And Then She Was Gone(26)

“You took my daughter to Washington Heights?”

Of all the possible offenses Jack thought he was going to be accused of committing, going to Aunt Haddie’s wasn’t even on the list. “What?”

“Get the smirk off your face before I knock it off,” Mr. Dawson snapped. “Don’t try to deny it. We saw you on the news.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I wasn’t going to deny it. I grew up there and—”

“Now my daughter’s picture is plastered across the TV for all my friends to see. She was surrounded by all those—” He ground his teeth together as though he were gnawing on the word he really wanted to use.

Jack straightened up. “All those what?”

For the first seven years of Jack’s life, he’d been a feral child—abandoned and on his own. When Aunt Haddie had brought him in, he’d bonded with her in a way few could understand. Jack didn’t see prejudice as a spectator. He saw it as an attack on his family.

Jack stepped forward. “Say what you’re thinking.”

Before Mr. Dawson had time to answer, Mrs. Dawson intervened. She put her hand on her husband’s arm and urged him back.

Mr. Dawson took a deep breath and stepped away from Jack.

“All those people are my family and friends,” Jack said.

“Don’t make this a racial thing,” Mr. Dawson said.

“I think you just did.”

Mrs. Dawson came to stand next to her husband. “We were concerned for our daughter after seeing her on the news.” Jack looked over at Kelly, who stood on the steps. Her right arm gripped her left tightly. She didn’t look at Jack but gazed down at the ground. “I think we’ve all had our fill of excitement for the evening,” Mrs. Dawson continued. “Why don’t we call it a night?”

Mr. Dawson spun around and stomped up the steps past Kelly.

Mrs. Dawson watched her husband disappear inside. She closed her eyes and exhaled. “Good night, Jack,” she said. She walked over to her daughter and put an arm around her shoulders, and the two of them started inside.

Jack jumped into the Impala. He looked over at Kelly, but her back was already turned away. He fired up the engine, dropped the car into drive, and slowly rolled down the hill.

When he reached the street, he hit the gas.





7





Driving Aunt Haddie





The next morning, Jack pulled up outside Aunt Haddie’s and parked the Impala in the driveway. As he walked up to the house, Michelle danced outside, followed by the shy girl with the ponytail on top of her head.

“What’s up, my brother?” Michelle hammed it up and gave him a high five.

“Hey, Half-Pint.”

“Chandler’s not here.”

Jack stopped short. “Where is he?”

“He had to go help Mr. Emerson get a refrigerator.”

“Crud.” Jack groaned. “I was hoping he wanted to work out.”

“You shoulda called first,” Michelle said in a singsong voice.

“The big creep could’ve let me know he was going out.”

The girl with the ponytail stepped toe to toe with Jack and thrust her chin out. “Don’t call Chandler a creep.” Her eyes narrowed as she glared up at him.

Jack fought down a laugh. “Whoa. Easy there, killer.” He held up his hands. “I’m just busting on Chandler.”

“Well…” She wrapped a curl from her ponytail around her finger. “Don’t.”

Michelle put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Jack, this is Replacement.”

Jack grinned at the odd nickname. “Hey. Nice to meet you… Replacement.” He recognized her from the night before—the girl with the grocery bags and the hard head.

Replacement huffed, but didn’t step back.

Jack turned back to Michelle. “Is he coming back anytime soon?”

“Not for a couple of hours.”

“Let him know I swung by.” Jack turned to go.

“Aunt Haddie wants to see you. She called your house this morning. Your mom said you were coming, so she’s expecting you.”

Oh, crud. Here comes the lecture about going down to see who got arrested last night.

Jack trudged into the kitchen.

“Jackie.” Aunt Haddie hurried down the hallway. “I’m so glad you’re here. Would you mind giving me a ride?”

“Sure.” Jack exhaled, relieved she may have forgotten about last night. “But I have to be back by noon. Kelly is having a cookout and I’m amazed I’m invited. Kelly had to beg her mom to let me come, so I have to be there.”

“We’ll be back before then,” Aunt Haddie reassured him with a nod.

“I’m kinda hesitant to go. It’s weird her father okayed it. I feel like a turkey getting invited to Thanksgiving dinner. Where are we going?”