by John Grisham
walked around the room. “Her mother had not been home for three straight nights. She was scared to death, so she called her father, or maybe he called her. Anyway, he drove through the night, got home, unlocked the door with his key, got April, and away they went. For the past four days she’s been on the road, just hanging out with the band.”
“Shouldn’t we call the police?”
Theo was walking, pacing, thinking, rubbing his chin as he pondered the situation. “No, not yet. Maybe later. Let’s do this—since we know where she was last night, let’s try and figure out where she’ll be tonight. Let’s call every fraternity and sorority at UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, and the rest of them until we find out where Plunder is playing tonight.”
“UNC is the hot spot,” Chase said. “There are at least a dozen frat parties.”
“Give me the list.”
Theo worked the phone as Chase watched and took notes. At the first fraternity house, no one answered the phone. The second call was to the Kappa Delta sorority house, and the young lady who answered the phone was not sure what their band’s name was. The third call went unanswered. At the Delta house, a brother gave the name of another band. And on it went. Theo was growing frustrated again, but he was also thrilled to know that April had not been harmed and he was determined to find her.
The eighth call was magic. A student at the Kappa Theta fraternity house said he knew nothing about a band, was late for the football game, but to hang on a minute. He returned to the phone and said, “Yep, it’s a band called Plunder.”
“What time do they start playing,” Theo asked.
“Whenever. Usually around nine. Gotta run, pal.”
The pretzels were gone. The truth was that Theo had no idea what to do. Chase felt strongly that they should call the police, but Theo wasn’t so sure.
Two things were certain, at least to Theo. One, the girl in the photo was April. Two, she was with the band and the band would be playing at the Kappa Theta house in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that night. Instead of calling the police, Theo called Ike.
Twenty minutes later, Theo, Chase, and Judge ran up the stairs to Ike’s office. He had been eating lunch in the Greek deli downstairs when Theo called. He and Chase introduced themselves as Theo found the photo of April on Ike’s desktop computer.
“That’s her,” Theo declared. Ike studied the photo carefully, his reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose. “Are you sure?”
Theo gave the history of the jacket. He described her height, hairstyle, and hair color, and pointed at the profile of her nose and chin. “That’s April,” he said.
“If you say so.”
“She’s with her father, just like you said, Ike. Jack Leeper had nothing to do with her disappearance. The police have been chasing the wrong man.”
Ike nodded and smiled but was not the least bit smug. He continued to stare at his computer screen.
“Chase thinks we should notify the police,” Theo said.
“I sure do,” Chase said. “Why not?”
“Let me think about it,” Ike said as he pushed back his chair and jumped to his feet. He turned on his stereo and walked around the office. Finally, he said, “I don’t like the idea of notifying the police, at least not right now. Here’s what might happen. The police here would call the police in Chapel Hill, and we’re not sure what they would do down there. They would probably go to the party and try and find April. This might be more difficult than you think. Let’s assume it’s a large party, with lots of students celebrating and drinking and other stuff and anything might happen when the police show up. The police might be smart; maybe they’re not. Maybe they have no interest in a girl who’s just hanging around while her father plays in a band. Maybe the girl doesn’t want to be rescued by the police. A lot of things might happen, and most of them not good. There’s no warrant out for the arrest of her father because the police here haven’t charged him with anything. He’s not a suspect, yet.” Ike paced along behind his desk as the boys watched every move and hung on every word. “And without a positive identification, I’m not sure the police here would do anything in the first place.”
He fell into his chair and stared at the photo. He frowned, pinched his nose, and rubbed his whiskers.
“I know it’s her,” Theo said.
“But what if it isn’t, Theo?” Ike said gravely. “There’s more than one Twins jacket in the world. You can’t see her eyes. You know it’s April because you really want it to be April. You’re desperate for it to be April, but what if you’re wrong? Let’s say we go to the police right now, and they get excited and call their buddies down in Chapel Hill, who also get excited, and tonight they go to the party and (a) can’t find the girl, or (b) find the girl and it’s not April. We’d look pretty stupid, wouldn’t we?”
There was a long heavy pause as the boys considered how stupid they would look if they were wrong. Finally, Chase spoke. “Why don’t we tell her mother? I’ll bet she could identify her own daughter, then it’s out of our hands.”
“I don’t think so,” Ike said. “That woman’s crazy and she might do anything. It’s not in April’s best interests to have her mother involved at this point. From what I hear, she’s driving the police crazy and they’re trying to avoid her.”
Another long pause as all three looked at the walls. Theo said, “So what do we do, Ike?”
