When Danny got home he gave Ruby some water, let her out, and pulled the lost-dog sign from his pocket. What do I do?
“Be back later,” Tyrell said. He nodded to the lost-dog sign. “Good luck with that.”
“Hey…thanks for taking me today.”
“Where should I send the bill?”
Danny grunted. “Send it to Billy Brodie.”
He picked up the phone to call Meg Harris.
Then put it down.
What would he say? And did he want to take such a risk? If he got Banjo back, then what? Wouldn’t it be better to just let it be?
The phone rang.
Danny stared at it. What if it was Mr. Brodie? What if he’d been up to Sisters and had seen one of the girl’s signs?
What if, what if, what if?
He let it go to voice mail.
Then listened to it.
“Ray, it’s Harmon. Would you give me a call when you get in? I’d appreciate it.”
Danny’s gut felt like a volcano. What did he want?
Maybe it wasn’t about Banjo.
And maybe it was.
He had to take those signs down. Today!
Ruby started yapping outside.
Danny jammed the sign into his pocket and looked out the window. No Ruby.
He went out. Sounded like she was somewhere behind the barn. When he spotted her, he shouted, “Ruby! Get away from there!”
She’d raised a rattlesnake.
“Ruby! Come here!”
Danny ran up, then slowed, not wanting to trigger the snake. Ruby backed off, still yapping.
The rattler was standing tall in the weeds, ready to strike.
Danny grabbed Ruby and stumbled back, hands trembling. Snakes didn’t scare him, but the thought of losing Ruby did. He tossed a rock at the rattler to chase it away before it slithered into the barn.
Danny put Ruby in the house and shut the door tight. He grabbed his bike and raced out to the road. If Mr. Brodie came over, he didn’t want to be there.
He headed to Sisters.
He’d take the signs down. All of them.
It was a long ride. He pumped until his thighs burned and still kept going.
“Ahhh!” he shouted into the stillness of the country road. If he didn’t get his life back soon, his performance at the rodeo would be a disaster. And he’d take Dad down with him.
He was beat when he finally got to Sisters. He bought a cold bottle of water, then scoured the town, trying not to look sneaky. He took down every “Banjo” sign he could find.
They were all over the place.
He rode up and down the two main streets, searching until he’d gotten them all.
Maybe.