Gordy checked the driveway from his bedroom window again. He couldn’t remember a time he was more anxious to see his parents’ car pull up.
He wished he’d stayed with Coop. But then, it was pretty clear Coop wanted to be alone. Which hurt just a little. Maybe Coop felt the same way when he heard that he’d been making plans with Hiro. He recognized the look on his cousin’s face.
Since when did they start keeping secrets from each other? He thought about that for a minute. It was when they started keeping secrets from everybody else. When they agreed to leading a secret life with the Code of Silence. Never again.
But Coop was back now. They were together again. Tonight they’d break the lousy Code for good. Things were going to be okay with the three of them. And Frank would be safe. But still, his stomach felt knotted again.
Maybe it was the thought of going to the police. Sure, that still scared him. But the thought of trying to keep what they’d seen a secret any longer scared him more.
He looked down the street at Coop’s house. The lights were still off. He checked his watch. Over an hour to go. He stood and paced. This waiting was driving him crazy. He stared through the window again—and saw a vehicle cruising the block. Slow. With one headlight out.
NO. He dropped to the floor and peeked through the corner of the window. It was an SUV. It passed Cooper’s house, then sped up and suddenly turned off Fremont and disappeared around the corner. They were looking for Coop!
Gordy’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He saw Hiro’s name flash onto the screen just as he picked it up. Her mom must be home.
“Hiro?”
“Have you talked to Coop?”
She sounded out of breath. And scared.
“No … you?”
“Just tried. He’s not picking up.”
Gordy’s stomach twisted. “Maybe he’s-”
“I’m getting a bad feeling about this. Real bad. And dark.”
Gordy pressed the phone closer to his ear and bolted from his room, taking the stairs to the first floor two at a time. “Meet me at Coop’s—now.”
“Already on my way.”
He stopped at the front door, checking the street in both directions before racing across the front yard. “Be careful. I just saw an SUV cruise by the house … with only one headlight.”
“Dear God, no,” Hiro cried.
“The feeling.” Gordy’s mouth went dry. “Is it getting worse, or darker?”
Hiro let out what sounded like a sob. “By the second!”