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“Colt asked us to,” Arthur said.
“Not, you know, in so many words,” Dot said.
“We had to make an inference.” Stevie cast a shy look at Theo. “We learn inferences in ninth-grade Language Arts.”
Theo was starting to feel something akin to the horror on Lorcan’s face.
“Explain,” Emery said.
“Lorcan was showing us his typewriter—” Dot began.
The look on Auggie’s face was priceless.
“—and Colt and his boyfriend showed up—”
“They’re so dreamy,” Stevie said. “Especially Ash.”
Arthur stood a little straighter. “What were their projects for the science fair last year?”
“Anyway,” Dot said, “they wanted to talk to Lorcan about Shaniyah, and then they told us you guys were looking into Leon’s disappearance too—”
“Interesting,” Emery said, “how that wasn’t shared with the rest of us.”
“We called John-Henry,” Auggie protested.
“—and then we figured out if you wanted to talk to Leon, you definitely wanted to talk to Keelan, since Keelan killed him, so maybe he killed Shaniyah too—”
“What?” Keelan sat up so quickly that, for a moment, Theo wondered if Dot had gotten him with the stun gun. “I did not!”
“Be quiet until you’re spoken to,” Emery told him.
“—and then we decided it would be best if we helped you out.”
“Mr. Hazard frequently needs our help,” Arthur said.
“I do not frequently—” Emery began.
“Emery, for God’s sake, they’re children,” Theo said.
A sharp vee of color spread along Emery’s cheekbones, but he stopped talking.
Dot fiddled with her headgear. Stevie looked like they desperately wished the jumpsuit had pockets. Lorcan played with the hem of his shirt. Only Arthur looked around, eyes bright, clearly still waiting for approval.
“A few things,” Theo said. “First of all, I’m glad you were willing to help, especially with something so important.”
“Of course,” Arthur said. “We’re much smarter than most adults, so it’s important for us to help.”
Theo let that one hang for a moment. “Second, I want you to promise me right now you won’t ever kidnap anyone again.”
“Falsely imprison,” Auggie said.
Theo managed to bite back what he wanted to say, but he scratched his beard as he looked at his partner.
“Helping,” Auggie said. “It’s important for us youngsters to help.”
“You’re not that young,” Arthur said. “Thirty isn’t young.”
In that moment, staring at Auggie’s face, Theo decided he was, perhaps, a very bad boyfriend.