“The smartest thing to do is to go get the girl, bring her back, then call the police. And it has to be done by someone she trusts, someone like you, Theo.”
Theo’s jaw dropped, his mouth flew open, but no words came out.
“That’s a long bike ride,” Chase said.
“Tell your parents, Theo, and get them to drive you down there. You have to confront April, make sure she’s okay, and bring her back. Immediately. There’s no time to waste.”
“My parents aren’t here, Ike. They’re in Briar Springs for the state bar convention and won’t be back until tomorrow. I’m staying with Chase tonight.”
Ike looked at Chase and asked, “Could your parents make the trip?”
Chase was already shaking his head. “No, I don’t think so. I can’t see them getting involved in something like this. Besides, they’re having dinner with some friends tonight and it’s a big deal.”
Theo looked at his uncle and saw in his eyes the unmistakable twinkle of a kid ready for an adventure. “Looks like you’re the man, Ike,” Theo said. “And, as you say, there’s no time to waste.”
Chapter 17
The adventure immediately faced some serious problems. Theo thought about his parents and whether or not he should tell them. Ike thought about his car and knew it couldn’t make the trip. Chase thought about the fact that Theo was supposed to spend the night at his house, and it seemed impossible that his absence would go unnoticed.
As for his parents, Theo did not like the idea of calling them and asking permission to take off to Chapel Hill. Ike thought this was a good plan—Chase was neutral—but Theo resisted. Such a call would ruin their trip, upset their speeches and seminars, and so on, and, besides, Theo figured his parents (especially his mother) would say no. Then he would be faced with the decision to obey, or not. Ike thought he could smooth things out and convince Woods and Marcella that the trip was urgent, but Theo wouldn’t budge. He believed in being honest with his parents and he concealed little from them, but this was different. If they brought April back, then everyone, including his parents, would be so thrilled that Theo would likely avoid trouble.
Ike’s car was a Triumph Spitfire, a notoriously unreliable old sports car with only two seats, a convertible roof that leaked, tires that were nearly bald, and an engine that made strange sounds. Theo loved the car but often wondered how it managed to putter around town. And, they needed four seats—Ike, Theo, Judge, and hopefully, April. His parents had left in his mother’s car. His father’s SUV was in the garage, ready to go. Ike decided he could borrow the vehicle from his own brother, espe
cially in light of the importance of their mission.
The most serious problem would be Chase’s. He would have to hide Theo’s absence from the Whipple home throughout the night. They discussed the possibility of informing Chase’s parents. Ike even volunteered to call them and explain what they were doing, but Theo thought it was a bad idea. Mrs. Whipple was a lawyer, too, and had plenty to say about almost everything, and there was no doubt in Theo’s mind that she would immediately call his mother and ruin their plans. There was another reason Theo wanted Ike to stay quiet—Ike’s reputation among lawyers was not good. Theo could easily imagine Mrs. Whipple freaking out at the thought of Ike Boone racing off with his nephew on some crazy road trip.
At 3:00 p.m., Theo texted his mother: Still alive. With Chase. Hanging out. Luv.
Theo expected no response because at that moment his mother was in the middle of her presentation.
At 3:15, Theo and Chase parked their bikes in the Whipple driveway and went inside. Mrs. Whipple was pulling a tray of brownies from the oven. She threw her arms around Theo, welcomed him to their home, said she was so happy to have him as a guest, and so on. She tended to be overly dramatic. Theo sat his red Nike overnight bag on the table, so she couldn’t miss it.
As she served them brownies and milk, Chase said they were thinking about going to the movies, then maybe watching the volleyball game at Stratten College.
“Volleyball?” Mrs. Whipple asked.
“I love volleyball,” Chase said. “The game starts at six and should be over around eight. We’ll be fine, Mom. It’s just at the college.”
In truth, the volleyball game was the only sports event on campus that evening. And girls’ volleyball at that. Neither Chase nor Theo had ever watched a game, live or on TV.
“What’s on at the movies?” she asked, still cutting brownies into squares.
“Harry Potter,” Theo said. “If we hustle now, we can catch most of it.”
Chase chimed in, “And then we’ll go to the game. Is that okay, Mom?”
“I suppose,” she said.
“Are you and Dad still going out for dinner?”
“Yes, with the Coleys and the Shepherds.”
“What time will you be home?” Chase asked, glancing at Theo.
“Oh, I don’t know. Ten or ten thirty. Daphne will be here and she wants to order a pizza. Is that okay?”
“Sure,” Chase said. With a little luck, Theo and Ike should be in Chapel Hill by 10:00 p.m. The tricky part would be avoiding Daphne from eight until ten. Chase didn’t have a plan, but he was working on it.
