Chapter 24: Stone Savior

Billy Malone was missing.

Kel Halloway had never thought about having kids of his own, but he loved the boys in his Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood. Especially the redheaded boy who wasn’t part of the game Kel was currently playing. He probably shouldn’t read too much into it since Billy was a foster child, but his absence didn’t sit right with Kel.

With his involvement in Grotesque, a pop up nightclub he didn’t work an everyday job. The bar was only open once a month so he was around during the day for the kids. With summer break in full swing and the humidity not yet fully hit, he loved being outside in the park. Some of them had absent fathers because of jail or divorce. Others had dads who worked a lot.

He’d met all the parents so they knew he wasn’t some predator. They were all comfortable with him playing football in the park with their sons. Except for Billy’s foster parents. They’d remained elusive. Kel hadn’t been able to meet them.