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Dex and Jasmin arrived at the house to see Sara waiting for them on the front porch. Dex, trying to hurry from the car, almost fell until Jasmin rushed to his side to give him a hand.
Stiff and sore from the long trip, he wondered if his stubbornness hadn’t backfired and was now making him pay. Jasmin had suggested he sit in back with his foot up, and that Pretty Girl would be fine beside him, but he’d argued, saying she needed the whole space.
Truth was, he worried more about Jasmin’s comfort behind the wheel and had figured that by staying close, and talking together, it would give her more confidence. And so, trying to be helpful only ended with his aching leg tingling, and his ankle sending hot indignant stabs throughout his body reminding him of who was boss.
Before they could reach the front steps, a hefty woman came from out of the shadow of the porch and approached. “Dex. It’s so good to see you again.” The middle-aged smiler gave him awarm hug, her frizzy brown hair piled on her head as usual, and a shadowed gleam filling her sad, amber eyes.
“Sara… you too. Meet my friend, Jasmin Burns.” While the two women shook hands and murmured their greetings, Dex surveyed the empty house with the For Sale sign in the yard. A wave of sadness washed over him from memories of other times he’d been there.
Shaking off his sorrow, he looked again toward Sara. After seeing her despondent expression, he’d known instantly that her idea of finding the boy here hadn’t worked out.
“I’m sorry, Dex. I was so sure he’d come back to where he’d grown up. I guess I was wrong.”
“Hold it, Sara. Wait now. What made you think he’d be here?”
“Because I thought I knew him. This place made him happy as much as his folks did… the people he loved. Besides, he knew how to take the bus, and he also knew the way from the bus stop. Not that he’d ever done it alone, but we did it together a lot. I guess I just felt he’d come to the home where he’d been safe.”
Jasmin piped up. “But the place must be locked. They wouldn’t leave an empty house open.”
“Yes, it is locked. But there were a few times I’d forget my key, and we knew a way for Dillon to get into the basement. There’s a small window there with a padlock because the inside bolt wouldn’t slide in place. We hid the key under a nearby rock.”
“Is the padlock open?”
“Yes. In fact, it’s gone.”
“So, he could have come in that way. How did you get in?”
“Me? I used the combination to get in through the garage door since they haven’t changed it yet. And, I had an old key to enter the house. I thought they might have replaced those locks too, but they haven’t changed the inner one either. I called out and went through the downstairs and even up to his bedroom but saw no sign of him being here.”
“What a shame! I was so sure you had figured it out. That he’d be hiding here.”
“Hold it. What did you say?” Before Dex could answer, Sara reiterated. “You said hiding.” Swiftly, her hand lifted to her forehead. “I think I might know where he is. I can’t get in there myself though.”
“We can bring Pretty Girl. She’ll get into any small places.”
“Great idea.” Jasmin let the animal out of the car and the dog ran to stand next to Dex. They took a few minutes for Sara to greet the dog before she stood and waved to them. “This way.”
Running ahead to open the garage again, Sara waited impatiently until she could bend under the rising door and had the key in her hand to unlock the inside entrance to the house.
On the move, her and Pretty Girl fled upstairs with Jasmin following and Dex trying his hardest to keep up with a bum ankle. Sara then ran to the door at the end of the hall and flung it open… not stopping until she stood in front of the closet.
Once there, she swung the door wide and dropped to her knees. Crawling forward, she wrenched open a small, wooden barrier low down on the wall. Sticking her head into the dark space, she called out then backed away to let the dog rush past her.
“Dillon. We found you. Come on out now, my lad. Pretty Girl is here to see you.” Holding their breath, all three adults waited.
***
Dillon finally made out the voice of the person who’d found him, a voice he’d thought never to hear again. Then a rush of white fur bounded near him, whining in welcome. Totally confused, he tried to hide his face, but the huge animal would have none of that. She stuck her nose into his neck and licked at any bit of skin she could find.
The small bit of light in the doorway showed Sara’s beloved face and he answered her in a squeaky whisper, which seemedto drive the dog into further antics of joyful gladness at finding Dillon. Unafraid now, he pushed at the bundle of furry enthusiasm and began to inch forward. “Pretty Girl, move.”
Disbelieving his own ears, he again tried calling only to hear Sara’s voice clearer now. Shaking the dread from limbs tight with fear, he began to inch forward again, the dog showing him the way.
“Sara!”
“Dillon. Come out from there now, sweetheart. I’m too old and stiff to be crawling in there to get you.”
Scurrying like the little mouse she’d once called him when they’d play hide the toy, he arrived at her side and flung himself into her arms. “Sara, you’re here.”
