The Big Time

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

TROY COULDN'T SPEAK.

"Are you there?"

"Yes," Troy said in a whisper.

"Did you hear?"

"Yes," Troy said.

"I can explain, Troy," his dad said. "I want to. That's why I ran. I need to see you. I need to tell you. Not the police, not your mom-me. Please, Troy."

"Were you really going to take it?" Troy asked.

There was silence before his father said, "I need to talk to you about that. Can you meet me on your bridge?"

"The FBI are looking for you," Troy said. "There's a helicopter."

"I know," his father said. "But I need to see you first. I never wanted things to be this way. You have to believe me. Will you meet me?"

Troy looked at Tate. She shook her head slowly, no.

"Yes," Troy said. "I'm coming."

He hung up, and his mom appeared in the hallway, asking, "Was that the FBI?"

"No," Troy said, looking directly at her, the words slipping out of his mouth like snakes slithering out of a plastic bucket. "Wrong number."

"I thought you were talking," she said.

"They wanted to know what number they called," he said, the words still slipping past his lips, "and if a Robert lived here. I thought maybe they were looking for Gramps or something."

His mom blinked at him, then said, "Oh. Well, I'm going to lie back down. I've got a migraine coming on, and I want to try to beat it. I'm sorry I just walked out. This whole thing is so…"

"It's okay, Mom," Troy said. "I'm okay."

She smiled weakly and put a hand to her forehead. "Good."

When she disappeared, Troy held a finger to his lips and motioned with his head for Tate to follow him outside.

Back through the pines they went, the distant chop chop of a helicopter now in the air. When they hit the train tracks, Tate grabbed his arm.

"You think it's safe?" she asked.

Troy took her hand and gently freed it from his arm.

"It's my dad, Tate," he said.

"And others, too, maybe," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I thought you said they were dangerous."

Troy turned on her and said, "Don't worry, Tate. I have to do this alone anyway."

"I'm not saying I won't go with you," Tate said, but he could hear the fear in her voice.

"I need to do this alone," Troy said.

Tate hugged him. He squeezed her tight and felt the bones beneath her skin. He pushed his face into her silky hair, just for a moment, before turning to go.

He didn't look back.