Chapter 26

“You looking for Rick?”

Nolan turned to find an older man in a bathrobe standing at the edge of Rick’s front yard holding a garden hose.

“Yeah.You seen him?”

“Not for a few days now.Said he got the Jeep going and took some time off work to go test her out.”

“Shit,”Nolan hissed,turning to look at the house.“You have any idea where he could have gone?”

The neighbor went back to watering his rose bushes.“Well,I do,but I’m not sure I should tell you.Who are you again?”

Nolan crossed the driveway to plead his case face-to-face.“It’s a matter of life and death.Can you please tell me?Rick would want you to.”

The man studied Nolan’s face and must have judged him to be trustworthy.“Well,I’d say he’s out at the lake.”

“The lake?”

“Yeah,up at the cabin.You know where that is?”

“Oh sure.I’ve been there a million times.How exactly do I get there again?”

“Matter of life and death,you say?”the neighbor asked with squint.