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Authors: Jerry B. Jenkins, Chris Fabry
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pickup. Had one of those toolbox things in the back.”
“Did you see anybody?”
“A guy in a hard hat went to the door, but of course no one was home. He carried something back to his truck, a big armload of stuff.”
Chapter 53
The road from Leadville eventually ran by the Arkansas River. The riding wasn’t as hard as the previous day, but as the sun rose, it got hotter. We had to take several breaks to rest and drink water.
Ashley beeped my phone, and I called her back when we took a break. She told me what she had found at Jeff’s house. I covered the phone and asked Jeff if anyone was working on his house.
“My dad had some work done on our roof a few weeks ago,” Jeff said. “Why?”
“Ashley says a construction guy was at your house yesterday.”
“What was she doing at our house?”
I told Ashley I’d get back to her and hung up.
Jeff faced me, his face tight. “What’s going on?”
I didn’t want to lie, but I also didn’t want to betray his parents or get him upset.
The leader, Gary, blew his whistle and told us it was time to mount up.
“Come on,” I said.
“Tell me or I’m not getting on the bike.”
I sighed. “Can’t Ashley keep an eye on your house while you’re gone? I’d think you’d appreciate that.”
He looked at the ground and shook his head as he climbed on. “Something’s fishy.”
Chapter 54
Hayley wanted to stay away, but I talked her into going to her aunt’s house. I asked her aunt if we could see Gunnar’s apartment again. “If you think it might help,” she said.
She gave us the key, and we went outside and climbed the stairs. The wood by the doorknob was splintered, and the door stood open a few inches.
“Think they could still be in there?” Hayley whispered.
“They probably came last night,” I said, but I pushed the door slowly and peeked in. The mattress was off the bed, and the dresser drawers had been dumped on the floor. The closet had been rifled, and the little desk in the corner was a mess too.
I went to the computer monitor and hit the Power button. The screen flickered, but nothing came on. I tapped the keys. Still nothing.
“Ashley, it’s gone,” Hayley said, pointing at the floor.
The cables connecting the computer tower to the monitor and keyboard lay on the floor.
“Call the police,” I said.
Chapter 55
Jeff and I passed several blue Adopt a Highway litter-control signs. Other signs advertised horseback riding and property for sale. Another said Support Our Troops! The 14,000-foot mountains near Buena Vista, instead of being covered with trees, seemed to have had a buzz cut. Clouds cast huge shadows along the landscape.
A small plane passed overhead. Sam was supposed to be on a trip, but I wondered if he had detoured to fly over our group. The plane descended and circled, then flew so close to the ground that it took my breath away. As it passed, the pilot dipped its wing, and I saw the familiar numbers on the side. Sam actually gave me a thumbs-up.
“Hey!” Jeff said through the speaker in my helmet. “Isn’t that the plane we were on?”
I had goose bumps. “Yep,” I said. “That’s my stepdad.”
We went through Buena Vista, a small town with real elk walking around in it. People lined the streets, clapping and waving flags. Jeff’s parents had driven ahead and were waiting with their video camera. Signs at restaurants advertised ice cream and root-beer floats, and I hoped we could come back later.
We followed our leader right and rode toward the hills, then left onto a dirt road. A few riders had dropped out, some with bike trouble, others had become sick. The rest of us bunched together, filling the road. People crowded around Jeff and me, encouraging us and patting us on the back.
We rode up a steep driveway to a camp run by a Christian group. At the top the driveway went straight down, and we had to ride our brakes. The cafeteria was a log cabin, and there was a nice gift shop across the
“Did you see anybody?”
“A guy in a hard hat went to the door, but of course no one was home. He carried something back to his truck, a big armload of stuff.”
Chapter 53
The road from Leadville eventually ran by the Arkansas River. The riding wasn’t as hard as the previous day, but as the sun rose, it got hotter. We had to take several breaks to rest and drink water.
Ashley beeped my phone, and I called her back when we took a break. She told me what she had found at Jeff’s house. I covered the phone and asked Jeff if anyone was working on his house.
“My dad had some work done on our roof a few weeks ago,” Jeff said. “Why?”
“Ashley says a construction guy was at your house yesterday.”
“What was she doing at our house?”
I told Ashley I’d get back to her and hung up.
Jeff faced me, his face tight. “What’s going on?”
I didn’t want to lie, but I also didn’t want to betray his parents or get him upset.
The leader, Gary, blew his whistle and told us it was time to mount up.
“Come on,” I said.
“Tell me or I’m not getting on the bike.”
I sighed. “Can’t Ashley keep an eye on your house while you’re gone? I’d think you’d appreciate that.”
He looked at the ground and shook his head as he climbed on. “Something’s fishy.”
Chapter 54
Hayley wanted to stay away, but I talked her into going to her aunt’s house. I asked her aunt if we could see Gunnar’s apartment again. “If you think it might help,” she said.
She gave us the key, and we went outside and climbed the stairs. The wood by the doorknob was splintered, and the door stood open a few inches.
“Think they could still be in there?” Hayley whispered.
“They probably came last night,” I said, but I pushed the door slowly and peeked in. The mattress was off the bed, and the dresser drawers had been dumped on the floor. The closet had been rifled, and the little desk in the corner was a mess too.
I went to the computer monitor and hit the Power button. The screen flickered, but nothing came on. I tapped the keys. Still nothing.
“Ashley, it’s gone,” Hayley said, pointing at the floor.
The cables connecting the computer tower to the monitor and keyboard lay on the floor.
“Call the police,” I said.
Chapter 55
Jeff and I passed several blue Adopt a Highway litter-control signs. Other signs advertised horseback riding and property for sale. Another said Support Our Troops! The 14,000-foot mountains near Buena Vista, instead of being covered with trees, seemed to have had a buzz cut. Clouds cast huge shadows along the landscape.
A small plane passed overhead. Sam was supposed to be on a trip, but I wondered if he had detoured to fly over our group. The plane descended and circled, then flew so close to the ground that it took my breath away. As it passed, the pilot dipped its wing, and I saw the familiar numbers on the side. Sam actually gave me a thumbs-up.
“Hey!” Jeff said through the speaker in my helmet. “Isn’t that the plane we were on?”
I had goose bumps. “Yep,” I said. “That’s my stepdad.”
We went through Buena Vista, a small town with real elk walking around in it. People lined the streets, clapping and waving flags. Jeff’s parents had driven ahead and were waiting with their video camera. Signs at restaurants advertised ice cream and root-beer floats, and I hoped we could come back later.
We followed our leader right and rode toward the hills, then left onto a dirt road. A few riders had dropped out, some with bike trouble, others had become sick. The rest of us bunched together, filling the road. People crowded around Jeff and me, encouraging us and patting us on the back.
We rode up a steep driveway to a camp run by a Christian group. At the top the driveway went straight down, and we had to ride our brakes. The cafeteria was a log cabin, and there was a nice gift shop across the
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