Aiden found the keys to the SUV in the console, saving them the trouble of trying to find a ride (since neither of them had any intention of retrieving them from Pink Shirt’s charred remains), and drove Eric to the hospital, where the PT Cruiser was still parked. On the way, he called Karen to inform her that he was done and would be returning home shortly. And also that he was starving.
With the promise of dinner underway, Eric followed Aiden to the one unseen structure that he never visited during the events of the day. The abandoned ranch house sat in the middle of a quiet neighborhood, much like the Hosler lot, although it had a long way to go before it was that far gone. They stashed the SUV in the garage and left it there. With the driver permanently entombed in the unseen schoolhouse, there was no reason to burden the police with an unsolvable mystery by simply leaving it parked somewhere. Besides, unlike the cowboy’s red pickup, this vehicle had their fingerprints all over it.
The deed done, Eric drove Aiden back to the library to retrieve his bike.
Along the way, Eric pondered all that had happened. Not every question had been answered. He still didn’t know what the mysterious organization was that kept complicating his strange journeys. He also still didn’t know the meaning of the strange name the old hag uttered to him before letting him escape. Evancurt…
Frank Lezner told him that he’d have more adventures. Maybe those answers would eventually come to him. In the meantime, there was no reason to obsess over them. Just like last year, he’d walked away with more than just new scars. He’d made a new friend.
“You sure you don’t want to stay for dinner,” he asked again as they stepped out into the parking lot behind the library. “You won’t get fried chicken like Karen’s anywhere out there.”
“Tempting,” confessed Aiden. “But I’m impatient to get going.”
“Heading to Baton Rouge, then?”
“I am. Soon as I grab some stuff from the apartment.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about the Men in Pink anymore.”
Aiden laughed. “True. It’s nice to not have someone constantly watching everything I do every minute of the day. That really sucked.”
Eric’s phone chimed at him, alerting him to a new text message.
YEAH, THAT WAS JUST SO CREEPY!
Eric smiled. “Well, sometimes you just don’t mind.”
Aiden laughed. “Present company excluded!”
Eric stood there for a moment, looking at his former student. “So you’ve decided to stay missing?”
He shrugged. “It’s better this way. Don’t want to draw too much attention to myself. After all this time, no one’s really looking for me anymore.”
Eric nodded. He couldn’t really argue with that. Look how much trouble he got himself into just for coming back to Creek Bend for a few weeks. “Hey. If you ever need anything…”
Aiden smiled. “Yeah. I know. Don’t worry. The best part about all this is knowing I’m not alone out here anymore.”
“Never.”
Aiden seated himself on the bike and picked up the helmet. “Tell your brother I said goodbye.”
“Sure.”
“Oh, and that I’m sorry again. For tasing him back there.”
“He’ll get over it. Someday.”
Another text message appeared on Eric’s phone. He glanced at it and then held it out for Aiden to see.
BYE AIDEN!
Aiden laughed. “Bye, Izzy!” Then, to Eric, he said, “Dude, she’s awesome. I’ve got to get me a phone like that.”
Eric looked down at the phone, smiling. “You never know what you’ll find out there.”
“That’s true.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew the glass shard. “Especially with this.”
They’d agreed that the shard belonged to Aiden. It only made sense. He was driving straight to Louisiana tonight in search of more unseen secrets. He was going to need it. Eric had no intention of going anywhere anytime soon. Although he didn’t think a black eye and some bruises were going to get him out of that baby shower…
“Good luck out there.”
“Thanks.” Aiden put on the helmet and fastened it. Then, with a final wave, the bike roared to life and Aiden Chadwick sped away, leaving again as quickly as he’d entered Eric’s life.
Eric stood and watched him go until he was out of sight, then he turned and walked back to his car.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?
Eric smiled down at the phone. “Well, first I’m going home to shower and eat.” He opened the door to the PT Cruiser and paused. “After that…I think I’m going to go online and see how much it’ll cost me to buy Paul a manikin for his birthday.”