand. “After we get the flyers on the truck we’ll drive around town a bit. Make sure people see it.”
Cooper nodded and headed out with Hiro at his side. He glanced back. The guys were already taping flyers to their trucks.
Lunk had already covered the gas station. Every pump had a flyer by the gas nozzle. He was waiting outside when Cooper and Hiro wheeled in to Frank’n Stein’s parking lot.
The three of them walked in together. The smell of fries, Italian beef, and Chicago-style hotdogs greeted Cooper like an old friend. Normally he’d be walking in here with Gordy. This time he carried a stack of his pictures in his backpack.
For an instant he thought about the index card in his pocket and wondered if he’d ever get the chance to use it.
Don’t go there, Cooper. Do not go there.
CHAPTER 12
T he Frank’n Stein’s monster mascot stood near the window, just like always, holding a hotdog in one hand and a monster shake in the other. Cooper wished everything could stay the same, just like that mannequin. Even the picture of Frank Mustacci and former co-owner Joseph Stein still hung on the wall. Now that was one thing Cooper wished Frank would pull down and burn—especially since Stein had been behind the robbery and everything that happened last fall.
Frank greeted them at the ordering counter.
“I am
so
sorry to hear about Gordon.”
There was nobody like Frank Mustacci. He’d known them forever. And not just because Hiro’s mom used to work for him. It was just the way he was.
“Neal already gave me flyers.” He pointed to Lunk. “We even put one up at the drive-thru.”
Cooper wouldn’t have thought of that.
“I’m just sick about this.” Frank wiped his hands on his white apron. “You kids grab a table. I’ll bring something out.”
“I’m starving,” Cooper said. “I’m going to get more than the usual shake and fries.” Cooper dug in his pocket for some money, but Frank held up his hand. “The way I see it, you’re working aspart of the search party—and I can afford to help fuel you with food.”
Gordy would have loved that.
Cooper led the way to the big booth in the back. The one they always sat at.
“Nice coverage with the flyers, Lunk. That ought to attract attention.”
Lunk nodded. “Now if only somebody would call in with a tip.”
The hotline number went directly to the police station. Cooper checked the time: 4:30. Just yesterday the four of them were talking about going to Walmart after dinner. Now one of them was gone. He hoped somebody had already called in with a tip.
Lunk slapped his handful of flyers on the table. Cooper added what he had left of his stack to the neon-yellow pile and gave them a quick count. Twenty-four left.
The side door to the kitchen opened, and Frank walked through holding a tray.
“Here we go. A large cola.” he nodded to Lunk. He handed the bottle of water to Hiro. “And for Cooper, a chocolate monster shake. A couple of large fries for you boys. I’ll be back with some dogs in a minute.”
He even knew what they would have ordered. Amazing. Frank scooted into the kitchen before Cooper could give him a decent thank-you.
Cooper filled several little paper cups with ketchup and brought them back to the table. The fries drew him like a magnet, and he downed a handful while he poked a straw through the plastic lid of his shake.
Hiro twisted the cap off her water and took a sip. “So where do we go from here?”
That
was
the question. For the last hour or so, Cooper felt like he had direction. Purpose. But with the flyers almost gone, fear filled the void.
Cooper tapped the stack of flyers. “Get the rest of these posted.I was thinking of taping them to mailboxes along the route the minivan took.”
Hiro nodded. “We can do that on our way home. Have you checked your phone?”
Cooper dug it out of his pocket and laid it on the table.
Cooper’s throat burned. No words came.
The firefighter seemed to understand. “After we get the flyers on the truck we’ll drive around town a bit. Make sure people see it.”
Cooper nodded and headed out with Hiro at his side. He glanced back. The guys were already taping flyers to their trucks.
Lunk had already covered the gas station. Every pump had a flyer by the gas nozzle. He was waiting outside when Cooper and Hiro wheeled in to Frank’n Stein’s parking lot.
The three of them walked in together. The smell of fries, Italian beef, and Chicago-style hotdogs greeted Cooper like an old friend. Normally he’d be walking in here with Gordy. This time he carried a stack of his pictures in his backpack.
For an instant he thought about the index card in his pocket and wondered if he’d ever get the chance to use it.
Don’t go there, Cooper. Do not go there.
CHAPTER 12
T he Frank’n Stein’s monster mascot stood near the window, just like always, holding a hotdog in one hand and a monster shake in the other. Cooper wished everything could stay the same, just like that mannequin. Even the picture of Frank Mustacci and former co-owner Joseph Stein still hung on the wall. Now that was one thing Cooper wished Frank would pull down and burn—especially since Stein had been behind the robbery and everything that happened last fall.
Frank greeted them at the ordering counter.
“I am
so
sorry to hear about Gordon.”
There was nobody like Frank Mustacci. He’d known them forever. And not just because Hiro’s mom used to work for him. It was just the way he was.
“Neal already gave me flyers.” He pointed to Lunk. “We even put one up at the drive-thru.”
Cooper wouldn’t have thought of that.
“I’m just sick about this.” Frank wiped his hands on his white apron. “You kids grab a table. I’ll bring something out.”
“I’m starving,” Cooper said. “I’m going to get more than the usual shake and fries.” Cooper dug in his pocket for some money, but Frank held up his hand. “The way I see it, you’re working aspart of the search party—and I can afford to help fuel you with food.”
Gordy would have loved that.
Cooper led the way to the big booth in the back. The one they always sat at.
“Nice coverage with the flyers, Lunk. That ought to attract attention.”
Lunk nodded. “Now if only somebody would call in with a tip.”
The hotline number went directly to the police station. Cooper checked the time: 4:30. Just yesterday the four of them were talking about going to Walmart after dinner. Now one of them was gone. He hoped somebody had already called in with a tip.
Lunk slapped his handful of flyers on the table. Cooper added what he had left of his stack to the neon-yellow pile and gave them a quick count. Twenty-four left.
The side door to the kitchen opened, and Frank walked through holding a tray.
“Here we go. A large cola.” he nodded to Lunk. He handed the bottle of water to Hiro. “And for Cooper, a chocolate monster shake. A couple of large fries for you boys. I’ll be back with some dogs in a minute.”
He even knew what they would have ordered. Amazing. Frank scooted into the kitchen before Cooper could give him a decent thank-you.
Cooper filled several little paper cups with ketchup and brought them back to the table. The fries drew him like a magnet, and he downed a handful while he poked a straw through the plastic lid of his shake.
Hiro twisted the cap off her water and took a sip. “So where do we go from here?”
That
was
the question. For the last hour or so, Cooper felt like he had direction. Purpose. But with the flyers almost gone, fear filled the void.
Cooper tapped the stack of flyers. “Get the rest of these posted.I was thinking of taping them to mailboxes along the route the minivan took.”
Hiro nodded. “We can do that on our way home. Have you checked your phone?”
Cooper dug it out of his pocket and laid it on the table.
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