“Do you have the costume?” Ally asked.
Miss Kruck answered, “Everything’s in the car. Come on. Your parents will get there later?”
“Yeah, after we’ve practiced. We are going to practice, aren’t we, Jeff?”
“Whatever.”
Miss Kruck sighed. “Jeff, Ally is your friend. Please try to treat her as such.”
Jeff rolled his eyes and opened the car door. Everyone piled in and settled down, Ally and Nick in the back and Miss Kruck and Jeff up front.
“Come on, Jeff, perk up! This is going to be fun,” Miss Kruck said. “Now where do we pick up Mr. Coombs?”
“Up the road a bit.”
Miss Kruck drove down the main street, then turned on the highway. A couple of miles down they saw Coombsie standing by the road.
Miss Kruck stopped, and Coombsie got in the back.
“Is everybody ready to win?” he asked as he hopped in.
Ally and Nick nodded, but Jeff didn’t acknowledge the question. Miss Kruck then looked at Coombsie through the rearview mirror.
“Lovely to see you, Nestor.”
“Nestor!?” Ally and Nick exclaimed.
Coombsie sank down in his seat a bit and made a face.
“It’s his name, for heaven’s sake,” Miss Kruck explained. “I’m not going to call him Coombsie.”
Jeff murmured, “Why not? I like it better.”
Miss Kruck ignored Jeff’s bad attitude. She looked in her rearview mirror again. “Nestor, how would you like to go shopping tonight after the carnival? You, me, and Jeff could all go together. We could find you a nice shirt to wear to church on Sunday.”
“Church!” Jeff cried out in dismay.
“And a new pair of pants and socks and shoes,” Coombsie said with enthusiasm. “Got to look good for the preacher.”
Jeff frowned and turned back to regard his friend. “I don’t believe this. Pretty soon you’ll be civilized, Coombsie.”
“I hope not. I like him just the way he is,” Miss Kruck said with a smile.
“Oh man, what has happened to everyone?” Jeff moaned.
Miss Kruck didn’t respond, but just turned into the parking lot for the carnival fairgrounds.
Jeff, Nick, and Ally unloaded everything and looked for signs to the arena. After walking a while in silence, Ally ventured, “Jeff, I’m sorry—”
“Don’t apologize. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“But we were so afraid the police had…”
“Had what?”
“The police and Mr. Bell—we saw them last night, talking about catching someone.”
“So? Let’s just do our thing and then go our separate ways, okay?”
“Look, I made a mistake. But I was just trying to stop you from doing what I thought might be something bad. Is that so wrong?”
“People should trust each other,” Jeff said and turned away, walking a little faster than Nick and Ally.
After they had practiced, Jeff split off from Ally and Nick to get something to eat. He said he wanted to be alone, so Ally and Nick walked around, looking at the exhibits and other events.
When it came time for their performance, Ally saw her family with the Parkers and Miss Kruck and Coombsie in the stands. Various acts went on, but finally the announcer’s voice reeled off their act.
“And now, Jeff Reynolds, Ally O’Connor, and Nick Parker will give us their rendition of a knight and his gentle horse, Delilah.”
Ally and Nick rattled out into the arena, bumping and shifting, provoking laughter from the crowd. They both had remote microphones on their shirts so their voices could be heard. Nick neighed up in the front, led Ally over to the crowd, and tried to grab a candy apple from a kid. This brought more laughter.
Finally Jeff stepped out in his knight outfit. He was wearing a helmet and had a sword at his side. He looked like a real knight, until he started toward the horse. Then his feet became rubber; he had a hard time standing up, and he fell on his behind several times. That ignited more laughter. Jeff stood up, brushed himself off. Nick and Ally made their neighing noises sound like laughter, and this really got the crowd going.
Jeff then tried to run after the horse, but Ally and Nick sidewinded out of the way, throwing Jeff to the mat. By now, the place was in an uproar.
The routine went on for about five minutes, until Jeff said, “My people, methinks I will get me a new horse. And new legs. New boots. A new mind and a new life. And a new behind.”
