Chapter 39

“I agree,” I said.

“Do you have boxes, Grandma?” Kevin said. “We could go to the store and ask for some.”

“Lots of them out in the barn.”

“What about the attic?”

“What about it?” she said.

“Anything up there?”

“We never needed to put anything there—not with a garage and that big old barn.”

“Gotcha.”

Kevin’s mother arrived, and walked through the house with Mrs. Simpson. She left after a while, carrying a couple of pictures and other mementos with her.

Early the next morning, Kevin handed me the keys to the Ford, and I headed down the road to the Shell station. I arrived just as a middle-aged man was opening the doors to the service bays.

“Mornin’,” he said as I got out of the car.

Near Mason City, IADavid

“MORNING,” I said.

“That looks like the Simpsons’ car.”

“Yes, Sir. You know Kevin Boxer, their grandson?”

“Most all his life.”