Chapter 3
The minute they got near Boo Radley’s lair in Tupelo Pond, Savannah let go of Hez’s hand and wrapped Marley’s leash several
times around her palm. Twilight had nearly obscured the gator’s scaly back. “Don’t let Cody get too close to Boo,” she told
Simon, who had Cody’s leash. It was mating season and the bull gator was trying to impress his new love, Pika. Right on cue,
Boo slipped into the water and slapped his massive tail.
The streetlights around the path flickered on, and Marley stiffened when he caught sight of his nemesis. “Sit.”
Her Aussie obeyed with reluctance in every line of his black fur. Cody hadn’t noticed Boo Radley yet since a pigeon had caught
his attention. Simon had taken Hez’s dog as his own, though Cody still seemed to think Hez was his ultimate authority and
rarely listened to the boy’s commands. Who was she kidding? The dog rarely even obeyed Hez, who had rescued him three years
ago. She still wasn’t sure what breed to call Cody with his Chihuahua legs, oversized Great Dane ears, and greyhound body.
His crooked Chesapeake Bay retriever tail added to his comical appearance. But he was a lovable little dog with his cowlicks
and crazy-tooth grin. And he’d been a lifeline for her nephew to cling to in his grief.
Hez squinted in the dusk. “I think I see Pika on the other side of the pond. She’s heading his way.”
The appearance of the female gator had caused a stir among the students at TGU during mating season when Boo had caught her
eye. Her bullet shape stirred the water as she approached the male gator, and they rubbed snouts.
Simon watched in fascination. “Gators are lit. Maybe I’ll be a biologist or something when I grow up.”
Savannah exchanged a long glance with Hez. The perfect opening. They’d agreed she would take the lead on the unpleasant topic
that had to be addressed. “You’ll have to bring your grades up if you want to be a biologist. You just failed a math test.”
Simon grimaced. “I don’t need math if I want to be a biologist. Just lots of science classes.”
“All your grades matter for college, and you’ll use math the rest of your life.” She kept her tone gentle. “I know things
haven’t been easy, Simon, but letting your grades slip will just add to your trouble and frustration. I can have Will tutor
you if you need help.”
His chin came up, and his blue eyes, so like Ella’s, narrowed. “I don’t need Will—I don’t need anyone. Math doesn’t matter
to me.”
Will Dixon, Simon’s tutor and the police chief’s son, had mentioned Simon had been increasingly withdrawn and uncommunicative
lately, just like he’d been with her and Hez. He’d been spending more and more time alone in his room with the door shut,
and she needed to fix that.
She reached out to brush his hair off his forehead, and he flinched from her touch. She lowered her hand. “I love you, Simon. We both do, and we want to help.” The streetlight’s glow illuminated the bruise under his eye. “How’d you get the shiner?”
He knelt and pulled Cody to his chest. The dog’s snaggle tooth showed in a doggy grin at the attention. “I just tripped at
school. I don’t want to talk about it.”
She felt the blow of the lie in her chest. “That’s not what happened, Simon. The school called me. You want to try the truth
this time?”
He stayed bent over the dog. “Fine, I got into a fight with Liam, who made fun of me for using the word posh instead of fancy during English. I shoved him and he hit me in the eye, so I jumped him.”
“But you guys are friends, right? I’ve heard you talk about Liam Jackson, and you guys have hung out to shoot hoops sometimes.”
Simon scowled at her. “He’s a jerk, and we haven’t hung out in a while.”
This was spinning out of control. “So who are you hanging out with now?”
“No one. I just want to be left alone. I wish I could take Cody to school with me.” He bent to nuzzle the dog again. “He’s
the only one who understands me.”
She flinched and glanced at Hez. Simon’s hostility was on full display, and she should have expected it. His sullen moods
and angry outbursts were coming more frequently. The good days came less and less often. His grief over the loss of his mother
was getting worse, not better. It seemed to be corroding him from the inside like emotional acid. What was happening with
him, and how could she help him heal? She’d prayed and prayed for God to help him through this.
Hez took her hand. “You just lied to us, Simon, and there are consequences for fighting at school and lying. No screen time for a month except for schoolwork.” He paused and she could see the sympathy in his blue eyes.
“But you’re not grounded. In fact, I’d like your help at the Justice Chamber.
We’re getting ready to take on some new work, and I think you’ll have fun. ”
Simon stood with Cody still in his arms and glared at them with a black expression. “Whatever.”
She took a step toward him, but he backed away and wouldn’t look at her. A boulder formed in her throat. Maybe they’d handled
this all wrong. Should they have punished him when he was still reeling from Jess’s death? They couldn’t ignore discipline,
though, not for such serious offenses. They had to figure out a way to reach him before he went too far down the wrong path.
There had been so many changes in his young life lately, and he’d run away from boarding school in England several times before
they brought him here. If they were too hard on him, would he try to run again?
“Look out, Will!” Simon jumped to his feet, spilling Hez’s popcorn. “Run!”
Will Dixon couldn’t have heard Simon’s shout over the crowd’s noise in Schwarzburg Stadium, but he somehow sensed the linebacker barreling toward his blind side.
Will spun and stepped back as the defender lunged for him.
He tucked the ball under his arm and darted forward.
The crowd roared as he burst through the line untouched and raced twenty yards downfield before a defensive back managed to snag one of the flags fluttering from Will’s belt.
“Wooooo! Chomp! Chomp!” Simon made the traditional TGU Gator Chomp with his arms to celebrate Will’s play.