This brought down the house. Everyone agreed the routine was the best they’d seen that day, and Ally, Nick, and Jeff won the contest.
Afterwards, Nick and Ally walked around, greeting people and receiving compliments. Jeff, though, disappeared in the dressing rooms, and Ally didn’t see him for nearly an hour.
Later Ally found him playing a game in which you threw three balls at three stacked solid-metal milk bottles. Ally walked over to him and said, “Winning a doll for somebody?”
“Nobody I know of,” Jeff said when he knocked over all three milk bottles and won a stuffed bear. He promptly gave it to a little girl passing by with her parents.
“Jeff,” Ally said, beginning to feel angry, “can you just forgive me, or is that too much to ask?”
“God’ll forgive you if you beg him enough,” Jeff said. “But not me. I’m not God.”
“Jeff, I was only thinking of what was best for you.”
“Sure you were. Do you want to burp me and change my diaper too?”
“That’s not fair.”
Jeff eyed her angrily. “I suppose you’re going to tell me I should accept Jesus so I can forgive you, so I can become a good Christian. Like Coombsie and my aunt and everybody I seem to know is. Is that it?”
“Accepting Jesus means that you’re forgiven,” Ally blurted.
“Maybe I don’t want to be forgiven,” Jeff said icily. “Maybe I haven’t done anything.”
Ally turned to Nick, who stood at her side. “Come on, let’s go find our families.”
As they walked off, Ally turned and saw Jeff standing alone, looking like he was glad to see her go.
“I don’t know what to do, Nick.”
“Let him ride it out. He needs some air, that’s all.”
Tears burned in Ally’s eyes. “I blew it. I blew everything. And now he hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you,” Nick said. “He just doesn’t like you very much at the moment.”
“Thanks.”
“Come on,” Nick said, giving her a little punch on the upper arm. “It’ll be okay.”
“I sure hope so.”
They found their families sitting at an ice cream stand with Miss Kruck and Coombsie.
“Hey,” Miss Kruck said, “why don’t you all come to my place, and we’ll have a nice steak dinner?”
Mrs. O’Connor answered for everyone. “We’d love to.”
Jeff suddenly appeared at the edge of the tent, and Coombsie walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder. “Babs and I’ll take Jeff home. We’ll see you all at 6:00.”
Seventeen
A Clever Story
Coombsie played his violin for the O’Connors and the Parkers while Ally helped Miss Kruck prepare dinner in the kitchen. Jeff looked uncomfortable and didn’t say much.
“Miss Kruck, do you think Jeff hates me now?” Ally asked.
“Honey, don’t worry about it. Jeff’ll get over it eventually.”
“I’m sorry I messed everything up.”
“Hey, you were just trying to help him,” Miss Kruck said. “Jeff has to learn that when people try to help him, however they do it, they do it because they care about him. He simply doesn’t think anyone cares.”
“I only wish he would figure out that we all care. I thought today would really have gotten him feeling better. We did such a good job on the skit, but he seems more down than ever.”
“Pray for him, honey. That’s all I know to do. I’ve been doing it for all of his fourteen years no
w,” Miss Kruck said as she cut the large T-bone steaks into smaller pieces.
Ally was quiet for a moment; then her curiosity got the better of her. “By the way, I thought Jeff’s father is your brother.”
“That’s right.”
“Then why isn’t your last name the same as Jeff’s?”
“Well, Jeff’s dad changed it when he left on his own the first time. Jeff got his new name. It’s better than Kruck, I think.” She laughed. “We always took a lot of flack about our name growing up. It was very hard on Jeff’s dad. He hated it and couldn’t wait to change it the first chance he had.” Miss Kruck finished cutting the steaks. “Well, dinner’s ready. Come on, let’s serve it.”
So Ally and Miss Kruck marched plates in hand, and everyone retired to the dining room. After Coombsie said grace, everyone dug in. The meal was delicious, with Chinese string beans, steak, and fried potatoes and onions. The conversation went nicely, but Ally kept noticing that Jeff ate in silence.
When everyone finished, Ally said, “Do you have a new story, Coombsie?”