They thanked her for the snack and said they were leaving for the Paramount, Strattenburg’s old-fashioned movie house on Main Street. After they were gone, Mrs. Whipple carried Theo’s overnight bag upstairs to Chase’s room and placed it on a twin bed.
At 4:00 p.m., Theo, Ike, and Judge left the Boone home in the SUV. Chase was watching the latest Harry Potter, alone.
MapQuest estimated the travel time at seven hours if one obeyed all speed limits, which was the furthest thing from Ike’s mind. As they hurried out of town, Ike said, “Are you nervous?”
“Yes, I’m nervous.”
“And why are you nervous?”
“I guess I’m nervous about getting caught. If Mrs. Whipple finds out, then she’ll call my mother and my mother will call me and I’m in big trouble.”
“Why would you get in trouble, Theo? You’re trying to help a friend.”
“I’m being dishonest, Ike. Dishonest with the Whipples, dishonest with my parents.”
“Look at the big picture, Theo. If all goes well, tomorrow morning we’ll be back home with April. Your parents, and everyone else in town, will be thrilled to see her. Under the circumstances, this is the right thing to do. It might be a little misleading, but there’s no other way to do it.”
“It still makes me nervous.”
“I’m your uncle, Theo. What’s wrong with me and my favorite nephew taking a little road trip?”
“Nothing, I guess.”
“Then stop worrying. The only thing that matters is finding April, and getting her back home. Nothing else is important right now. If it all blows up, I’ll have a little chat with your parents and I’ll take all the blame. Relax.”
“Thanks, Ike.”
They were racing down the highway in light traffic. Judge was already asleep on the backseat. Theo’s phone vibrated. It was a text from Chase: This movie is awesome. U guys OK?
Theo responded: Yep. OK.
At 5:00 p.m., he texted his mother: Harry Potter movie is awesome.
A few minutes later she answered, Great. Love Mom.
They turned onto the expressway, and Ike set the cruise control on seventy-five, ten miles over the limit.
Theo said, “Explain something to me, Ike. The story about April has been all over the news, right?”
“Right.”
“Then, wouldn’t April or her father or one of the guys in the band see the story on the news and realize what’s going on? Wouldn’t they know about the big search for April?”
“You would think so. Unfortunately, though, there are a lot of missing children, seems like a new one every other day. And while it’s big news around here, maybe it’s not big news where they are. Who knows what her father has told his pals in the band. I’m sure they know the family is not too stable. Maybe he’s told them that the mother is crazy and he was forced to rescue his daughter, and that he wants it kept quiet until some point in the future. The band members might be afraid to say anything. These guys are not too stable either. It’s a bunch of forty-year-old men trying to be rock stars, up all night, sleeping all day, traveling around in a rented van, playing for peanuts in bars and frat houses. They’re probably all running from something. I don’t know, Theo, it makes no sense.”
“I’ll bet she’s scared to death.”
“Scared, and confused. A child deserves better than this.”
“What if she doesn’t want to leave her father?”
“If we find her, and she refuses to come with us, then we have no choice but to call the police in Strattenburg and tell them where she is. It’s that simple.”
Nothing seemed simple to Theo. “What if her father sees us and causes trouble?”
“Just relax, Theo. It’ll work out.”
It was dark at 6:30 when Chase texted again: Vball girls r cute. Where R U?
Theo answered: Somewhere n Virginia. Ike’s flying.
It was dark now, and the hectic week finally caught up with Theo. He began to nod off, and then fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 18
Late in the volleyball game, Chase realized that the only way to avoid Daphne was to avoid his house altogether. He could almost see her sitting in the family room in the basement, watching the big-screen TV, waiting for him and Theo to arrive so she could order an extra-large pizza from Santo’s.
When the game was over, Chase rode his bike to Guff’s Frozen Yogurt near the city library on Main Street. He ordered one scoop of banana, found an empty booth by the front window, and called home. Daphne answered after the first ring.
“It’s me,” he said. “And look, we have a problem. Theo and I stopped by his house to check on his dog, and the dog is real sick. Must’ve eaten something weird. Throwing up, crapping all over the place; the house is a mess.”
“Gross,” Daphne gushed.
“You wouldn’t believe. Dog poop from the kitchen to the bedroom. We’re cleaning up now but it’ll take some time. Theo’s afraid the dog might be dying, and he’s trying to get in touch with his mother.”
“That’s awful.”
“Yep. We may have to take him to the vet emergency room. Poor thing can hardly move.”
“Can I help, Chase? I can drive Mom’s car over and get him.”
