Chapter 46

Ashley slapped her hand over her mouth as a guy walked toward us, carrying some kind of tool. He looked older, maybe in his 50s, with stubbly gray whiskers, and he wore a wide hat pulled down to his eyebrows.

“Sign says No Trespassing. Get out of here.”

I grabbed my helmet and slammed it on, but Ashley walked toward the fence holding out her catalog. “My name’s Ashley Timberline, and I go to the Peak Academy of Dance. We’re having a fund-raiser with these candles. I’m sure your wife would love one.”

The guy’s eyes softened, and it almost looked like he was going to smile. “No, we don’t need any candles.”

“What about your wife? Do you think I could talk to her?”

He walked toward us slowly, like from a dock onto an unsteady rowboat. “Timberline. You Sam’s kids?”

“Yes, we are. This is my brother Bryce.”

He stared at me. “What happened to you?”

I told him about the basketball game, and this time he did smile.

“You know Sam?” Ashley said.

He nodded. “Flew some friends and me to Montana once. See him every now and then around town.”

A car approached and the man reached through the fence. “Harriet’s not here right now. Let me see your candles, and you can pick this up tomorrow after school.”