Page 71 of Her Wicker Guardian

“Yes. I can see why.”

Locke goes still, and Mrs. Calhoun corrects herself immediately. “I don’t mean because you did anything. I mean because he thought he was looking at something impossible.”

Locke considers that. “I understand.”

I’ve been waiting for the chance to ask the question that matters most.

“Did he take a picture?”

“No. I checked his phone. Nothing in his photos, nothing in Recently Deleted.”

That is the first piece of genuinely good news we’ve had since Ben drove away. “You’re sure?”

“No picture. No video. He did text one friend before he got back here.”

“We know. The rumor reached Shannon Keller before your son reached the store.”

“Teenagers.” She lets out a long breath. “I’ve got his phone for now. Not because I think I can stop this forever. I just want him to calm down before he tells half the county he was attacked by Groot.”

I nearly choke.

Locke looks at me. “Groot?”

“Later.”

Mrs. Calhoun hears him. “He really can understand English.”

“Very well.”

She goes quiet again. When she speaks, some of the irritation is gone.

“I don’t know what to do with this, Rachel.”

“Neither do I.”

Strangely, that seems to help.

“All right. Then I’m not coming out there. Not today.”

Relief loosens something across my shoulders. “Thank you.”

“Eventually, though, I’d like to meet him.”

I look at Locke.

Friday night, we answered for him before we even realized we were doing it. Last night, we started learning better.

I say nothing.

Locke has been listening.

“Later,” he tells her.

Mrs. Calhoun makes a sound that might almost be a laugh. “Later works.”

After the call ends, Locke returns to the bear.

I finally pick up the lamp box from the stoop and carry it inside. One corner is dented from hitting the ground, and I brace myself before opening it.