Hez smiled at the excitement in Simon’s high, young voice. The annual Flags for Food game pitted TGU’s first string offense
and defense against each other in a flag football battle that benefited the local food bank. It usually drew a few thousand
spectators, but this year the Schwarz was filled to capacity, thanks to the gorgeous spring weather and Will’s athleticism.
Familiar faces sprinkled the crowd. There was Hez’s cousin Blake Lawson and his girlfriend, Paradise Alden. And almost the
entire Pelican Harbor Police Department was in the bleachers. Chief Jane Dixon and her husband, Reid, cheered on their son.
Savannah’s good friend Nora Craft sat next to them with her boyfriend, Graham Warner, and her niece Tammy Longacre. Other
members of the department sat in the row behind them. In fact, the only one missing was Detective Augusta Richards, who must
be keeping law and order for the entire town.
Simon sat down and noticed Hez brushing popcorn off his lap. “Oh, did I do that? Sorry, Uncle Hez.”
Hez didn’t mind. Seeing Simon back to his old self was worth a little mess. How long would it last? Hez pushed the question
away, determined to savor the moment. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo. Are you having fun?”
“Oh yeah. Will’s so good. I bet he’ll be in the Super Bowl someday.”
“You might be right.” Hez glanced at Simon. This could be a good time for an important question. “Hey, buddy, I need a best man, and there’s no one I’d rather have beside me when I marry your aunt than you. Would you be my wingman?”
Simon’s eyes widened. “Me? Really?” He squared his shoulders. “Do I have to wear a tux?”
“I think your aunt will spare you that if you don’t want to.”
“I want to look nice.”
“I take it that’s a yes.” Hez high-fived him. “Thanks.” His phone buzzed with a text from Savannah: Meeting over. Is the game still going?
Hez glanced up at the game clock. Less than a minute left and Will’s team led by three touchdowns. Perfect timing for an early
exit. Almost, he tapped out. We’ll meet you outside the main entrance.
He turned back to Simon. “He’s a terrific QB, but I think he’s done for the day—and so are we. Aunt Savannah is picking us
up outside. What do you say to beignets on the boardwalk? After that, we can play Frisbee on the beach with the dogs while
we watch the sunset.”
Simon beamed. “I’d love it! You’re the best, Uncle Hez.”
They headed for the exit and joined the throng coursing through the stadium’s shadowy concrete interior. Savannah’s Honda
Civic pulled to the curb as they walked out of the Schwarz’s cavernous redbrick main entrance. She gave Hez an inquiring look
as he got in, and he responded with a discreet thumbs-up. Simon chattered happily in the back seat for the entire drive to
Hez’s condo, where they’d stashed Cody and Marley.
Savannah parked on the street outside Petit Charms. Hez’s condo was right above the café, and the tempting scent of coffee and frying beignets greeted him every time he opened his door. He’d put on five pounds since he moved in last semester, despite daily runs.
Hez pulled out his keys as they walked around the corner of the building, but he halted at the foot of the iron staircase
leading to the condo. The door wasn’t quite shut. He held out his hand to stop Savannah and Simon. “Wait here.”
Savannah followed his gaze, then set a hand on his arm. “Let’s call the police.”
He shook his head. “Augusta is the only one on duty. I don’t want to bother her if we don’t have to. That door sticks sometimes—it’s
possible it didn’t latch when we left.”
She hesitated, then released his arm. “Be careful, babe.”
He nodded and crept up the stairs, making as little noise as possible. Every muscle in his body tensed as he gripped the doorknob
and gave a tentative tug. It was indeed stuck—and probably had been ever since they’d left for the game. He relaxed and pulled
the door open.
The condo was quiet and peaceful—which was wrong. Where were the dogs? He walked in, scanning the floor and furniture. “Cody?
Marley?” He stopped when he reached the kitchen. Two furry lumps lay on the floor. “Cody!”
He knelt by the still dogs, but before he could touch them, a cold male voice spoke behind him. “Don’t get up. Take your phone
out slowly and slide it across the floor. Then lie down with your hands behind the back of your neck and close your eyes.”
Hez froze. The intruder was smart. He’d waited until Hez was distracted and in a vulnerable position before making his move.
Hez had no choice but to comply. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and tossed it on the floor.
Steps rang on the metal staircase. “Uncle Hez!”
Hez turned to see Simon in the doorway, with Savannah hurrying up behind him. A man clothed in black crouched to pick up Hez’s
phone. He wore a ski mask and a small backpack, and he held a gun in his free hand, but he had turned toward the door—and
away from Hez.
Hez scrambled to his feet and launched himself at the intruder. The man reacted fast, jumping to the side and deflecting the
force of Hez’s bull rush. Before the burglar could regain his balance, Hez kicked his feet out from under him.
The intruder crashed to the floor as Savannah raced into the room and grabbed a butcher knife. But before she could use it,
the burglar rolled to his knees and leveled his gun at her.
Hez jumped in front of her, bracing himself to feel a bullet tear into his body.
The burglar cursed and got to his feet, keeping the gun on the two of them. “Move a muscle and you’re both dead.” He shot
a glance toward the door, where Simon still stood frozen. “Get out of the way, kid.”
Eyes round and face pale, Simon nodded and walked over to the couch.
“Now you freeze too.” The intruder backed toward the doorway, alternately training the gun on the Websters and Simon. Then
he vanished through the door and slammed it. His steps clattered down the stairs.