Tean’s color had dropped; Jem put a hand on his shoulder as he said, “Kai liked that kind of stuff?”
“Yeah.That was actually something he and Dale both liked.That and roping and riding were about the only things they could talk about without Dale losing his shit.”
“Why do you think Kai might be there?”Tean asked.
“Because he was obsessed with it.There are all sorts of YouTube videos about the place, and he watched them nonstop.He could have told you everything about that ranch—drawn a map of it, even—with his eyes closed.We drove out there one time, and it was the only time he just…talked.The whole drive, he went on and on about aliens and government cover-ups and what we might see.You know what we see when we get there?A bunch of falling-down buildings, and I tore my favorite Michael Jackson T-shirt getting over the fence.”
“You drove out there.So, it’s not far?”
“It’s in the basin.A couple of hours from Vernal, maybe?But I’m telling you, there’snobodyaround that place.If I needed to hide, and I was still living in Utah, it wouldn’t be a bad spot.”
“Can you send us the address?”Jem said.
“It’s been ten years.”But then he said, “I bet I can find it online.Let me look tonight, and I’ll see what I can do.”
In the front room, Scipio went crazy—barking wildly.
Tean snapped a look at Jem.
“Is there anything else?”Scott said.“I’ve got to get going.I’m in trouble already.”
“This has been very helpful,” Tean said.“Thank you again for your time.If we have any follow-up questions, we’ll give you a call.”
“And send us that address,” Jem said as he moved toward the office door.
“Yeah, well, no offense,” Scott said, “but I hope youdon’tcall.”
If there was more, Jem didn’t hear it because he was headed down the short hallway toward the living room.He was still making his way when someone began to knock on the door.No, not knock.Pound.And Scipio’s barking had gotten even more frenzied.
A hint of the old fear still wormed its way up inside Jem at the noise.Antony, and the basement, a sick dog who didn’t know any better.
“Okay, okay, okay,” Jem said as he got to the front door.Scipio stopped barking and started whining, pressing his nose to the jamb like he was going to charge outside as soon as Jemopened thedoor.“Back up,” Jem said, nudging the Lab away.
Someone was still hammering on the door.
Jem opened it.
Daniel stood there, his face wet with tears.Mascara melted down from one eye and along one cheekbone.Daniel must have realized what Jem was staring at because he reached up with one hand and scrubbed at the dark streaks.That only made it worse.Behind him, parked in the driveway, was Ammon’s Chevy Impala.The engine was still running.
“Hey, what’s—” Jem began.
“I need a place to stay,” Daniel said, and then he burst into tears.
15
Tean couldn’t sit down, so he paced.He made a circle around their little kitchen.He crossed the living room.He looped back past the front window.He caught himself with his hands tucked under his arms.
Daniel was on the couch, sniffling as he petted Scipio.The boy had his knees drawn up to his chest.He was wearing a Mickey Mouse T-shirt and a satin baseball jacket and joggers, and with the mascara still running down one side of his face, he looked more like a child than a man.Scipio, pressed against him for maximum petting, was in heaven.
In one of the armchairs, Jem sat with his phone pressed to his ear.
“Uh huh,” he said.“Uh huh.Yeah, he’s fine.”
“I amnotgoing back there,” Daniel said.
Jem put a finger over his lips and listened.After a moment, he said, “I didn’t tell him to come here.”
“If he tries to make me, I’ll go somewhere else.He can’tmakeme go back there.”
