Finding Hannah by John R. Kess

was nice to see Amy smile again. Maybe the time everyone said she needed was finally helping. It was different for me. I knew I wouldn’t, I couldn’t, be happy until Hannah was found.
    Mom was helping one of Amy’s friends, who’d spilled chocolate milk all over herself. It was clear she was trying very hard to make sure every one of Amy’s friends had a good time. I noticed how tired she looked. The last month had aged her several years.
    Dad sat down across from me. “It’s good to have you here,” he said. “I know you’d rather be out looking for Hannah, but this means a lot to Amy.” He looked at the castle and then back at me. “I’m proud of you, proud of the way you refuse to give up.”
    “Thanks, Dad.”
    Amy shouted, “Look at me!” She flew down a slide into the plastic balls at the bottom. Three more of Amy’s friends followed, creating a giggling pile of six- and seven-year-olds. We both waved to her as she ran to the stairs with her friends so they could do it again.
    Dad leaned in close. “I need you to do something for me.” His face told me he was serious. “It’s really important you trust me when I say I have your safety and your best interest in mind when I tell you what it is. I know you’re not going to like it, but I need you to do it.”
    “What is it?” I asked.
    “It’s about Molly.” He looked around to make sure no one could hear him, and then his eyes met mine. “Don’t go into her house again. Not ever. Do you understand?”
    I stared back at him. I hadn’t told him I’d been to her house. “How did you know I was in her house?”
    “Dylan, I can’t answer that.”
    “Are the police watching the house?” I asked and waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. “This is about Tony, isn’t it? Molly told me he’s a drug dealer.”
    “Son, you have no idea how serious this is. I need you to trust me on this. I could be fired for what I just told you. If you want me to continue to have a job and are at all concerned about Molly’s safety, our family’s safety, or the safety of my fellow officers, you can’t repeat what I just told you to anyone, especially to Molly. Do you understand me?”
    “I do.” I paused to let an energetic group of boys run past.
    “Did you speak with Tony?” Dad asked.
    “Yeah.”
    “What did he say?”
    I couldn’t help myself and started laughing.
    “What?”
    “Tony told me … if I slept with Molly, he’d cut my you-know-what off. Then he showed me his knife.”
    “Did he?” Dad smiled. “I was going to talk to you about that same topic, especially with you and Molly sharing a tent. I guess there’s no point if Tony’s threat means as much to you as it should.”
    “It does. Your talk won’t be necessary.”
    Amy ran by the edge of the netting and stopped just long enough to smile at us. She ran back into the castle, followed by four friends.
    I thought about Molly and how happy she’d be to have Tony out of her life. I imagined dozens of federal agents storming the small ugly pea green house where Tony dealt his drugs.
    “Dad, if I’m not safe in that house, neither is Molly.”
    “Keep her out of there. Bring her with you into the forest and stay there as long as you can. Tell her nothing.”
    “How long? How long until you take him down?”
    “I can’t tell you because I don’t know. You never know with these things.”
    “She’s been taking pictures of all the people who come to the house.”
    “That’s very dangerous. Tell her to stop. You never know what these people are going to do, and if they saw her taking pictures, it could be really bad.”
    “I’ll get her to stop.”
    “Tell her it’s not worth the risk.”
    “Do you want her pictures?”
    Dad shook his head. “They already know what’s been going on at that house and who has been there. Tell her to destroy those pictures.”
    I nodded, remembering how Molly had called Tony an idiot. “They don’t want Tony. It’s obvious