Chapter 41

Bryce’s nose looked like a red cucumber. A faint backward imprint of the word Spalding ran across his forehead. I was sorry I’d missed the game. I like to be there for Bryce, but I love watching Duncan Swift. Not that I have a thing for him or anything. I just think he’s good. Well, maybe I like him a little, but he doesn’t know I exist.

Bryce went to his room with an ice pack. Dylan asked for his own, so I put ice cubes in a plastic bag for him. He came to Bryce’s room holding the ice bag and pressing three Band-Aids on his nose.

Bryce smiled, then winced.

When we were alone, I told him what Mr. Crumpus had told me about the guy who attacked Tracy and Cammy.

Bryce sat up. “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know. It’s something about their story.”

“You’re just ticked about what Cammy said to you in the bathroom.”

I shook my head. “It’s more than that. Mr. Crumpus said something about an accident. Maybe we can find out more from Danny’s parents.”

“How are you going to get to them?”

“The fund-raiser for the dance studio. We’re selling candles. If I can talk Mom into letting us go over there tomorrow on our ATVs, will you go?”

Bryce lifted the ice bag. “I’m there. I can use my nose as a headlight.”

I found Mom in the kitchen, but before I could bring up the ATVs, she asked if I would go to the freezer in the barn and get two pizzas. I discovered the freezer strangely empty. There was only one bag of frozen corn.

“I bought four pizzas last week,” Mom said. “Are you sure you looked carefully?”

I nodded. “But I can check again.”

“No, that’s okay. You look like you want to ask me something.”