“Oh, I shouldn’t bore everyone with it.”
“It won’t be boring,” Ally said. “Mom and Dad, you should hear this.”
“Okay, it’s a love story,” Coombsie said, clearly relishing the spotlight.
“Tell it! Tell it!” Ally said, hoping the story would snap Jeff into a better mood.
“It’s very short,” Coombsie said. “This is it. The pauper was out on the street, and the princess went by. He saw she was about to step in a mud puddle, so he pulled out his violin case and laid it down for her to cross the mud puddle. The princess slipped as she walked across. But the pauper grabbed her and held her. Their faces came together. And he said, ‘I’d ask you to marry me, but I’m just a pauper.’ And she said, ‘I have enough riches for both of us.’ She took out her purse and showed him. Then he took out his wallet. A butterfly flew out. The princess caught it and let it land on the end of her finger. ‘What does this mean?’ she asked. ‘A free creature has come into the circle of your love,’ the pauper replied, ‘and he will remain there forever.’ And then they lived happily ever after!”
“Cool!” Ally said.
“Oh, that was just wonderful,” Jeff said sarcastically. He looked at his aunt. “I suppose you almost stepped in a mud puddle today at the carnival.”
Miss Kruck sighed. “Jeff, I know you’re upset, but can you please try to be happy for us?”
Jeff stood up. “If everyone’s so happy, fine. I’ll just be myself.”
With that he left the table.
Jeff’s exit put a damper on the whole evening. The O’Connors and the Parkers left soon after.
When Ally settled down for the night in her room, her mom stepped in to kiss her good night.
“It was a good day, Mom, even with Jeff being out of sorts.”
“The best,” Mrs. O’Connor answered, her eyes fixed on Ally’s. “Don’t worry about Jeff. He’s resilient.”
“I just wish he could be happy for Miss Kruck and Coombsie,” Ally said, slipping deeper under the covers. “You think they’ll get married, Mom?”
“Well, honey,” Ally’s mom said, laughing, “I think it’s a little too soon to tell. After all, they just met. But I hope they have a future together, for Jeff’s sake. It might really help him settle in for once.”
“Yeah, that’s what I think.”
Mrs. O’Connor kissed Ally, then turned out the light. “Love ya.”
“Love ya back.”
Mrs. O’Connor stepped out into the hall and closed Ally’s door behind her.
Eighteen
Missing in Action
Early the next morning, Ally was awakened by the telephone. She rolled over and picked up the phone on her bedstand.
“Hello?” she said groggily.
“Hello? Is this Ally?”
“Yes.”
The voice on the other end paused. “Ally, this is Miss Kruck. I apologize for calling so early, but I wanted to know if you’ve seen Jeff since last night.”
“No, I haven’t. Why do you ask?” Ally said, concerned.
“I’m just so worried! He must’ve left before dawn. I’m afraid of what he might be doing or what might’ve happened to him.”
“Have you called the police?”
Miss Kruck sniffled. “No, it’s too soon to do that. But I’ve contacted Mr. Coombs, and we’re going to go look for him.”
“I’m coming too!” Ally said.
“I don’t know,” Miss Kruck said with uncertainty.
“I really want to come!” Ally argued. “Let me get dressed and tell my parents. I’ll meet you over at your house.”
“Well, all right then. I’ll see you in a few minutes,” Miss Kruck said and then hung up.
Ally hurriedly threw on some clothes, rushed to her parents’ room, and knocked on the door.
“Yes?” Mrs. O’Connor’s voice rang out.
Ally stepped inside. “Mom, Jeff is missing. Miss Kruck is afraid he’s doing something crazy.”
“What do you want us to do, honey?”
“Nothing. But I want to go with her and Coombsie to look for him.”
Mrs. O’Connor looked at Mr. O’Connor. He nodded his head.
“All right, Ally, you can go. But I’m coming with you.”
“And I’ll stay at home, in case Jeff shows up here,” Mrs. O’Connor added.
