Chapter 14

He hung up, and I relayed the news to the others. We got to the Lane in less time than I’d predicted, thanks to David’s heavy foot on the gas. By then the rain had ended. He pulled to a stop across the street from my house and we all jumped out of the van. Steve corralled us as soon as we got to my front yard, assigning two officers to go with the others to check their houses.

“Can I go inside?” I asked Steve. He said I could, and went in with me. Two men, wearing booties and hair-coverings, looked at us, then returned to what they were doing. If the gray powder on the some of the surfaces was any indication, they were searching for fingerprints.

The living room looked as if a whirlwind had gone through it. Because the windows were broken, there were puddles of rainwater on the floor. Every piece of furniture that could be knocked over—was. The dining room was in the same shape. The kitchen fared a bit better. Maybe he’d gotten tired of playing by then.