had to run away? Why did they feel they couldn’t talk to either one of us about why they’re so unhappy living here?”
She had a point, Scott thought. And not a small one.
“And blaming Colt won’t bring Timmy back,” she said, “or help us find him.”
“You’re right,” he said. “You’re right.”
“I am?”
“You are. I’ve hated what’s going on between us these last ten months. I guess I didn’t realize how miserable it’s been like for Colt and Timmy.” He sat on the edge of an upholstered chair.
“I had no idea they were so unhappy,” Gina said. “I’ve been so busy working, feels like all the time, then I come home, try to keep up with everything around here. I haven’t had time to pay attention to them.”
“You said they were heading to Mike and Rose’s place?”
She nodded. “But I’m sure they didn’t have anything to do with this.”
“I wouldn’t think that,” he said. “Mike and Rose are just fun to be around. Every time they’re in town we’re mostly laughing and enjoying ourselves. Mike’s always cutting jokes at family gatherings. You can always hear Rose’s laugh from any room in the house. That’s the place I’d have picked if I were going to run away.”
“Did I mention they’re on their way here now, Mike and Rose?” Gina stood and walked toward the kitchen, then turned to face him. “Would you like some coffee?”
“No you didn’t, and yes I would,” he said as he followed her.
“How long does it take to get here from Savannah?” she asked.
“I’d say maybe four or five hours.”
“I was just trying to see if I should plan dinner for them.”
“I don’t think so, Gina. I’m pretty sure they’d get something to eat on the way. Speaking of dinner, what time’s it getting to be?” Scott looked at his watch.
“Why, are you going somewhere? Colt and those FBI guys are gonna be here in a little while.”
“I know, but I have to take care of something just up the road on A1A. I should be back before they get here.”
“Scott . . . what could be more important than being here when your son gets home?”
“I’ll be here.”
“No, you won’t. You say you’ll be here. And you may want to be here, but you won’t. Something will come up. It always does.”
Scott walked toward her, as close as he dared. “Gina, that’s not what’s gonna happen this time. I’m involved in this big Technology Expo at work. It’s been in the paper. Have you heard about it, at the Castaway Beach Motel?”
“No, I don’t get much time to read the paper these days.”
“There’s supposed to be a thousand people showing up. All kinds of scientists, executives, and engineers from all over the country. They’re coming here to learn about the space program, and I’m in charge of GE’s part in it.”
“How wonderful for you.” Said in her typical sarcasm. She didn’t even look at him when she said it.
Up until this afternoon, he had been thinking it was a pretty wonderful thing for him. But now, it didn’t matter. He just wanted Timmy back. “You’re wrong, Gina. I care way more about Timmy. But I’ve got a ton of people depending on me, and I’ve got to head over there for just a few minutes, let some key people know what’s going on. Then I’ll be right back, I promise.”
“Can’t you just call? I don’t want to be here by myself when the FBI guys come with Colt.”
“I can’t do it over the phone.” How could he explain this? He thought a moment. “I wish I could explain why, but I just can’t. It’s too complicated. But I won’t get stuck there this time. I’ll be back before Colt gets here. I promise.”
She didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t even turn to look at him, just kept setting up the coffee percolator. Finally, she said, “Guess you better go then.”
21
“The boy won’t come in,” Vic said.
“What do you mean, he won’t come in?”
It was the husband, Scott Harrison. Vic had already
She had a point, Scott thought. And not a small one.
“And blaming Colt won’t bring Timmy back,” she said, “or help us find him.”
“You’re right,” he said. “You’re right.”
“I am?”
“You are. I’ve hated what’s going on between us these last ten months. I guess I didn’t realize how miserable it’s been like for Colt and Timmy.” He sat on the edge of an upholstered chair.
“I had no idea they were so unhappy,” Gina said. “I’ve been so busy working, feels like all the time, then I come home, try to keep up with everything around here. I haven’t had time to pay attention to them.”
“You said they were heading to Mike and Rose’s place?”
She nodded. “But I’m sure they didn’t have anything to do with this.”
“I wouldn’t think that,” he said. “Mike and Rose are just fun to be around. Every time they’re in town we’re mostly laughing and enjoying ourselves. Mike’s always cutting jokes at family gatherings. You can always hear Rose’s laugh from any room in the house. That’s the place I’d have picked if I were going to run away.”
“Did I mention they’re on their way here now, Mike and Rose?” Gina stood and walked toward the kitchen, then turned to face him. “Would you like some coffee?”
“No you didn’t, and yes I would,” he said as he followed her.
“How long does it take to get here from Savannah?” she asked.
“I’d say maybe four or five hours.”
“I was just trying to see if I should plan dinner for them.”
“I don’t think so, Gina. I’m pretty sure they’d get something to eat on the way. Speaking of dinner, what time’s it getting to be?” Scott looked at his watch.
“Why, are you going somewhere? Colt and those FBI guys are gonna be here in a little while.”
“I know, but I have to take care of something just up the road on A1A. I should be back before they get here.”
“Scott . . . what could be more important than being here when your son gets home?”
“I’ll be here.”
“No, you won’t. You say you’ll be here. And you may want to be here, but you won’t. Something will come up. It always does.”
Scott walked toward her, as close as he dared. “Gina, that’s not what’s gonna happen this time. I’m involved in this big Technology Expo at work. It’s been in the paper. Have you heard about it, at the Castaway Beach Motel?”
“No, I don’t get much time to read the paper these days.”
“There’s supposed to be a thousand people showing up. All kinds of scientists, executives, and engineers from all over the country. They’re coming here to learn about the space program, and I’m in charge of GE’s part in it.”
“How wonderful for you.” Said in her typical sarcasm. She didn’t even look at him when she said it.
Up until this afternoon, he had been thinking it was a pretty wonderful thing for him. But now, it didn’t matter. He just wanted Timmy back. “You’re wrong, Gina. I care way more about Timmy. But I’ve got a ton of people depending on me, and I’ve got to head over there for just a few minutes, let some key people know what’s going on. Then I’ll be right back, I promise.”
“Can’t you just call? I don’t want to be here by myself when the FBI guys come with Colt.”
“I can’t do it over the phone.” How could he explain this? He thought a moment. “I wish I could explain why, but I just can’t. It’s too complicated. But I won’t get stuck there this time. I’ll be back before Colt gets here. I promise.”
She didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t even turn to look at him, just kept setting up the coffee percolator. Finally, she said, “Guess you better go then.”
21
“The boy won’t come in,” Vic said.
“What do you mean, he won’t come in?”
It was the husband, Scott Harrison. Vic had already
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