WHEN EMMET ARRIVED HOME, THE POLICE CAR WAS still in the street and Dr. Geaux was sitting in the kitchen talking to his dad. Lieutenant Stukaczowski must have left. Emmet went back in through the window, hoping and praying that they hadn’t come in to check on him. He would be toast.

He changed into his pajamas, took a deep breath, and opened the door to the hallway leading to the kitchen. When he entered, both of them stopped talking and looked at him expectantly.

“Are you okay, hon?” Dr. Geaux asked. Emmet would never say anything, but he liked the way she called him “hon.”

“Yeah. I couldn’t sleep and came out to say I’m sorry. It’s just …” He let his words trail off.

“It’s okay, son,” Dr. Doyle said. “But Rosalita has everyone out looking. We’re going to get him back.” Emmet could tell he was trying to sound confident.

“I know,” Emmet said. “Dr. Geaux, if you don’t find him tonight, in the morning would it be okay if Dad took me to your house, so I could hang out with Calvin? I like the tree house. It’s relaxing up there.”

“Of course,” she said, standing. “Benton, I’m going to leave. Try and get some sleep, and then you can join the search teams tomorrow. You can bring Emmet by early. Mrs. Clawson will be there to keep an eye on them.”

Hah! Emmet thought to himself. An entire column of tanks could drive down the road in front of Mrs. Clawson’s house and if her game shows were on, she wouldn’t notice. Best not to let them know that, though.

While his dad was busy saying good-bye to Dr. Geaux at the front door, Emmet went digging in the junk drawer by the phone in the kitchen. When they’d moved in a few months ago, they got a welcome packet from the Florida City Chamber of Commerce. Inside was a big folding road map of the entire area. He dug under all the other junk and grabbed the map, stuffing it in the waistband of his pajamas.

“You sure you’re okay?” his dad asked when he came back into the kitchen.

“Yeah. I mean, I’m upset, but there isn’t anything I can do. Dr. Geaux has her best people out searching….”

His dad gave him a big, bone-crushing hug. Emmet had to admit it felt pretty great.

“I’m okay. Good night, Dad.”

“Good night, Emmet.”

As he reached his bedroom door, his dad called out, “Emmet?”

“Yeah?” Emmet said.

“I’ll take you to Calvin’s in the morning. But … I know what you did last time, and I know why you did it. You came and got me. It was brave. Dangerous, but brave. Sit this out, Emmet. This guy, whoever he is, is getting desperate. And that makes him unstable. Promise me you won’t try to do anything.”

Emmet thought hard for a way to answer without potentially breaking a promise to his dad. Unfortunately, he came up blank.

“Okay, Dad. Good night.”

Emmet slipped into his room and shut the door. He took a red marker and his laptop from the desk, and sat cross-legged on the bed. Unfolding the map before him, he studied it long into the night.