“Maybe, but not right now. We gotta get this place cleaned up while we’re watching the dog. I’m afraid he’d make a mess in her car.”
“Have you
guys eaten?”
“No, and food is the last thing we’re thinking about right now. I’m about to throw up myself. Go ahead and order the pizza. I’ll check in later.” Chase hung up and smiled at his frozen yogurt. So far so good.
Judge was still asleep on the rear seat, snoring softly as the miles flew by. Theo came and went, napping occasionally, wide-eyed one moment and dead to the world the next. He was awake when they crossed the state line into North Carolina, but he was asleep when they rolled into Chapel Hill.
His 9:00 p.m. text to his mother read: Going to sleep. Real tired. Luv.
He assumed his parents were in the middle of their long dinner, probably listening to endless speeches, and that his mother would not have the chance to reply. He was right.
“Wake up, Theo,” Ike said. “We’re here.” They had not stopped in six hours. The digital clock on the dash gave the time at 10:05. The GPS above it took them straight to Franklin Street, the main drag that bordered the campus. The sidewalks were packed with noisy students and fans. UNC had won the football game in overtime and the mood was rowdy. The bars and shops were crowded. Ike turned onto Columbia Street and they passed some large fraternity houses.
“Parking might be a problem,” Ike mumbled, almost to himself. “That must be Frat Court,” he said, glancing at the GPS and pointing to an area where several fraternity houses faced each other with parking lots in the center. “I’d guess the Kappa Theta house is somewhere in there.”
Theo lowered his window as they eased by in heavy traffic. Loud music filled the air as several bands played from the houses. People were shoulder-to-shoulder, on the porches, on the lawns, sitting on cars, hanging out, dancing, laughing, moving in packs from house to house, yelling at each other. It was a wild scene, and Theo had never seen anything like it. There was an occasional fight or drug bust at Stratten College, but nothing like this. It was exciting at first, but then Theo thought about April. She was somewhere in the midst of this huge carnival, and she did not belong here. She was shy and quiet and preferred to be alone with her drawings and paintings.
Ike turned onto another street, then another. “We’ll have to park somewhere and hike in.” Cars were parked everywhere, most illegally. They found a spot on a dark narrow street, far away from the noise. “Stay here, Judge,” Theo said, and Judge watched them walk away.
“What’s the game plan, Ike?” Theo asked. They were walking quickly along a dark and uneven sidewalk.
“Watch your step,” Ike said. “We don’t have a game plan. Let’s find the house, find the band, and I’ll think of something.” They followed the noise and were soon entering Frat Court from the back side, away from the street. They moved into the crowd, and if they looked a bit odd, no one seemed to notice—a sixty-two-year-old man with long, gray hair pulled into a ponytail, red socks, sandals, a brown plaid sweater that was at least thirty years old, and a thirteen-year-old kid wide-eyed in amazement.
The Kappa Theta house was a large, white stone structure with some Greek columns and a sweeping porch. Ike and Theo made their way through a thick crowd, up the steps, and around the porch. Ike wanted to scope out the place, check out the entrances and exits, and try to determine where the band was playing. The music was loud, the laughter and yelling even louder. Theo had never seen so many cans of beer in his young life. Girls were dancing on the porch as their dates watched them and smoked cigarettes. Ike asked one of the girls, “Where’s the band?”
“In the basement,” she said.
They inched their way back to the front steps and looked around. The front door was being guarded by a large young man in a suit who seemed to have the authority to decide who got inside.
“Let’s go,” Ike said. Theo followed him as they moved toward the front door with a group of students. They almost made it. The guard, or bouncer, or whatever he was, threw out his arm and grabbed Ike by the forearm. “Excuse me!” he said rudely. “You got a pass?”
Ike angrily yanked his arm away and looked as though he might slug the guy. “I don’t need a pass, kid,” he hissed. “I’m the manager of the band. This is my son. Don’t touch me again.”
The other students moved back a few steps and for a moment things were quieter.
“Sorry, sir,” the guard said, and Ike and Theo marched inside. Ike was moving quickly, as though he knew the house well and had business there. They walked through a large foyer, then a parlor of some sort, both rooms crowded with students. In another open space, a mob of male students was yelling at a football game on a huge screen, two kegs of beer close by. The music was booming from below, and they soon found a large stairway that gave way to the party room. The dance floor was in the center, packed with students engaged in all manner of frenzied jerking and shuffling, and to the left was Plunder, pounding and screeching at full volume. Ike and Theo drifted down in a throng of people, and by the time they left the stairs, Theo felt like his ears were bleeding from the music.
They tried to hide in a corner. The room was dark, with colored strobe lights