Chase

Nineteen

Aunt Flo strode up to Cabin Eight and rapped on the door hard.

“Mr. Green?” she called. “Mr. Green, are you in there?”

She put her face right up to the screen door and peered inside. Harry Green slowly lumbered into view and pushed the door open.

“What is it, Flo? I was just having a little nap.”

“Have you seen that damn fool nephew of mine?” she asked.

“Uh, like I said, I was having a nap before I go back out to catch absolutely nothing. Is there a problem?”

“He went off to the dump a long time ago and he’s not back yet.”

“Haven’t seen him. I’m sure he’s fine.”

“Oh, I’m sure he is. But I’ve got a long list of things that need doing. I took that boy in. I’m giving him a place to stay and feeding him and keeping clothes on his back. Doesn’t seem to be asking too much to have him do a few things in return.”

“He’s been through a lot,” Harry said. “Losing his mother and father. And so tragically, too.”

She softened some. “I suppose.” She decided to change the subject. “You enjoying your first summer here?”

“Oh, yes, very much.”

“How’d you hear about my place?” Flo asked.

Harry Green furrowed his brow. “Someone must have mentioned it at work one time and it just stuck in my head.”

“What sort of work did you do?”

“Oh, a bit of this and that,” Harry said. “Nothing very interesting. What did you say Jeff’s parents did? Worked for some drug company?”

“Something like that,” Flo said. “Heck of a thing, what happened to them. Jet blowing up in mid-air over the water. It was some kind of engine failure. Or something with the electronics. That’s why I don’t fly.”

“Let me ask you this, Flo,” Harry said. “Have there ever been any people coming around here, asking about Jeff, checking up on him?”

“What do you mean?”

Harry shrugged. “Just what I said. People dropping by, maybe people his parents used to work with, asking how he is, whether there is anything they can do to help?”

Flo shook her head. “Nope, nothing like that. Were you thinking there would be?”

“I don’t know,” Harry said. “Just asking.”

“I’d still like to know where he’s gone off to. You sure you’ve got no idea? I see Jeff talking to you now and then.”

Harry gave her a sly smile. “If I were a betting man, I’d say a girl might be involved.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Flo said. “That’s all we need.”