Fifty-Five

Bonnie was running through the halls of Lodge High, calling out her husband's name. She'd been to his homeroom and the library and was heading to the office when she encountered Trent running toward her from the other direction.

"Have you seen him?" she asked, nearly collapsing into his arms. "He's not in his room, he's not anywhere."

He put a hand on each of her shoulders to steady her. "I was just outside, talking to the police, to your sister. She said he's gone."

"Oh God, tell me they don't think Richard had anything—"

"No, no, he's with some man who's—it sounds like this man has taken him hostage or something, and that he's the one who shot Herb."

"Hostage?"

"They left in the man's truck. Richard driving."

"What is happening? Why would someone— I don't understand."

"Neither do I. I hung in for part of the parents' meeting and it seemed to be going well. No shouting, no crazy accusations. Something must have happened after I slipped out. I came back to my office and I heard the shot."

Trent swallowed hard, looking almost as shaken as Bonnie. "I couldn't believe it was happening again. Another school attack."

Bonnie noticed Trent was holding his hand over the pocket of his jacket. There was something large and bulky there that he didn't want falling out.

"What's that?" Bonnie asked.

"It's nothing," he said.

"Trent."

He lowered his eyes, looking as though he'd been caught stealing from a candy jar. He pulled the butt end of a gun from the pocket, just enough so Bonnie could see what it was. It was, he told her, the one he admitted, after the LeDrew incident, to keeping locked up in the bottom drawer of his office desk.

Bonnie recoiled when she saw it, as though the weapon's very presence signaled the gravity of the situation.

"Only if there's an emergency," Trent said. "I'd really rather not use it at all, but when I heard the shot—"

"Fine, whatever. We have to find Richard, we have to figure out where—"

"Okay, okay," Trent said. "Let's go see if they know anything more."

Together they went back outside, where Marta and officers in uniform were busily asking people for details of anything they might have seen. When Marta saw Bonnie, she ran over to her.

"We've got everyone looking for the truck," she said. "We're going to find him."

"Why would someone take him?"

Marta shook her head. "I don't know any more than you right now. Go home. The second I know anything, I'll call you. I can find an officer to take you back—"

"I can take her," Trent said.

"Great," Marta said. She brought her sister in for a fast hug, then looked her in the eye and said, "I'm on this."

Bonnie nodded tearfully, then accompanied Trent to his car. He opened the door for her, ran around and got behind the wheel.

"Your sister's got everyone working this," he told her, trying to find something reassuring to say.

"We're not going home," Bonnie said.

"Where—"

"We're going to drive around. We might see them. We might see the truck."

"Bonnie, we don't even know what kind of truck it is, or the plate number, or—"

"Then take me home and I'll drive around myself."

Trent waited a moment, sighed, and said, "Okay." He keyed the ignition and drove out of the school lot. "Where do you want to go first?"

"I have no idea. Just drive."

"Got it."

Trent said he'd already called his wife to let her know he was okay. News spread quickly and he needed to let her know right away that nothing had happened to him. But now that he was going to be roaming Milford with Bonnie for an undetermined amount of time, he wanted to give her another heads-up.

"Of course," Melanie said, her voice coming out of the car's speaker through the Bluetooth feature. "Bonnie, you're there?"

"I'm here, Melanie."

"I'm so sorry. This is so awful. Let me know when you find Richard."

"Sure," Bonnie said, her voice close to breaking.

Trent, glancing at Bonnie, said, "Gotta go, Mel. We'll be in touch."

They drove in silence for a moment, Bonnie's eyes searching for pickup trucks, trying to make out who was behind the wheel when one passed. "Why don't we take a spin through the downtown," Trent said.

They explored Milford's business district, then drove along Bridgeport Avenue, past the various car dealerships and the Taco Bell and the McDonald's.

Neither of them had spoken for at least five minutes when Bonnie said, "I know what you're thinking."

Trent waited.

"You're thinking this is a waste of time. They could be anywhere."

"I wasn't thinking that," he said. "I'm prepared to keep driving around as long as you want, Bonnie. And if you hear from Marta, we're already on the road, we can be wherever we have to be even sooner."

Bonnie's chin quivered. "Thank you." She paused, then said, "Rachel."

"Sorry?"

"What must she be thinking? I ran out of the house, got the neighbors to watch her. If they're watching the news, if they see something online—"

"Why don't you call?"

"I don't even know their number."

"Call your house. You still have a landline?"

Bonnie nodded, thought about what to do, got out her phone, and tapped the screen. Seconds later, someone picked up.

"Mom?" said Rachel.

Just one word, but Bonnie could hear the anxiety in the little girl's voice.

"Hey, sweetie. Who's there with you?"

"The next-door lady."

"Can you put her on, please?"

There was the sound of the receiver being fumbled, then a woman's voice. "Bonnie?"

"Jill, yes, it's me. Does Rachel know what's happened? Do you know what's happened?"

"I don't. I've just been trying to get Rachel to go to bed."

"Okay, well, don't let her look at the news on TV or a phone or anything. Something bad happened at the school and we can't find Richard."

"Oh, Bonnie, what's—"

"I can't explain now. Can you stay?"

"As long as necessary. I can sleep over. Jack can bring me what I need."

"Thank you, Jill. Say goodbye to Rachel for me."

She got off the phone hurriedly, fearing Rachel might grab the phone from Jill before she could hang up.

"I can't talk to her," Bonnie whispered. "I wouldn't know what to say."