“Dr. Latham said nearly the same thing last night, but I think it’s too late.”
“She’s right, Henry,” Tim said. “He won’t like her helping us. There’s no telling what he might do.”
“No,” Henry said and frowned. “If we go away from here right now, there’ll be no way he can find out she had anything to do with us.”
“He’ll find out,” Tim said with a chill in his voice. “You know he’ll find out.”
“It’s all settled, then,” Evelyn said with finality.
“Well, this is a cozy little group,” Harold said brightly. They whirled in fright and saw him standing on the top of the ladder watching them, smiling smugly, his leg hooked casually around a beam. “I thought you were up to something, Evie.”
“Harold,” she groaned, “why do you have to be so damned clever? Come on and sit down before you fall and break your neck.”
So they told him everything.
“You don’t expect me to believe all this nonsense, do you?” he said incredulously.
“I don’t care if you believe it or not,” Evelyn snapped. “Just don’t interfere.” She sighed and shook her head. “Please, Harold.”
“If this guy is trying to kill you, why don’t you go to Sheriff Dwyer?” He spread his hands, solving the problem.
For the sheriff’s sake, we don’t dare,” Henry explained patiently. “Haverstock is completely ruthless. The sheriff wouldn’t have a chance. We endanger the lives of everyone we tell, and I think this group right here had better be the limit.”
He frowned. “The trouble is, we don’t know how strong his powers are. We don’t know how much of what he does in the show is him and how much is Angel.”
“Doesn’t Angel know?”
“No,” Henry sighed. “He’s hypnotized before he goes on. He didn’t know he had the gift at all until yesterday.”
“I still don’t believe in these magic powers of yours,” Harold grunted and looked at Angel. He frowned slightly at Angel’s pale hand holding Evelyn’s. Angel shook his head and shrugged helplessly.
“There’s nothing magic about them,” Henry said. “The human mind, my boy, is as mysterious as the bottom of the sea or the mountains of the moon.”
Harold shifted on the cottonseed and looked at their tense faces. “Okay. I believe you when you say what’s his name is trying to kill you, and I’ll help you get away, but I won’t let Evie go with you.”
“Her life is in as much danger as ours,” Tim said quietly. “And so is yours, if he finds out.”
“He’s right,” Henry agreed. Angel nodded and looked intently at Harold.
“What would I tell Mother and Dad?” Harold threw his hands in the air. “You can’t just disappear. They’d have half the county out looking for you. I’m sure Haverstock would appreciate the help.”
“I know,” Evelyn said softly.
The five of them sat glumly until Harold looked up.
“You could go to the old Hindley place. Nobody would find you there.”
“Where’s that?” Henry asked, hoping for a solution.
“It’s about three miles from here.” Evelyn brightened. “It’s been empty over ten years, but there’s water. And the road’s been fenced off and plowed over. There’s no way to get to it unless you walk, or by horseback. And you can’t see it from the main road.” She frowned. “I guess it’s still standing. I haven’t been out there in years.”
“Dad and I rode out that way a few weeks ago. It still looks like it always did.” He chuckled. “We all thought it was haunted when I was a kid. I guess they still do.”
“It sounds good,” Henry said, “but I’m not sure Haverstock needs a road.”
“What does he do,” Harold snorted, “fly?”
“Well, I’ve never seen him fly. But you all saw Angel do it.”
Harold looked at him sourly and then at Evelyn. “I guess we could tell Mother we’re going on a picnic, but that only solves the problem for this afternoon.”
“Maybe I could pretend I’m staying a few days with a friend. Only I can’t think of a reason why I’d be doing it.”
Suddenly Angel tensed. He held up his hand and listened, a frown on his face. He stood up and scrambled to the front of the barn, looking out. He motioned frantically to the others and they hurried to him.
The black Model-T Ford clattered up the lane toward the Bradley farmhouse.
Louis pulled to a stop and looked around. “Doesn’t seem to be anyone at home.”
“On the contrary,” Haverstock said mildly and lifted his hand in the direction of the barn. Harold stepped out, paused, then walked toward them. He put his hands on the car door and leaned down to look into Haverstock’s face. His heart was pounding and his throat was dry.
“Hello. Sorry to hear about your show burning,” he said and was surprised that his voice sounded normal. “What can I do for you?”
“Yes, most unfortunate accident,” Haverstock said pleasantly. “We were wondering if you could help us. There’s a young man with the show—Angel, the Magic Boy?”
Harold nodded.
“Very nice boy, completely harmless, of course, but a little off in the head; mentally retarded, a mute. He was frightened by the fire and seems to have run away.”
“Oh?” Harold raised his eyebrows. “I thought everyone was killed in the fire.”
“Yes, very sad affair. We thought so too, but it seems Angel was fortuitously spared. A sweet, harmless boy; we were so relieved.”
“Is he supposed to be out this way?”
“We have no idea. He was seen with your sister yesterday morning.” He smiled. “Your sister is a very lovely girl. Evelyn? Is that her name?”
“Yes.”
“Pretty name. No, we are merely exploring every avenue and we thought there was a possibility he might have come here.”
“No.” Harold shrugged, keeping his face blank. “He hasn’t been around here, that I know of.”
“Well, it was just a chance.” He pursed his lips petulantly. “We want very much to find him. He really isn’t capable of taking care of himself.” He smiled again. “Is your sister around, perhaps?”
Harold’s heart did a flip-flop. “No, I’m sorry. She and my parents went to Liberal for the day… to visit my… grandmother.”
“How nice.” Haverstock’s smile vanished. “But, then, she probably hasn’t seen him either or she would have surely mentioned it to you.” He turned to Louis.
“Check the house and barn, Louis,” he snapped. Louis got out of the car and trotted into the house. Haverstock turned back to Harold and smiled.
Harold looked back at him, an expression of polite interest on his face, but his eyes didn’t blink. Haverstock put his fingers slowly on Harold’s hand resting on the car door. He slid his hand up Harold’s arm to his face. It lingered there for a moment, then moved down his chest.
Louis searched through every room in the house and then went to the barn. He checked around, looked in all the stalls, climbed the ladder to the loft, but found nothing. He looked out the rear loft doors, across the rolling pasture land dotted with cattle.
Crouched in a wash, Evelyn, Angel, Henry, and Tim watched him through tall buffalo grass and released their breaths when he turned away.
Louis got back in the car. “Didn’t see anything.”
“Yes, I’m sure she would,” Harold said.
“Well, thank you very much, young man. Sorry to have bothered you. You will let us know if you should see or hear anything about Angel?” Haverstock smiled pleasantly.
“Of course,” Harold said and stepped back from the car as Louis started it.
“Good-bye,” Haverstock called and waggled his hand out the window. The car chugged back down the lane.
Harold watched them leave with a perplexed expression on his face. He felt peculiar and a bit lightheaded. He shivered and went back to the barn.