Before Ally and her father left the house, Ally called Nick, and they picked him up on the way to Miss Kruck’s. When they arrived, Coombsie and Miss Kruck were standing out in front of the house.
“Do you know where Jeff could’ve gone?” Coombsie asked. “He was always telling me he was getting ready to do something, but he never said what. Something about his father is all I can figure.”
“Did anyone look in the tree fort?” Ally suggested.
“Well, it’s a good place to start,” Coombsie said. “I walked by there last night on my way home and he wasn’t there. But maybe he is now.”
Everyone hopped into Mr. O’Connor’s car.
“I should never have spied on him,” Ally said, feeling close to tears. “I should have known he wasn’t stealing the stuff from the houses. But all that electronic stuff at the tree fort…”
“Yeah, he got it all at the dump,” Coombsie said. “He thought he could repair them and sell them and help get his father a decent lawyer to spring him out of jail.”
“Speaking of the thefts, did you know they caught who was doing it?” Mr. O’Connor said.
Everyone turned to him as he put the car in gear and started up the road.
“Who is it?” Ally asked.
“Bell. It was Mr. Bell,” Mr. O’Connor said. “He was tearing the places up to get the insurance money. Mr. Coombs found out yesterday while you three kids were at the carnival.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Ally said incredulously.
“Plumb forgot in all the excitement,” Coombsie said.
“How did you find out it was him?”
“Was tracking him for awhile. I knew they might try to pin it on Jeff. So I decided to check it out for myself. Finally made heads and tails of it.”
“You were tracking us too, weren’t you?” Ally said. “Like when you stopped Jeff from going into the tree fort when we were in it.”
“Just helping out,” Coombsie said. “Woods can be dangerous. The stray dogs from the dump can be kind of wild.”
“Stop here, Dad,” Ally said. “This is the way to the tree fort.”
Mr. O’Connor hit the brakes and soon most of them were hiking down the trail to the tree fort. Mr. O’Connor stayed in the car in case he saw Jeff on the road.
At the tree fort, Ally and Nick climbed up the ladder and looked at the items inside. Everything looked like it usually did.
Ally stepped to the window.
“Everything’s here, I think,” she called down to Miss Kruck and Coombsie.
Nick rubbed his chin, stud
ying the layout of the tree fort. “Some things are gone,” he said.
“What?” Ally asked.
“His backpack is missing.”
She leaned out the window again. “Jeff’s backpack is gone. What do you think is going on?”
“He was always talking about getting to his father in prison,” Coombsie said. “He was obsessed with it.”
“And I wouldn’t take him because I didn’t want him to find out the awful truth,” Miss Kruck added.
“The awful truth?”
“Jeff’s father isn’t just in prison. He’s is in a psychiatric facility for the criminally insane,” Miss Kruck answered. “I didn’t want to let Jeff see his father like that. It’s my fault. I should have told him.”
As Ally and Nick stepped down the ladder to the ground, Ally asked, “How was Jeff going to visit his father, Coombsie? He’s only fourteen. He can’t drive a car.”
“I don’t know. He never told me.”
Nick snapped his fingers. “I know what else is missing up there.”
“What?” everyone asked at once.
“The bag of oats.”
Ally covered her mouth. “The horses. He’s gone for the horses.”
“Let’s go,” Coombsie said, “before he becomes a horse thief.”
Nineteen
At the Farm
When they got back to Mr. O’Connor in the car, everyone was talking at once, but Ally climbed into the front seat and told her father they were heading for Mrs. Hanson’s farm.
Mr. O’Connor careened down the road and at Ally and Nick’s directions, turned off to the dirt road back to the farm.
They reached the farm and parked. All was quiet until Jeff burst from the barn, riding Thunder. He was wearing his backpack, and the horse had pack saddles on it. When Jeff saw everyone, he wheeled and shot out off across the field.
“Jeff, stop!” Miss Kruck called.
Mrs. Hanson ran out of her house. “I heard something. What’s going on?” she yelled.
“Jeff took Thunder!” Ally said. “He’s galloping across the meadow.”
“We can head him off on the road to the dump,” Coombsie said. “If he goes that way.”
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