into the harness.
Soon we headed down the sidewalk toward home. Though it was a few minutes past six, the sun still bore down mercilessly. Trees shaded us much of the way, for which I was thankful. I worried every summer about the hot cement of the sidewalk possibly blistering Diesel’s pads, but so far that hadn’t happened.
In the kitchen we found Justin Wardlaw, my younger boarder, staring into the refrigerator. When Diesel made a beeline for him and warbled, Justin shut the door anddropped to his knees to hug the cat. “Hey, Mr. Charlie, how’s it going?”
“Fine.” I removed the cat’s leash. “How are your classes?”
Justin glanced up at me as he removed Diesel’s harness. After a difficult first semester at Athena College, he had settled down and performed well. The trials he faced that first semester had matured him. He’d undergone physical change as well, working out and putting on some weight, cutting his dark hair and growing a beard. No longer a gangly, awkward boy, he looked and acted like the man he’d become.
“They’re all good, thanks.” Justin hung the harness on its knob near the back door. Diesel followed him, and Justin scratched behind the cat’s ears. With a thank-you chirp Diesel disappeared into the utility room, home to his litter box.
“And the work-study job?” I went to the refrigerator for the pitcher of chilled water.
“Pretty cool so far.” Justin worked ten hours a week in the History Department. “Dr. Biles asked me to take her notes for her western civ class and put them on the computer.” He laughed. “The pages are all tattered, and the print’s fading. They must be twenty-five years old. But at least I’m getting a good refresher while I work. I’m planning to take her upper-level medieval history class in the spring if I get permission.”
I poured glasses of water for both myself and Justin when he retrieved another glass from the cupboard. “You’ve excelled in your history classes. I’m sure they’ll decide you’re ready to tackle a more advanced course.”
“Thanks.” Justin smiled shyly. “I’m thinking about graduate school in history.”
“Good for you.” Before I could continue, my cell phonerang. “Excuse me.” I set my glass on the counter, pulled the phone out of my pocket, and glanced at the number. It was Laura.
“Hello, sweetheart. What’s up?” I picked up my glass for another sip of water.
“It’s Connor, Dad.” The near panic in Laura’s voice alerted me. “He’s dead.”
TWELVE
I was so startled by Laura’s words that I spit the mouthful of water back into the glass. My hand shook as I set the glass on the counter.
“Laura, where are you? Are you all right?” I had to get to her as quickly as possible.
Where did I put my keys?
There they were, on their hook by the door.
Laura was crying now. I had to ask her again where she was.
She managed to get out two words: “Connor’s place.”
“I’ll get there as fast I can, sweetheart. Now try to calm down and give me the address.” I jingled the keys in my hand, anxious to get to her.
I heard Laura draw a deep breath, then another. She managed to give me the address, and I recognized the street. She was only about five minutes away. “I’m on the way. Have you called 911 yet?”
“No, but I will now.” Laura sounded slightly stronger. She ended the call.
I turned to Justin. “No time to explain, but I need to go. Diesel, you can’t come with me.”
Diesel meowed, and Justin placed a hand on the cat’s head. “Don’t worry, Mr. Charlie, you go right ahead. I’ll keep Diesel company.”
“Thanks.” Then I was out the back door and scrambling to get into my car.
The address Laura gave me was for an apartment complex on the northeast side of the campus, about three miles away.
I parked in the first open spot I found. As I sprinted toward the complex, I heard a siren in the distance, coming ever closer. I entered through an open archway
Soon we headed down the sidewalk toward home. Though it was a few minutes past six, the sun still bore down mercilessly. Trees shaded us much of the way, for which I was thankful. I worried every summer about the hot cement of the sidewalk possibly blistering Diesel’s pads, but so far that hadn’t happened.
In the kitchen we found Justin Wardlaw, my younger boarder, staring into the refrigerator. When Diesel made a beeline for him and warbled, Justin shut the door anddropped to his knees to hug the cat. “Hey, Mr. Charlie, how’s it going?”
“Fine.” I removed the cat’s leash. “How are your classes?”
Justin glanced up at me as he removed Diesel’s harness. After a difficult first semester at Athena College, he had settled down and performed well. The trials he faced that first semester had matured him. He’d undergone physical change as well, working out and putting on some weight, cutting his dark hair and growing a beard. No longer a gangly, awkward boy, he looked and acted like the man he’d become.
“They’re all good, thanks.” Justin hung the harness on its knob near the back door. Diesel followed him, and Justin scratched behind the cat’s ears. With a thank-you chirp Diesel disappeared into the utility room, home to his litter box.
“And the work-study job?” I went to the refrigerator for the pitcher of chilled water.
“Pretty cool so far.” Justin worked ten hours a week in the History Department. “Dr. Biles asked me to take her notes for her western civ class and put them on the computer.” He laughed. “The pages are all tattered, and the print’s fading. They must be twenty-five years old. But at least I’m getting a good refresher while I work. I’m planning to take her upper-level medieval history class in the spring if I get permission.”
I poured glasses of water for both myself and Justin when he retrieved another glass from the cupboard. “You’ve excelled in your history classes. I’m sure they’ll decide you’re ready to tackle a more advanced course.”
“Thanks.” Justin smiled shyly. “I’m thinking about graduate school in history.”
“Good for you.” Before I could continue, my cell phonerang. “Excuse me.” I set my glass on the counter, pulled the phone out of my pocket, and glanced at the number. It was Laura.
“Hello, sweetheart. What’s up?” I picked up my glass for another sip of water.
“It’s Connor, Dad.” The near panic in Laura’s voice alerted me. “He’s dead.”
TWELVE
I was so startled by Laura’s words that I spit the mouthful of water back into the glass. My hand shook as I set the glass on the counter.
“Laura, where are you? Are you all right?” I had to get to her as quickly as possible.
Where did I put my keys?
There they were, on their hook by the door.
Laura was crying now. I had to ask her again where she was.
She managed to get out two words: “Connor’s place.”
“I’ll get there as fast I can, sweetheart. Now try to calm down and give me the address.” I jingled the keys in my hand, anxious to get to her.
I heard Laura draw a deep breath, then another. She managed to give me the address, and I recognized the street. She was only about five minutes away. “I’m on the way. Have you called 911 yet?”
“No, but I will now.” Laura sounded slightly stronger. She ended the call.
I turned to Justin. “No time to explain, but I need to go. Diesel, you can’t come with me.”
Diesel meowed, and Justin placed a hand on the cat’s head. “Don’t worry, Mr. Charlie, you go right ahead. I’ll keep Diesel company.”
“Thanks.” Then I was out the back door and scrambling to get into my car.
The address Laura gave me was for an apartment complex on the northeast side of the campus, about three miles away.
I parked in the first open spot I found. As I sprinted toward the complex, I heard a siren in the distance, coming ever closer. I entered through an open archway
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