Page 186 of Finding Us

“At least they caught him.” I check the window to make sure the cop’s gone.

“Why were you so rude to that guy?”

“I wasn’t rude. I was just making sure he was a real cop. Bad people impersonate cops all the time so you always have to check their badge. And even if it’s a real cop, you can’t always trust them. There are a lot of bad cops out there.”

“Why did you lie to him? Why didn’t you tell him we saw that car?”

“I don’t want us to be called in for questioning. I want to stay out of it.” I bring her over to the couch to sit down.

“Do you think he’s right about the security cameras? Does it make us more of a target?”

“No. If it did, that guy would’ve robbedusinstead of the neighbors. And besides, everyone who lives on this beach is rich. They all have expensive shit. Criminals know that. It’s not a secret.” I hand her the remote. “Let’s watch TV.”

I need to get Jade’s mind off this. I know it’s freaking her out. It’s freaking me out, too. That guy was hanging around our place just last week. He definitely would’ve robbed us if we didn’t have the security cameras. And what if he’d done it while Jade was home and I wasn’t? What if the cop is right and the guydoeshave friends?

“I’ll take you to class tomorrow,” I say, as she flips through the channels.

“Why? I thought you were sleeping in.”

“I don’t need to. We both have afternoon classes so it’ll work out better this way anyway. We can ride home together. We don’t need two cars on campus.”

“Okay.” She positions herself in her spot under my arm.

“You’re going to fall asleep if you lay there.”

“No, I won’t.”

A few minutes later, she’s out cold.

* * *

The next day,I drop her off at class, then go to a coffee shop near campus. I get out my laptop and take that card the cop gave me and search online to make sure he’s a real cop. He is. His name is listed as being on the local police force. But that doesn’t make me feel better.

Something about that guy bugged me. It was the way he looked at Jade and that comment he made, insinuating that she needed protection. And then he hesitated to give me his card, like he didn’t want me to know his name.

I get my phone out and call my dad. I haven’t talked to him since last Saturday. I’m sure he’s busy at work and won’t pick up but I’ll leave a message.

“Hello, Garret,” he answers.

“Hey. I thought you’d be in a meeting or something.”

“I’m working from home this morning. Katherine had to go out so I’m watching Lilly.”

“Did you do anything for Labor Day?”

“We went to your grandparents’ house. I was hoping to have a quiet day here at home and have Charles grill out like he did on the Fourth of July, but my father insisted we go to his house.”

“Which means you didn’t get a cookout.”

He laughs. “Can you imagine your grandfather eating food cooked on an outdoor grill? Or eating outside?”

“So what did you end up having?”

“A formal dinner, as usual.”

“Why did he invite you over? You don’t usually go there on Labor Day.”

“He wanted to tell me some news.”

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